pt. 2- What Makes a Compelling Reference Photo?

This is the second in my three-part series on choosing, altering, and preparing compelling reference photos. In the last post, I talked about a common misconception amateur watercolor painters have—namely, that their technique is the big thing that’s holding them back. It’s a good watch, and well worth your time! If you’ve not yet watched that video, you can find it here—

https://stephenberryart.com/blog/2023/1/19/is-it-your-technique-thats-your-problem

Now, on to my new content.

What makes a compelling reference photo? That’s my question for today.

I’ll start off by saying what it’s not. Because this is the trap most students fall in to. This is sort of meant to be provocative, but it’s also pretty true— a reference photo is not a memory. At the very least, it’s not JUST a story about a special experience you had. Of course, it’s that too. That emotional content, however, is not what makes it a good reference photo.

“Now, Steve,” I hear you say— “Lots of big-time teachers say you should paint subjects that have meaning to you, that come from your own life and heart. You disagree with all of them?” Honestly, no. I say it too. Why? Because that emotional connection to the photo is what gives you the fuel you need to really dig deep and engage in the (very difficult, often challenging) experience of making art. What will keep you going when you fail? That emotional connection. How will you know what is really essential in the subject, what evokes the core experience that will make your expression of this subject special and reflective of your life experience? Your emotional connection.

But… and this is a big BUT, that emotional connection is not what make your personal photos be good reference photos. In fact, it’s almost the opposite! LOL.

Why? Because no one else really has the same emotional context that you do. That emotional connection has nothing to do with being objective. Quite the opposite, in fact. And that’s why we need to dig in and look at things “from the outside” when we start to arrange shapes, contrasts, and lines— as if we knew nothing about the context of the photos in front of us.

For the 3rd and final part of this series, I’ll be doing a free, live zoom demo on Tuesday, 1/24, at 11 am Pacific Standard Time. That means 2 pm on the east coast, and 7 pm in England. If you can’t make it, not to worry- I’ll be recording the meeting and sharing it the day after. But if you want to ask me questions as I go and get the most out of the event, I definitely recommend coming live! :D

Lets take a photo or two and apply these principles to real world subjects! I’ll guide you through the process, and you can ask any questions you have. That means, selecting a photo with potential (and discarding others), editing it, and building a notan out of it. Editing a good reference photo and building a useful notan are very powerful tools that really prepare you for when you get down to painting. They help you become clear about what the “actors” are, “sell” the subject at its best, edit out extraneous info, and simplify things. All really key elements that set you up for success!

EDIT- Hi folks. Sorry you missed the live zoom demo, but I’ll be sharing the recording soon! :)

You will need to register for this live demo to participate. It just means you’ll be putting in your name and email to join. Here’s the registration link-

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Thanks!

I look forward to seeing you guys there! :)