decay # 23 ~ art disease
Thursday, September 4, 2008 at 07:47AM 
;)
Tea kettle meltdown • click
to embiggenI have often wondered whether those who were first drawn to my blog by the name Landscapist, which implies landscape pictures, have been disappointed by the fact that over time my oeuvre of posted pictures has diversified to include some subjects - most notably my Decay & Disgust and Picture Windows works - that are pretty far afield from "picture(s) representing a view of natural inland scenery" (from the Merriam-Webster dictionary).
It's true that, for a 3 year period, I did concentrate almost exclusively on "pure" landscape picturing. But, the thing that I could/can not deny - my need to explore other facets of humankind's (to include my) relationship to the world around us - came back to haunt and drive me. I say "came back" because in my life in photography, especially in my professional career, I have always been rather diversified.
One of things that I am particularly pleased with are the 2 coffee table books that feature my pictures - 2 books that could not be more different in content and style. They are as different as Pumpkin Mousse with Cabernet Sauvignon Sun-Dried Cherry Sauce is from someone dying right in front of you in the ER.
;)
2 entirely different exercises - Allegheny General ~ Portrait of an Urban Medical Center and The Duquesne Club Cookbook ~ Celebrating 125 Years • click to embiggen
As different as picturing in color with a tripod mounted medium format camera and controlled lighting is from picturing in BW with a handheld rotating lens panoramic camera and available light. As different as an ultra-controlled subject and one that is fluid and fast-paced.
What I am particularly happy about, aside from the work itself, is that 2 different organizations with 2 distinctly different pictures needs chose me to create the work. In the upper reaches of the pro photo world this highly irregular. Most pro shooters have one specific area of expertise - journalism, still life, fashion/people, location, studio, etc.
It should be noted that, when I started out in commercial photography, my intent was to be a studio-based still life shooter. I can't really tell you exactly how I morphed from that intent to becoming an accomplished shooter in several commercial disciplines other than to say that when you are first starting out any type of assignment that helps pay the bills is a good assignment.
In any event, I eventually became known to some agencies / clients as a studio product still life / food guy, to others as the fashion / people guy, and to still others as an annual report / corporate communications, location / reportage guy. What was interesting about this was that individual agencies / clients saw me as one kind of specialist or another but very rarely as a multi-discipline shooter.Very rare was the client (Kodak was one) that used me for anything other than one specific type of shooting.
In the later stages of my pro life, I actually had 3 different portfolios, each using an assumed name. The names were derivations of my real name (Mark Hobson): R.K. Hobs, who photographed on location in the British expeditionary tradition; Ma Son, who created studio illustrations in the tradition of exquisite Oriental detail; and, Ar Öbso, who specialized, in the Scandinavian tradition of contemporary design, in pictures of real people with real lives, doing real things.
It was all done a bit tongue-in-cheek of course, but nevertheless, on many occasions, art directors / clients, when seeing the portfolios for the first time, actually assumed that the works were, indeed, the product of different shooters.
I mention all of this because after coming across this quote, I realized, more than ever, how enjoyable the diversification in my picturing life made it so much more enjoyable and interesting:
Hardening of the categories causes art disease. ~ W. Eugene Smith
Do any of you ever feel as though you are suffering from hardening of the categories?
decay
Reader Comments (6)
"Do any of you ever feel as though you are suffering from hardening of the categories?"
Not yet. Right now and for the last 2 years I have only been shooting one style/genre/subject. I don't believe I am stifled by it yet, but I suppose that when/if that day comes I might move on to something new or perhaps only alter my current techniques? Only time will tell.
Of course I am half your age (not a jab), so perhaps this could just be the first of many personas to come, but I also don't have any fear or worry if it's not...if I never ran out of inspiration or gratification from my current work, I don't see what I would be missing out on or why?
my 2¢
Re: I have only been shooting one style/genre/subject
Wrong. I hate to be the one to inform you, but haven't launched upon an editorial photography path?
yeah, but nothing special... there are more editorial photographers than people in the U.S.
the only gratification I get from editorial shooting is a deposit slip and a check. Of course I get creative and try my best to do something fresh and new each time, but the emotional ties to the work and for the work that come from deep inside are nonexistent in that type of pictureing. That might not be the case for others or you, but I just don't "get into as deep" when I shoot for others?
So Aaron are you 40 years old????
Just FYI:
The scroll bars on embiggened photos, which had been working nicely, have just today disappeared again.
I use Firefox 3.0.1.
re: Luke
oh man... I would have waited until noon or something to tell him that. No Coffee yet, no tee time scheduled...things will be flying this morning in that office! Glad I'm not there.