06.02
“The Longing” – please click on image to enlarge.
Another photo from my recent photo-shoot with Debra (please see previous post on this – search ‘Edge of Zen’ on this site). This is another shot taken with my compact Sony camera, rather than my Nikon SLR. Essentially, a snapshot. But what is a snapshot? I don’t know. Maybe, as the word suggests, a quick, off-the-cuff photograph. If so, this is a snapshot.
But as I have said in earlier posts, I am rather obsessed with the idea of the snapshot, as Art.
As I realised when I was tutoring in the subject ‘Image and Text’ at Central Queensland University (CQU) many years ago, ‘there ain’t no true definition for Art.’ Or even good art. Many will disagree. But in this postmodernist world, the art scene (and everything else) has become muddied. The jury is still out there. My own view is that it is all about context. And if someone sees it as ‘art’ – even the artist – then it is art, good or bad. Indigenous art was once seen by white eyes as mere ‘craft.’ As I realised when I saw Picasso’s works and artefacts at Brisbane’s GOMA some years back, Picasso saw indigenous art as being as much Art as anything, and used it for inspiration. Such as various Polynesian masks and the like. But I digress – this Art rabbit hole goes on and on. I am supposed to be talking about Debra’s photo here.
This shot (and others on the day) was taken in between takes. I think the smaller camera doesn’t ‘frighten the horses’ like my Nikon SLR might – to some, a big ugly device that says ‘action’ – and so the spontaneity can sometimes be lost. I dislike seemingly contrived works – photo or painting. Contrived is fine, if at least the art doesn’t look contrived.
I avoid Photoshop like the plague. Except in rare instances where identity has to be concealed. Or to blur out a sign on the wall, with phone numbers. And if I do use Photoshop, I will say so. I have nothing against it per se. I love some so-called “digital’ art works (but not many). But as a viewer, I want to know when Photoshop (or other digital trick) is used. Likewise with music: Being a muso I prefer real musicians playing on a recording or in the flesh on stage. I have no argument with computerised music ( I love Kraftwerk for instance). But I would like to know when computers are being used. Kraftwerk never hid the fact.
But back to this photo (again). I tried cropping this pic. I wanted to crop out the bench at extreme right, with the glasses. And also perhaps, Debra’s clothes on the chair near the window. I thought, ‘that mess needs to go.’ So I tried it, and was not happy. It lost its honesty. It lost its lonely spaciousness. And it lost another little story. So this photograph/snapshot, call it what you will – is just as I took it. And I am very happy with it.