Have You Found Your Voice?

Hits all the right notes.

He is among my favourite ones.

heavy

I find his overall aestherics heavy. But if we take Doisneau, his aesthetics is more pleasant to me. Both have voices (closer to our topic).

Maybe, it's difficult to judge.

I recently saw a Hujar exhibit in New York's MORGAN LIBRARY, one of the great exhibition spaces in the city. It featured a lot more than just his portraits and included a lot of New York street shots, often more like still lifes than more typical street work. Mixed in with his portraits, viewers were able to hear that very New York voice.

HERE'S the Morgan's brief intro ... maybe the writing is a little overblown in spots but it's a good overview.

But if we take Doisneau, his aesthetics is more pleasant to me.

I agree. Hujar, in general, was clearly not trying to be pleasant.

Penn is no doubt among the 'giants' who have pioneered a lot of techniques that we perhaps take now for granted. However his portraits seem a bit studio-ish to me. They come with impeccable lighting, added drama wherever needed, creative poses and rich traditional aesthetics. Somehow I cannot get past the frame of the image and resonate with the subjects. I feel conscious that I am looking at a sophisticated photographic work, and art made with human beings. Perhaps, if I spend a long (I mean looong) time with his work, I may connect with them more.

In one word, his portraits are without surprises to me. I think, I connected with some of Hujar's works more in that respect.

Hujar, in general, was clearly not trying to be pleasant.

He is just heavy, gloomy. He found his type of subjectsts to portray them. I would't think that Doisneau would want to be pleasant but his works (esp. Parisien teens, street people, Picasso...) resonate more with my type of easthetics. I think this is just regarding subjicts. Penn = elegance and forms and old school class for me. His portraits "burnt out the paper".

I saw a photo series published on CNN today. It is from someone who was raped and then she took up photography as a way to express herself.

I was raped and broken. So I picked up my camera

In a way, photography was a way to regain her voice after what happened.

I saw a photo series published on CNN today. It is from someone who was raped and then she took up photography as a way to express herself.

 

I was raped and broken. So I picked up my camera

 

In a way, photography was a way to regain her voice after what happened.

My favorites are the:

first picture,

the broken glass reflections,

the crossing of legs,

the reflections in the airplane seat (nicely combining two cliches, entertainment console and holding hands, to create something evocative)

the next one after that, the low key with strings and eyes

the one next to wildflowers, with knots

Two weeks ago I found my voice after a long time without it. I was having breakfast with a group of men and someone started a verbal attack on the LGBTQ community. Everyone either chimed in, or agreed with nods and smiles. I picked up my check, said, "I'm in the wrong company", and left. Now I have my voice. Somebody from that group wants to go to coffee, next Monday. I'll still have it. He will hear it. As for "finding my voice" photographically, I've been at it since 1969 and yes, I think I've found it. Today I was mountain biking in a forest in northern Wisconsin. I stopped by a pond rippling with waterbugs. I put my camera in video mode and recorded the rippling. The reflections of foliage near the water were really nice. It felt like I was speaking with a photographic voice

Two weeks ago I found my voice after a long time without it. I was having breakfast with a group of men and someone started a verbal attack on the LGBTQ community. Everyone either chimed in, or agreed with nods and smiles. I picked up my check, said, "I'm in the wrong company", and left. Now I have my voice. Somebody from that group wants to go to coffee, next Monday. I'll still have it. He will hear it. As for "finding my voice" photographically, I've been at it since 1969 and yes, I think I've found it. Today I was mountain biking in a forest in northern Wisconsin. I stopped by a pond rippling with waterbugs. I put my camera in video mode and recorded the rippling. The reflections of foliage near the water were really nice. It felt like I was speaking with a photographic voice

 

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Good For You.....

I am your average looking, older White-Guy, with all gray hair. I frequently do not fit in (Visually) with many people in the Art/Photography world.

But it is just like all fields, once you get past the outer appearance, we all have interests in the same field of work.

I may not understand or live in the same world as others, but that does not stop me from Associating or Learning from them.

I have learned some awesome lighting tricks from a "Frumpy" looking lesbian, and learned how to make some very clever Dodging and Burning tools from a couple of outwardly gay men.

I would be hurt, if other photographers did not want to associate with me, simply because they found out i am a Heroin Addict. :)

Vrankin/ Deny.

Respect.

"That's the only thing you see? Who the f$ck cares is the proper response and not such a transparently faux superficial cuddly cute morality play so that you can feel better about yourself. That's my voice, and it happens to speak the truth, like it or not" Phil.

Just got to love Phil, I love him bucket loads.

But the point they were making was....come on Phil, it was little to do with superficial cuddle things like kittens, but more to do with ears that can listen regardless of who spoke them.

As you are aware, being a smart cookie like you are, some folks have a not so a nice bias towards other folks.

Sort of nice to listen to folks who do not have that bias- don't you think?

"Everyone has a bias"

There's a sad thought. Perhaps one day we will lift ourselves from such animalistic ways and become a more civilised society. A society where all of humanity is respected.

"neither is going into your usual hyperbole with referencing Nazis and KKK" Phil.

But, nevertheless, these societies do exist Phil- today as we speak.

"What’s your point? Hate and violence come just as much from the fringe left as from the far right" Phil.

Sort of nice to listen to folks who do not have that bias- don't you think?