Photography Open Thread
I was planning on posting this Photography Open Thread next Friday but didn't see any posted today, so I decided to add it now for any of you who would like to participate in one today.
35 years ago, as my interest in exploring nature grew into almost insatiable desire to walk in the woods of a very beautiful part of Connecticut where I was living, so did my desire to document what I was seeing --- enter the camera. It was primarily light and texture that drew my attention. Black and white film seemed to capture it best for me. Serendipitously, there was a photographic workshop nearby that had a darkroom and teaching facility where I learned to develop my film and more closely critique my work. It was there that I was introduced to photographers whose work inspired the direction of my own photography.
For the next 10 years every spare minute was spent in the landscape looking through the lens or under a cloth of increasingly larger cameras, working in makeshift darkrooms. Then I had a daughter, who shifted my attention from the landscape to the homescape. When she was 14, and confidently independent I went back to taking photography more seriously again. My teachers at that time, gently but determinedly pushed me away from my exclusive and purist B&W landscape photography toward a more contemporary approach. For that I am eternally grateful. It has made me more receptive photographically and in every other way to a more yielding and inclusive perspective. Even though I photograph in colour now with a small digital camera, and more diverse subject matter, the images often end up resembling landscapes anyway.
I have only one of my photographs hanging on my wall. It was photographed on one of my very favourite islands and was a formidable experience in my early work. I printed this image in the darkroom and thought okay, that’s nice but nothing special. I hung it to dry, and then placed it on the table, figuring it would join the building pile of rejects. A little later I passed by it, seeing it from a different angle, (a 90 degree shift) and in that moment I thought, wow. It took a little shaking up of my rigid belief that it wasn't valid because it was not the way I originally saw or photographed it. But I did, and to this day, 34 years later, it is still a favourite photograph …
Which led me to choose the following as the subject of this weeks photography open thread - How an image can be viewed unconventionally, or from different ‘angles’, and in the process show you something you might have otherwise missed, and can learn from.
Do you have a photograph that you might have overlooked as a mistake or mistakenly overlooked - a photo that in some way has taught you something valuable? Because they do happen, for all of us who lift a camera up to our eyes and invite the mysterious forces that exist beyond our limited sight.
As always, post whatever photos you'd like to share.
ps - my downloading speed is pitifully slow, so responses will be (hopefully tolerably) delayed. Also, digital technology is still a mystery to me, so please ask questions, but I will defer to anyone more knowledgeable in the area to answer ; )
Comments
(No subject)
This 'no subject' comment was the result of doing something wrong in the process of publishing this essay.
Ditto
again.
Heh. If I had a billion for every time I did that well I would
no longer be in the 99%. Meh.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Two billion for me then,
and counting ...
janis b
What amazing images you have posted.
I shan`t tell you my "titles" for them.
I`ll go & try & find some failures I rescued on second viewing.
I mostly throw them out at first refusal, but I may have different thoughts now.
I`m also quite pleased you are keeping the Friday night photography alive for all of us.
I`m already against the next war
Hi Knucklehead
Thank you. I am always happy to see you, and would welcome one of your quirky titles or two, if you are so inclined.
Knucklehead great to see you and your photos friend.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
No Subject
I`m just
Clowning Around
I`m already against the next war
He kind of looks like Tom Waits.
The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?
You're right!
[video:https://youtu.be/7Jgubex2Ejg]
Very funny ...
your joke is, even if the image is scary ; )
Girl with the Blue Beret
I`m already against the next war
Beautiful and very evocative.
aah, la plume, je me souviens - Knucklehead so beautiful this is
[video:https://youtu.be/yN38P4DypUo]
Au clair de la lune,
Mon ami Pierrot,
Prête-moi ta plume
Pour écrire un mot.
Ma chandelle est morte,
Je n'ai plus de feu ;
Ouvre-moi ta porte,
Pour l'amour de Dieu.
Je me souviens ....
[video:https://youtu.be/Y7vDnFgMIHo]
Bonne Nuit !
https://www.euronews.com/live
Mimi
You captured the theme of the image perfectly.
I hadn`t mentioned the quill feather in the image but it was lent to write a word to a friend.
The image was shot with a little flashlight, though mimi notices the lack of light due to the candle having gone out.
She then asks to have the door opened, for the love of god.
The title of the poem she quotes is called
By the Light of the Moon
Quite fitting,
Thank you Mimi
Et Bonne Nuit a toi aussi.
Ca fait plusieurs année depuis que j`ai vu ce petit poème. Ca me fait penser de mon enfance.
I`m already against the next war
mimi
The music you posted is amazing.
The lyrics seem very personal though absolutely descriptive, not hiding emotion.
The quick turn at the end brings a smile.
You nailed that one also.
Vous avez un coeur très romantique que j`aime bien.
I`m already against the next war
I sang the first song to my son, he went to french
kindergarden and elementary school. Then he started to sing it back age six or seven. I needed a romantic heart to make it through way back in the days and your photo just brought back some long gone-by personal memories. It all comes back and I am so glad it does, triggered by a Knucklehead image. Thank you for you kindness and your beautiful photo art.
https://www.euronews.com/live
Maybe we need to add Poetry to the Photography
Thanks mimi
Wow. The first one's a photograph?
I've studied it for about ten minutes now and still have absolutely no idea what I'm looking at.
The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?
Do you want to know?
Yes please.
The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?
I was snooping around
a house under construction. The materials that compose the photograph are pieces of corrugated metal roofing, wood, and the 'setting sun' in the white sky is a material called Tyvec, used to enclose and protect the structure while under construction.
I hope you're satisfied now ; )
Thank You. I am.
And now that you tell me, it suddenly doesn't seem to matter much anymore.
I also keep thinking what a great sci fi book jacket it would make.
The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?
Funny how that works ; )
9 11
Down in Malibu
This taken years ago. I may go take a few images from this years memorial display tomorrow since I`ll be down there.
I`m already against the next war
Blue Labia
One of my coralimorphs.
I`m already against the next war
Even more evocative!
Love Is In The Air
I`m already against the next war
Thanks for hosting janis b
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Thank you Bollox, I am happy to.
I very much enjoy your photographic contributions.
In addition to the beautiful composition, I especially like how perfectly integrated the natural and man made forms are together.
Thank you for your continual support of photography.
Red Cactus Fringe
I`m already against the next war
This one is my favourite, so far.
It's so many things. I love the boldness and delicacy of the image, and the dreamy, other-worldly quality of it. Thank you.
Point Dume
I live out on the point
I`m already against the next war
Blue Dew
I`m already against the next war
Natural Born Killer
I`m already against the next war
Now Seen as "Fluffy"
I`m already against the next war
My Lovely Chloe
I`m already against the next war
A golden girl
with love in her eyes. Very sweet.
Eye-Pod
I`m already against the next war
That's great!
You have eyes everywhere, Knucklehead. I love the little insect on the hairs of the poppy, even if it is a mosquito.
Photographer
In the Coliseum photographing a soccer game (1971)
I`m already against the next war
Whoa! Thanks so much Janis, and all the rest of our
excellent Community photographers.
I hope you all realize that your gorgeous photos are truly mind-boggling--especially, for those of us who've never advanced beyond using a simple cell phone camera (or maybe a Polaroid camera, in the day).
For a decade or so, Mr M got fairly handy with a Canon SLR (?), but I never attempted to learn to use it, which I regret. During that period, I normally took photos with a Polaroid camera--and found out the hard way, that the photos quickly fade. Live and learn, I suppose.
Hey, you Guys have a wonderful weekend!
Mollie
“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit, and, therefore, to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.”
--Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Thanks Mollie,
and you know it's never too late ... "he not busy being born, is busy dying"
[video:https://youtu.be/mYajHZ4QUVM]
I fully encourage you, if you have any desire, to translate your unique 'vision' into the form of a photograph.
And you gave me the subject of my next P-O-T contribution - Polaroid ... one of my all time favourite areas of photography.
Excellent tune--thank you for posting it. And, I look forward
to you covering Polaroid photography. If there is anything that can be done to preserve this type of photo--or, at least, to keep the photos from fading completely--I'd sure be interested in finding out what it is.
I'm sure that Steve appreciates your (and other folks) efforts to keep the Photography OT going, while he takes a break. I know that I do--it provides a very welcome break from politics.
Mollie
“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit, and, therefore, to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.”
--Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Keep them away from sunlight,
especially direct sunlight. Some polaroid films were much more robust than others. My SX70s are still as vibrant as ever.
Just heard a story from friends about their experiences at
this year's Burning Man. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_Man
Asked them what they gave away. Besides food and love, they gave away Polaroids~!
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Shaking at the spiritual moment of capturing an image of
one of the planet's last great disappearing creatures....
Preventing poaching is such a thorny subject, with arrests of park employees not unheard of. Sad.
Get up and out the gate every morning whether you feel like it or not. Lesson learned. Unheard of to see this many in a lifetime, much less during one trip. but two of the THREE Black Rhinos we saw recently were before sunrise.... Kruger National Park, South Africa, June July 2016
Namaste y'all.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
How touchingly mysterious a photo,
and creature. No wonder s/he hides itself. You must have been very fortunate to witness its presence. I hope this species survives the insanity of diseased minds. Thank you, divineorder.
Thanks for sharing your work, writing, and comments here!
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
It really is a pleasure for me, thank you.
One more for luck..
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Was that you
dropping a lucky penny into the fountain? I hope your wish came true ; )
It's actually an old window
but I liked the centre, with its 'face'.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
That's so much
what I enjoy about photography. It's inherent capacity to translate reality into something other. It's interesting that something solid like glass can appear liquid. I saw that face too, and wondered.
That's so much
what I enjoy about photography. It's inherent capacity to translate reality into something other. It's interesting that something solid like glass can appear liquid. I saw that face too, and wondered.
This might be my last comment for the evening, unless my internet connection decides to cooperate again.
That's so much
what I enjoy about photography. It's inherent capacity to translate reality into something other. It's interesting that something solid like glass can appear liquid. I saw that face too, and wondered.
This might be my last comment for the evening, unless my internet connection decides to cooperate again.
I guess I liked it so much,
that I had to say it repeatedly.
Seems like I'm back online and continuing to build my revenue ; )
evening janis...
thanks for putting up a photoessay.
here's one of my mistakes that for some reason i kind of like and didn't delete. i shot it accidentally when i was setting up my tripod. depth of field is all wrong, focus is a bit wonky, placement of the subject isn't where i would put it if i was thinking about it, but the colors are really rich.
You're welcome, joe
The bizarreness of the flower and the colours are of great interest, along with the bright green trailing light of the background. Thank you.
Keeper, buena colores !
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Tasmania
The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?
Ha!
Somewhere down under.
Spending some time in Maui
Hope you enjoy.
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
Yes, thank you!
I'm envious that you are enjoying the intoxicating fragrance of plumeria, enjoy.
Thank you Janis
And thank you for hosting the photography thread this week.
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
You're welcome
and I hope to see you and your photographic experiences again, Socialproggressive.
I saw a small turtle on the bike path today.
Not quite sure where she/he was going.........
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Was your turtle this small?
Male Green sea turtle. 3 ft carapace from base of neck to base of tale.
.
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
Thank you for showing me the word 'carapace'
and that your God kicks ass, but protects this turtle's one!
Why was an adult male onshore?
I have not heard of males onshore.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
According to the locals
the turtles like to come up on the beach and sleep.
I'm great at multi-tasking. I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at the same time.
Why?
To check out the beach babes.
I`m already against the next war
Blown its TOP
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.