civilized ku # 2162 ~ “making everything ordinary too beautiful to bear”
Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at 11:30AM ;)
Intersection ~ Malone, NY • click to embiggenWhile watching the most recent episode of MAD MEN, there was a scene in which an account exec (Kenneth Cosgrove), whose real passion is writing, is pictured, late night in bed, writing away. In his voice, the voice over tells us his authorial thoughts:
...There were phrases of Beethoven’s 9th symphony that still made Coe cry. He always thought it had to do with the circumstances of the composition itself. He imagined Beethoven, deaf and soul-sick, his heart broken, scribbling furiously while Death stood in the doorway, clipping his nails. Still, Coe thought, it might have been living in the country that was making him cry; it was killing him with its silence and loneliness, making everything ordinary too beautiful to bear... ~ from: The Man with the Miniature Orchestra, by Kenneth Cosgrove, aka: Dave Algonquin (his nom de plume)
The phrase, "making everything ordinary too beautiful to bear" reminded me of, for my eye and sensibilities, a bit of picture making insight:
Some people are still unaware that reality contains unparalleled beauties. The fantastic and unexpected, the ever-changing and renewing is nowhere so exemplified as in real life itself. ~ Berenice Abbott
Connecting those 2 dots from Cosgrove and Abbott has brought me to the realization - in a much more lucid manner than ever before - that virtually all of my picture making endeavors are directed toward making everything ordinary, if not too beautiful to bear, at least, too beautiful to ignore.
In that endeavor, I am, as John Szarkowski stated, exploring “ideas from life ... that do not yet have a form”. All the while I am operating under the assumption that, as Garry Winogrand stated, "any and all things are photographable" and that "there's no way a photograph has to look (beyond being an illusion of a literal description)". And, let there be no mistake about it, I'm having fun.
And, I am having fun simply because I have been liberated from the tyranny of picture making conventions. The entire world is my picture making oyster. There are no limits, picture making wise. It is, as Bob Dylan croons, all good.
Reader Comments (2)
Over the last few years, I've steered away from "chasing light" and feeling the need to visit Britain's wilderness areas in order to make wonderful images. I've made a determined effort to photographically explore things on my doorstep instead and I've been amazed. I've surprised myself, found it very rewarding and I believe it's helped me to grow (photographically speaking). A few years ago, I'd never have believed that I could have found the quantity or variety of beautiful, pleasing and interesting things that I have. I should also add, that the experience has made me a much more relaxed photographer too, simply because I never now feel the need to "chase light" and I just take it as it comes. I believe that has also made me more productive. I do believe however, that it's a very personal journey when it comes to trying to share with folk an understanding what we are trying to achieve.
I like the way you put it: "... directed toward making everything ordinary, if not too beautiful to bear, at least, too beautiful to ignore."
One of the things I've noticed is that you tend to be a lot more inclusive in your photography - the way you place your frame you're always carefully considering everything rather than removing the stuff you think is "unimportant". At least that's the sense I get from looking at all your photos.
PS - Colin, I'm glad I don't have to chase the light, it's far too exhausting. I've never understood the masochism of some photographers.