civilized ku # 1190 ~ the art of selection / choosing
Monday, November 21, 2011 at 10:31AM 
Rainy late afternoon ~ Jay, NY - in the Adirondack PARK • click to embiggenOnce again, in the continuing conversation - it's not an argument - with Paul Maxim, Paul wrote:
You see the world differently. While I marvel at the forces of nature that created what you call "iconic soaring cathedrals", you're probably more interested in the scrub vegetation that surrounds them ... Walk through Bryce Canyon and tell me that you don't find some of the order and symmetry that you see in there remarkable. Then tell me that you're not curious about the forces that created them.
Truth be told, and as stated in civilized ku # 1189, I tend to marvel at "all that there is", to include the "forces" of nature as well as many of the works of man. I am, if nothing else, an equal opportunity marvel-er. And, in the interest of complete disclosure, I am enamored of many an "iconic soaring cathedral". However, when it comes to seeing, unlike Paul, I find very little banality in the natural (my ku) and man-made (my civilized ku) worlds (with the exception, of course, of banal clichéd pictures of those worlds).
As result of my seeing bent, I find much to marvel at and to picture in "all that there is". But, that said, where Paul and I really differ is in what we choose as the objects of our picture making desires, which, vive la différence wise, is as it should be.
Most certainly, my choice of what to picture is, first and foremost, a result of following my inner voice. That is to state, I make pictures of those things which interest me - an interest which I can't fully explain but, rather, seems to be driven by a seemingly preternatural predilection for the chaotic / complex. However, I would be remiss in not stating that I have also made a conscious choice not to make pictures which look like a million other pictures, nor to make pictures which are made in photo-pilgrimage locations. I have no desire or inclination to be part of the herd* and fortunately for me, I don't have to work very hard at avoiding the herd, I just seem to naturally end up apart from it.
Nothing in the preceding paragraph should be understood to mean that Paul does not follow his inner voice when it comes to what he choose to picture, where he goes to picture it, or how he chooses to picture it. In fact, I would be stunned to learn that he doesn't hear and follow his very own personal inner voice. The fact that he has an inner voice which differs from my inner voice is, once again, as it should be.
And, when it comes down to my pictures / his pictures, some will prefer his way of seeing/doing things while others will prefer mine. Hell, some might like both. But, in any event, It's up to the viewer to make a pick. No one should influenced by the fact that Einstein would prefer my pictures.
*important caveat: the "herd" statement should not be construes as a put-down re: my way vs. Paul's way of doing things, my pictures vs. Paul's pictures, or my personage vs. Paul's personage. The statement is meant merely as a value-free statement of what is, re: my way of doing things, my pictures, my personage. end of caveat
Reader Comments (5)
re: civilized ku # 1190
A mountain. A cloud. A field. PVC pipe.
Fantastic
That is a rather excellent use of the available elements to make a photograph!
You were doing great, Mark, right up to the last sentence (Einstein's preferences). Too bad he isn't still around - we could send him examples of our images and see what he said. I doubt he'd be one to "pick sides"......
Seriously, though, this post is a very good statement of the "follow your own vision (or inner voice)" idea. I completely agree. Someday we'll have to go out "picture-making" together. That could get really interesting, I think. Or maybe not. We'd probably just head down separate paths (metaphorically, anyway).
as you may imagine, gravitas, the "equal opportunity marvel-er" is a pain in a** at the grocery store.
LOL @ The Wife.