If it is a "dark and stormy night" and I take a photo of it, is that a
cliche? :-)
Late to the discussion but really, I don't think any subject in and of
itself is a cliche . It is the manner in which it is presented
that raises it above the ordinary when the person writing, painting,
photographing, etc. does it wonderfully.
There is a line in a film that a woman says - and I cant remember the
film or the speaker but the line is about someone being
the very best of a type.... does this ring a bell with anyone? Ummm it
_might_ be from Gigi or umm Pygmalion in one of it's
incarnations?
and I love a really wonderful bird photo any day of the week...
ann
Stan Halpin wrote:
I think many/most/all of my bird shots are cliche, or at least are attempts to rise to that level. However. I was just reading the Forward to a new edition of a Roger Tory Peterson Guide. The Forward by his son comments that RTP had the talent to not only paint lovely pictures of robins, but to have those paintings show the essence of Robin. Whatever the subject, that is what I would like to be able to do with photography.
stan
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 1, 2011, at 1:12 PM, Darren Addy <[email protected]> wrote:
I also thank Collin for the thought-provoking post. I think we know
what you mean by "cliche images" but I disagree with the concept
entirely. I think what you call "cliche images" might more readily be
called "obvious beauty". Sunsets, flowers, cute babies, etc. They are
likely subjects that we all notice and want to capture. They are
almost empirically beautiful and it may be hard not to be attracted to
photograph them.
However, there is a difference between noticing "obvious beauty" and
capturing it well. Frankly, I think that if we are going to condemn
artists for capturing obvious beauty, then we probably need to condemn
Ansel Adams for taking another damn photo of a mountain (or other
landscape) or stone Georgia O'Keefe for choosing to do a painting of
yet another damn flower. I think that is silly. You could spend your
whole life just getting better at photographing one genre of "obvious
beauty", if you chose to do so.
Now where I think Collin provides some inspiration and food for
thought is in challenging us to extend our vision beyond "obvious"
beauty, or perhaps leaving beauty altogether. One way that I like to
challenge my eye is to go somewhere without obvious beauty and then
try to find some by working only with the lines, shapes and colors
that are there. Collin's theme suggestion is another good way to
stretch one's eye/vision/execution.
That would be my "spin" on Collin's word: Take out "cliche images" and
replace it with "obvious beauty" and allow people to start there or
stay there, if they so choose - but also consider growing/expanding
your subjects.
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