Excerpt.
Also, here is a small anecdotal excerpt from the essay that conveys one way of pursuing the photographic process. This particular way is outlined to reinforce the conclusions drawn in my thesis, exploring the relations between Nature, photography, and art.
Given this model, it is possible to develop criteria under which photography can be interpreted not as a work of art and object of appreciation in and of itself, rather a means to convey a Natural experience. It should be noted that the following personal description of the photographic process is but one manner in which a photographer may go about photographing the environment. Key components of the process necessary for 'photography as a means to convey a Natural experience' will be discussed afterward.
When a photographer emerges herself in Nature, she does not think of the camera. She frees her mind to wander, dwelling not on any specific feeling or idea. She brings her focus to breathing deeply and slowly, cultivating a sense of heightened and simultaneous awareness. She is at once conscious of the periodic lapping of water in the river, lingering odor of fresh pine and mountain dew. The craggy peaks in the distance evoke feelings of the sublime, while the delicate alpine flora at her feet bring comfort and support. Patches of snow on Northern slopes bring memories of winter. Blooming flowers bring hopes of Summer.
The day had begun at dawn over a cup of tea, and had proceeded at a muted pace, punctuated by shortened strides underfoot and labored breathing at altitude. Now, however, the world stands still, the burden of a heavy pack lifted from aching shoulders.
Succeeding sufficient contemplation, the photographer moves to erect a tripod and camera, acting deliberately but swiftly to capture the fading alpenglow. She choses a wide-angle lens and a long depth-of-field, hoping to bring to her image both the flora at her feet and the peaks in the background. A two-stop neutral density filter is used to evenly expose both the illuminated mountains and the shadowed forefront, bringing the limited tonal-range of a camera closer to that of the human eye. Lastly, she peers through the viewfinder, and composes the image as to include those elements most pertinent in her Natural experience. In 1/100th of a second and the clap of a shutter, the image is captured.
In two weeks time her photograph is printed, matted and framed – confined to 12 inches by 16 inches of ink on paper. It hangs nicely on an eggshell-white gallery wall, illuminated by it's own spotlight, carefully positioned to prevent glare on the invisible glass cover. Spectators don their hats of 'art aficionados' and circle the gallery with a sense of sophistication and self-worth inflated with the consumption of complementary wine and cheese. Occasionally they stop at the photograph, giving it it's 4 seconds of fame and a wrinkled brow more appropriate for the solving of Navier-Stoke's equation than the contemplation of a photograph. When the allocated 4 seconds have passed, they move on, often muttering something along the lines of “Oh, honey, well wasn't that a pretty picture”. The few, the proud, carry away their pensive look and wait an additional 4 seconds to relax their brow. These spectators look, but they don't see. They want to appreciate the photograph as an object itself. They don't see what it represents. They can't relate to the photographer.
The individual who perceives the photograph correctly understands that the photograph is nothing more than a vehicle for conveying the photographer's experience. When they see the photograph, they are captivated. An unwavering gaze. A quiet demeanor. The clinging of wine glasses and mahogany frame no longer play a role in their perception. The photograph evokes in them memories of familiar places and past emotions. They can almost taste the beads of sweat from a long day of hiking, or the sweet taste of glacial runoff. They can see the mountains as if they were before them – feel the cool bite of evening as the sun sets behind the horizon. In short, what they experience standing before the photograph is not all too different, hopefully the same, as the experience of the photographer herself. The photograph, then, is not an object to be appreciated. There are no brushstrokes from which to infer style and intent, nor are the subjects positioned to convey some cryptic message. It is merely a vehicle for evoking and conveying the Natural experience originally perceived by the photographer. “[E]xpression theory [sees] the artifact as the middle link in a communication from artist to spectator”.# This is very much the case in photography, assuming the photographer's artistic intent extends no further than to convey the Natural experience immediately perceived.