What is the hardest thing in photography, or any art for that matter?
The ability to convey a mood, to get the viewer to look past the obvious subjects in the photo and look for a deeper meaning or representation.
A recent visit to the Museum of Fine Arts inspired me to discuss the idea known as "Equivalence". Coined by Alfred Stieglitz in the 1920's and carried over by a few other photographers, Equivalence has no real definition, or in other words, is only defined by the photographer or viewer. It's a sense of place I guess, in my interpretation of the word, and it's a concept that I've unknowingly practiced from day one. When I moved to North Carolina in the early nineties, I found the natural beauty of the area almost hypnotizing. It gave me a sense of peace and happiness, but the only way I could express that was through a simple photograph. Looking back at those photos makes me smile, because I remember the exact moment it was captured, but to another viewer, it's just a landscape, or still-life.
I told myself that I wanted others to see the beauty the same way I was seeing it, but how could that possibly happen when we are all different and perceive things with different emotion? At times I was almost hurt that others would simply say "Oh, that's a nice photo", because it had a story behind it. And until now, I didn't feel it necessary to provide a deep explanation behind every photo I've taken.
A recent student of mine told me that she couldn't believe that I'd been teaching photography for 13 years because I didn't look that old, and that maybe it was the photography as a stress-eliminator that kept me that way. I thought about that and would have to agree. Photography, with the intention of forgetting the negativity and pain in this world is a great way to at least reduce stress. And looking for a deeper sense of something positive within the everyday can make you appreciate things that are often taken for granted.
I was also surprised to see a series of clouds photographed by Stieglitz in the 20's and 30's. I myself have always turned to the skies for artistic inspiration, either waiting for an impending storm or staring into a sunset. My recent cloud series has been making the rounds here in Boston, and even though the clouds have no geographical location, I can tell you where each one was viewed and photographed, and sometimes why.
As I have recently begun the arduous task of cataloging my negatives and images, I have come across many old photos and would now like to tell the story behind the eye. Thanks to blogging, I can do so with relative ease, and I hope that some of you enjoy the photos that I share.
See you soon...
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