LenKowitz.com: I can't help myself...

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

I can't help myself...

http://www.getty.edu/art/collections/media100.html?batch=0115&file=G00388V1NM&desc=Walker%20Evans%20in%20His%20Own%20Words&speed=100

I have a problem, actually I have a number of problems, but at the moment the most pressing one is photographic.
I have included a link to the Getty's website that has a short ( 4 minute ) comment about the work of Walker Evans. Evans actually does most of the talking and tries to communicate to us what it was that he was doing when he was working...making photographs.

As he says,"I like saying what's what.".

I have come to believe that the photograph is the perfect medium for "saying What's what."

To me black and white prints can be some of the most beautiful objects I have ever seen.
I admit there are other objects that can be as "beautiful" as black and white photographs, but not many.

How come I seem to be amoung the few people today who actually feel that way?
Am I missing something?

How come I seem to have a problem with what work to do?
Is there any good reason not to follow Evans' lead and look at the World today? It's surely just as interesting and varied as it ever was.

Maybe that's why I'm drawn to Magnum.
http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.AgencyHome_VPage&pid=2K7O3R1VX08V

It seems to be one of the few places I can go the look at photographs that are "saying what's what".

So what's the problem?
Why am I not working harder and more consistantly on this idea?
That's the problem!

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It occurs to me...

I've been thinking about the business of making photographs and I'm going to use this forum as a place to share some of those thoughts.
I'll also post new pictures as they get to the "finished" state and provide information on how you can go about having your very own copy. Taking a cue from Duane Keiser, http://www.duanekeiser.com/ , I think marketing my own work is the best way for me to go, at least for the time being

As I think about becoming a "photographer", I've spent some time with people who have made that choice long ago and are now working very hard at it.The work they have produced is in many cases, excellent. What I have noticed is that the profession has a very low return on the time invested. It's far cry from my previous career where the return on my time was actually very high.
Great credit is due those individuals who choose to become photographers and then actually make a "living" by making pictures.

One night last week I took two "portfolios" to the Houston Center for Photogrphy to have them "reviewed". It was an interesting experience.
I was told that the landscape work had no relationship to the short set-up comments I made and that I should keep working on the blk&wht, "Ode to O'Keffee" portfolio.
It was pointed out to me that "landsape" work is highly competitive. Interesting observation, how did I fail to see that?
It occurs to me that showing my work to strangers is a productive activity, at least for me. Unfortunately, I probably gain more from the experience than those who see the pictures for the first time. Maybe it's a fault of the work, not strong enough or unusual enough? Maybe it's the "reviewers" problem?
In any case, it's all just opinion and not fact. I will continue to seek out the opinion of anyone who is willing to look at the pictures, I will also continue to make pictures that I like.