It’s funny as I have not been moved to write a musing in quite some time. Sometimes I can write on this page on several consecutive days, other times like right now, I can go for quite a stretch before feeling the ‘need’ to write. Two nights ago Tracy said, ‘You haven’t written in your Musings for a while.’ It’s her gentle reminder that this silly page needs ‘watering’ now and again.
So tonight as I labored over the image I posted for today, I thought that I may as well write a few words about why I haven’t written… In life, so many things can occupy my mind. My daughter’s first apartment, my son’s upcoming birthday, work, art, friends – the list can go on and on. And lately I have not felt compelled to shoot. I find that I am in a bit of a transitional period. I have been going through the books of photographers who I greatly admire studying the reasons why their images are so much more compelling than my own. Tracy mentioned to me the other day that my work is ‘evolving’ and although she enjoyed my ‘kissingly close’ style of capturing people, my conscious widening of my view has added context to my imagery. A while ago Leigh encouraged me to ‘back away’ by hinting that I should try to photograph the interactions between people. Women are sly, very sly!
I appreciate both of their views and comments, but I have begun to lose what I once had, the ability to view what I want to shoot and have transitioned to what I feel I want to shoot. And that seemingly small difference is something that I have pondered and pondered over the past several weeks. For me feeling is what a photograph is all about. And as I look upon Cartier-Bresson and Cobb’s work, I find that their mastery of capturing and conveying a feeling that is palpable in their work almost seems unattainable to me. So instead of shooting, I’m studying. And as I prepare for my own exhibit that is only six short weeks away, I am choosing my own pieces that have the feeling I hope each viewer can touch with their own eyes.
So I will think about this for quite some time. And when I feel that I can capture the feeling I’m looking for, you will see those images here. But I may be quiet in my musings for a bit, at least until she gives me a gentle reminder to share my mind.
Thanks for listening and looking.
