Words with Images 

For me, no titles, however a few (non descriptive and technical) words can add context I reckon. Especially to intro why the image/s exists and get thoughts flowing

I have two thoughts. First, regarding words, essays such as Eric Bennett's in concert with his images combine to tell a story. The words are not about individual images, so the viewer is still left to see whatever he/she sees in an individual image. But combining words, i.e., essays, with images allows the photographer to tell his/her story. As to titles, titling an image is when I came to understand what an image meant to me or what it was trying to express. While some photographers apparently can see the meaning of their images while they are in the field, I can't. The meaning of an image -- if, indeed it has a particular meaning -- only became clear when I attempted to give the image a title.

A title for an image I was just working on, popped in my head while watching this video! Sometimes, titles come to me while composing an image. Sometimes a title emerges later and sometimes I just get "crickets". I'd like to try experimenting with haiku to accompany some of my images though. Could be fun. Maybe.

In the act of photographing, a word or phrase or fragment of a poem may enter my mind. It may seem to have nothing to do with the image but I know there is a subconscious connection which, eventually, percolate to the surface. Other times, whole short stories form and will be included when (if) I post that photo. Sometimes I think these words are the music to my photos as a movie has a soundtrack. And, if there are no words, there is meaning in the silence. Maybe, I’m just different.

I used words Before but I try not to anymore. I think they explain to much and i like to leave something to the imagination. Sometimes I do it, but always regret 🤣

I try to write a poem for each image, usually quite short, maybe only a line or two. Lyrics and score - voice and instrument. I have moved from no titles to one line of poetry when a curator demands titles or prefers them.

Am I the only one that spent the entire video looking to see if Cole had his hair on a pony tail??? It’s like Schrodinger’s hair!!! Cole both has the long hair and doesn’t at the same time! I’m not great with creative words for my photography. The worst question I can be asked is “what’s the title?” But I’m with you Cole, the day, time, and settings are not titles….

I like titles. From my perspective, works generally tell me what they want to be called. Probably the emotional (or ??) connection to the work. So, from that perspective, titles give me a hint as to what the artist/photographer was thinking and/or feeling when they made their art. I also really like the idea of a story with an image. Ya know, books for children often have words and images combined. Story books. I've always kind of wondered why we adults don't have the same. What Cole said about the diary thing... I think that speaks to your previous video of why does one make a photograph.

Good idea, well executed. I tried something similar a decade or more ago, and it went absolutely nowhere. Mine was sonnets, not essays. Considering the sonnet was an outdated artform in Shakespeare's day, I can't really say what I was thinking at the time. That's an excellent point about a choice of words being a distraction to the image - a sonnet was perhaps too much to wrestle with beneath the frame. But an essay... hmmm... I shall contemplate this on the tree of woe ⚔💪

Congratulations on hitting the 1k subscribers mark!!!