Pifflling the ground we walk on!

[Asher Kelman]

The must humble we walk over. I've taken to snapping what comes close to my feet. I am constantly amazed by beauty we can just pass without enjoying if we're not alert to it! We take so much for granted.

So here are a few of the things below my feet that fascinate me. In pure piffling fashion, these are taken immediately on observing and no attempt is made before or after the shot to substantially alter anything or create what's not there to be seen by the passer by who has at least one eye half open!

There's no pretense at my art, but rather the belief in the value of what's already there. There are no titles but location and date as they are simply what they are!

Asher Kelman: Ground Piffle #1

Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angleles, October 2012

iPhone 3

Asher Kelman: Ground Piffle #2

Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angleles, October 2012

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Asher Kelman: Ground Piffle #3

Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angleles, October 2012

iPhone 3​

Hoping you might find some more to add to this small family!

Asher

 

[George Holroyd]

Countdown, Paris
​

 

[Asher Kelman]

Countdown, Paris
​

That's remarkable, George, what might it be?

Asher

 

[George Holroyd]

It was a flyer, I don't recall what for exactly. I took the picture as it lay on the little side street where our apartment is located.

 

[Jerome Marot]

​

 

[Asher Kelman]

Sehr gut gepiffled, Jerome!

Asher

 

[Michael Nagel]

Three more (potentially reposts):

Irregular Pattern




There was a leaf




Not the usual green​

Best regards,
Michael

 

[Asher Kelman]

Asher Kelman: Ground Piffle #1

Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angleles, October 2012

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Asher Kelman: Ground Piffle #2

Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angleles, October 2012

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Asher Kelman: Ground Piffle #3

Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angleles, October 2012

iPhone 3​

and adding one more to this walk!

Asher Kelman: Ground Piffle #4

Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angleles, October 2012

iPhone 3​

 

[Asher Kelman]

Michael,

Just finding something so small that almost all people would ignore distinguished your way of relating to the world. The great thing is that this is what it is without and theories, constructed ideas. Simply "it is what it is", as you noticed it.

Not the usual green​

This, Michael, is such a find and I simply love it. Now someone else was probably pretty much up the creek without it!


Asher

 

[Michael Nagel]

This, Michael, is such a find and I simply love it. Now someone else was probably pretty much up the creek without it!

Thanks Asher, hopefully the person was not going nuts over it...

We will never be able to shed some light on this:

Ausgebrannt​

There was surely some way to fix it:

Fix​

Best regards,
Michael

 

[Tom Robbins]

Whoa, all these images are wonderful! An attempt to contribute:

Parkbenchoglyphs​

A decades-old park bench at a state park recently. Piffle polished by butts, I guess.

 

[Sam Hames]

Sometimes I need to watch where I'm going - and it's everything that's interesting.​

 

[Asher Kelman]

Whoa, all these images are wonderful! An attempt to contribute:

Parkbenchoglyphs​

A decades-old park bench at a state park recently. Piffle polished by butts, I guess.

Tom, what's remarkable about this piffle is that it needs no title as it speaks for itself. I think that's the nature of really good piffle:either silent or what has to be said is right there in front of us. It does not have any high minded ideas or hidden concepts or metaphors as most art. "It is what it is!"

The sitting of the bench really humbles the individual carvings into an overall stochastic patina and all those little egos and efforts are subsumed by the wood.

Excellent find!

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

​

Jerome,

This is worth returning to as it's so remarkably indicative of disregard for public property yet creates some haphazard performance art. Again there's no "meaning" intended here and that's what makes it! We know what it is, but it's not shown as a notice not to litter or else shaming the culprit.

Asher

 

[fahim mohammed]

...

.....
and adding one more to this walk!

Asher Kelman: Ground Piffle #4

Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angleles, October 2012

iPhone 3​

While the previous ones were piffling good..this one is a true piffle!!

Regards.

 

[Asher Kelman]

While the previous ones were piffling good..this one is a true piffle!!

Regards.

Fahim,

Thanks, that's my favorite too! What surprised me was the sheer immediacy and honest simplicity in making the piffle as opposed to usual captures. It's utterly factive: it's what one sees if one happens to look down and notice! I did nothing except record what was there. That's what is so refreshing. Who's have thought that the simple truth is so satisfying when we are so skilled in creating fantastic images by fiddling before or after the fact?

I must admit, I did try to improve the piffle, but it wouldn't allow it.

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

Asher Kelman: Ground Piffle #5a

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Asher Kelman: Ground Piffle #5b

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Asher Kelman: Ground Piffle #5c

iPhone 3​

The bottle cap seems so integrated into the ground as if it were a driven in bolt that would never move!

Asher

 

[Mark Hampton]

Asher Kelman: Ground Piffle #5a

iPhone 3

Asher Kelman: Ground Piffle #5b

iPhone 3

Asher Kelman: Ground Piffle #5c

iPhone 3​

The bottle cap seems so integrated into the ground as if it were a driven in bolt that would never move!

Asher

if these were true piffle you wouldn't need to comment on them ... also giving them a name and number is against in the rules of piffle... calling something piffle isn't enough I'm afraid.

 

[Asher Kelman]

if these were true piffle you wouldn't need to comment on them ... also giving them a name and number is against in the rules of piffle... calling something piffle isn't enough I'm afraid.

Mark,

You're making "rules" for piffles, as if you have some authority over them, LOL! Piffles are just ad hoc, non-planned snaps with no pretenses of higher meaning or references. They are what they are: immediate impressions of no further importance. Now a common feature of a piffle is that its a picture taken incidentally for fun where we value the result. At that point, we can catalog the pictures we share for our reference. We can even comment on them! why not.

The whole idea id that they are spontaneous snaps for immediate joy and interest without substantial work either before or after the fact! That's it. They are just what they are for you and for me.

Asher

 

[Mark Hampton]

Mark,

You're making "rules" for piffles, as if you have some authority over them, LOL! Piffles are just ad hoc, non-planned snaps with no pretenses of higher meaning or references. They are what they are: immediate impressions of no further importance. Now a common feature of a piffle is that its a picture taken incidentally for fun where we value the result. At that point, we can catalog the pictures we share for our reference. We can even comment on them! why not.

The whole idea id that they are spontaneous snaps for immediate joy and interest without substantial work either before or after the fact! That's it. They are just what they are for you and for me.

Asher

ad hoc, non-planned snaps with no pretenses of higher meaning or references

you do understand that this is twaddle i suppose?

When you begin a picture you often make some pretty discoveries. You must be on guard against these. Destroy the thing, do it over several times. In each destroying of a beautiful discovery, the artist does not really suppress it, but rather condenses it, makes it more substantial. What comes out in the end is the result of discarded finds. Otherwise you become your own connoisseur. - Pablo Picasso

 

[Asher Kelman]

ad hoc, non-planned snaps with no pretenses of higher meaning or references

you do understand that this is twaddle i suppose?

Mark,

Unfortunately, Your mind is just set for "twiddle" or "twaddle" and that's the way you read things. So likely that all you get from the effort, "twaddle"! Think in simple terms, and it will come to you.

"When you begin a picture you often make some pretty discoveries. You must be on guard against these. Destroy the thing, do it over several times. In each destroying of a beautiful discovery, the artist does not really suppress it, but rather condenses it, makes it more substantial. What comes out in the end." Pablo Picasso

While nice for a lot of art, this has no relevance to what we can celebrate for its immediacy for a snap of something noticed as special, just in passing, with no rethought on the matter. This is so unlike Picasso's far loftier works, all conceived with a brilliant vivid imagination and planned carefully. However, what we term "Piffle" in photography in OPF has no planning, with little to no references likely to previous work or ideas and lacks the brilliance of execution and realization of important ideas.. You miss the idea and value of the class of "snap" we term "Piffle" here, if you even mention Picasso in the same breath!

Asher

 

[Mark Hampton]

Mark,

Unfortunately, Your mind is just set for "twiddle" or "twaddle" and that's the way you read things. So likely that all you get from the effort, "twaddle"! Think in simple terms, and it will come to you.



While nice for a lot of art, this has no relevance to what we can celebrate for its immediacy for a snap of something noticed as special, just in passing, with no rethought on the matter. This is so unlike Picasso's far loftier works, all conceived with a brilliant vivid imagination and planned carefully. However, what we term "Piffle" in photography in OPF has no planning, with little to no references likely to previous work or ideas and lacks the brilliance of execution and realization of important ideas.. You miss the idea and value of the class of "snap" we term "Piffle" here, if you even mention Picasso in the same breath!

Asher

Asher - the only images that have no reference are images that are never seen - as a maker when you publish or make an image you give up the control how the images is viewed and by whom. Your Piffle as you call it could be art to some poor sap.

these are not my rules as you put it - this is how vision/culture works. If you cant understand this simple process I think you should give up and become a bean bag

cheers




yo

 

[Asher Kelman]

Asher - the only images that have no reference are images that are never seen - as a maker when you publish or make an image you give up the control how the images is viewed and by whom. Your Piffle as you call it could be art to some poor sap.

these are not my rules as you put it - this is how vision/culture works. If you cant understand this simple process I think you should give up and become a bean bag

Mark,

You're could be absolutely right so far as the fate of our piffles. Someone could indeed appreciate them as fine art and elevate their value and even come to collect them! However, that does not alter our use of the term piffle for shots which are of a certain specific kind: those made with immediacy of recording something noticed, but with no other pre-planned concepts as Picasso, Magritte or Matisse would conceive of.

So, yes indeed, it may be read as you wish but it's born without planning or great effort of thought. For the maker, then, "it is what it is, a simple shot, a "piffle" with no intended or crafted message". After, the rest of the planet, from then on, can enjoy it as they wish!

So in a way, it's more related to finding a piece of driftwood that catches one's eye and one is able to bering it home and show to others.

Asher

 

[Mark Hampton]

Mark,

You're could be absolutely right so far as the fate of our piffles. Someone could indeed appreciate them as fine art and elevate their value and even come to collect them! However, that does not alter our use of the term piffle for shots which are of a certain specific kind: those made with immediacy of recording something noticed, but with no other pre-planned concepts as Picasso, Magritte or Matisse would conceive of.

So, yes indeed, it may be read as you wish but it's born without planning or great effort of thought. For the maker, then, "it is what it is, a simple shot, a "piffle" with no intended or crafted message". After, the rest of the planet, from then on, can enjoy it as they wish!

So in a way, it's more related to finding a piece of driftwood that catches one's eye and one is able to bering it home and show to others.

Asher

So what you term piffle could be term found photographs - why don't you post them in the section for that - or snap shot - make a new section - you have the power.

also you are making rules for piffle LOL who gave you the authority? oh wait its your site !

I looked in a book on aesthetics and cant find your definition anywhere - ah wait that is a paraphrase from you.. this should it be in bold / red and a large font ... come one asher your talk of piffle has addled your brain

I believe the term twaddle reflects what you are talking.. the images posted are not words or signs having no intelligible meaning lol the choice to make an image suggests some form of meaning and engagement has taken place... your decision to name / number and comment on them also again shows the same engagement and reading from the maker....

show us some real piffle Asher ... not the fussy arranged images on here ... show us images without thoughts for rules or signs ..... close your eyes and take snaps after been led somewhere by your grandkid.... let them spin you around and then you press that button...

be free asher !

be free

 

[Asher Kelman]

So what you term piffle could be term found photographs - why don't you post them in the section for that - or snap shot - make a new section - you have the power.

also you are making rules for piffle LOL who gave you the authority? oh wait its your site !

I looked in a book on aesthetics and cant find your definition anywhere - ah wait that is a paraphrase from you.. this should it be in bold / red and a large font ... come one asher your talk of piffle has addled your brain

I believe the term twaddle reflects what you are talking.. the images posted are not words or signs having no intelligible meaning lol the choice to make an image suggests some form of meaning and engagement has taken place... your decision to name / number and comment on them also again shows the same engagement and reading from the maker....

show us some real piffle Asher ... not the fussy arranged images on here ... show us images without thoughts for rules or signs ..... close your eyes and take snaps after been led somewhere by your grandkid.... let them spin you around and then you press that button...

be free asher !

be free

No, that would be twaddle! You do that spin and then it will fit in which what you think! LOL!

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

​

This is not random1 It's chosen and that's why it's interesting. However, it's not intended to be more than that and that's commensurate with the effort making it. Still it's damn good and in that it's not neat, it's better than mine perhaps! That last plate has a cigarette on it and that shows how well it was made although fast. That cigarette butt made it for me.

but Mark, please, ignore this as it does not meet your definition.

Asher

 

[Michael_Stones]

No time for twaddling when there's piffling to be done.

Cheers
Mike

 

[Mark Hampton]

Asher. Lol.

 

[Jean Henderson]

WELL!! Staying out of the piffle and twiddling conversation:

@Asher. I like 1, 2, and 4 the most. I don't like 3 at all. And, I have to concur, that 5a-c seem a little bit twaddling with the piffle!

@Jerome. LOVE the cigarette butt/red plates!

@Tom. What a cool find!

@Sam. LOVE your first shot!

@Michael. I like all of yours very much! It's a toss up for favorite -- the green wing nut or the "paving" with the addition of something hand drawn.

Now, guys, if I'd quoted each one of you to show your picture, think how LONG it would take you all to scroll through it all!! Let me know if I wasn't clear enough, though... Did I miss anyone?

 

[Asher Kelman]

No time for twaddling when there's piffling to be done.

Michael Stones: Pool Piffle​

Jean may be right on! This is a superb piffle.


Asher