The few (pictures) that really count!

 While scanning through the Flickr Photo public bank, a sudden reflexion strikes me about the futility of presenting a massive number of pictures compare to be more selective and choosing the few ones that can generate more impact, questioning and inspiration. Because, in fact, you don't have to prove yourself in front of others by overwhelm them with a large and motley photo album that will simply induce a fatigue effect from the observer.

Let's be clear. You want to gain the heart of all the people and especially the ones that are often negatively critical by habit, by malice, by insecurity of their own inaptitude to produce and share pictures. These false proclaimed amateur "art directors" cannot understand anything that won't fit their narrow-minded interpretation. They don't want to be surprised, chocked, and learn sometimes new or different. It is a lost cause for you and for them.

Some pictures will survive in your heart and more importantly, will survive from their first taking context which is meaning that the message they convoy is more universal, less limited. Other pictures are often the repetition of something already presented several times in a kind of "pastiche" of the theme they try to reproduce. By opposition, some pictures are another kind of(artistic) search variations that expand the interest of the subject. Finally, some others are more consumable fashionable image representation that may see for a time (if you are lucky) as long they survive to the taste of the day.

Exploring the different Flickr galleries is a good indicator of the kind of documentation work or artistic exploration propose by their respective authors. Although we never really sure about the profound intentions of them, we can, at least, get a certain idea of the impact of their imagery output. By picking a very few of them to be part of my small "favorite" gallery, I want to encourage new talents with a fresh view of our surrounding world. There are often not technically perfect, but they are authentic and inspiring, two qualities that I am looking for in every photograph. That gallery is not only an homage but also an encouragement to go further and to share among other photographers.

There is a misconception about specifically "news" photography and why they do such number of pictures in a short time. Many of these pictures are in fact regarded as safeguards of the moments of the event, the context, and the subject. News photographers already know that will be only an infinite fraction of these pictures that will be selected like 1 of 100, 1,000 or 10,000! And most of these pictures are repetitive with very small variations. At the end, you can summarize them into small subject packages in very few theme and subject developments.

Everyone that is a bit serious about photography like to share his/her pictures but often feel very insecure to do so. It is normal because, in a way, it is a very intimate act that represent you, and your believes, your intentions. But it is an error to submerge your audience with a lot of pictures that will confuse and tired them. We must be more confident and audacious in your attempt to strike people about our pictures. Less pictures but with far more impact!

© Photos Daniel M: OM-D E-M5 III/ED 14-150mm II; OM-D E-M1 II/ED 12-40mm Pro