ku # 536 ~ the edges
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 08:46AM 
Weeds and mountains • click to embiggenBack when I was an active participant on a couple online nature photography sites/forums, some of the more frequent epithets used to "critique" my pictures were basically variations on the you're taking pictures like this just to be different notion.
I found this to be a bit odd in as much as most photographers strive to have a vision or, at the very least, a visual style that distinguishes them from the crowd. Something that sets them apart. Something that allows their pictures to be perceived as "different" from those of others.
Taking that into account, I assumed that they were not criticizing me for attempting to differentiate my pictures from those of others but, rather, they were trashing my choice of subject material. Apparently they saw no merit / value in it other than a lame attempt "just to be different".
Truth be told, when I first picked up a camera in earnest, I was very snap-happy. I pointed my camera at just about anything that even vaguely caught my eye. Given the fact that I was living in Japan at the time, there was a lot of stuff that caught my eye. It could be opined that I was in the throes of the joy of photography - eyes wide open, unsatiable curiosity, and a wealth of opportunity.
At that time, I had absolutely no idea what a "good" picture was but I was eager to find out. And find out I did. All that was needed to learn that lesson was to look at as many photography periodicals / annuals as possible and, in doing so, consciously or not, absorb all the rules and standards from those pictures that were being published and thereby endorsed as "good" pictures. It could be opined that I had entered into the dark days of trying to make good pictures.
Lo and behold, I was very good at making good pictures. My rewards and recognition came in the form of success in photo contests, peer praise, and a job as an assistant in a commercial photo studio. Later on, after opening my own studio, it came in the form of money from working with many Fortune 500 firms. Man, oh man, did I know how to make a good picture.
That said, it was not until I decided to, in earnest, start making non-commercial pictures of the world around me (of the natural world in particular), that I looked around at what was being created in that genre. Virtually all of what I found in the public eye was same-o/same-o pretty pictures of an idealized nature world.
It was at that time that I decided to deliberately avoid that milieu. Not "just to be different" but to call attention that which was all around us but was being ignored or avoided. Once I delved into the overlooked, my passion to have eyes wide open, unsatiable curiosity, and a wealth of opportunity, to once again experience the throes of the joy of photography was rekindled in a manner that surprised me with its intensity.
And then, quite recently, I came across this:
I think the best pictures are often on the edges of any situation, I don't find photographing the situation nearly as interesting as photographing the edges. ~ William Albert Allard
That is exactly what I have been picturing, "the edges of any situation" - the edges of the natural world, the edges of humankind's relationship with the natural world, the edges of society and culture, the edges of the situation in which we find ourselves.
In doing this, it is not my intent "just to be different". Rather it is an attempt to call attention to things that really matter. Things that, for the most part, are found, not in the 3-ring circus performances of life, but rather along the edges and in the shadows of any situation.
Reader Comments (4)
About the picture. I like this one a lot. What always strikes me is your dark tones management. If it does not offend you can I ask for some elaborations on that ?
Mark,
I don't know how you can even think that you are getting to the point in your blogging life "where all has been said." Every time you write about your history as a working photographer and your personal growth as an artist, there are nuggets of useful and interesting information offered to your readers. I guess you could say that this photography blog is one of those "on the edges" of the big ol' pile of doodoo ones that are out there.
The edges are infinitely richer that is for sure.
Thank you for that quotation. It fits so well with what I think I have been doing with my photos. I don't have a vision or a plan or even a goal--I think I'm more mystified by what I photograph than even those viewing my photos--but I have discovered that I am interested in the relationship between the natural world and the world we build, and particularly the ways we try to control the natural world and the ways in which it overcomes our control. Or something like that.
I first saw your site a couple of years ago but lost track of it until recently and it's both encouraging to find that someone else is looking at the same kinds of things as I am but also discouraging because you do it so well. :)
One of your top posts ever. Personally satisfying - thanks.