My mind is burning, please answer this question for me: If people are not present in the image is it less strong than those that do?
February 17, 2010
yikes
This is a little preview of what tomorrow looks like for me... after reading Chris's post on Holm's I have a new approach I am itching to try. I bet everyone was expecting me to do what I said I was going to (as it should have been) but I got side tracked. I was enamored with the reflection that Jacki had in her images at crit and decided to search for different ways to achieve that. I am not sure where to go. I made my images small because I posted a lot, if you click on them they will open larger (all of the ones we post will open to their original size if clicked on).
My mind is burning, please answer this question for me: If people are not present in the image is it less strong than those that do?
My mind is burning, please answer this question for me: If people are not present in the image is it less strong than those that do?
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2 comments:
Ok, I have absolutely NO idea that I can answer that question you asked Monica. I am intrigued by it, and I think we constantly struggle with that exact question. I realized that when we were shooting light and color, that things can just stun us just by the color and light. Jacki's post on Franz Marc I think is yet another reason to why that is the case. These paintings are so abstract and so crazy, but we are so drawn in by the vibrant color and the fluidity of the brush strokes. So I am not sure that without people, pictures can't work, and be just as powerful to people on a gallery wall. I think we think we need to depend of people to be in something to draw our attention. Especially because i think we can make emotional connection with people, we feel for those people in the picture. I know I do...I am a very emotional viewer. I like having people in my pictures, because I like feeling uncomfortable and shaky, telling people how I would like my art done. It makes me feel like I am more able to achieve an idea when I am out of my box. I know I am not supposed to "think", and just do, but I am still learning how to separate that idea and make it true. Everytime I shoot, I see what I want...and its literally like tugging myself to take pictures I don't already visualize, so I think with people I feel like I already have somewhat of an interest.
I think this is a very compelling question Monica, and I think that it can't be answered. I think it's purely to each his own, and what people want to see and want to become a part of when they view work.
This question is a close relative to Bryan Schutmaat. Part of the reason why I chose to post him on here was because his photographs are striking even though they lack any physical presence of a living creature. When I first came across Schutmaat I could feel someone in the atmosphere of his pictures, but did not necessarily feel that there needed to be a person in the frame. That part is for my mind to fill in. There is no need to provide everything to the viewer, and it is OK to allow them to "fill in" the space. His color, atmosphere, and balance are able to create the individual that should be there.
*read jacki's comment and you will see that she thinks the opposite*
It's all personal preference
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