A CROSSROAD

I suppose it would be fair to say I have come to a crossroads in my hobby of photography. I have recognized that I am, to put it bluntly, a complete amateur when it comes to the craft of taking photos. I have browsed countless website images, read technical books, flipped through many coffee table tomes and experimented with film and digital cameras for years including having developed black and white photos in a dark room. The sad conclusion from these countless hours, is that I lack the “critical eye” of a photographer.

I thought perhaps it was a failure of intent. Over time it becomes clear that a photo- which has been thought about long before the camera bag is loaded into the car, or slung over a shoulder, or grabbed from the kitchen counter- inevitably becomes one which succeeds in communicating with the observer. I believe the artist’s intent, whether verbalized or expressed in the work itself, acknowledges a process whereby the artist is forced to recognize the relationship between the art and the observer. In this process, there is a deeper communication with and appreciation of, the photograph. If the goal of a photographer is appreciation of one’s work, it stands that an artist’s exploration of the work’s intent in relation to how it is experienced is something to be considered.

OR NOT.

Communication and intent must be coupled with a certain spontaneity to create photographic success. Content and environmental conditions inevitably play a part in the capture of a photograph. Placing oneself in the position to capitalize on these factors is where the professional or talented amateur can create something special. I am not this person. So why the blog? To clarify my own process as I am stubbornly determined to learn and improve my abilities with age (and of course, the enjoyment as well). Perhaps this endeavor will lead to a better understanding of my work. If anything, it will force me to curate my work for posting. Not a bad thing.

If you believe that photography is incorporated into the act of seeking something interesting or beautiful, it quickly dawns on you that the world is quite large and the possibilities of finding something beautiful or interesting, endless. Now compare that to AI photo generation, in which rather than SEEKING something interesting or beautiful, we must IMAGINE something interesting or beautiful, and we come to the crux of what I feel is a crossroads in photography AND my attitude towards photography. Perhaps spontaneity is a defense mechanism against the threat of artificially generated photographs taking over our relationship with photographs. Or, more likely, spontaneity is the human element of photography.

I tend to ramble on when writing; not so dissimilar from my photo excursions during travels when my wife turns around (as I am always falling behind) to see me weaving around like a headless chicken for the next “great shot.” I have tried writing a blog before, and spoke of it to no one. I intend to post some of that old material here in the hopes of sharing some of my thoughts and history with this hobby along the way. Join me.