Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 40 … Ricoh GRII … One ShoT pEr ShOOt



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Twas the night of the day and all thru the streets, I was out with my camera some photos to meets, huh? Yeah shooter, yourstarting to loses it. Hmmm who you anyway?

So it goes in the mind I’m wrestling with. I never have complete peace of mind even in just a piece of mind. Maybe that’s too much to ask for, dunno and dunno about caring anyway. I know this or, at least, I think I know this but maybe not really know this but I try to live with know-ing this.

See photography for shooters is based on the concept of discovery and self-discovery. We make photos that we uncove things out there and discover or  try to discover the meaning of and also we try to discover what we are about in the photo. These are things that don’t go away. I mean I have a seat in my brain for unresolved issues. It’s always a full seat.

As it turns out, if we don’t address the clutter of knowledge and anti-knowledge in our brains, we can’t focus on the subject at hand. Pun Intended,  Maybe this sounds kinda boring and useless but think about this. How many have an understanding of what’s going on in thier work. I know, I know… that’s what discovery is about. Granted, truth but!!! If you don’ t have an idea what your looking for how do you expect to find it. How do you think you’ll recognize it?

01-16-0100-Edit

I remember Ding explaining to me about the consistancy of vision and how the masters learned that and stuck to it. He showed me many prints that spanned decades in the work of many photographers. Even the grand Master Kertesz had a very consistant vision. Vision is not so much what you see but how you see. I studied the prints of countless masters and after a while, I could look at a photo and pretty much tell who made it. I can still do that today.

The work doesn’t live in the shooter, the shooter lives in the work. Good work has the signature of the shooter but the work stands on it’s own. I guess this is really about SIGNATURE. This is not about a watermark or copyright on the image. It’s not a technical thing that can be recognized like that. Signature is the definable presence of the shooter in the image that is embedded for all time. It is recognizable as as the thoughts and emotions of the maker. Recognizing your own signature allows the freedom to be selective in your work and also to know what your doing.

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So I look at what I’m doing and see what I’ve done and maybe, just maybe I can see myself. That’s a major statement to make and even more to observe. Some times when I’m feeling kinda lost, I just look at my history and seek a new direction. To be honest, it don’t usually work for me.

I see what I see and the way I see most times. What changes for me is why I see what I see.

….more ramblings after my visit at my Shrink. He no doubt will attempt to loosen up some brain pixels in me…….

 

 

 

 

 

6 thoughts on “Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 40 … Ricoh GRII … One ShoT pEr ShOOt”

  1. The photos are great, The path to awareness tends to be a rocky one, otherwise it would not be worth the effort. I would definitely like to read more. Cheers and keep on shooting.

    1. Thanks William. (Here in Philly you would be called Bill). Awareness is a tedious undertaking and has to be performed mostly by ones self. That’s really the task. To stay focused and driven to get to the brass ring.

      I always get close in facets but not yet the whole thing. I’m told when I die, it won’t be there either iut I won’t give a shit anyway.

      Another post on its way…..
      thanks again….don

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