Postcards from the Creative Journey

Size Does Matter

Daneville School,

Divide County, North Dakota

A difference between post-modern and modern photography was writ large (or writ small, in this case) at a recent photographic exhibition I attended. On one wall, sixteen small platinum prints, framed to 11” x 14” were exhibited. The images were well seen and the prints were exquisite. The exhibit was a joy to experience and an excellent example of modern photography.

The size of the artwork was an important aspect of the exhibit. Platinum prints are (usually) of modest size due to the nature and expense of that particular process. That is to be expected. My real affection for this size of prints is the intimate nature of the experience. You must be very close to the image to see the details of the image. When you take up position in front of a small print, only one person can look at the image. It is a one on one experience with you and the photographer meeting through a small image.

Post-modern photographs on the same gallery wall space would probably number two. Post-modern work is usually very large. Large images say, “Back away, back away. Don’t get too close because there is no room for you in my art.” The opportunity to get close to the artist through their work is defeated by the scale of the work.

Well, Now What?

From our walls to the Gallery walls,

in a few short days.

The work done for “Light on China” is complete and is waiting to be delivered. Now what do I do? The answer is obvious. Move on to the next project. To live the creative life, to continue on the creative journey, one must keep creating. If you lose creative momentum, it’s really difficult to get started again. Of course, we are allowed to rest (momentarily) in order to restore the energy we need for artistic creation, but for the journey to continue, one must keep creating and move to the next project. I always have multiple projects in progress, so the next project might not be just a figment of my imagination, but very well might be near completion.

The next project to be completed is to create the visuals for a presentation to the Cary Photographic Artists in August. The talk is titled, “Project Based Photography and I will address how I created my most recent projects, the “Light on China” exhibit for the GreenHill Gallery

After I put the finishing touches on the presentation, I have more photography around Cary that must be done around the time of the summer solstice, two folios of pictures from Southern Utah, and a project that is completely different from anything else I have done.

I would like to stay a talk a little more, but the creative journey must continue. I’ll be sending you weekly postcards from the trip.

My wife says I have to include this photograph. All photographers think they see everything in front of the camera. Proof we don't shown below:

Heidi Cat checking out the small places, while I photograph.

That Technology Thing

Windsor Castle, Oxford, England

I went to the local camera club meeting because the presenter was a skilled photographer and he spoke about using an iPhone/iPad as a camera. Our family has both iPhone and iPad Mini, so I figured I might as well learn to use them for something more than phone calls and solitaire.

The entire presentation was a fascinating look at what is possible right now. It takes little imagination to know that the mechanics (electronics?) of photography in the future is going to be different. Smart phone cameras rival (or exceed) the performance of some of my recent (and current) dedicated cameras. Some of the image processing software is freeware. The barrier to entry for photography is now almost non-existent.

We can now make a photograph, edit it with free software and publish it in a matter of a few minutes. It is the most modern of activities while at the same time it is reminiscent of a bygone age where an itinerant tintypist created portraits on the street.

This is something I will have to do. I will eventually add these software programs to my iDevices. While this looks like it is a lot of fun, I wonder if these apps have the horsepower for serious work. My goal is to use the iPad Mini to create Blog entries on this year’s photo safari. Having a single device to photograph, create text and post to the blog seems like a pretty neat thing to do.

Looks like I have some new skills to learn in the next couple of months.

How It Happens

Alkabo School, Alkabo, North Dakota

I’m not sure if I am unique in the length of time it takes to get from a photograph in the field to a finished project. The time can span several years. I think about this a lot and maybe that’s why I take so long – I think a lot. I have other pass times that also take up a lot of my non work life time. Like everyone else, I make photography fit into my “spare” time. That’s just the way my life is. I do have some other wonderful excuses about why it takes so long to finish a project, but the latest thought on this subject came to me when I was asked about how I photograph.

I am very structured in my photographic process. I (still) work off a tripod, I compose and am fairly deliberate in my photographic method – at the start. What I hope for (and I hope we all do) is to elevate ourselves to that plane of unconscious competence where there is no separation between the camera and myself. The camera and I become a single entity and we make images from that state of mindlessness where you “just do it.” I get groups of images like that and that’s the genesis of the best projects. So, if these projects are completely thought out and created in such a manner, why does it take two years to complete something? The best I can come up with is this:

The conscious mind takes a long time to truly understand the significance of images made in a state of mindlessness.

The Tough Part of Photography

Palm Trees and Shadow, Maui

Today’s cameras record crisply focused perfectly exposed image files every single time. Software algorithms smooth out tones, reduce noise and precisely manipulate pixels. Technology provides more and precise control over pixels than we could have ever accomplished trying to manage atoms of silver through mechanical and chemical methods.

This electronic precision makes everybody a technical wizard. It just doesn’t take much in the way of practice to get truly exceptional results if you pay attention to the rudiments of digital photo processing. In fact, it’s almost embarrassingly easy for the novice to make technically perfect photographic prints in the digital world.

With the physical side of digital photography almost a completely level playing field, why are some folks still better than the rest? Because better photographers are better at doing the tough part of photography. The tough part of photography has been the same thing since Daguerre coated his first plate– and that’s figuring out what to put in front of the camera. No matter how technically perfect the photograph is, it’s not going to be good if you can’t communicate your intention to the audience. Creating the content that excites the viewer is the tough part of photography.

It always has been and always will be that way.

I'm matting and framing the Light on China show.

(Art is beautiful. Making Art is messy.)