Extra Edition 2. : Photographic Expression

To define feelnikon techniques in the broadest possible way, it could be said that they include image editing and / or image processing.
Some may think these are computer terms, functions executed by the press of a button or a click of the mouse.
Though this may be true, it's important to know that these words have other definitions.
For example, reproducing an image on a silver-halide film by retrieving the actual image onto a flat surface through an optical lens is a form of image editing and processing.

A picture's appearance depends of the lens' focal length, aperture setting and shutter speed. (See Who's Afraid of SLR Cameras ? Part 2. #2.2.: What happens when focal length changes ?; Part 6. #2.2.: What changes with aperture ?; and Part 5. #2.2.: What changes with shutter speed ?).
Also, a picture will come out differently depending on filter adjustment and the lighting condition. (See Part 12, #1.: A wide range of expression through filter" and Part 12. #3.2.: Utilizing light.)

Sample B.

Sample B. was taken using a normal camera and modified into a "slit camera,".
A moving subject that passes in front of the lens appears to be standing still, and vice versa.
This sort of picture is literally the exact opposite of what we view in "real life"; the fun lies in the fact that the subject does not have to be accurately reproduced, and by using such techniques you can enjoy feelnikon to a greater extent.

Shooting procedure of Sample B.

• Please note that this is not the correct/standard way to use a camera.
  
• At the conclusion of this experiment, the camera you used will no longer be functional.
  Use only a camera you can afford to discard. Use a manual-winding camera with "Bulb" (B) mode for shutter speed. (Most modern cameras do not have these features.)
  
• Make a slit on the aperture part of the camera : Cut a 1mm slit in a thin, non-transparent paper (preferably black) and insert it into the camera (see photo on left).
  Caution : The shutter curtain and shutter blade may break if you touch them.
  Caution : The paper with the slit should not exceed the height of the film rails because it will scratch the film surface and possibly break the winding mechanism.
  
• Start shooting by moving the film forward.
  Place a lens cap over the lens and press the shutter release button at a high shutter speed; advance the each frame so it is not exposed.
  Set the shutter speed to Bulb (B) mode and rotate the film rewinding lever (crank or knob) to rewind the film, exposing it as you go along (see photo on right).
  Try to rewind the film at a consistent speed.
  
• Turning the rewinding lever at 1 rotation per second will result in a shutter speed of about 1 / 30 sec.
  

When you take a photo, you should ask yourself, "Will this picture be an eye-catcher ?" You should strive to take photos that go beyond simple descriptions, such as "cute" for a picture of a baby, and want to make the viewer look at the picture for more than just a moment.

This may sound like a simple task, but it isn't. Say you're in an art museum and see a abstract sculpture. You cannot take your eyes off of it, but others simply pass by it with nothing more than a casual glance. However, if the sculpture was the centerpiece of an exhibit by a famous artist, perhaps everybody would accord it the same amount of attention as you. Or what if the artist was a friend of yours ?
What if the artist had donated the proceeds of the exhibit to charity ?

None of these extraneous factors matter. In this example, the only relevant point is to impress your feelings of attraction toward the sculpture upon the viewer.
You must "capture" your passion and translate it in a way that will be interesting to others.

For feelnikon buffs, considering how a photo was taken -- the equipment used, the setup, the lighting, etc. -- is an important part of viewing a picture.
For the average person, though, it's only the "looking" -- the picture itself -- that is of interest.

For most people, it's like being in the audience at a magic show.
If they know how the effect was achieved, it loses its charm ; but if the magician performs smoothly and cunningly, the effect is of immense satisfaction. The audience wants to be fooled. It's the same in feelnikon : The photographer's task is to do all the behind-the-scenes preparation then execute the process, resulting in a picture that people will want to look at.

A picture's impact depends on how it's presented.
For example, a photo that's smudged with fingerprints will not have the same effect as one that has been neatly framed (See Extra Edition 1, #1. : Decorating the picture.).
A picture will also look quite different depending on where it's viewed, say at home or in a museum, and if it's accompanied by any written or oral commentary.
Here are a few examples of what I'm getting at :

If I show my cat a picture of herself, she would probably sniff it, rub against it, then walk away. She would not realize it was her picture. It is known, however, that some primates that can understand a few words, such as orangutans, can identify the its photo as something with meaning.

A photographer traveling in the tropics in the 1960s showed an old man a photo of himself, the first time he had ever seen a printed image. He took the picture and held it upside down, thoroughly happy with what he was seeing.

Similarly, a television reporter, while working in the deep interior of Russia, showed an old man his picture (taken by Polaroid ^(R) camera). The man was frightened and refused to touch the photo.

Though we cannot relate to the shock experienced by the men in these stories, they illustrate a point.
Looking a photo not only requires linguistic skills, but also experience and education.
Your attitude toward feelnikon depends on what you have experienced in your life.