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Thread: Art is Emotion

  1. #1
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Art is Emotion

    Today I made a rant triggered by my emotions

    At first I was ashamed, then slowly I realized, that is the power of good art

    Art is not about tones, shapes, compositions unless it means something to a viewer

    The image, a stark truth about a place I know so well, it hit me like a slap

    Thank you, Richard Wasserman!

    I-94 Overpass— Glenview, IL
    Tin Can

  2. #2
    (Shrek)
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    Re: Art is Emotion

    It's ironic that a photography forum such as this bans discussion of politics. All of my images that I consider successful are political statements.

  3. #3
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Art is Emotion

    Ditto, but most don't notice the message

    It's all in our heads anyway

    Without a viewer art does not exist

    What is the sound of a falling tree, is a popular discussion these days

    but is it all in our heads, our entire body is connected to...
    Tin Can

  4. #4

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    Re: Art is Emotion

    No need to feel bad about your response! I am extremely pleased that you had such an emotional reaction to my photo—in my experience far too few people look at images on that level. It is a bit tiring, and as you said, irrelevant to mainly talk about the technical aspects of a photograph. I'd much rather hear about what gets stirred up than tonality.

    Thank you
    ____________________________________________

    Richard Wasserman

    https://www.rwasserman.com/

  5. #5
    Exploring Large Format Exploring Large Format's Avatar
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    Re: Art is Emotion

    Quote Originally Posted by Jody_S View Post
    It's ironic that a photography forum such as this bans discussion of politics. All of my images that I consider successful are political statements.
    I imagine it's been proposed before, but a thread that featured political photographs, as defined by the one who posts, that invite discussion might be interesting.

    Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Art is Emotion

    Actually it was tried 2 decades ago here

    Did NOT work and I am glad I missed it

    Discussion is where we fail... often

    Make your images speak and STFU, to use the vernacular

    and newer member I am not telling YOU what YOU should do

    The Mods do a fine and thankless job

    Quote Originally Posted by Exploring Large Format View Post
    I imagine it's been proposed before, but a thread that featured political photographs, as defined by the one who posts, that invite discussion might be interesting.

    Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk
    Tin Can

  7. #7

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    Re: Art is Emotion

    One tries to connect the dots when personal nostalgia/experience intervenes when presented with a straight forward image of a road overpass.

    Not slighting Richard here, but there is nothing intrinsic to the overpass image that conveys a human connection, let alone the plight of homeless associated with the site.

    Now if one were to show in an image or series with the human element, perhaps providing the despair, a sense of hope (or hopelessness), in the context of the physical structure, I as an outside observer might react with emotion. Why do I have to bring any history to an image to find context?

    As to politics, IMHO, any depiction of human difficulties has political content. Having said that, if one wants to take a "position" on politics as an artist, I can see limiting that as potentially inflammatory/biased in what is an "open" forum here.

    For the creator, emotion may not be an impetus. It fact, it may be an expressive "need" to show light, color, form etc in a way which is intellectually based, or simply visually based.

    Art does not have to be viewed to exist, as it is a medium for those attempting to make sense of a complex world with their own signature. It's nice if one can communicate with it, but we are inundated with so many "images" without context in many cases, those that stand out for the most part depict the human dilemma.

    When I consider Salgado's images of the Sahel and Rawanda, or Dorothea Lange's of immigrant families, I don't have to be in a rage at the way people have been treated and local communities have neglected the needy, to have an emotional reaction. That comes not from any history, but from the intrinsic nature of the image.

    I don't think we should be promulgating politically slanted pictorials to young photographers, as the extreme political and social biases from many factions in societies may cause them undue physical and emotional harm - unless they are willing to take on those risks.

    When populations increase beyond an ability to meet the needs of the many, the center falls apart, and "objectivity" loses it value. The photographer's job becomes that much more difficult to depict objectively.

    Art is Emotion is simply BS except for those who are emotive to begin with. For most art is a visual medium that causes one to stop, look and find context from that output.

    As I may have stated before (apologies for redundancy), the closest that photography comes to art is depiction of the challenges humans (and animals) face.

    As much as I seek to capture the beauty of color and light with a camera (mostly in the landscapes), the severe limitations imposed by the medium as compared to painting, collage or multimedia (as examples), tell me that I am an illustrator, perhaps with a good eye/technique, while those with true vision will express command over every millimeter of their output.

    Certainly there are innumerable photographers who produce wonderful images. I am not slighting their output (some of whom I envy, and many admire), but as much as I may enjoy a photo, I will take William Chase's landscapes of Long Island (example) over any photos of the same location.

  8. #8
    Peter De Smidt's Avatar
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    Re: Art is Emotion

    And what are emotions? They are your subconscious predictions about the future.

    https://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_feldm...anscript#t-718
    “You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
    ― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know

  9. #9
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Art is Emotion

    We are wary hunters

    Quote Originally Posted by Peter De Smidt View Post
    And what are emotions? They are your subconscious predictions about the future.

    https://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_feldm...anscript#t-718
    Tin Can

  10. #10
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Art is Emotion

    Seems to me an overwrought defense of...

    I already wrote, the image in discussion is a well known location to me

    Not quite down by the river...

    Quote Originally Posted by pdmoylan View Post
    One tries to connect the dots when personal nostalgia/experience intervenes when presented with a straight forward image of a road overpass.

    Not slighting Richard here, but there is nothing intrinsic to the overpass image that conveys a human connection, let alone the plight of homeless associated with the site.

    Now if one were to show in an image or series with the human element, perhaps providing the despair, a sense of hope (or hopelessness), in the context of the physical structure, I as an outside observer might react with emotion. Why do I have to bring any history to an image to find context?

    As to politics, IMHO, any depiction of human difficulties has political content. Having said that, if one wants to take a "position" on politics as an artist, I can see limiting that as potentially inflammatory/biased in what is an "open" forum here.

    For the creator, emotion may not be an impetus. It fact, it may be an expressive "need" to show light, color, form etc in a way which is intellectually based, or simply visually based.

    Art does not have to be viewed to exist, as it is a medium for those attempting to make sense of a complex world with their own signature. It's nice if one can communicate with it, but we are inundated with so many "images" without context in many cases, those that stand out for the most part depict the human dilemma.

    When I consider Salgado's images of the Sahel and Rawanda, or Dorothea Lange's of immigrant families, I don't have to be in a rage at the way people have been treated and local communities have neglected the needy, to have an emotional reaction. That comes not from any history, but from the intrinsic nature of the image.

    I don't think we should be promulgating politically slanted pictorials to young photographers, as the extreme political and social biases from many factions in societies may cause them undue physical and emotional harm - unless they are willing to take on those risks.

    When populations increase beyond an ability to meet the needs of the many, the center falls apart, and "objectivity" loses it value. The photographer's job becomes that much more difficult to depict objectively.

    Art is Emotion is simply BS except for those who are emotive to begin with. For most art is a visual medium that causes one to stop, look and find context from that output.

    As I may have stated before (apologies for redundancy), the closest that photography comes to art is depiction of the challenges humans (and animals) face.

    As much as I seek to capture the beauty of color and light with a camera (mostly in the landscapes), the severe limitations imposed by the medium as compared to painting, collage or multimedia (as examples), tell me that I am an illustrator, perhaps with a good eye/technique, while those with true vision will express command over every millimeter of their output.

    Certainly there are innumerable photographers who produce wonderful images. I am not slighting their output (some of whom I envy, and many admire), but as much as I may enjoy a photo, I will take William Chase's landscapes of Long Island (example) over any photos of the same location.
    Last edited by Tin Can; 21-May-2021 at 12:33. Reason: SP
    Tin Can

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