the foreigner

Gary - you are correct to some degree about Lars Photo just being routine; One, he has taken nature and human and put them together. I see it all the time, open up any magazine. two, it is a very simple picture(in content, composition, One form of action or movement being the person). But, just as Thomas Merton's images can be looked at and us say, "damn, I can photograph this and probably even better." Maybe, but he photographed it and say the feelings he had at that moment. The point is that even though there is simplicity yet cross rays of lighting from the sky conflicting with other lines or there lack of, Lars has put a person out of the ordinary to us today or for the situation and put him in an environment that is conflicting to what we see normally. he has created conflict, questions and imagination. Illustrations that most images dont have.

- There are a Group of the Artist Photogs out there. There are a larger group that the Photo Industry has created to think that we(all) are Artist Photogs. I beg to differ. I live eat breathe in the Art World and work with one of the largest advertising agencys in the country. They can go through 20 photogs a day to find one that thinks outside the box and doesn't brag about the size of his or her lens. I fellowship with photgraphers of different levels, from those who take my classes and are beginners to those who still teach me everyday. But that level of Artist Photog is much smaller than we think. And Yes, when that person(s) do display their work here, which there has been some, it is very evident that their work is at a different level. The only thing that is routine in here, which I appluade are constructive comments... Lars, keep up the good work and keep creating.

Lawrence Van Garrett of Studio 66

Very small town gallery kind of stuff. Middle America, Sears, TGI Fridays and a teenager trying to hard to be "deep". I recently saw the work of a gal that makes ink rubbings of fish on Japanese rice paper. Exquisite and in your face sensual. No denying a fish was in direct contact with that paper. You know, like photography.

Gary - you are correct to some degree about Lars Photo just being routine

Lawrence, that is not what I wrote. I posted that given the best work I have seen -- that's never been viewed here -- that Lars's photo is nearly routine for that level; and that, by the way, is a pretty high compliment.

Perhaps my background in photography is hopelessly mid-to-late 20th century in the feeling that a photograph -- on its own, by its lonesome -- ought to simply but eloquently speak for itself without all manner of verbiage, poetry, allusions, feelings, motive, and self-indulgent blah blah blah designed and calculated to manipulate the viewer into being "affected" or "changed" by it.

Either the photograph does it on its own, or it doesn't. It may do more once discussed, analyzed, and all, but it must do it on its own first. And, I certainly don't think that the elves' imprimatur, nor any one else's, quite replaces that.

The 'Contradiction Effect' being talked about is no different than the nude laying on the rocks, or the derby wearing, umbrella in hand Englishman standing in the middle of a desert. All have been beat to death so much they've actually been mocked at one point or another.

 

Which doesn't take away from the fact this is a pretty well executed shot with exellent tonality, but what exactly is it an 'execution' of? I have no idea, since I've never seen a butler or magician running through the woods other than Halloween, it's too ambigous for the late Fellini, and backlit/foggy woods are harldy a unique photographic concept.

 

A late friend of mine who's photographic advice I respected once told me "if you want to be accepted as a great photographer by the artistic elite, shoot decrepit carnivals in B/W with grainy film. No further effort is necessary." Judging by the near hysterical claims of greatness and remarks above I now know what his advice actually meant.

 

This shot was obviously staged, which there's nothing wrong with, but it's simply a collage of elements with no real glue other than the concept of an out of place vaudville performer trying to get to the parking meter before it expires. Lars has the interesting elements, but there simply needs to be more conceptual 'glue' because half the directors of MTV videos have beat him to this one.

My first thought when viewing this was of the title. This man is as much out of place in the forest as a foreigner in a strange land.

 

Happy New Year!, Mike.

Gary- Well... I'm not sure if I understand you correctly or not but what would the reason be to capture a moment, an image wether it be artistically, photojournalistically etc. if it were not to inspire one to feel, to draw conclusions, to question etc.? My own personal work for the last twenty years did not include photoshop and 10 megapixal cameras. What I was able to document on film was on enhanced in the darkroom. I made a conscious decision to go fully digital in every aspect. But, we now live in an age and world that if you want to grow and succeed in the business world of art and photography, you need to be open to all of the tools to help you not become extinct. I have exhibitions every month. One of the things that I love to do is to stand at my own show, look at my own stuff with other people who do not know me and find out what about art and photography they like. Printing on all kinds of paper, surfaces, glass etc. Plus, all of my pieces have writing. They explain and give that added depthness that is needed. People are able to better appreciate the image if they understand it. A lot of times the feelings and moods strike a sensitive cord within them and they come away moved, not by my ability, but by the understanding of something, the connectedness. Why do you think Museums hand out headphones during a showing of an art exhibit, to give reason, details, explanations and feelings so we are better able to understand and appreciate. I know you know this, I'm making a point. We may be, which includes me , making too much out of something that is so simplistic. We all bombarded with image after image from the Industry. Our senses are over satuarated with noise. We all are right, Lars did not go to a far off land and photograph the extinction of a people, he did not capture an image that will win him a Pulitzer Prize. But he did capture something he wanted to and with good style. This photo does not stand alone, it needs explanation. Maybe the explanation would put it at a different level.

 

Lawrence Van Garrett of Studio 66

I wanna say thanks for all the comments here. I've been away since Tuesday, and time is very limited these days, but I really look forward to read all you have had to say about "the foreigner". This is a real gift, having my photo critizised from every possible angle. I'm sure I'll learn so much reading through the comments. Thank you all!

"A foreigner from fielded lands With prairie thoughts of desert sands,

Who'd never seen a wood of oak, He came to visit forest folk."

Love the poem Lars and your wonderful image. I've given up reading the essays of discontent...I see where you are going with this image, you told us by posting the poem.:)

Excellent interpretation!

Sandwich? If so, in my eyes that's graphic art and not a photograph.

Anyways, the image looks rather nice but it doesn't relly speak to me. A butler walking through a forest is not far from a polar bear in Sahara.

For me, to capture a moment or composition, and then refinish and present it, is intrinsic to achieving catharsis in the photographic artistic process. And, like many hobbyists, this has little to do with brand of camera, size of lens or enlarger, hefty software, and the like. And, I like it that Lars's is a sandwiched montage, because that demonstrates that his artistic processing continued from initial exposure(s) to its presentation.

However, to postulate that the photo artistic process must be coolly preconceived and justified, arranged and calculated, grounded in concerted inquiry, served up by edgy feelings, embossed by literature and poetry, have shock, contradiction, questioning, or disturbing value, and all the rest, is to demean and relegate to non-art the important cognitive and reflexive human processes of observation, technique, intuition, instinct, savvy, nuance, love, understanding, and whimsy that are what make so much of great photography wonderful.

I can give reason, details, explanations and feelings to just about any photograph I ever presented. But whether I do or not neither elevates it nor inters it. It merely illuminates what first must be substantially empathized in some way by the viewer. The work alone must strike that first chord and hold it long enough for the artists reinforcement to arrive. Larss photograph met that test, and to a modest extent its been further elevated, thanks, in part, to the elves, and others.

nice composition :)

...maybe the horse ?

This image is spectacular - wonderful detail - depth and the there is a feeling of emotion - great piece

Gee! I was amazed of the discussions about this picture. I could not believed what I read,but there it was from the photgraphers all over the globe.This picture has a perspective. It made a viewer wonders. The special effect of the sun rays and that unknown gentleman in the woods

made this a controvercial picture.Good job.

i like you picture very much, it has very good lighting, beautifull rays, though i wonder if the subjects hands crossed in front of him was the best option, i totally agree that many photographs are self explanatory, many of them capture a moment or the essence of something, i found this picture to be somewhat surrelistic, but when you read the poem it becomes much clearer, in my oppinion, it's important to back up our photo work with some text, so nothing goes unpercieved

All the world is a stage, with the spotlight that illuminates each of us alone. In my private mind, I am who I want to be, where I want to be. Indeed, dressed as befits my moods and fancies. This filth, this squalor, that is humanity is not real. What is real is whom I choose to be.

It's interesting to look at and for that reason alone, it's a worthwhile endeavor.

Crazy cool!!!