In all my years of printing and teaching printing workshops, the single most important thing…
I wanted to highlight a recent documentary I discovered online called “Press Pause Play” which offers a fascinating look at the digital revolution and all of its implications for artists. I found it extremely engaging, as well as thought provoking in so many ways.
In an age where everyone has affordable access to the tools to be an artist, especially in photography, how do we separate the good from the great. This is one of the very ideas I have been writing about on this blog since I started, and continue to focus on here and in my workshops. We all have access to the gear and technology, therefore getting the next best lens or camera body, or improving your HDR skills is not necessarily going to help you say something meaningful.
So the question becomes how do you stand out? How do you rise above the saturation of imagery in the world today?
Watch the video, and let me know what you think in the comments below.
Yes, very though-provoking video. The author(s) certainly make a convincing case that with all these software tools available, the digital revolution has raised the “artistic noise level”, whether it’s music or visual arts.
For myself, I’m personally not so concerned with how I stand out. For me, at this time, it’s simply about conveying as best I can, what I am feeling and seeing in the landscape and translating that to a photographic image. I’m confident this will be an ever-evolving and improving quest toward that goal. So I guess I’m saying that my purpose is internally driven, and really not so concerned about how I differentiate myself from someone else. It’s analogous to a diary — instead of written, it’s visual. Unlike most diaries, it’s not strictly private, but I’m willing to share it with others. Hopefully the images tell a story — my story.
My biggest challenge is to be patient with myself in the practice and actual capture of the images — to take the necessary time to do the actual photography.
Thank-you for posting the video! I’ve passed it on to a few others…very worthwhile!
Thanks Hillel, and that is a great approach and perspective towards your work – nevertheless, a photograph does’t tell story until others see it, so we are all in a sense trying to create something different from what is expected…as always appreciate the feedback, thanks for sharing with others!
RR