Blog co-dependancy
Pasadena, Calif. 2006
Since I am not very consistent with my blog posts, I will steal a comment I made on Christian’s blog regarding Joerg’s question What Makes a Great Photo?
I don’t respond to single photographs the way some people do. If they are funny or ironic or insightful or informative I will appreciate them as such. But really, one image out of context really does nothing for me relative to a series or body of work.
In my opinion one of the most wonderful things about photography is how it can document a persons perspective, or a particular take on a place or idea. Sometimes that is supremely boring (my recent photographs near crushingly boring levels), but as a whole I hope they speak to something far more interesting.
The point of “hero” photographs in advertising and editorial photography makes complete sense, and are necessary since most magazines aren’t interested in publishing Ross’s 20 favorite photographs from the shoot. When it comes to making my own work, however, I have the opportunity to be as slow and deliberate with my description of something as possible.
I was recently doing research for a photography project in university. Basically I’m doing a photo essay type series of my town, which extends to pretty much a series of photos depicting the suburbs. I was looking over Alec Soth’s work, and began noticing element that repeated from photo to photo. Things like repeating colours, forcing the viewers eye to stay on the page or come of, pretty much basic elements of design. So it becomes apparent that one can describe a great photo in terms of these principals. However there is that added breathlessness, that want to look back, that is also in great photographs and this feeling is indescribable. Perhaps this happens by chance, if it happened purposefully that implies that there is a specific formula to follow to get that type of image again an again. I don’t belive there is such a formula.
In relation to your (Christian Patterson’s) post I also feel that a series is more meaningfull or “greater” in great photo terms. However I find it interesting that at times photos that work really well in a series, don’t work on their own, and vice-versa.
Comment by Eugen S, — March 31, 2007 @ 9:00 pm
I couldn’t agree more. I’ve only been taking pictures for a short while now but my early emphasis was to create that perfect image and my frustrations with not being able to do so sometimes forced me to leave camera at home. Changing the focus to travelling somewhere, finding someone or something and just shooting it creates a series that speaks much more personally and specifically. Let the publishers pick and choose - our job is to shoot.
On another note - thanks for your work and your blog. I’ve spent a lot of time on your site and I’m excited to see how deep the rabbit hole goes. My work is only at its beginning and photographers like yourself keep me thinking and reaching.
Comment by Patrick Adams — April 1, 2007 @ 3:21 pm