Thoughts On Creating A Photograph

Celebrating The Rain Clouds                                          @Marcia Mauskopf 2011

At what point is an image created? Is it at conception? Visualization? Execution? Is the creation ownership property of the creator's mind or the person pressing the shutter button? Something to think about as you are creating your photos.

This image is a portrait of me, taken by my husband. I saw the play of light against the rainshower in the distance and immediately knew it was the place and backdrop for an idea I had, a "Goddess" Portrait. I demonstrated the pose I wanted and directed him to move to make the placement of the rain shower in between my hands. Explained the cropping I wanted and then, in Photoshop,  refined that cropping and did the digital darkroom work to modify the image to match the creation in my mind.

While we haven't discussed it, I'm sure that in this circumstance he would agree that he participated in the creation of my idea, pressing the shutter for me because I couldn't do it on my own from there. What are your thoughts? My creation? His? Colaberation? Tell me what you think?