TeePee – © John Neel
Many people react negatively to images that do not comply exactly with their notion of what an image should look like.
However, they just might be extremely narrow in their concept of self-expression.
For me, creative expression means the making and seeing of something new. In that sense, it means having an open mind to new things, new ideas and new ways to express them. Creative expression is a way of reacting to the world. Opening the door to individual expression allows us to see and understand another human mind and how they react to what they see and know.
New ways of seeing can become new revelation. Looking at new ideas and ways of expression helps us to grow. Equally, when done well, your expression helps us to see life from your unique perspective. Art is a dialogue between multiple parties. It is a conversation between the maker and the viewer about a subject worthy of discussion. It can be a question or an answer. At its best, it provokes thought.
If you think all images should comply with your aesthetic, you are not allowing yourself to see what others are attempting to say. You block the communication by only seeing what you believe to be acceptable and/or repulsive. Purists fall deeply into this category. Like the other arts, photography is supposed to be a personal expression, not personal preference. True photography is not a common commodity. It should be prized for its capacity for the examination of reality and its reflection of truth.
When you decide that the subject or the method is not your idea of photography or art, more than likely you are not looking at the work from the perspective of the photographer/artist who made the image and you deny the communication. You deny yourself the experience of seeing something new, as well as something, which might have the power to make you see things in a new light. You lose because you close the door to what might be new and revolutionary thinking.
However, it is also a gamble, because there are plenty of vacuous images produced by those who are completely blind to their subjects and/or mindlessly pursue certain styles or looks with a camera. Not all work is of any value. Truly valuable images are a rarity. Simply shooting pictures with a camera does not produce anything meaningful. Value comes from searching for truth. It forces a question or reveals a reality. The value of art comes from what the image has to offer the viewer in terms of significance. That is a tall order for a photographer. It is a challenge for the reader. However, when it happens and we can connect, it can be transformative.
Photography/art is mostly about reading images that photographers/artists create. That idea seems to suggest that the photographer make images that are readable. Yet the idea of being easily read restricts the artist by forcing him/her to comply with some sort of standard or restriction.
Yet, the communication still needs to be readable. The reader needs to become open to new ways of expression. Photography is about sharing what you see and how you see it. It is also about looking at what others see and attempting to understand their insights. The open mind allows for open dialogue. It is a two way street.
Art however, is not something that we should alter for the sake of readability. Expression is a reaction that must be presented in its original form. True expression does not hold itself back from what needs to be expressed. This is especially true with photography due to its typically instantaneous nature. Art needs to be open. It needs space to materialize.
Art can be a bit like reading a puzzle. The really good stuff requires contemplation. It is not always an immediate experience. It may take time to decipher; it may need time to sink in. It is possible that the understanding will not occur with a single viewing. It may not happen at all. To begin to understand art, the reader may need some training. There are books and classes, and there is the web. It is well worth your efforts to learn.
In art and the creative process, there are no rules that can’t be broken. In photography, there should be an endless palette from which to choose. The artist should be free to explore any possibility. The viewer needs to realize that the image they are looking at comes from a different mindset and very possibly a very new perspective.
Visual expression implies individual expression. Thankfully, WE do not ALL think alike. That is one of the great truths about creativity. That however, does not mean we should be closed to new ideas. By sharing our ideas, we learn. It is one of the ways we cultivate truth. Opening our thinking seems to be the best way forward in our evolution.
Purists will only see what they want to see. But, those with a truly open-mind will look for what the photographer/artist intended. They look for the reasons that the image might seem out of the ordinary. They will look at the whole image for its meaning, its metaphor, as well as its aesthetic value. As with a poem or a book, photographs project another voice, a new point of view and possibly a new way of thinking for us all.
The open mind opens doors.
Please have a look at some of my other posts here.
NOTICE of Copyright: THIS POSTING AS WELL AS ALL PHOTOGRAPHS, GALLERY IMAGES, AND ILLUSTRATIONS ARE COPYRIGHT © JOHN NEEL AND ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT FROM THE WRITER, THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND/OR lensgarden.com. THE IDEAS EXPRESSED ARE THE PROPERTY OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND THE AUTHOR.
