Photographing chaos - Strategies?

[koraks]

Listen to Hendrik Andriessen's Miroir de Peine without knowing what it's about. Then read the titles of the movements. Listen to it again. Did the music change?

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

No, Agent 86! Not THAT Kaos! (sorry... I couldn't resist!)

 

[Sirius Glass]

Yes but not having known all the pre-context (mental condition of her mother etc.) and viewing it as simple photographs without the added conceptual layer on top I doubt if that manages to bring anything.

Each photograph stands on it own, alone and if it cannot do that, it then fails to gain interest in the eye of the viewer.

 

[gary mulder]

Each photograph stands on it own, alone and if it cannot do that, it then fails to gain interest in the eye of the viewer.

That is way we like photography that is at least 50 years old. Then the context as been shaped into our collective knowledge. Though mostly without our explicit knowing.

 

[Vaughn]

Each photograph stands on it own, alone and if it cannot do that, it then fails to gain interest in the eye of the viewer.

I agree, while also accepting the multitudes of exceptions...such as images in contexts not yet defined in our collective (and very limited) knowledge. Shows and photo books might have images that would not work standing alone, but successfully act as bridges between images. That sort of thing.

 

[warden]

Yesterday, I went to a carnival/fair/not sure what the right name is. I went with the intention of photographing one particular attraction and got that done. However, as I walked through the rest, overwhelmed by the sensory overload from colors, smells and sounds, I couldn't take any more pictures and that left me frustrated. I know there's a way to organize that chaos (isn't that what we do every time we lift the camera?), but I just couldn't find my way through it.

I just attended a Stephen Shore's class and the way he spoke about the importance of taking time, really observing and composing, finding the "grammar" of making an image, etc was enlightening. Still, I couldn't quite figure it out "in the wild".

What strategies have you found useful for dealing with complex scenes like that? Another aspect of it is that I don't find all that plasticky stuff beautiful to begin with, but that's exactly why I'd like to take on that challenge!

Thanks for sharing any thoughts or advice

I don't have a particular strategy but I like what Shore was saying in principle. One of my favorite examples is The Steerage by Alfred Stieglitz. There are maybe fifty people in the image, but there is also an underlying structure that divides the image into sections and makes you want to explore. Wonderful, wonderful.

When I'm out photographing chaotic situations that I can not control, I try to slow down and find the structure of the image first, and then just enjoy the people until something interesting happens.

Apologies if someone else has already mentioned The Steerage.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/267836

 

[Alex Benjamin]

No, Agent 86! Not THAT Kaos! (sorry... I couldn't resist!)

View attachment 401458

That's it! Cone of silence for you!

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

 

[Sirius Glass]

I don't have a particular strategy but I like what Shore was saying in principle. One of my favorite examples is The Steerage by Alfred Stieglitz. There are maybe fifty people in the image, but there is also an underlying structure that divides the image into sections and makes you want to explore. Wonderful, wonderful.

When I'm out photographing chaotic situations that I can not control, I try to slow down and find the structure of the image first, and then just enjoy the people until something interesting happens.

Apologies if someone else has already mentioned The Steerage.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/267836

I will walk through an area looking to compositions and photographing. Then if Anne is with me she will point out the compositions that she sees. Anne has been a docent at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan of Art for years and she has a great eye for compositions.