It was a beautiful afternoon. I spent the earlier part of the day finishing reading Sally Mann's new book, "Art Work: On the Creative Life." I have mixed feelings about the book but it's a decent read for people who want direction about existing as a creative photographer. At least "how to" from Sally Mann's rather eccentric point of view. I'll have more to say about the book after I've processed it for a while. Might take some therapy... If one thought Mann's personal life was all an easy road one would be mistaken. She's been through, and to some extent, put herself through the wringer. But there is the thought that for artists to do their best work suffering is part of the recipe.
One thing I did admire about Mann is her take on physical fitness. She and Richard Misrach stayed up drinking gin and tonic one evening. She described him as a lightweight after he stumbled off to bed. She stayed up and loaded her 8x10 film holders in order to be prepared for the possibility of shooting something good the next day. She woke up, looked out the window at the mist and the gravitas of an ancient tree, got her camera and meter and got to work. Afterwards, she says, she got in her daily three mile run in the oppressive Louisiana heat. Priorities, priorities...
At any rate, with my "homework" done and the day beckoning I thought it would be silly to waste a perfect afternoon hanging around inside. I looked at the stack of books people sent along for my birthday and decided they could all wait there turns until after dark. I grabbed that S5 I've been writing about. The one with the 50mm lens on the front. I also stuffed the 75mm f2 in a small bag, along with an extra camera battery, and a lens cleaning cloth, and headed out of the house and into fresh sunlight.
While I mostly used the filter setting I described in the blog title I did, occasionally switch to color for situations in which color was the real reason I was interested in a subject. It's okay to be flexible. It's not a weakness it's a strength. I walked my usual route and snapped whatever caught my eye. Not every image has a caption but one in particular does...
I have no idea whatsoever this thing that was sticking out of a massive, high rise residential tower actually does. It seems.... like the designers had no clue either.
Looks good in color; better in black and white.
Go Team Birkenstock.
Self inflicted identity theft facilitating machines.
Enter this shop at your own (massive) risk.
And maybe don't give anyone your DNA either...
Necessary caption: I have no patience whatsoever for ASSHOLES who stop right in the middle of pedestrian crosswalks, at red lights. It's so discourteous. And dangerous. And thoughtless.
For egregious perpetrators there should be harsh penalties. Like making them walk
instead of being able to drive for a month. Or maybe just pulling them from their cars and quietly explaining Texas traffic laws to them. Over and over again. It's become commonplace to ignore pedestrian right of way since a lot of new people moved in to Austin from out of state. Some day someone might accidentally get a DSLR through the windshield.
That's all.
Other than two bad drivers and their disregard for other members of
society it was a very pleasant walk.
How did you like the play Mrs. Lincoln?
Nope, looks better in color. IMNSHO.
ReplyDeleteI had the same reaction to Mann's book as you did. She's an exceptional photographer, but I felt a bit of name-dropper-ese. I also have some ethical nervousness about her, best not discussed here.
To get even longer-winded (you did mention B&W) my wife was at a used book store this afternoon and she found, and bought for me, the very well-bound collection of the1968 year of "Camera" magazine. There are annual bound editions in many major libraries, for many of the years the magazines was printed, but you don't see them in the wild. The covers and contents were pristine, and a trip back in time. Loved both the photos (most in B&W) and the advertisements -- so many camera and equipment brands. And there is something to be said for the softness of film, especially color film, that digital doesn't seem to do very well. I also never realized the importance of the female nude...they're in almost every issue, except one on "trees."
What is the deal with that identity theft storefront. I’ve never seen such a thing but maybe it’s because they camouflage them better around here
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