Tonight's photograph is not an exciting one nor captivating but personal. I do not know why I like this row of lights but each night when I walk this way from my train home I see it from the distance and it has a certain affect on me. The immediate area to the left and right of this street is of little interest to me nor anyone but those who live there for that matter, but this straight of way from emerges out of nowhere.
Photography is personal. I learned from my assisting and working in NYC studios that I do not want to follow the trend setters. I do not want to imitate. I photograph for a meaning that sometimes even I won’t understand right away until later on I look back on it. Some of that process and the photographs get discarded and others treasured. Art follows this pattern.
I love the way Jackson Pollack was lost in his work. It was his world. But I have met artists (this title does not fit them in my opinion) who with enough connections and persistence think of their next piece in term of profit. I have not been able to respect that sort of art. Artist is a title that is earned. Sometimes this title is earned after one's death. It should not matter in any way how or for what purpose you'll create your next piece other then your own. Anything else is commerce.
See, I believe that true artists have all to share with their audience and fellow artists. The commercial photographers have nothing more then sheltering their secrets of trade.
I recently listened to an interview that mentioned the period from Edward Weston to the Ansel Adams where photographers had a great satisfaction of sharing their techniques. Ansel Adams even wrote 3 books on technique alone. They were working with equipment which has changed very little in the last 150 years. It was about sharing experiences. I believe in this sharing because it keeps me true to why I photograph.
Photography is personal. I learned from my assisting and working in NYC studios that I do not want to follow the trend setters. I do not want to imitate. I photograph for a meaning that sometimes even I won’t understand right away until later on I look back on it. Some of that process and the photographs get discarded and others treasured. Art follows this pattern.
I love the way Jackson Pollack was lost in his work. It was his world. But I have met artists (this title does not fit them in my opinion) who with enough connections and persistence think of their next piece in term of profit. I have not been able to respect that sort of art. Artist is a title that is earned. Sometimes this title is earned after one's death. It should not matter in any way how or for what purpose you'll create your next piece other then your own. Anything else is commerce.
See, I believe that true artists have all to share with their audience and fellow artists. The commercial photographers have nothing more then sheltering their secrets of trade.
I recently listened to an interview that mentioned the period from Edward Weston to the Ansel Adams where photographers had a great satisfaction of sharing their techniques. Ansel Adams even wrote 3 books on technique alone. They were working with equipment which has changed very little in the last 150 years. It was about sharing experiences. I believe in this sharing because it keeps me true to why I photograph.
(Technical Note: I had some trouble adjusting the exact color rendition from the beautiful Provia 400 pushed 2 stops - But I hope the color balance won't distract the simplicity of a night lit street)
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