Slow Photo movement

[perkeleellinen]

. They also assume "slow food" is a good thing, therefore chemical/analogue imaging is also a good thing.

I think this is untrue, at least for me. The bread I make tastes good and I enjoy making it, so I think it's good. I also think film photography is good - but it was also good 15 years ago before I started making bread and the bread was good three years ago during a spell away from photography. There's no causation here.

 

[Ian Leake]

Yes. This and most subsequent comments are ensnared in a "fallacy of perfect analogy," where a partial resemblance between two things is taken to be a complete resemblance which, in this case, it isn't. The arguments made here tend to assume that "slow food" and some form of chemical/analogue imaging are analogous in some ways. They also assume "slow food" is a good thing, therefore chemical/analogue imaging is also a good thing. Simply put, a partial resemblance gets converted into what logicians call an identity, which it isn't. Interesting arguments so far, except that they're not logically informed or even very convincing.

Finding both concepts attractive need not be as illogical as you suggest. I am attracted to the idea of getting back to basics, taking my time, and creating something by my own hand. It's therefore entirely natural that I should be attracted to both Slow Food and a similar ideal in photography. For me the analogy, however imperfect, is attractive because it links two things which appeal to me; it reflects my world view. That's neither illogical nor a foolish fallacy.

One thing I've learnt in over 20 years of working with all sorts of different people from different cultures, is that when someone says something I don't understand or acts in a way that confuses me, the first thing I should check is that I haven't made the mistake of assuming that everyone is like me.

When we make the mistake of assuming that, "everyone is like me," we tend to dismiss other people's opinions and arguments as foolish and illogical, rather than trying to understand what's behind them. Are you sure you're not making this mistake?

 

[CGW]

Finding both concepts attractive need not be as illogical as you suggest. I am attracted to the idea of getting back to basics, taking my time, and creating something by my own hand. It's therefore entirely natural that I should be attracted to both Slow Food and a similar ideal in photography. For me the analogy, however imperfect, is attractive because it links two things which appeal to me; it reflects my world view. That's neither illogical nor a foolish fallacy.

One thing I've learnt in over 20 years of working with all sorts of different people from different cultures, is that when someone says something I don't understand or acts in a way that confuses me, the first thing I should check is that I haven't made the mistake of assuming that everyone is like me.

When we make the mistake of assuming that, "everyone is like me," we tend to dismiss other people's opinions and arguments as foolish and illogical, rather than trying to understand what's behind them. Are you sure you're not making this mistake?

That's a bit of a truism. The argument being made here is that they're identical. They're not and that's where the fallacy is. I rely on multinational companies to supply me with hardware, chemistry, paper, and film. Unlike turnips or free range chickens, these items aren't produced within 100 miles(or less)of my home, sadly. Michael Pollan or Carlo Petrini don't have much to say to me about photography, whether analogue or digital.

 

[perkeleellinen]

I don't think anybody here has so far attempted to claim the Slow Food Movement and film photography are identical. What I see is a number of posts where people are picking up on themes that are similar in both. For me it was time, for Ian it was about a state of mind, for Keith it was about craft, for Ian Grant it was pace, and for ntenny it was the theme of de-commodification.

 

[2F/2F]

Whatever is going on, people are certainly buying film too slowly for it to stay around all that much longer. Every six months we get new horrifying discontinuances. What we need is fast photography, but using film.

 

[keithwms]

I don't think anybody here has so far attempted to claim the Slow Food Movement and film photography are identical. What I see is a number of posts where people are picking up on themes that are similar in both. For me it was time, for Ian it was about a state of mind, for Keith it was about craft, for Ian Grant it was pace, and for ntenny it was the theme of de-commodification.

I agree, I don't see anybody trying to force a direct correspondence between the two. We don't eat photochemicals

I think we just need to ask why people are starting to find more value in slow/local/handmade/etc. Is it fad, is it nostalgia... or is it possible that people are actually starting to realize that art which can be banged out industrially by the thousand is inherently less valuable...?

 

[Ian Leake]

The idea of "Slow Art" has been around for a few years. It's all about the pace at which we create and consume art, and the commitment we make as artists and viewers. There are some very interesting ideas out there.

 

[ntenny]

I agree, I don't see anybody trying to force a direct correspondence between the two. We don't eat photochemicals

Didn't we have somebody who accidentally made his morning coffee with sodium sulfite once? But I agree...we *generally* don't eat photochemicals.

-NT

 

[removed account4]

there is plenty that has to do with photography that has nothing to do with slow.
this isn't just true with smaller format cameras but larger ones too ...
and while i see similarities between a crafted meal and a crafted image
there are plenty of people that craft images that originated from a non-organic source ..
maybe there are few compared to those whose images begin with an analog source ..

i kind of agree with the whole amish perspective of photography as well, i wouldn't say it has
to be slow, just arcane

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

That's why Etsy is so popular

I agree, I don't see anybody trying to force a direct correspondence between the two. We don't eat photochemicals

I think we just need to ask why people are starting to find more value in slow/local/handmade/etc. Is it fad, is it nostalgia... or is it possible that people are actually starting to realize that art which can be banged out industrially by the thousand is inherently less valuable...?

Have any APUGers gone to Etsy.com ? I shopped for my girl friend there. Lots of hand made goodies. You could sell your work there too. I think the more digital and mass produced items out there, the greater the hunger for hand made items. There are photographers that sell inkjet prints there too, but I understand why folks are trying to make a few bucks during this lousy recession.