Thursday, January 17, 2013

Who is Alexandra K. Trenfor?

Although I was only half-paying-attention while perusing Facebook today, I still managed to spot a great quote attributed to someone named Alexandra K. Trenfor.  Here's the quote: The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don't tell you what to see.

Having no idea who Ms. Trenfor is/was and having never heard her name before, I went in search of this obviously insightful person. Unfortunately, nothing turned up to shed any light on who this woman might be or might have been.

I'd like to think she was/is a photographer because those words, her words, speak so eloquently to photography, especially in terms of photographers whom other photographers might choose to learn something from.

Photography isn't merely about capturing who or what is in front of you and your camera. It's about what you see and how you perceive those things in front of you. It's also about how you then decide to capture those things. Unless you're using photography to document things in ways that most accurately resemble reality, your perceptions of those things in front of you -- your internal vision of them and the way in which you photograph them -- are what puts you in the photo. It's that thing that reflects and represents you, the photographer, i.e., your style and your vision. In order to learn how to capture your vision and develop a personal style, assuming you choose to do so with the help of a teacher, mentor, or whatever you want to call such a person, you must choose someone who, while sometimes showing you where to look, won't ever tell you what to see.

Anyway, thanks Ms. Trenfor for your photographically insightful words whether you're a photographer or not. They are certainly worth thinking about. More so considering how many photographers these days, worthy or not,  have set themselves up, in one way or another, as experts, gurus, and teachers.

The sexy Cuban pretty girl at the top goes by the name Luna. (Click it to enlarge.) Wow! I finally remembered one of my pretty girl subjects' names! Must be that gingko biloba I've been taking.  I snapped this one of Luna, plus a few dozen or so others, last week. It was only Luna's third or fourth time in front of a camera but she certainly appears to be a quick learner! Especially in terms of selling it to the camera. (And we all know what "it" is.... or we should.)

By the way, if anyone knows who Alexandra K. Trenfor might be, please let me know in the comments. I'm definitely curious about her.

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