Hi Joe,
You've reminded me of something I think about often and wrote about a day or
two ago.
Nice narrative. Thank you.
The point I'm attempting to make is that some photos may be 'enhanced' by a
story, whereas others standalone without one. I guess it depends what one's
intent is, and I think pictures with a story may, in some ways, be a
different 'art form' than just photography alone. Maybe akin to written
poetry and a performed piece of music with lyrics. I know that analogy has
some problems.
Am I making any sense? It may be getting to late.
In any case, I think it offers one explanation as to why I find myself drawn
to a photograph of my own (because I know the story behind it), while others
find no attraction to it. I sense that is often the case in photography.
Tom C.
From: Joseph Tainter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Fwd: RE: PESOs: The Real Southwest]
Date: Wed, 10 Aug 2005 21:32:28 -0600
Okay, maybe I need to go into this a bit more deeply.
Real Southwest 1:
http://www.fotocommunity.com/pc/pc/mypics/535671/display/3704299
The Navajo (this is part of their land) find beauty in even such a place. I
do too. Above the mailbox is a bit of the formation that elsewhere is
called the Painted Desert. Off in the distance is Sleeping Ute Mountain.
The road leads to it. Look at the clouds building in the blue sky. I find
beauty in the majesty of this open, isolated place, where on one else is
around.
Real Southwest 2:
http://www.fotocommunity.com/pc/pc/mypics/535671/display/3704304
A lot of people in this part of the country lead a low maintenance/low
overhead life. It is, in part, because of poverty. But not entirely. How to
explain it? It is just the way of life. Some people will work in the city,
then on weekends go back to a place that looks like this. It is their home,
and they love it. I love this area and enjoy photographing it, including
(sometimes especially) this part of it. Buildings such as this fit (blend,
really) into the landscape like buildings in few other places I have
visited.
Some years ago I talked with a woman who lives in Maryland. She had just
been to visit the Hopi Indian Reservation in northeastern Arizona. She
hadn't liked it. I asked: Why not? She couldn't quite put it into words,
but after some prompting she admitted being bothered by the fact that they
don't have front lawns. At that point I gave up trying to talk to her. Her
experience of life was just too narrow, and she couldn't grow beyond that.
I think her problem was in assuming that aspiring to an American home, with
a front lawn, would be natural for everyone. Not so. Many people in the
Southwest would not have such a home even though they can afford it.
That said, I do realize that people who live in greener parts of the world
sometimes find the Southwest too stark and brown.
Tony Hillerman, one of our novelists, tells a story about talking to a
fellow on a bus while traveling through some empty New Mexico landscape.
The guy lived in this state but said he didn't like it. Hillerman asked him
why not. He replied that it was too isolated and stark (or something along
those lines). Hillerman's comment in his essay was that this was precisely
why he does live here. Some of us just like it.
On PDML I have posted a photo or two showing how people live in Mali. The
purpose isn't to show their poverty, but how wonderfully they cope with a
life that most of us would find difficult. (Incidentally, poverty is
relative to information. Most Malians are wonderfully happy and unaware
that they are what we would call "poor.")
The Southwest is a quirky place. If I was just visiting here, I would want
to find places such as in these photos, to experience the place whole. When
in former East Germany and the Czech Republic recently I took several
photos of once beautiful buildings that were allowed to decay in the Soviet
era. I may inflict one or two of those on the list when I get around to it.
I find beauty in their decay.
Joe
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: PESOs: The Real Southwest
Date: Wed, 10 Aug 2005 21:03:37 -0600
From: Joseph Tainter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [email protected]
Hi Joe,
You asked for reactions so I suppose you won't mind a negative one. To
be truthful, I don't care for either one. While they may be an accurate
representation of the less beautiful, less fortunate side of the
American Southwest, I feel that I see enough ugliness in the world as it
is, that I don't need to see more.
As you obviously know there's plenty of beautiful scenes and vistas in
those areas that are uplifting. It's not that I want to close my eyes to
reality, it's just that I would rather vicariously experience those
mindblowingly beautiful slices of your trips as opposed to the less
pretty ones.
No offense intended.
Tom C.
----------
Your reaction is fine, Tom. Sorry if I inflicted some ugliness on you.
But did you read my postscript?
I enjoy both of these places. They are not conventionally beautiful, but
I find them interesting, and enjoyable thus. I am fascinated by the
mailbox. The last time I drove by that intersection was five years ago,
and I don't recall it being there.
Joe
