Lonely ice fisherman in Tver

After yesterday’s mega post on such a worrying matter, today I wanted something peaceful and serene!

So I found this image I took this past winter in Tver. I wrote in another previous blog about the danger of walking on frozen rivers, but this is different. Ice fishing is a very strong tradition in Russia and the best places and times and modes to fish on the ice are generally passed from father to son. These guys know what they are doing, they know the river, they know the ice. They are experts at using their hand auger (while I didn’t even know how it was called and I had to look it up prior to writing it here!)

Photo tip!
I like this picture, in spite of it going against many well established photographic rules. The image is not super-sharp. The silhouetted fisherman is sharp, but is is too small and you can’t really tell what he’s doing. The rest of the image is hazy, not very well defined. There is strong vignetting and the white balance is off (it is not that blue, even during blue hour!), there is no white in the image except for the blown-out one over the fisherman and I could go on. But my photo tip is to try and not always follow the rules!
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist” said Pablo Picasso.
“Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively” echoed the Dalai Lama.

Many times I wrote that a good photograph should tell a story. And I don’t think this one does. But I like it and I think (and hope) that, if not a story, it communicates an emotion, a feeling, a fleeting or lasting impression on those who look at it.

Photography is not an absolute. There are different philosophies, different schools, and of course each person’s different taste comes into play, as well. And I bet you would be very surprised to learn just how much people like a photo that you don’t. Of course, it is deeper than that and as for all contemporary art it is almost impossible to judge without knowing a specific art movement very well. But, be honest, even if you had all that money, would you pay 4.3 Million Dollars for this photograph?

Would you like to have a go at trying to take the next multi million dollar photo, while discovering the largest country on Earth and having a fantastic time in Russia? If so do get in touch and we will be happy to organize an unforgettable tailor-made trip for you!