I wouldn't mention any photographer, but instead talk about the subject matter that directly inspires you to get out a camera. If pressed, I'd list books, painters, caligraphy, music, geography, running, hiking, dreams, frustrations, dead ends. -But not another photographer as influence. I'd rather claim being influenced by stray beggars with signs at the intersections. Need Help. God Bless. Broke down. Man sick. (They are following me...ahead of me...with Messages! Everywhere!) Gas Money. Will Work. Stranded. American Patriot.
Other photographers have NOTHING for you. Nothing. If they are really good, they influence you, calling like sirens to wreck on the rocks. If they are bad, it's a waste of time sidetracking or feeling smug. The subject matter. Being alive. That's the road ahead. That's where the knowlege is. Get a death grip on the source, not another persons perception of it.
Start with a stupid idea and keep mashing on it. If you are in the desert, recount the time you were so perception-frustrated you picked up a fist-sized rock, clonked yourself on the forehead, and stood there licking off the blood, the dust, the salt and selenium...and trying to get the taste of the land on your tongue. You were in the deep woods once and you ate.....dirt. And bark. Seeking knowledge. You'd give ANYTHING. Anything. You are willing to pay the ferryman. Just let me cross over.
Or the time you wandered shirtless up the edge of the salt marsh in florida in a light rain watching the mosquitos land and pierce and suck and fly off into the mangroves....wishing you could know what they know. Get a little artistic on them. I rolled up the snake skin and slept with it in my pocket. Seeking. Searching. Praying. Let the scales fall from my eyes.
A Raven spoke. A Coyote stopped. And looked back. A bug pointed the way. You were alone. Then you caught a whiff of a scent on the wind. Empty handed, without water you crossed the canyon to see how big it was compared to your body. To see how your feet and heartbeat fit the land. You climbed the far ridge and there was a dry rabbit bone. Now you knew something.
Ever had that dream where you knew the secret and true name of everyone at the party? Names they didn't know themselves? Or the one where you KNEW how to make a perfect image? (My GOD....it was SO simple! Then I woke up.)
Tell them a story. A poltergiest follows you through the leaves in a thick forest. You can hear it following as the leaves crackle at the far edge of your acuity. Alarmed, you want to know WHY its following. Then it occurs to you: It wants to see what I will do! What WILL I do?
Hope this helps. It's a great thing, putting words with ideas with images. I'd be very excited. This weekend I talked with Roy Flukinger as we went through some recent work. I told him a few titles that I was using, to just bend the viewer a little bit in the direction I though helpful. I told him the titles were like the second line of a haiku- pointing back and forward at the same time. Refracting off the image like a glimmer of light. All of a sudden three new and really great titles popped into my head. Out of the ether. The more ideas you have the more ideas you WILL have. Just start with a stupid idea and get cracking! Anything worth doing is worth doing badly. At first.
Best. Its sitting there in front of you right now....right up those footprints in the sand. When you find that dry rabbit bone, pick it up. Then CAREFULLY put it EXACTLY back and walk away knowing something.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks