Comments | ieke85: Musings on photography

ieke85

Musings on photography

Jun 02, 2006 15:42

Why is a candid photo of a girl sitting on a curb by herself inherently beautiful? Think about all the photographs you've seen. How many of them involve someone, anyone, alone, framed only by their surroundings? She could be doing anything, be anywhere, dirty or clean, high class or low (or middle). She could be young, old, beautiful and not. She ( Read more... )

Comments 10

disquesinge June 2 2006, 23:21:17 UTC

i think real b/w film photography is the most beautiful because the range of blacks it can create through the silver prints is breathtaking. digital photography is shit in comparison. plus there are so many digital photographers out there that are shit.

ieke85 June 2 2006, 23:26:13 UTC

Haha, so true.

I can't wait to get a decent camera and take some photography classes. Need... dinero...

But that's interesting that you pointed out the range of blacks in b/w photography. I never noticed that before. I always automatically thought of it as black and various shades of gray, but I think you're right. There are different shades of black, even though that doesn't make logical sense. It makes visual sense.

lotrwariorgodss June 2 2006, 23:26:28 UTC

I have a theory. I think solitude is one of the most wonderful/beatiful things there is, but society tells us that being by ourselves is bad. After all, people who like being by themselves are always described as anti-social, loners, or creepy - all things people generally think of as bad. It's awful. Brave New World actually has a really good take on the whole solitude thing (man, I love that book). Anyway, I think that's why we like seeing pictures of people by themselves.

bluedoggurl June 3 2006, 00:04:17 UTC

this has nothing to do with anything except.... Megan- Brave New World was brought up in my social ethics class.... can i borrow it this summer to read?

ieke85 June 3 2006, 00:19:06 UTC

What am I, a book pimp? Geez, have some respect, yo.

diggity.

Wes' Saahhhd.

*dies*

... from a drive-by

lotrwariorgodss June 3 2006, 00:45:54 UTC

Yeah! Do you want me to send you a copy?
It's like...my favorite single novel. So cool.

Thread 5

B&W fervid_dryfire June 3 2006, 13:24:41 UTC

I think you answered your own question; solitude and monochrome stimulates our imagination, which both entertains us and allows us to detach ourselves from reality for a little bit.

Either way, I think it's usually pretty cool regardless.

My Two-Cents lamenting_quill October 21 2006, 20:56:57 UTC

:) Well, I dabble in photography myself, and I have taken some pictures of exactly what you mentioned. Incidentally, I have a couple of the lonely figures IN black and white - lol ( ... )

Re: My Two-Cents ieke85 October 21 2006, 21:11:15 UTC

I really like your argument about black and white photography being a creation of the viewer. I'm all for audience participation, if you could call it that. A lot of art really is about the relationship between the artist and the viewer - neither one has complete tyranny over what is transmitted through the medium. Everyone has different world views and interprets things differently, so it's a lot more meaningful when you're allowed to use your own abilities and tendencies within a piece of work to create meaning and interest that are all your own. To me, that's what good art is supposed to do. It makes you exercise your imagination.

Or it could just be cool to look at. :-P