It’s Not That Simple: Why There Are No Absolutes in Photography

It’s Not That Simple: Why There Are No Absolutes in Photography

Friday, July 7, 2023 Rewrite in 2025 Dec. 23

Pressing the shutter button is the easy part. Everything else—the knowledge, the timing, the experience—takes effort.

Most of what you read, watch, or hear in workshops suggests a "do this to get better" approach. But in photography, there are no absolutes; there are only guides. To truly improve, you have to get out there, take the shots, and honestly analyze your results.

If I had to name the only "absolutes," they would be composition, focus, and what Matt Kloskowski calls "The Why." Why did you take the photo in the first place? Beyond that, everything is a choice. You might know the "rules" of composition, but which one fits this specific moment?

Here is why every "rule" comes with a "but..."

The Great "Buts" of Photography

"Use Aperture Priority for landscapes..." BUT if anything is moving—the wind in the trees or people walking by—you have to consider shutter speed. If your ISO is fixed, the camera will chase a "proper" exposure by adjusting your shutter speed. If it drops too low, you’ll lose that sharpness. (A good rule of thumb: keep your shutter speed at least 1/focal length for handheld shots).

"Use Shutter Priority for motion..." BUT remember that your camera will adjust the aperture to compensate. If you’re shooting a landscape at 1/600s on a windy day, your camera might open up to f/4.0. Is your background still sharp? Maybe, maybe not.

"Use a low ISO for a clean photo..." BUT don't be afraid of the dark. Modern sensors and AI software handle noise beautifully. I’d rather have a sharp, well-exposed shot with some noise than a "clean" shot that is blurry because the ISO was too low. Get the shot first.

"Never use AUTO..." BUT it’s a great tool to find a baseline or to use when you’re handing your camera to a friend. Often, the result is perfectly acceptable.

"Use JPEG..." BUT remember that a JPEG is like a wrapped deli ham sandwich. You can unwrap it and add some mustard, but it’s always going to be a ham sandwich. It’s fine for immediate posting, but your editing options are limited.

"Use RAW..." BUT know that it might look a bit "flat" on your LCD screen. The magic is in the post-processing—where you can turn that basic ham sandwich into a toasted turkey and ham panini.

"Use a fast shutter speed to stop blur..." BUT is that what you actually want? Photography is an artistic choice. Do you want to freeze a bird in flight, or do you want to show the beautiful motion of the wings through a bit of blur?

"Aperture controls Depth of Field (DoF)..." BUT it isn't the only factor. Your sensor size, your distance from the subject, and your focal length often matter more than your f-stop.

"Use Evaluative Metering..." BUT remember that your camera is just trying to turn everything into 18% gray. Whether you use evaluative, center-weighted, or spot metering, the camera is just doing math to find that middle gray. You have to decide if that's actually the look you want.

"A new camera will improve my photography..." NO, it won't. If you’re taking bad photos now, a more expensive camera will just take high-resolution bad photos. New gear might have better autofocus or cooler menus, but it won’t make you a better artist. Learn your current gear to its absolute limit first.

The Bottom Line

There is no single "secret" to being a better photographer. It’s a combination of all these variables and, most importantly, knowing your tool. Whether you’re using a cell phone or the latest high-end mirrorless, you need to know which button does what without thinking about it. If you don't know your camera, you can't use it to its full potential.

To paraphrase President Kennedy: We choose to become better photographers not because it is easy, but because it is hard.

The Subtractive Canvas: Is Photography Just Painting with Pixels?

In the art world, we often pit photography and painting against one another. One is seen as a "capture" of reality, the other a "creation" from nothing. But as we move deeper into the digital age, the line between a brushstroke and a pixel is blurring.

If we look closely at the mechanics of the craft, we find that a photographer is essentially a painter—just one who works in reverse.

### Drawing with Light

The word **photography** literally means "drawing with light." While a painter uses a brush to apply pigment to a linen canvas, a photographer uses a lens to "brush" photons onto a digital sensor.

In this metaphor:

* **The Sensor is the Canvas:** A grid of millions of photosites (pixels) waiting to be filled.

* **Aperture and Shutter Speed are the Brushes:** A wide aperture creates a broad, soft stroke (bokeh), while a fast shutter speed captures a sharp, precise dab of detail.

* **The RAW file is the Palette:** A digital space where we mix colors, push shadows, and pull highlights to match our vision.

### The Great Inversion: Additive vs. Subtractive

The most profound difference between these two mediums isn't the tools, but the **philosophical starting point.**

Traditional painting is **additive**. You start with a white void—a blank canvas. Every mountain, tree, or stray hair must be intentionally placed there. If there is a distraction in a painting, it’s because the artist chose to put it there.

Photography, however, is **subtractive**.

A photographer starts with the entire world—a chaotic, messy, and unorganized reality. The artist’s job is to "remove" the noise. When you look through a viewfinder, you aren't just deciding what to include; you are deciding what to kill. You move your body to hide a trash can behind a tree; you use a shallow depth of field to blur out a distracting crowd; you crop the frame to isolate a single soul in a city of millions.

> *"A photographer will remove a distraction when a traditional artist would not add a distraction in the first place."*

### The Physics of the Pixel

Even the physics of the two mediums are inverted. In traditional painting, you work with **subtractive color** (RYB)—mix enough pigments together, and you get a dark, muddy black.

Digital photography relies on **additive color** (RGB). Because you are painting with light, the more "paint" you add to a pixel, the closer you get to pure, brilliant white. This relationship is governed by the intensity of light hitting the sensor, often measured by the **Inverse Square Law**:

This formula reminds us that the "thickness" of our light-paint depends entirely on our distance from the source.

### Conclusion: Two Paths to the Same Peak

Whether you are building a world one brushstroke at a time or carving a masterpiece out of the chaos of reality, the goal remains the same: to translate a feeling into a visual language.

The painter starts with nothing and adds until the work is finished. The photographer starts with everything and subtracts until only the truth remains. Both, in the end, are simply masters of the pixel and the pigment.

Larry's Photography Hangout

I plan to increase the use of my Discord server called Larry's Photography Hangout.

What's Discord 

 

Those that wish to join the discussion following the information below.

Here are the steps to create your Discord account and join Larry's Photography Discussion.

Phase 1: Create Your Discord Account

1. Go to the registration page: https://discord.com/register

2. Fill in your Email, Username, Password, and Date of Birth.

3. Click "Continue" and check your email inbox to verify your account.

Phase 2: Join the Server

1. Once your account is verified, click the server invite link: https://discord.gg/dGmqZdHAmm

2. Click Accept Invite.

3. When you land in the server, look for a #rules or #start-here channel and read the guidelines to gain full access.

Let me know if you run into any trouble!