- Joined
- Dec 21, 2002
- Messages
- 6,230
- Format
- Large Format
glbeas said:My guess is not all folks heard or understood there was a question. I saw it as an abstract design myself.
Who's to say the mountain stream had no questions to ask?
Andre R. de Avillez said:I saw both, and remeber both (and I'll be d*mmed if I can't find them now). I commented on the treeline one, but decided to keep my mouth (hands?) shut on the second one. I simply had nothing to add. That's not necessarily a bad thing.
Donald Miller said:Please understand that this is not intended belittle anyone
Donald Miller said:My question, phrased in another way, is why do recognized and acknowledged photographers gravitate to the "known"? Are we doomed to be copiers of copiers?
juan said:A couple of points - I've never really understood the concept of a photo asking a question. Perhaps I'm not artisticly mature enough to understand, or perhaps my brain just doesn't work that way. Brett Weston (in the Art Wright film on DVD) talked about how he didn't have to ability to verbalize about his photographs.
As for the seen and unseen Donald addresses, I think of Hemingway, who said his novels were strengthened by what was left out. I think he's saying the same thing.
juan
The matter of the question of a mountain stream...other then the location and other matters pertaining to the objective reality, what question could be posed?
mark said:Donald, which pictures are they? I intentionally don't go to galleries very often because I often find myself seeing those images in the compositions I make. I don't know why. Mybe because, as Jorge said, I see that it has been done before. By not looking at those images i am free to concentrate on my images. When images are mentioned I think hmmm...I would like to see that and then I can't find it.
Mark, The images were removed several days ago.
You draw a pretty rigid line between what you call a pretty picture and an abstract. You give the abstract much more importance than you do the pretty picture. I cannot agree. In my opinion they are both the same in weight and meaning, and importance. It just depends on who you are talking to. I cannot imagine you wasted your time taking and printing a picture just so you could start this thread. You do not seem like that kind of person. Just as the objects in the abstract drew your eye so did objects in the stream. What was it that did that? I assume you had entirely different reasons for exposing the different shots, there fore they would each be viewed differently.
My designation of a "pretty picture" is a broad stroke to illustrate what I have observed as emulations and duplications of images that have been done over and over again. Other terms used to describe this is "looking for the tripod holes". I sense that you disapprove of my posting this discussion by your comment about the type of person that I seem to be. I did not post these images to illustrate a point.
My realizations and the origin of this thread arose out of a wide disparity of not only the comments related to these images. But more importantly the number of views that each received. To bring you up to date on these images...both were made in the time frame of 1988 and 1989. I had not previously printed either image at any time. I probably give the abstract more importance in this particular discussion because the "pretty picture", if I am being honest, arose out of a desire to emulate the work of other landscape photographers. The second image depicts a streaked plaster wall with a window opening that frames another window opening. This image occured during a period of immense personal struggle in my life. I would say that out of this struggle and the angst of that time that this image is more genuinely arising from myself. Thus I feel that I have a valid position from which to draw a personal comparison and also to draw a comparison of the interests of other viewers.
The matter of the question of a mountain stream...other then the location and other matters pertaining to the objective reality, what question could be posed?
What question(s) could not be posed?
When the whole of a contrived and oft duplicated scenic composition is presented, beyond the actual location and technical matters...what meaning does the image convey?
Donald Miller said:glbeas said:My guess is not all folks heard or understood there was a question. I saw it as an abstract design myself.
Who's to say the mountain stream had no questions to ask?
I purposely did not identify either image for that reason. I always want an image to be a personal experience (primarily for myself and additionally for others).
The matter of the question of a mountain stream...other then the location and other matters pertaining to the objective reality, what question could be posed?
Prior to the post this evening, I visited with another well recognized photographer last week about this same matter. I asked this question of him..."What am I missing?" when I observed the variance in the number of views. His response was "you are not the one that is missing the point". I guess that this is a matter of different places in our view of life and of the place that photography can play.
Bruce said:
"The abstract I can remember today. My response to it at the time was 'why is he showing me this? What am I to take away?'...I would say in response that apparently the question that you posed "
I would respond by saying that apparently the mountain stream was not of a lasting impression. I am heartened by that because apparently the abstract engaged you. The question of the image is one for you to pose to yourself and one for you to answer.
Thanks to both of you for your views.
mark said:I cannot imagine you wasted your time taking and printing a picture just so you could start this thread. You do not seem like that kind of person.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?