Photography Has No Gender

Women photographers are fortunate. Unlike other titles, photographer has no gender. Women photographers don't have to force stilted language like "flight attendant" instead of "stewardess," or "letter carrier" instead of "mailman." "Photographer" doesn't have the historical male/female titles such as "author" and "authoress," or "actor" vs. "actress." Women photographers may not even have to battle the associated gender that "doctors" or "nurses" do. Did you know that bank tellers always were men up until WWII because it was thought that women couldn't handle money?

So when you visualize a photographer, is it a man or woman? It probably depends on your most recent contact with one. But when you look at a photograph, can you tell whether it was taken by a man or a woman? Probably not. So, at least on one side of the lens, it doesn't make a difference that the photographer is a woman.

So why is it important to talk about women and photography? Because, according to a recent study conducted at the University of California at Irvine, women's brains are different than men's.

The study found that women have more "white matter" than men. White matter handles the connections of the brain's processing centers. Men, on the other hand, have more "gray matter" than women. Gray matter controls the information processing centers in the brain. According to Rex Jung, a neuropsychologist and co-author of the study, "this may help to explain why men tend to excel in tasks requiring more local processing (like mathematics), while women tend to excel at integrating and assimilating information from distributed gray-matter regions in the brain, such as required for language facility." Although different, the study found that both types of brain designs are "capable of producing equivalent intellectual performance." http://today.uci.edu/news/release_detail.asp?key=1261

It therefore makes sense that when women think and learn about photography, and even when they take photos, their approach is different than men's. What should women photographers do, then, with this information?

First, women should acknowledge and celebrate their differences. There is no right way to approach photography, as long as it works for you. Don't try to imitate male photographers, and certainly don't be uncomfortable with how you shoot. Second, study the work of women photographers who were pioneers, such as Imogen Cunningham and Dorothea Lange, as well as current women photographers such as Linde Waidhofer, Lisl Dennis and Joyce Tenneson. They may have created easier paths for you to follow.

Most important, you should look for support as a woman photographer. There are organizations that specifically serve the needs of women photographers. A primary example is "Women in Photography International." Its mission is to promote the visibility of women photographers and their work through a variety of programs, exhibitions, juried competitions and publications.

Seek programs like that provided by the Professional Photographers of America ("P.P.A."). It held its 2nd annual "Women in Photography Retreat" this past August. The purpose of the event was to "embark on an exciting journey of self-discovery . . . to forge new friendships, cultivate your strengths, and shape strategies for your personal, professional and creative development in a relaxing, stress free resort." You also should evaluate your situation. Does your local camera club involve you as a woman photographer? Do you get the support you need from your friends and family? You may have to make some careful choices about your associates if they don't encourage your art.

Likewise, you should examine whether you are getting the photography instruction that you need. It doesn't have to come from a woman for it to help you. Choose photography workshops that offer the opportunity to share the passion and inspiration with all photographic artists in a welcoming environment. Finally, you should use your female advantage in photography. There are the obvious areas. You can be in the bride's dressing room and you can make a connection with the crying baby. There are the less obvious items, too. You can "communicate" with the person who speaks a different language, connect with the wild animal or see the unique lines of the landscapes. Let your vision expand to its fullest, female state.

This is not to suggest that you become a ranting feminist photographer. The art of photography is to be cherished and appreciated, regardless of whether it is done by a woman or a man. The point is that photography has no gender. As a photographer, you should create superb images of enduring quality. The viewer won't care who it came from. Don't let any artificial designations get in your way. But you also should acknowledge, celebrate, explore and nourish your difference. You may be pleased with what you discover.

Copyright 2005 Carolyn E. Wright

--- ABOUT THE AUTHOR ---

Carolyn Wright is a professional photographer with an active portrait, event and nature photography business. Shooting for 25 years, her award-winning images have been used in books and corporate marketing materials. Her wildlife photos will be included in the upcoming book, "Captivating Wildlife - Images from the Top Ten Emerging Wildlife Photographers" by Scott Bourne and David Middleton. She also is working with Scott Bourne on "Wolfscapes," a photo book documenting the beauty and strength of wolves. Her wildlife images can be viewed at http://www.vividwildlife.com..

On the faculty of Olympic Mountain School of Photography, Carolyn's passion is enhanced when teaching photography. She enjoys writing and speaking on the subject, as well, and is a regular columnist for PhotoFocus, an online magazine for serious photographers.

---

How to Buy Wholesale Disposable Cameras

Wholesale disposable cameras are disposable cameras bought in quantity. Bulk disposable cameras are the best single-use camera deal online. If you really want to save money, disposable... Read More

Home Run Baseball Photography Tips

Strike one! Strike two! Strike three!Baseball! America's Pastime, and a sport growing in popularity throughout the world, where the Boys of Summer slug it out. A baseball... Read More

Creating Personalized Photo Calendars

About Personalized Photo Calendars:Photo Calendars are 12-month, wall-hanging calendars that you can create using your own digital photos and captions. As you customize your own photo calendar,... Read More

How to take Great Photos of Your Pet

We all love our animals. They do such funny, adorable, and cute things. But somehow when that camera comes out they run and hide or they just... Read More

Canadas Digital Cameras, Digital Camcorders and Cheap Memory Cards Canada

Digital SLR Camera or Digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera is an ideal camera for professionals and amateur photographers. They usually having interchangeable lenses and are known for... Read More

Buying Your Child A Digital Camera - What You Need To Know

Purchasing any gift item for your child is a mind-numbing task. You can never be sure whether they will like what you buy for them or not.... Read More

Color Management, the Digital Darkroom, and Adobe Photoshop

PrefaceIn order to understand color management, it is important to get your hands around some of the workflow. It is also important to understand a little bit... Read More

Light and Depth of Field

With such a fantastic device as the digital camera for the recreation of magic in arts, a lot of care needs to be taken so as to... Read More

Selecting Your First Digital Camera

Purchasing a digital camera is a wise decision, particularly if you take a lot of pictures and you want to control how they are developed. Camera prices... Read More

Where Do Great Ideas Come From?

At a Photo Club meeting I attended recently, the President made a comment on another meeting he had attended, where someone in the audience asked the presenter... Read More

Photo Equipment Lists

You arrive at your photo shoot excited about the images you are about to take ? that is, until you realize that you have left an important... Read More

HP Digital Cameras - History and Beyond

HP has started making digital cameras only recently. However, the firm provides a one-stop-shop for all digital facilities. The company has made a large number of innovations... Read More

The Primer on Digital Camera Printers

Once you have clicked photos through your digital camera, then the next step is to turn these 'virtual' images into real photos. One way is to send... Read More

Seven Ways for Saving Your Digital Images Forever!

So, you have taken lots of pictures with your new digital camera, the memory card is full, and you are wondering how to store and archive your... Read More

How to Buy the Right Digital Camera

When buying a digital camera there are many things you should consider. First you should understand how a digital camera works. What you are using your digital... Read More

10 MORE Ways to Make Money with Your Digital Cameras

1. Pet photos - advertise a Pet Photography business where you photograph pets with their owners. Most owners won't struggle to take a photograph with their pet... Read More

The Photography Portfolio: Building Your Reputation

If you have hopes of becoming a professional photographer, or even just of trying to get your work published in a public forum, you will need to... Read More

Digital Zoom Versus Optical Zoom

The digital camera is but a technological advancement of the conventional analog camera. And thus every component of the analog camera must have been upgraded or changed... Read More

Choosing the Right Digital Camera

Choosing the right digital camera for general use can be more challenging than actually taking a good picture. Like all things technical, digital cameras come in a... Read More

Digital Imaging Explained

Digital Imaging is a process where an electronic photograph, scanned document, or image is converted into a series of electronic dots called pixels. Pixels is an acronym... Read More

Where to Find Cheap Disposable Cameras

There are many kinds of disposable cameras. All disposable cameras are already inexpensive, but there are some that are even more of a bargain than others. While... Read More

Candid Photography

Candid photography is photography that focuses on spontaneity rather than technique. Your subject's focus is not on the camera, but on their current task. So we're not... Read More

The Venice Rookery

Love is in the air at the Venice Rookery. The birds (and the bees) are there doing the thing they are so famous for, and you can... Read More

Make More of Your Photos

We all want to make the most of our wedding photos and a new service from totalPIX makes it very easy with their beautifully bound photobooks.Like all... Read More

Keep a Digital Photos Diary

Digital Photo Diary - memories that last a life timeThe best things in life come in threes, like friends, dreams, and memories.A digital photo diary keeps some... Read More

How To Make A Time-Lapse Video With Your Digital Video Camera

Getting the most out of your digital video camera can mean being able to create some really cool stuff. You just have to step outside the manual... Read More