One of the most compelling things about photography, as an art form, is that photographers are limited to the single image. A single moment of time captured, hopefully aesthetically, by a person who’s vision and clarity provide a window into a still moment in time.
As a painter I had the ability to create any atmosphere I wanted with whatever tools and techniques were at my disposal.
That’s taken away from photographers when you think of the photograph in it’s purest form.
This isn’t to say that “pure photography” is the end all be all. I do enjoy looking at digitally manipulated, as well as dark room manipulated, works from stellar artists.
I’m not a photojournalist.
But I think it’s the challenge of working within those limitations that draws me to photography as an art form. Perhaps that’s why I’ve moved away from pixel punishing in the past few years.
Things have really been going great lately and I’ve been pretty busy.
I’ve recently done a guest post on attracting better feedback for your photos, an appearance on a podcast discussing facebook privacy and how photographers should proceed with caution, and an interview on a tech sales company blog.
Nice!
This should all lead to more exposure around the Internet and will really help things pick up for my online gallery as well as my photography tutorials website.
I’ve got a ton of editing and archiving that I need to do with my photography and I’m starting to find that some of my “miscellaneous” works are falling into organic categories and perhaps even some smaller or self contained works.
One of the things I need to focus on is taking more pictures (and actually editing them). I really need to get back in the habit of taking some photographs daily again. This starts today. No time like the present!
Do you critique art?
You know…in your spare time? When you’re just casually looking?
It’s something I feel I need to explore as an avenue to better understand photographs and art.
The critical process.
I have to admit something:
I used to be scared of critics.
Perhaps I still am, but I’m getting over that as rejections come in more and more. It’s growing pains. *shrugs*
I used to equate criticism in such a negative light. Judgments. Negative Judgments. Expressions of disapproval.
It’s sort of the opposite of when you post an image to Flickr and you get comments like “Brilliant!” or “lovely”. Not that those are bad, per se, I mean, I could always use the ego-boost that those friendly faces provide.
Those snippets of brief approval only provide minimal value, though, when I’m trying to grow as an artist.
I’m thinking I need to actively ask for critiques on the images I post.
Most people won’t do it.
Maybe it’s just a matter of asking them to tell me how the image makes them feel or think?
Maybe that’s asking too much.
It’s how I need to portray my thoughts about other people’s photographs. I need to actively think about how those images make me feel and what they make me think. I need to exercise that part of the brain that forces me to confront the emotion of art. If I took the time to stop and actually look at a photograph I need to take the time to listen to it as well.
I want my words to live and to breathe.
Maybe I’m asking too much of myself?
