There is no evidence that we are on the verge of a great new glittering cultural age, there is evidence that we may well be on the verge of a new dark age in cultural terms … where the creative world is destroyed and where all we have is cacophony and self opinion, where we have a crisis of democratised culture.
via The Guardian and A Photo Student.
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This is incredibly powerful!
How do we turn it around?
Deflect. Educate. Create.
WE DO OUR WORK !!! ; ) We show up and care about the pictures we make; treat people as human beings; care for the planet ; make art – say good morning to strangers – plant gardens – and LOOK for TRUTH and BEAUTY… read Let Us All Now Praise Famous Men; look at the photos of the Freedom Train ; Find our visual line and follow it ; Be a mentor; Learn more – go out into the world and SEE what it has to tell us – Photography is our tool for change – YeS strong in deed – and a little brushing up on leadership it’s good to read about Ernest Shackleton;http://www.squidoo.com/ernestshackleton and look at that amazing video that was posted a while back on for a little kick in the heels : ) thanks APE !!! http://www.aphotoeditor.com/2011/06/03/henri-cartier-bresson-life-is-once-forever/
I believe photography begins with freedom of self. Photography should create original works of the utmost personal nature. Ones approach shouldn’t be contrived but rather taken to a keenly perceptive moment. It was once stated ‘there are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs.’ In a time when anyone can take a picture there must be a defining line between picture and that which is photographic art.
There is commercial photography and personal photography. As long as photographers continue to keep pushing their own personal work and digging deep in to their original perspective we will have original art and a culture we can be proud of. I see so many photographers who complain that client’s don’t know good creative. That may be a function of our culture but a photographer can push their own boundaries with their own work, no client to please. If photography is your passion get passionate about what you create for yourself.
The computer and printer did not destroy our appreciation for quality design and typesetting. But the deluge of crap certainly got a whole lot bigger.
And manifestos aren’t necessarily helpful to those other than who scribbled them down as they apply mostly to where that person is in their own journey. The key detail I see in this is that they are still trying to communicate a message (no matter how simple or ethereal). And that the story is king, they just are having fun with a new medium to explore (and they everyone else should too).
My take away: keep telling stories; stay open to new methods to tell them
Well said Jason. If society followed every manifesto ever published we would have far more dictators and fascist states in this world of ours.
+1 Jason.
Seems to me that the desire to destroy art/culture comes from those who are not involved. Or involved only at the edge. Or simply finding ‘new’ itself as a good enough reason to be considered a creator.
I guess creating crap is still creating, but who really cares? They have an echo chamber of self congratulatory fervor, but few others are really listening.
Manifesto – shmanifesto.
The demise of photography has been predicted since its inception. Move along… nothing to see here.
Agree with most of the above. Minor quibble with Jason, be careful about exalting ‘stories’. Yes, they are important of course and play a valuable role. But just this morning I read the interesting quote from Bela Tarr, one of most purely individual/artistic current film directors, saying ‘I detest stories’. In still photography, the story is not always king. Sometimes photography is not particularly suited for narrative. There can be such power in mere suggestiveness, letting the viewer fill in their own story.
We as photographers have a special tendency to let editors/clients tell us what is good. Even if it takes our whole lives/careers, it’s important to relentlessly nurture a true personal vision and voice, like an author. This is how to create special work. This can also mean the lost art of keeping our personal work to ourselves until it is ready, for as long as necessary, instead of blogging/tweeting/flickr-ing it out into the world prematurely just because we can.
I was going to respond to your post with a caution to temper your reaction to Bela Tarr’s quote because he posits from the perspective of an existentialist who’s forming years were in a communist state….
Then I realized that you were right. Well said!
Thanks. Yes, I agree Tarr’s sensibility is probably at least partly shaped by that region and circumstances. Like many older Czech photographers I admire, who have a lack of sentimentality, a blackness in the humor, but at the same time often a profound level of insight.
I’ve only discovered Tarr recently, watching Werckmeister Harmonies later today! :)
Hey Bill. I wholeheartedly agree with you that one of the great things about the photographic medium is how the view is encouraged to participate in fleshing out the story. I find my best work achieves this viewer high-level engagement. It’s power has indeed drawn me from motion production to still.
And perhaps the word itself — story — is a sticking point for some (like in your Bela example). I usually prefer to use the term ‘narrative’ but some don’t understand the depth of that idea (if the word at all). No matter what you call it, or how you convey it, if you are creating, you are communicating.
This is a message to you photozz people. Stop linking your website to my picture on Twitter. I have no say in what you put on your website, so I don’t want to have my picture linked to it.
tinfoil hat
Ditto
Ugh, really? I think it is one thing to the future of photography is going to change but to say that photography and the arts is headed toward the dark ages is having a perspective that is pretty narrow and self-indulgent. History needs to reviewed over the centuries to see that even during the bleakest of times art fueled social settings.
Each needs to pursue their vision as the group has done. Humanities and art (including photography) will only die if those who make it their profession ands passion listen to the dark words of a few naysayers. I would rather view what ever changes lay head as an opportunity to make something new.
As for the remainder, blah blah blah…
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