Using Repetition in your Photography Practice

Marcus talks about repetition in this show. Repetition was a core part of the five Rs show which you can listen to here.

Marcus has recently been to a Martin Parr talk. What Marcus found is that Martin has done huge amounts of fashion photography, which he wasn’t very aware of. Marcus explains that this is partly because he does what Marcus talked about in another recent episode alternative genres.
To recap the previous episode the 5 rules of creativity in photography are

1. Research
2. Rules
3. Repetition
4. Reflection
5. Rest

 

Marcus in this show focusses on repetition. Repetition splits down into three areas

1. Learning
2. Improving
3. Diversifying
   

Learning
If you are learning photography, it is best to photograph things that you can go back to again and again. So something at the bottom of the garden rather that what you see on holiday. This also means you are focussing on the mundane, so you have to try to make it interesting. Marcus says take a picture, look at it reflect on it, then take it again. Keeping repeating, reflecting and learning. Marcus says this idea works just as well for more experienced photographers. Marcus thinks this is a great way to get to know your kit and getting to know shutter speeds, apertures and more.

 

Improving
If you are an improving photographer you want to go an photograph things multiple times. Thinking about varied weather, varied times of day, varied lighting conditions. Marcus says when you repeat things you are growing the connections in your brain. But it’s important that critical reflection is combined with repetition.

Diversifying

There is a style of photography where photographers photograph something again and again in a very similar way, this is called Typology. Bernt and Hilla Becher, Thomas Struth, Lewis Baltz are all photographers who have used this. They tend to photograph a series of photos of something similar. Edward Munch’s the Scream is a block print that works in a similar way. As a photography example the Bechers were photographing gas tanks over time. Years apart but from the same position and with the same weather so they are very similar shots.