What should your photo look like?
Sunday 7 September 2025, 13:13 by Nando Harmsen | 2,352 views | 1 commentThis article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.
Anyone can take a photo. With an expensive mirrorless or DSLR camera, a compact camera or a smartphone. It doesn't matter how you do it. What should your photo look like? What kind of image do you want to create?
Apart from photographing on assignment, where the objective is clearly defined, the purpose of your photography can vary greatly. It comes down to the fact that the photos you take depend on the desired look.
It is not about the subject you most like to photograph, but about the appearance of the photo. Do you want it to be highly detailed, more realistic, atmospheric or artistic? I believe there is a place in this world for all of these types.
Are you the photographer who wants to photograph the world as the camera sees it? Preferably straight out of the camera, without editing on a computer. Accepting the camera's limitations?
Are you a photographer who wants to show the world in a photo as you see it with your eyes? With editing that ensures all details in the dark and light areas are retained? So that everything in the image is recognisable?
Do you prefer to photograph the moment? Using editing to bring back the feeling and atmosphere? Even if this means losing detail in the light or dark areas?
Are you an artist who uses the photo to fully bring out the atmosphere? Where some exaggeration of the atmosphere further emphasises the moment? On the condition that the physical location is not changed.
Are you going to create images based on a photo of reality? With adjustments and changes that alter this reality into a desired image? A photo edited so extensively that it shows something you would have liked to find there.
Or are you the artist who uses a photo as the basis for a manipulated image? The photographer who is not afraid to completely change reality? With the aim of transforming a photo into a digital painting?
I want to emphasise once again that this is not an article intended to call you to account. There is enough room for every kind of photographer or artist. Everyone should do what they want to do.
I am very curious what kind of photographer you are. What should your photo look like? Let us know in a comment below this post.
The images are for illustration purposes and do not necessarily reflect the descriptions in the text.
About the author
Nando Harmsen has been photographing for more than 40 years. He specialises in wedding photography and landscape photography. Nando also gives talks, workshops, masterclasses and photo trips, and regularly reviews new and interesting equipment.
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1 comment
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Donald Willemsen wrote on Sunday 7 September 2025 at 15:28 | replyNando, ik heb met plezier dit artikel gelezen. Het nodigt uit om na te denken wat je wilt met jouw (mijn) fotografie. Naast portret- en modelfotografie ben ik liefhebber van landschapsfotografie in de breedste zin. Ik vind het belangrijk dat een foto een bepaalde sfeer uitstraalt en bij portretfotografie bepaalde karaktertrekken van de geportretteerde naar voren komt.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.
Eerlijk gezegd vind ik dat best moeilijk. Je kan natuurlijk digitaal allerlei kunstgrepen toepassen ( ben ervan overtuigd dat het vaak gebeurt), maar dat geeft mij ook een beetje een gevoel van onbehagen. Een voorbeeld: Dit jaar ben ik naar Oradour sur Glane geweest. Ik heb daar veel foto's gemaakt over hetgeen er gebeurd is op 10 juni 1944. Toen ik er was, was het een zonnige dag met strakblauwe lucht. Ik had al besloten om de foto's in z/w uit te voeren en probeerde er ook de sfeer van die tijd in te krijgen. Ik heb niet gevoel dat ik daarin geslaagd ben.
Toch vind ik sfeer in een foto belangrijk. Ik worstel daarbij vaak met de vraag: Hoever mag je gaan in het gebruikt van digitale en Ai middelen?
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