Yes, my involvement in the AtoZ Challenge continues. A wasn’t for April fools! 🙂 The fact is, despite being a bit nervous about a commitment of 26 posts in a month (except Sundays!), I am looking forward to it a bit. Hey, it’s early and a good time to be naieve right?
B is for Beyond
The word Beyond popped into my head as I said “b…b….b….b” to myself, because a recent post was fresh on my mind and some conversation with David Leland Hyde in the comments is really about going beyond our initial preconceptions about any particular photograph. The historical nature and landscape photography greats of Minor White, Phillip Hyde, and Edward Weston had some varying philosophies of what they wanted their photographs to represent. David referenced a post where he describes Weston’s approach of going beyond ego.
“This then: to photograph a rock, have it look like a rock, but be more than a rock.” ~ Edward Weston
Old Woman of StoneWood
An example in my own work is from my Stonescapes series. My whole attraction to these macro abstracts of various sections of rocks, minerals, stone was more than just a geological fascination, but simply how they could be more. Seeing beyond, imagining beyond, visually exploring beyond initial appearances. Seeing beyond a small 1 inch area and seeing similarities to a aerial view from space of a vast landscape. Seing beyond a piece of stone, and seeing an old woman.
I can see influences of each of Hyde’s, Weston’s, and White’s philosophies in this series of images. Hyde’s approach of “nature as it is”, Weston’s “more than a rock”, and White’s “photographing for what else it is” approach all seem to mingle together here.
This concept of trying to see beyond can only help us as creators in the field. Always there is something more before us if we look hard enough, we go slow enough. If we can bring that back in our photographs, then indeed it has been a good day.
As always with any photography blog I follow, I looked at the image before I read the text. I found myself pondering this image for a while. I thought I might have seen it before but wasn’t sure. The abstraction appealed immediately of course, being my favourite genre. I saw the profile but shook that off; a brain is the ultimate face-recognition device and I didn’t want to be blinded to any other possibilities. So I took the title of the post to heart and looked beyond. It was then that I was rather taken by all the elements that appeared. As it turns out there was only one element, namely: Rock. And yet, even knowing this, I cannot help but see a delightful melange of bark, weathered wood, paper, natural fabric, synthetic fabric, stone, ink and paint; all of it blended together so perfectly that only nature could create such an illusion (with a little help from a certain skilful, artful and nuanced photographer).
This image is a praiseworthy tribute to Hyde’s “nature as it is”, Weston’s “more than a rock”, and White’s “photographing for what else it is”. It encapsulates all three notions beautifully.
Isn’t it ironic that sometimes, to see beyond we have to zoom in.
I appreciate you spending so much time with this piece Cedric. I am glad it held that interest as it still does for me. I wanted to have it printed to hang in our house but my wife thinks it is a little disturbing. I guess maybe, but I find it more fascinating than anything else.
Wow. Just wow! http://sjalexandreac.wordpress.com
🙂
Great abstract, Mark. Too much pressure for those Facebook seven day challenges. 26 would keep me awake at night.
I would think it would be a piece of cake for you Steve! You are one of the more committed photographers I know in publishing daily stuff.
Wow….your close-up really brought that rock to life. I see a tortured face and whether male or female, it seems to have a story to tell.
Thank you Lisa!
Love this image. Truly art!!!
Love your stone series. Those stone images really exemplify ‘Beyond’!
Love the abstract nature of this piece, and the idea of going beyond the subject matter. I’ll check back! I’m in the A to Z challenge too…just a couple of numbers ahead of you (1919 at this posting). River Dog Studio. riverdogstudio.com.
Enjoyed the read and the thought it has provoken ! Also in the A to Z challenge and will check back periodically.
Thanks Viamari!
I’ll be following along Debra. Thanks for leaving a comment here. It helps when there are so many blogs in this challenge to follow on a few. 🙂