Reviewing Older Images
Monday, February 1, 2010 Over the last couple of days I've been reviewing images from several years ago. It's partly in an attempt to get to the darkroom and make some contact prints. But it's also to look and see what I might have missed when I first viewed the images. I think there is some stuff there I'll like.
This is one of them.
Central Park, 2004It was taken on a trip to New York in 2004. But when I first saw this image I didn't like it much. I do now. Why that is I don't know, but I think it's because it reflects the way I've always enjoyed making images.
My current efforts are struggles; with myself, with the camera, with the subject matter. When I'm just out walking, as I was on this particular day, it seems to come a bit more naturally with me. I see something and I make an image. I've gotten away from that and find myself too worried about technical details I shouldn't be thinking about at all.
You might ask why the world needs another tree image. My answer would be that it probably doesn't. But I do and that's simply enough for me. I make images largely for myself because I have to. That seems to be a common theme with the photographers I've spoken with lately and one I've gotten away from because life so easily gets in the way.
We'll see where this review leads me but I suspect I've found a better way, at least for me, in approaching the work and making images I'm much more happy with.
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Reader Comments (1)
Larry, there are some things I found out about my kind of photography and along with it about myself over the last 2 years. I used to be unsatisfied with my results no matter what I tried over a long period of time. After many senseless attempts to achieve my own demands I realized I would never succeed because my demands became higher and higher - unachieveable. What for? Today I believe I there is no need to make more out of my images. I just take them as they are. I may not be satisfied with the results. But then in truth I am not satisfied with myself. There is a big part of myself in my images. If I don´t like what I see on them, then I probably don´t like a big part of myself. Finding out what and why is a different issue. But changing the own point of view - just as you did - is a good start. The world may not need another tree image. But you found a true way for yourself. And the world needs more of those true ways.
all the best
Michael