Last time I talked about building a photographic library and looking at books. Now I want to talk about paintings. I’ve written here many times that we as photographers can learn a great deal from looking at paintings.  That’s right … paintings … most of which are in beautiful color!  I know, the vast number of paintings are not monochromatic (however there was a very nice black and white watercolors), so as black and white photographers, what’s the point?

Just to be clear, I’m no expert on paintings and those who have painted them, but I love to go to exhibits.  I’m lucky enough to live a few minutes away from the Michener Museum of Art here in Doylestown and I go there often.  I also have an easy drive to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and have become a frequent visitor.  I even go to New York and Washington, DC to see shows. The reason for all my visits to view the work of great painters is simple. As a photographer, I can learn a lot about light and composition from viewing great paintings. But that’s not all. I also learn a lot about presentation (horizontal vs. vertical), subject matter and perspective of view (think normal vs. wide angle or telephoto lenses).

A number of years ago I saw a wonderful exhibit of the great Bucks County painter Daniel Garber at the Michener. Garber has one of the most incredible senses of light I have ever seen and I have often taken students to the museum to see many of his wonderful paintings that are in its permanent collection. Why? Because as beginning photographers they can learn a lot about all the things I mentioned above!  But here’s the thing … you really need to actually go to see the paintings! You cannot get the full appreciation of the sense of light unless you are standing in front of their work!

Ok, so what about looking at exhibits of color photographs? Nah … not the same.  I feel differently about color paintings than I do about color photographs. Paintings seem to have a depth and luminosity that color photographs lack … especially digitally created ones.

Final thought … go and look at paintings … lots of paintings, but my favorites by far are the works of the impressionist masters. I’m a sucker for them. You want to learn about light … more importantly the feeling of light and composition related to light  … go see impressionist art!!

Stay well,

Michael