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Artist or documentarian

Mike Shimwell

New member
I'm not sure if these few undeveloped thoughts belong here or in the art definition thread. But,

I've spent a bit of time thinking lately about the nature of what I shoot and particularly the creative process involved. One of the questions I'm asking myself is whether actually I simply document the world as I see it, and if so is that really art - or for something to be art is a more extensive creative input required?

I don't really mind, but part of the question comes from my interest in the everyday as well as the extraordinary. When you look at landscape pictures (to take only one example - fashion or glamour would be equally relevant) there are many many pictures that are either of an extraordinary moment, and I've a few of those, or that are created by the imagemaker to be very impressive. But, do these pictures ignore the ordinary that is around us, which I increasingly find myself enjoying shooting, much as I appreciate being a part of it.

I was quite surprised to read a short article recently about 'street shooting your children'. I've never thought of my approach to my family in those terms, but the only pictures I have of the girls posing (at my instruction) are one I took for my wife as a birthday gift and one form the day the older started school. Otherwise, I photograph them engaged in life as I always have. I value the look of concentration far more than the posed smile.

None of this is to try to limit anyone's creativity or approach to picture creation - just a few rambling thoughts on the the documentary and creative, and how they might fit together. I don't apply any particular rules to my production, I just make what I like and that reflects the world I see.

All and any thoughts appreciated:)

Mike
 
I used to worry about this stuff too until I figured out that part of the problem was the "documentation" question itself and the underlying assumptions that go with it. Here is a different take:

Photography cannot and does not document the world, just a tiny fraction of it. All it records is that quality of the world that is capable of causing marks in a light sensitive surface. The "quality" is usually light but it can also be ionising radiation, mechanical impact, heat, or chemical contamination. All the other stuff, smells, sensations, sounds, 3D perceptions that add to the richness of experience don't register in photographs. Nevertheless because a photograph is caused by the impact of something real on the sensitive surface the photograph does become a certificate for a fragment of reality. But it does not guarantee that you can correctly identify the nature of this reality; something is real but what? The classic example is a photograph of a distant floating log on a lake becoming proof of the Loch Ness monster. Conspicuously, painting, drawing, and digitally generated pictures don't have photography's innate capacity to certify reality.

Photographs do not show the world as I see it. My world view is a brain construct of remembered images and automatically stitched images, all continually captured by eyeballs scanning in high frequency saccades. Further more the brain processes everything to eliminate the retinal blind-spot and finally gives the "mind's-eye picture" High Dynamic Range processing to fill in the highlights and shadows.

Actually this leads to why I do photography. Photography is a physical process that runs according to the laws of the universe. It gives me a chance to encounter the world, or at least a tiny part of it, without my brain automatically imposing a stack of filters and biasses that I, through effort of will, cannot switch off.

In a profound sense photographs, real photographs, are better than memories.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Such taxonomy is a trivial undertaking best left to others.

Just shoot and enjoy yourself.
Ken I agree, that one has to do that. Still one can go a step further and acquire sufficient fluid technique and imagination to make a picture so impressive than one has fun coming back to it!

I think the best thing to do is to read Ansel Adams 2cd edition of his book ,"The Negative"!

He strongly states that he did not make pictures of what is there but created a print of what was impressive to him of the scene, a derivative of what was there, seeming to be that, but being what he saw in his own mind instead.

He had no intention to make 2D images of 3D objects to "document" of what he saw, rather a new entity, something of beauty which could give a commanding experience because he had considered the subject carefully before the picture was composed and then how it would be made using his senses to devise and make a new thing that stood on its own.

However, if one wants to go and document things, then one can do that too. That is not what Ansel Adams did. All photographers should read this clear, beautifully written book!

Asher
 

Cem_Usakligil

Well-known member
Hi Mike,

All I can say at this moment is that I too am wrestling with these questions.
Ken's advice is good for me because the more philosophical I get, the less I enjoy taking simple pictures. OTOH, some supercritical and perfectionist voice in my head constantly nags: stop wasting your time, all you can do has already been done before, it will never amount to anything remotely artistic, etc, etc. Especially after seeing the questions asked in this recent poll about sharing photos, I became very pessimistic again. Because the scenario is a no-win one. Let me explain. If I share my pictures with family and friends, they are kind, biased and mostly "photographically challenged". As in, they don't get the small but oh so important nuances, arcs of intention and what have you. If I share my pictures here, the chances of getting real feedback is much higher but I cannot let you share the real joy of my pictures since it is a disaster looking at them on a monitor and not on paper, properly matted and framed. Since I am not an established "artist", I cannot share my pictures in an exhibition with greater public. So in the end, I am one of the billions out there shooting as a madman in order to collect a heap of pictures which will eventually go to their digital graves with my passing or probably much earlier than that due to system/backup failures.

Sorry for the "realistic pessimism" I have introduced into this discussion :-(.
 

Mike Shimwell

New member
Ken, I don't worry and I do enjoy shooting - probably more because this thought process has removed any stress about needing make some great art and I just nejoy what I do. In practice, that is what started it all anyway.

Maris, you are right of course that a photograph is not the world either as it is or as I see it. A photograph is a new object. And I find that I enjoy many of these new objects even when they are made from the ordinary bits of life around us.

Asher, I read 'the negative' some years ago, and perhaps could read it again. I think the thing that is clear now is that actually I don't seek to simply document, but to create a photograph - this new object - that may variously reflect, celebrate, observe or reveal something about the subject and yet that has form in and of itself.

Cem, Don't give up! I share your experiecne that my photos are taken to with a view to being a print, and that limits the audience in some ways. Good constructive criticism is hard to come by - particularly that which recgonises that you mave made certain decisions for particular reasons. I always appreciate Ahsers (and others) commentson my and oter pictures for that reason. If you want to do a print swap, I'll be happy to take part - that would at least extend your audience by one:)



Finally, an example. I have a print of this that I really like. My enjoyment, as far as I can tell, is not rooted just in the people (my next brother and various children!) but in the way the image on paper creates a sense of life beyond the particular people involved. But some particular things are that the picture is not tidy - there is the intruding picture frame at top and detritus on the floor - as well as a knee - it is not set up or posed in any way to be 'cute' or pretty etc.

Your thoughts would be appreciated:)

3011854914_2b60541b62_o.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
............ But some particular things are that the picture is not tidy - there is the intruding picture frame at top and detritus on the floor - as well as a knee - it is not set up or posed in any way to be 'cute' or pretty etc.

Hi Mike,

We've discussed the Truth in Photography movement, previously and also touched upon this in minor and serious violations of the Press Photographer's Ethical Code of Conduct, here.

One should have honesty in what we say or imply we deliver in serious matters*. So a silver gelatin print should be that. If you claim something occurred, it should.

I think you should go ahead and tidy up the photograph. It's for entertainment and approaches art.

Your job is to maximize the impact of the picture form its physicality to the feelings, thoughts and implications it might have. The picture, after all is like all art, a tool by which we can, at will, call up a predicable esthetic. It's your job to do that from your own intent and library of ideas and talent!

Go ahead, show us the new version!

Asher

*We should, IMHO, be only concerned with strict verisimultude and accuracy in science, forensic or police photography and yes, street photography. In the latter, one might remove a distracting sign for artisitc reasons, perhaps, if it does not alter the gestalt of the matter.




Asher
 

Cem_Usakligil

Well-known member
.....
Cem, Don't give up! I share your experiecne that my photos are taken to with a view to being a print, and that limits the audience in some ways. Good constructive criticism is hard to come by - particularly that which recgonises that you mave made certain decisions for particular reasons. I always appreciate Ahsers (and others) commentson my and oter pictures for that reason. If you want to do a print swap, I'll be happy to take part - that would at least extend your audience by one:)
...
Hi Mike,

Thanks a lot for the encouraging and kind words, much appreciated. I think this print exhange idea could be a very nice one to follow up on. A bit like having a pen pal when we were kids at school :). Let's think it though please.

Cheers,
 
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