Insights That Have Influenced Your Photography

[ROL]

Originally Posted by ROL
Never, ever, because it has been done before, forsake what might be original with your vision.

Not a single subject has been exploited to its fullest by the camera, nor will that ever be the case.

Those are great thoughts to live by !

Thank you, Merg

FYI: That is NOT my quote. It is Merg's. (He posted it, not I – not that there's anything wrong with it). Please watch your quote copys.

[Kirk Gittings]

Here is a recent insight based on a fascinating interview I saw recently with Alan Arkin (who I had the profound pleasure of meeting one time). It may not resonate with anyone else. It is deeply personal.

In my youth, I was obsessed with photography much to the detriment sometimes of my relationships etc. I believed photography was the reason for my existence. Now in my 60's, as I belatedly approach maturity, photography has become a reflection of my existence.

[ROL]

... Not a single subject has been exploited to its fullest by the camera, nor will that ever be the case.

Well, I guess I knew that extrinsically, but growing up a child of alcoholics, I had yet to convince my self-critical self of that intrinsically. Still, I've always tried to look at both sides of the coin. While I watched many "peers" become successful behind the camera during my self imposed hiatus, only a precious few whose work I thought was as good as I could have done myself, I believe that time spent without glass lensed eye, honed and sharpened my appreciation of light in form without mechanical distraction. When the time finally became available to take up the craft unconditionally, years of stored mental imagery (visualization) came flooding out in very focussed form. To what end seems a much further bridge to cross.

[ROL]

Here is a recent insight based on a fascinating interview I saw recently with Alan Arkin (who I had the profound pleasure of meeting one time). It may not resonate with anyone else. It is deeply personal.

In my youth, I was obsessed with photography much to the detriment sometimes of my relationships etc. I believed photography was the reason for my existence. Now in my 60's, as I belatedly approach maturity, photography has become a reflection of my existence.

Well, just to be funny, I was going to post one sarcastic word (and emoticon) to that sentiment, ARGO. (, see the film for reference), but that dovetails so nicely upon my last post (your post as yet unseen before mine). How dare you say just the right thing?!?

[Kirk Gittings]

Well, just to be funny, I was going to post one sarcastic word (and emoticon) to that sentiment, ARGO. (, see the film for reference), but that dovetails so nicely upon my last post (your post as yet unseen before mine). How dare you say just the right thing?!?

I can see from your first post above that we share a lot in terms of similar family history and the resulting effects.

[DennisD]

Maybe my paraphrasing ruined it but I always took it to mean that you can't wait for inspiration, you have to work through your conceptual problems and through that work you will find what many people call "inspiration" but what is really just intimate understanding of yourself and your work.

That's very understandable and, I'm sure, very true for many of us. I liken it to breaking thru a plateau and coming to a new understanding of something (or yourself) as a result of constant exploration.

Thanks for the thought.

Dennis

[DennisD]

FYI: That is NOT my quote. It is Merg's. (He posted it, not I – not that there's anything wrong with it). Please watch your quote copys.

Thanks for your correction, ROL. Don't know how I managed to do that, but it was late at night ! I should have gone to bed earlier --- my apology to Merg and ROL.

I've corrected the text below ---

----------
Originally Posted by Merg Ross :

"Never, ever, because it has been done before, forsake what might be
original with your vision. "

"Not a single subject has been exploited to its fullest by the camera,
nor will that ever be the case."

-----------
Originally Posted by DennisD:

"Those are great thoughts to live by !

Thank you, Merg"

[Mark Sawyer]

Re: Insights That Have Influenced Your Photography :

1.) I love pixies!

2.) I hate pixies...

Beyond that, I generally keep a six-pack of inspiration in the icebox and a bottle of single-malt insight on the counter...

[AndreasT]

"My camera makes great photos", is a load of rubbish.

[cosmicexplosion]

The best camera in the world is the one you have with you.