Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Self portrait
I know some of you have read the thread on my blog about art and communication. Coincidentally today, I came across a good example of what I was talking about. This picture could be loaded with all sorts of meaning. Especially if I told you that I took in on the day that my wife was told that her health was deteriorating and more chemo was in order.
I can imagine people making assumptions about my state of mind, or my mental health. The symbolism is almost too obvious. The head disassociated from the body. The graphic sign.
What was actually going through my mind when I took this, was 'glad I'm back at the car - it's a bit cold. Oh look I've got a 37th frame on the camera, what can I......hey that's kind of neat. Click'.
Permalink / posted by and copyright of Colin [auspiciousdragon.net] : 5:42 PM
Comments:
I suppose it represents some sort of existentialism - without loading it any further. But you're right, not only do we not know (without you telling us in words) but we could ascribe to it whatever it is that is triggered in our minds. The fact that this is a telegraph pole signifies (usually) that one is away from the house so thought processes start from that point. Shadow length = time of day etc.. On the other hand the sign on the pole could easily be read as a supposed indicator.
Your left arm is mimicking the small statue in my gallery photo and the jug shape of the torso also!
After that my mind works its way round to the vegetation: those flags and rushes look very familiar to a lot of the land round here. Other than that it does look like a 'I've just got back to the car' shot!
"hey that's kind of neat. Click"
I wonder how much photography could be summed by that. I rarely load much meaning onto my photos when I take them. Apart from the occasional setup images, it's usually only afterward that the story of the photo takes shape in my head.
Neat photo. I'd have been tempted to do something more dramatic with the framing of the poll, which would have probably ruined the effect of the shadow.
'...that's kind of neat. Click'
Amen to that. As much as I would like to be famous and published I'd hate all those experts pouring over my work trying to interpret my reason for taking the shot. Believe me, 99% of my shots are 'that's looks cool, click'. But there again it might be a wizz completely disagreeing with all these 'experts' views.
This has everything a photograph should be - telling a story, making you laugh or making one think!
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Your left arm is mimicking the small statue in my gallery photo and the jug shape of the torso also!
After that my mind works its way round to the vegetation: those flags and rushes look very familiar to a lot of the land round here. Other than that it does look like a 'I've just got back to the car' shot!
I wonder how much photography could be summed by that. I rarely load much meaning onto my photos when I take them. Apart from the occasional setup images, it's usually only afterward that the story of the photo takes shape in my head.
Neat photo. I'd have been tempted to do something more dramatic with the framing of the poll, which would have probably ruined the effect of the shadow.
Amen to that. As much as I would like to be famous and published I'd hate all those experts pouring over my work trying to interpret my reason for taking the shot. Believe me, 99% of my shots are 'that's looks cool, click'. But there again it might be a wizz completely disagreeing with all these 'experts' views.
This has everything a photograph should be - telling a story, making you laugh or making one think!