My View Finder - How Photographers Approach Photography

I met fellow Exposure Studio member Danny Luong building my first Perspectives Art Show. I don’t remember how. Maybe Alvin . I could fact check that, but obviously too late for that now. Danny’s main focus is documentary or journalistic - he uses different formats and subjects but always seems to focus on his family lineage, stories of immigrants in this country, and the generational experience of...

I met fellow Exposure Studio member Danny Luong building my first Perspectives Art Show. I don’t remember how. Maybe Alvin . I could fact check that, but obviously too late for that now. Danny’s main focus is documentary or journalistic - he uses different formats and subjects but always seems to focus on his family lineage, stories of immigrants in this country, and the generational experience of...

I sit down (over Zoom) with my good friend Alvin Paringit . We talk photography. Inspiration. And walking. He sends me a link to Bryan Formhals' blog Way of the Walk . Whenever I meet Alvin I always talk about the "why" of photography and he always humours me. He's a great photographer in a purist sense. He loves the process. And however disconnected we've both been lately from the publishing and...

I sit down (over Zoom) with my good friend Alvin Paringit . We talk photography. Inspiration. And walking. He sends me a link to Bryan Formhals' blog Way of the Walk . Whenever I meet Alvin I always talk about the "why" of photography and he always humours me. He's a great photographer in a purist sense. He loves the process. And however disconnected we've both been lately from the publishing and...

My chat with Curtis yeilded a fascinating reflection. I posited the idea that Photography has had a particularly negative impact on culture and Curtis responded. His approach of separating the act and pursuit of photography as a pure art form and the manner in which is used echoed Stoic approaches to ethics. Namely that the ultimate aim of any pursuit should be it's core virtue - separate from any...

Stoics believe in acting for the process... the essential essence of an act. Not for the results. Not for the gains. But good and wise actions based on broader conceptual beliefs. Can photography be practiced this way? Is there an argument that most hobby and passion photography is already in this sphere? Or is there a line between "pure" processes and "actual" expressions that, in my opinion, get...

Our discussion points me to consider my own values in my work. Can I, like Esther, face some of these ideas. This podcast/blog is a start, of course. But I’ll have to also have to be sure the concepts which I believe will express whatever opinion I project will be pure. That the position I realize will be the best reflection of my true self and therefore of my true intent and integrity. So that ev...

In considering Photography's role in establishing, manipulating, and perhaps controlling the ideas of "normal" or "good" - I thought of my friend Esther's recent work entitled Know Your Place . A series of stark images about the role assigned to Korean women. This is an evolving definition, of course, but one that I personally resonated with. Here, in two parts, is our discussion about the relatio...

David Youn is not interested in the technical side of photography, but the thinking and philosophies behind snapping a picture. Subscribe now to get each new episode! Email Dave at dyounphoto@gmail.com