Looking towards 2009
By lawrence • Dec 26th, 2008 • Category: Daily Shots, Posts to Remember2008 was great for photography for me in some respects. I had the Contender Asia final, the Contender Season 4 season and a number of commercial shoots. So while the year was a great success on that level, on the other hand, I did very little photography for myself – the kind of photography that got me started on this in the first place.
So I just spent the Xmas break looking through some of some of my Pbase favourites’ and the most popular galleries on that site. With the exception of those people who have continued to push their limits, boundaries and comfort zones, very little has changed. This is a good and a bad thing. It’s good because my favourites’ consisted of mostly excellent photograhers and that certainly has not changed. On the flip side, I’ve also noticed a trend amongst the general populus of photographers to move towards heavier and heavier processing, more obvious poses of pretty models and lots more “me too” images. The photography and processing has gotten more and more creative and simultaneously the images mean less and less. Mutton dressed as lamb we’d call this back in ol’ blighty. It used to impress me but digital photography, Photoshop and photographic workshops have all amazing tools in the hands of average photographers and now a glimpse through popular galleries looks more and more the same. Even more than it did a year ago. Popular photography, at least on pbase, is dominated by the same old usual suspects – followed closely by the crowd who wants to be just like them. Nothing wrong with that of course – but it bears no resemblance to what I consider to be photography. There are exceptions of course. Those who fall into that category already know who they are.
In contrast, this site has been an inspiration to me. Seeing everyone’s work continue to be posted on here while I was tied up in other things makes me believe that if you start something interesting enough, it quickly creates its own momentum and takes on a life of its own. That’s what has happened to Lost in Focus. It started slowly at first but in the past few weeks and months I sense a crossing of the Rubicon. Not every image has to be a work of art – but what we strive for will ultimately determine how interesting the journey is along the way, and ultimately the destination too. Keep that goal in mind and everything else starts to change naturally. Amazing photography when in that mindset almost becomes the side effect. To point out one individual whose work I think lives and breathes that, we need to look no further than Kal. Kal is someone someone whose work I always liked, but seeing how he seemingly effortlessly transformed his work to a completely new level with a film camera in his hand has truly been an honour. There are countless other images on this site that shout this also. When I think about the images I want to create, I think I owe it to myself and the peers whom I respect, to try to create genuinely original work. Again, not a masterpiece for every shot – but to never compromise on honesty and to be critical with myself and others. This means investing in subjects, trying new things, not getting pulled along with the crowd and continually reminding myself not to settle for less than I’m capable of. It’s such a pleasure to have this forum to share work on. Lost in Focus 2009 is really going to be something.
Here’s an image I took yesterday to punctuate how I felt as I start to get serious about my own work again.
lawrence
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something’s wrong with your word security thingies.. lol
I like what you wrote, although I thought it’d be funny to just write a simple ‘huh?” in response just for fun.
I’ve noticed the trend on pbase. It’s so funny because now I feel like I need to change what I do – have I become a dime a dozen? That scares me, honestly. I think I have something unique, but then, doesn’t everyone? It’s funny, I sell some work on a site called Etsy, and the HUGE rage on there for photographers is the TTV (Through The Viewfinder) which I find very attractive. The thing is … everyone is doing it. How many more “ferris wheels in the viewfinder” or “blackbird in viewfinder” do we need?
I’m wandering.
I still am searching for a scanner to scan my MF negatives, and also I want to continue using my father’s Mamiya because I felt such joy in how it felt in my hands.The thing is … I always know when it’s time for me to expand my photography horizons – it comes on with a restlessness and dissatisfaction in the new phtoos I might take. Right now, I can honestly look at my body of work and think “I did that?” I feel proud and … well, it’s a good thing.
I see this photo of Akuri and I wish it were mine. That, to me, is one of the ways I know I want to move through photography with my eyes open to discovery – when I want a photo to be mine. It’s not jealousy, but it is a strong yearning, mixed with thoughts of killi …. erm.. never mind. ;)
Glad to see you back, Lawrence – not only because of your wonderful update on the site, but because you are the captain, and while you were gone.. the longer you were gone .. the ship seemed a little deserted. Besdies, you always inspire me with what you do.
She seems to be floating in a bath of milk in a sea of serenity.
I guess I could have cut to the chase and just said that ;)
I left pBase awhile ago. The whole “popular gallery” thing was just too much for me. I find Flickr 10x better becasue of the specialized groups, which offer much more inspiration in my opinion. I also like their “explore” function which somehow manages to highlight truly interesting photography.
As for the image, one word: beautiful.
It was Thomas Jefferson who said that an idea was a light, and that we should never be afraid to allow others to light their taper at ours. Since they gain light while not darkening ours. But I believe he meant that they should then use that light to find their own way, and to act as the light for others. My interpretation goes a bit further in photography. It lies at the heart of what I believe is creativity…a maze, it has twists and turns, dead ends, a frustration of being caught in a trap, but every so often an island of tranquility, take advice, but don’t let someone guide you out. Getting through the maze…that’s the end game. The fun ends, when you get out. Maybe satisfaction of success, but where from there? The right word is maybe nervous energy, the constant feeling that beyond the horizon is another valley, another mountain to climb. Just as painful, maybe even more painful than the last , but you did make it last time, and you will make it this time. I guess you need that momentum. When you don’t have it, you settle for vitual mountains and virtual valleys, armchair creativity. Perhaps very much satisfying, but nothing like doing the real climbing.
And so my point is this, The satisfaction comes from the search, not completing the maze. On Pbase (but I don’t think it needs to be personalised to that site), too many people are trying to jump the maze and get to the exit. So you get the Manny Librodo clones etc. Manny was (and is a light), now take that and find YOUR way.
I appreciate the compliment about my work, and it counts more, Lawrence, from somone like you and from others on this forum who seek no gain (voting etc), and who can encourage me as I look up at the next mountain. Sometimes it can be very frightening, because the fear of failure is papable, when you know your comfort zone. I think that is true for all of us. I think Chuck once wrote about that personal pressure.
I’m glad that you are back, because as Jude says, you are at the heart of this endeavour, it has a life of it’s own, but the heart beats stronger for your being around.
2009 is an important year in many respects, not least of all because I know it will bring personal challenges for all of us. You settling in the US, Craig and his family, David’s move back to Europe, Jeff and Lorins new babies, (Judes move to MF LOL!!!) but to name a few, and for all of us I am sure the recession ahead will bring it’s moments of sadness, and in the end I hope relief. I wish you all a great challenge, and that you come out stronger artistically and personally out of the other side.
My greatest respect to you, Jude, David, Raul, Lorin, Jeff, Chuck, Craig, Adam and Scott
PS As an idea, maybe we could consider an annual “Print Exchange”. On a random basis towards the end of every year pairs are selected, who can then select an image to printed from their opposite pairing and signed and posted. A way to take this site from the virtual to the physical . I know I would be honoured by any of your prints on my wall.
I have to say that there is something ethereal about the image above. The milkiness of the water, which for me takes this to almost a mothering embrace, peaceful, nurturing, and so incredibly quiet. A place to return. I know that if she sank below the surface, she would still breathe. She would be safe. I’m looking forward to 2009.
K
Wow, Kal.. a wonderful perspective, indeed.
I think my fear comes from thinking I might come to the end of my creativity. It’s not as bad as it used to be, but I’ve seen photographers who’s work I thought was amazing come to a screeching halt and tumble into mediocrity. No one on this site …
I love your idea of the print exchange. It’s a wonderful thing and, as you’ve said, I’d be proud ot have any on my wall.
So if I dive into the MF world you won’t think I’m jumping into your maze, Kal? (heh)
Such brilliant commentary. This will be on my mind all day – particularly the maze analogy which now seemingly so obvious has escaped me as a metaphor my entire life. Will respond properly later.
I love the idea of an annual print exchange. I’ll take it one step further: what about a “Lost in Focus” coffee table book? They are easy to create on mpix, blurb, etc. The talent assembled here is amazing. We chould each have a chapter or something. If there’s interest, let me know. I’d be happy to set it up, start the file, then pass it to each of you to add your chapter. I think it could be incredible.
Oh I nearly forgot – love the print exchange idea. I tried unsuccessfully to do this before and need a commitment like this to force myself as I think it’s great.
A book would be even better. I’d be up for that. I think it needs an owner / editor though – I can see things stalling otherwise. Jeff ?? :)
Book OK for me. I know from my previous experience it is a real pain and time consuming designing something like that and putting it together in a flowing way…and that was with a pro doing it for me. Took Five months of at least a couple of evenings a week! Maybe these electronic books are easier…K
Ok…it is definitely time to legalize marijuana in this country. For my mind is too closed at the moment to be taking from anyone else’s light and then stumbling through a maze happily lost without a goal of getting out to satisfy my munchies at the nearest fast food joint.
My goal for 2009 will combine photography and writing. I will need to remind myself (many times) throughout the year that I am not formally trained in either and just to deal with the fact that I will suck at both for a while. But when I look back through my first year of PAD, I realize how much I improved, and hope by the end of 2009 I will see the same effect (or affect….only a true writer knows the difference between these two words). Anyway, my maze is probably headed in a slightly different direction than before with photography eventually playing a supporting role. I hope to see improvement in both.
As for pbase I will continue to use it for my PAD over the next year. Some of you have found my “2nd site” already. This is the site where I combine my writing and photography. It will be the one I will post to over the next year. Since I will be sharing images on both sites (but not every day on LIF) I will post a link here and finally eliminate my desire to remain obscure:
http://www.pbase.com/o_b_s_c_u_r_i_t_y
One of my goals for 2009 is to get honest feedback on both the writing and photography. So Jude and others, feel free to say “Huh?”
Lawrence, as for your image of Akuri…top notch stuff. My reaction is different from Jude, though. I don’t wish it were my own, but rather resent you for pushing the bar just a little higher. The resentment lasts just a few seconds until I realize that, as Kal so appropriately put it, we are getting better because of each other. So thanks for posting that…my resentment has almost entirely faded.
Exchanging photos and/or creating a book both sound intriguing and exciting to me. :-)
LOL!!…so you are the obscure one….your writing is the main reason I visit, so you can’t suck that bad ;-))))
okay… off to look at your obscurity posts, but in the meantime, chuck..
huh?
lol.. You see, I will love reading and looking at your work. I used to write, you know – professionally (getting scared?). I love words.. I love photography – and I can’t think of anything I’d rather see combined.
I’m up for exchange/book, etc. It, in fact, would be an honor.
FINALLY – after all my wishing you are finally “out of the closet”. Quick rewind for the rest of the guys, I knew Chuck was posting as obscurity by accident almost. He had mentioned to me a long time ago he was posting images elsewhere and wouldn’t tell me where. To cut a long story short, my obsessive personality and Google cache helped me out and i tracked him down. I think that’s how the story went anyway.
Anyway… after seeing you write this I went back and reread all your obscurity posts. Man there is some great stuff up there. Hard to describe how much it appeals to me but I gush over this work. It’s incredibly witty – without pretending to be either. Like someone who is cool because he doesn’t try too hard. You probably won’t believe just how much I’m into your posts – perhaps because this type of work is so subjective, or maybe it’s cause you don’t realise how good you are at marrying words and images.
Such rawness – I hope you never lose that in the posts.
Thanks for that feedback Lawrence. It means a lot to me. As far as “rawness” goes, I guess it makes sense that it reads this way. My only goal with the writing is to make it authentic and timely based on whatever mood I am in when I choose to do it. In this way, I don’t have to look far or reflect on a previous time to determine what to write…its just there. Often, the writing comes first and the accompanying photo either must be found in the archive or created later. Anyway, I’ve said more than I ever meant to say about that site.
So … where can we find the writing? :-)
I’ve been thinking about the book idea for a long time – it would be a fun project. I will think about how to best execute the idea, from a logistics standpoint. I’m thinking something simple – each of us chooses a collection of images (10-20, I’m not sure) to include. Personally, I prefer for the images to speak for themselves – i.e., just the image presented elegantly on a page. But, I think each “collection” of images needs an introduction. To keep it interesting, each contributor’s collection of images could be introduced by another contributor. I’ll continue to think about it, but it would be a fun goal/project for the new year.
I was thinking something similar. How a contributor writes something about another contributor’s work as the way of an intro. Totally agree re leting the images speak for themselves otherwise… I think the goal would be to keep it as simple as possible to make it as likely as possible to get completed. I think its the kind of effort that would take days rather than weeks. This website was a bit like that – a few days of concerted effort due to the fact that wordpress is such a good publishing tool. Would have taken weeks in the pre blog era. I think blurb (etc) do the same for publishing books.
This could even be a yearly thing !
I’ve just returned from two weeks away with my parents who made the trip round the world to see me for CHristmas. Lovely couple of holiday weeks.
Anyway, what’s been going on here then?! Lawrence, the site looks fine and scanning down the recent posts it looks like it’s been a busy place of late. I’ll get round to having a closer look soon.
Happy New Year to you all by the way!
Who knows what 2009 will bring, Captain Ripsher seems to be well and truly inspired and hitting them high creative gears in Snowland. Kal goes from strength to strength and will probably be signed up with Magnum’s fine art documentary division in the coming months. Chuck is on the up and is armed now with words (really interesting marriage – have always enjoyed your words). Jude, no doubt continue to be awesomely creative and productive and may even get her negatives scanned! And Craig, Adam, Lorin, Raul, Scott whatever this year brings, I feel honoured to be able to hear about it all here!
For me I’m looking forward to acting on the growing list of ideas that are filling my black books and to continue snapsnappery with my rollei. This year could also be my last in Asia for a while, as there is a growing need to catch up with life in the west.
Blimey, there’s been so happening here in my absence.
Love the print idea Kal and since Meow and I bought Condo I have pictured on numerous occasions certain Lost in Focus images hanging from my walls and never thought to ask. Jeff, A book would be amazing and with some Lawrence style organisation a real possibility. However, prints being so personal and special would be a great start.
Pbase…I still check my favourites, most of whom post regularly even if i don’t. I’ve always ignored the voting business and hence the popular galleries which mainly contain sea birds, jumping ballet people, pretty ladies and other nice stuff. My membership is up soon, haven’t decided whether I’ll renew.
Sad news today from an another site I post occasionally, is that JPEG can no longer afford to operate during these times of dire finance and is being forced to shut down. I was coming to the end of a years subscription and it’s sad news for it’s 200,000 members.
Again Chuck really interesting thoughts about your new direction, look forward to finding out more of this fusion.
And lastly LAwrence. The picture of Akuri is exquisite and a return to the qualities that led me to your pictures in the first place. I hope you are both happy in your new home.
Hi guys. I’ve been away. Figuratively speaking. Strange that I hardly touch my camera these days, for months in between, but think about photography with my every waking hour… where to take it? and a host of whys that accompany it. They say you have to shoot with your heart first and to think later. But that gets really cliched after awhile. On your umpteenth thousand shutter click, you just have to stop and ask why.
I definitely love it. And I don’t see myself abandoning it for something else. I mean, really, is there anything else other than photography? It just consumes you from many perspectives. I think I’m at that point where I want it to mean something to me. The rest of the world can take a number.
Lawrence talked about Honesty. I personally bat for this and Integrity behind the viewfinder. It is the cornerstone of ANY good work. But I have found myself straying and I need to get back on the saddle pronto.
In a recent exchange of text messages between me and an ex… I spoke of trying to get a handle on my photography, to find the philosophy behind it, that I was, well, “lost in focus”… And she said that I was looking for that common thread in my work that would somehow summarize my life. Bingo. I knew it all along, of course, but there is something sobering about the whole thing when somebody just lays it in front of you like that.
With that searchlight turned on, a bunch of images are starting to form in my mind again. Some of them, I’ve always liked but was hardpressed to understand why, until now. Some of them, old standbys that I exactly knew why I liked them adn how they now start to fit in my personal puzzle. Fascinating, really.
But that’s me and my personal struggle with photography. I hope that I now have a bead on this one as it can really depress the hell out of you when you’re “lost in focus”.
As for Pbase, man, I haven’t updated my galleries in a very LOOOOOOOOOONG time. I think the P in Pbase has come to mean Photoshop. I was thinking of revamping the whole thing, all them nice comments be damned… I don’t know :)
Lawrence, thanks for this new year note. I agree with Jude et al that LIF needs you to be at the helm in order for it to float in a more interesting manner :) If we keep the honesty and the integrity intact, I think that we will be ok here for a very long time.
I’m ok with the PrintExchange thing. Over time, i’d like to have one from each, hopefully, one that has somehow moved me in some way. After all, I think that there’s a common thread that runs through our images… but that we have yet to discover. As original as we may want to become, there is just that bit of Lawrence, or Chuck, or Jude in all of us, eh?
A happy new year to all. I seriously wish that for everyone :)