Male vs Female - is there a difference in the way we photograph?

[Pea-n-Me]

... Or even the way we approach photography?

I've wondered about this before, but an article in this month's PopPhoto got me thinking about it some more.

What do you all think?

 

[annnewjerz]

... Or even the way we approach photography?

I've wondered about this before, but an article in this month's PopPhoto got me thinking about it some more.

What do you all think?

I think so, not necessarily in terms of the technical side of actually how a person takes photos, but maybe in some other areas. I think women face a lot more difficulty with things that most men wouldn't think of. For example, most women have hair that's longer than a man's. This hair gets in the way. I have found myself brushing my bangs out of the viewfinder so much recently...I guess it's a good guage for when I need a haircut. Also, women already carry around a certain set of "gear" on a daily basis. Adding all of this extra stuff like backpacks, neck straps, tripod cases, etc. is just one more thing to make our back hurt unless we have some extra support

Men (typically) have better spatial intelligence and that may translate into their photographs. Because of better visual-spatial capabilities, they may be able to better compose a photo (or at least faster and with less thought) than a female. Because of better spatial-temporal capabilities, they might be better at panning than women.

Women on the other hand, typically have better memories. This may make learning proper exposure, remembering certain techniques, etc. easier for a woman than a man. It may also help in remembering when she leaves the house for vacation, to make sure she has all of her photo gear and to remember to turn off the coffee maker so when she comes home from The World--there is still a house and computer to come home to for all of her post-processing.

 

[alan]

Way off topic, but what exactly are "bangs"? It's not a term I've heard used in the UK...

regards,
/alan

 

[annnewjerz]

Way off topic, but what exactly are "bangs"? It's not a term I've heard used in the UK...

regards,
/alan

Quite alright. You know, when a woman (or man I suppose) has a haircut and hair falls over their forehead...like a curtain down to their eyes? I know that is a horrible way to describe it, but I can't think of any other way.

My sister will kill me if she sees this, but it's a good example. See how the younger one's hair covers to her eyebrows?? Bangs.

Mine are currently too long, I'm in need of a haircut...they are down past my eyebrows right now.

 

[alan]

Ah.. now I think we'd call that a fringe. Thank you for enlightening me!

Now I'm going to go and think about an answer to the original question!

regards,
/alan

 

[jann1033]

since i'm female with a lousy memory and good spatial intelligence this might pertain only to my particular hybrid form
but from seeing the stuff on the dis at least, it seems males are more concerned with the techniques and not so concerned with the art aspect, maybe not quite so ready to go outside the box of what the "rules of photography" say to get an inventive shot, where as females ( ok this female) are more "go with the gut" shooters and if it doesn't work i'll just try something else. not that the males on here don't turn out good shots but i have noticed even when critiquing a shot most of the males are all about the technical aspect of the shot, not the emotion. whereas to me it's the gut reaction/interest/artistic value then the technique( ie it might have a close to blown highlight or two, i don't mean i'd ignore something major, like an out of focus shot that is supposed to obviously be sharp and call it a good shot ). maybe cause at least in the US, is seems males are still brought up to be less emotional and more analytical, ( ie the phrase "getting in touch with my feminine side" for things like sensitivity etc) so they approach photography the same way?

and i totally approach voting for the photo contest in a "male" like fashion but this is about shooting

 

[WillCAD]

I think in general women seem to shoot people more and men seem to shoot objects, places, etc. more.

Of course, that's a gross generalization, there are plenty of exceptions to that, it's just a sort of attitude difference that I see in some pics.

 

[alan]

I'm with WillCAD here

regards,
/alan

 

[allie5]

I think in general women seem to shoot people more and men seem to shoot objects, places, etc. more.

Of course, that's a gross generalization, there are plenty of exceptions to that, it's just a sort of attitude difference that I see in some pics.

I think Im the exception as I dont like shooting people at all

Its an interesting question and Im not sure if I know of any difference between gender, however there are often different types of photographer - those who focus (oooh an unintentional pun ) on a specific style of shooting such as macro, landscape, portraiture (and Im talking the hobbyist photographer not the pros!). From other photo boards Ive visited, it appears that men dominate the traditional landscape vista genre whereas us girls are more active in the wildlife and portrait sections (which would back up WillCADs answer!) but thats a very sweeping generalisation on my part.

I think we all find our comfort zone after doing this hobby awhile -sometimes we'll jump out of it and surprise ourselves but often we'll be at our happiest shooting what we enjoy whether we are male or female.

 

[DVC Jen]

This is a really interesting question. Not sure about where I stand - maybe I just feel it is more of an individual thing than a gender thing.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Way off topic, but what exactly are "bangs"?

Yes, nothing close to sausages. (Bangers to you, IIR.)

 

[Pea-n-Me]

In the article they talk about a couple who photographed WWII. The woman focused a lot on (like Jan said), the emotional side of war - often in the faces of women and children, but they said that some of her morgue shots were actually more "shocking" than the man's. (Ironically, she was run over by a tank in 1937.) In present day war in the Middle East, sometimes women aren't allowed in the war zones so they are left to photograph the homefront with, again, women and children.

But they also showed some non-war pictures to see if the reader could guess who took them - man or woman. That was really interesting. It made me think about some of the pictures that I enjoy most, how I take pictures myself, what I like to shoot, what people here like to shoot, and other aspects of photography as well, like technical preferences in equipment and even post processing programs, etc.

 

[MICKEY88]

I think in general women seem to shoot people more and men seem to shoot objects, places, etc. more.

Of course, that's a gross generalization, there are plenty of exceptions to that, it's just a sort of attitude difference that I see in some pics.

that might hold true on this board but for me it's only because most of my model shots aren't dis-friendly...LOL

to answer the original question,

I think women are more artistic, men more technical,

I think women are better at public people pics because, they can see a scene and capture all involved, whereas a high percentage of males will be distracted by that one female in the group that stands out, realizing this to be the case, many men will play it safe and just not shoot the scene, to avoid getting whooped at home...LOL


more females shoot portraits, because more male photographers are busy shooting female models..

 

[Chikabowa]

I actually disagree with everything written here. I don't think that there is a difference between men and women when it comes to approach to photography. In my opinion, it's too broad of a subject to generalize in such a stereotypical manner.

When you look at a photograph, it's like opening someone's head and looking inside their brain. It's a hard-copy visualization of what they are seeing at that moment in time. Put 20 photographers in a room with one model, holding one expression and one pose, and you will get 20 vastly different interpretations. It doesn't matter if they are man, woman, child; they all photograph what they see.

I have seen some of the most gaudy, terrible boudoir taken by women, while I've seen the most heartfelt, stunningly beautiful boudoir taken by a man. Do I think it's easier for a woman to shoot boudoir? It depends on so many different factors that I couldn't generalize like that.

Everyone approaches their subject manner in such a different way, that I think it's virtually impossible to say that women are more emotional photographers and men are more technical. It comes down to personality, temperament, artistic styling, past experiences, artistic eye, and what the photographer brings with them emotionally. I do not, for one second, believe that you can look at a photo and say "A man took this" or "A woman took this."

 

[MICKEY88]

I actually disagree with everything written here. I don't think that there is a difference between men and women when it comes to approach to photography. Everyone approaches their subject manner in such a different way, that I think it's virtually impossible to say that women are more emotional photographers and men are more technical. It comes down to personality, temperament, artistic styling, past experiences, artistic eye, and what the photographer brings with them emotionally. I do not, for one second, believe that you can look at a photo and say "A man took this" or "A woman took this."

I respectfully disagree, in my 30 + years of photography I have noticed a difference, sure you will have artistic males and technical females,,, but statistically,I've seen more females that are very artistic, whereas the males generally are better technically,

on 2 model/photographer networking sites that I frequent it is quite noticeable.

either gender can cross that line with experience and education, but when it comes to raw talent I stand by my prior statement..

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I came across this when I was searching for some research based information on the subject (and removed a word to keep it family friendly):

Teddy and Sabrina discuss men and women in the photography world, and how men like huge lenses, while women favor function over size.

 

[Chikabowa]

I respectfully disagree, in my 30 + years of photography I have noticed a difference, sure you will have artistic males and technical females,,, but statistically,I've seen more females that are very artistic, whereas the males generally are better technically,

on 2 model/photographer networking sites that I frequent it is quite noticeable.

either gender can cross that line with experience and education, but when it comes to raw talent I stand by my prior statement..

I guess we'll agree to disagree in that case. Hence the reason for the article. I think that it is too much of a stereotype to broadly state that as a fact.

I truly believe that the art of photography transcends gender and I cannot make such sweeping generalizations and put people into pigeon holes.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I wouldn't presume to make sweeping generalizations of anything, and that's not what the article was trying to do, either. Just trying to provoke thought about an interesting topic.

It's not to say that all female photographers do everything one way, or males do everything another. Nor is it to say one's better than the other, either. Surely that's not the case. We're just *possibly* a little different.

I, for one, think there can be some subtle differences in the way men and women approach and carry out photography in general, just like in other aspects of life. Within both genders, of course, there are always individuals that don't conform to any patterns one way or the other.

 

[MICKEY88]

I guess we'll agree to disagree in that case. Hence the reason for the article. I think that it is too much of a stereotype to broadly state that as a fact.

I truly believe that the art of photography transcends gender and I cannot make such sweeping generalizations and put people into pigeon holes.

OK I agree
to disagree...

 

[seashoreCM]

I see no reason why it has to be that way but, just observing my family including as I was growing up:

My mother and my grandmothers got the (point and shoot) camera, put in a flashbulb if the scene was indoors, and snapped. (I don't recall my grandfathers taking any pictures.)

My father always futzed around with a (non-SLR but manual) camera at least a moderate amount before shooting.

All made at least some effort to get a good shot or pose, often saying "move over a little" or something like that.

Only other (geographically close) close relatives were two aunts who used SLR's and had art as a hobby.

I have preferred manual cameras but small size was more important and recently I have been unable to find manual cameras that I liked. My brother has switched from SLR to point and shoot but from time to time wishes he had the SLR with him. His wife is strictly point and shoot. My sister and husband had only a small video camcorder until they recently upgraded cell phones to decent camera models.

Now, my father drove a manual transmission car for many years after my mother got an automatic.

>>> ... bangs ...
Some time ago I sported a Beatle-style hairdo and often my boss then, who was from England and who had hair almost as long, would say "you need to cut that fringe".