I was meaning what I stated in the nicest way. I never believe anyone who attempts to convince others about the type of person he or she is. Tom is all hot air trying to get a reaction. However I only happen to like his photographs. The best answer from him would be THANKS. You Asher - as the author of this forum - can like and tolerate whatever you want of Tom LOL>>>
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You and Asher can talk over me as if I was a deceased patient on an operating table.
Robert, you don't need to be nice. I'm not dead yet.
And Asher, what have I said before. I need no support or defence unless it is from Christine.
Robert, words like thanks are throw-away platitudes that bring a conversation to a close. What do I do if I have other thoughts in my head relating to your comments - or photos, for that matter?
I don't know if you see your, or my images as art. Let's say they are art. We'll allow the procrastinators to argue over that.
You are so right in saying I post my photos here for a reason, but it is not necessarily to please. Art has long since moved from that motivation.
Beauty was indeed the most common purpose of art way back when. But the content and context of all art has gone through some radical changes, especially since the invention of photography.
One particularly important function of photography as an art form is to encourage people to interpret.
Faced with an image that might look real, this is a difficult task for most. It requires more than just looking for pleasures. It requires time: time to examine, to absorb, to recognise, to connect, to understand and finally to interpret.
This is no different from any other work of art except that we are confused by the implied reality of the photograph. Instead of seeing the photo as a thing to be interpreted we see it as the thing photographed. We simplify our thoughts to platitudes and deny the photograph more than that.
Only when we see the image on the wall of an important gallery do we consider it more. The context is important.
I'm not suggesting OPF is an important gallery. Blogs and forums are a dime a dozen. This is a place for people of similar interests to share what they do.
Being nice to one another is a fine thing and should be admired.
Unfortunately, like any platitude, as I have said, the conversation is halted and we learn nothing except we are polite to one another.
And I don't mean telling people how they should take photos. By the time Asher has scrutinised us at entry we have already passed some sort of test (although there are times when even I question the legitimacy of the results) and I don't remember anyone asking me at the beginning if I had an opinion or what it was.
Culture is often brought up in regard to my behaviour as if it is somehow to be ignored or worshipped.
Its true. I am a product of the culture in which I live. That culture is confusing to some. To me it is home. On the one hand, I am of a strong academic culture and on the other, I am part of the convict qualities my ancestors brought here.
Let me explain.
As a young man, I would go to the pub with my mates. We would get a little drunk and someone would say something controversial. No topic was sacred. We would begin arguing, shouting and bickering as the beer continued to flow. Abuse would be forthcoming and even the occasional push and shove. The argument never resolved itself until we were too drunk to walk, talk or find our way home.
But we would always end the night with a pat on each other's back and a laugh. Why? Because we knew that we had shared ideas and that in among that we had learnt something.
1. Mates can say anything. We each can filter out the bullshit from the facts.
2. We always learnt stuff about each other and about ourselves.
3. We were always more informed than before.
5. We always looked forward to the next meeting.
After 40 years I still converse with some of these mates. Why? Because we always have something we can discuss. We still argue, we still swear at each other. We can always rely on each other to be honest - even if we are wrong. We even allow a bit of lying.
OPF could be like that pub with my mates showing each other pictures. My mate Boots (don't ask where that name came from) would only look at tits and boobs, Williams would look at the landscapes and make monkey noises, Davo would be contemplating the quantum nature of the universe and the place of photography in it, Gazza would tell you he could do better with his box brownie (which he probably could have) and I would be abusing all of them for their contempt at the art of it all.
Just hypothetical, mind you, but its given me an idea for a story.
In closing, Robert, I can only say, in my own defence, that I am a little uncouth and bigoted. I have few social graces (the reason I constantly embarrass Christine when in mixed company), and I do go on a bit - as you have just noted. But I am genuinely interested in what photographs do beyond the usual expression of pleasure.
That is why I am here. That is why I post. That is why I comment.
As for talking about myself: who esle do you know is as interesting and well informed? Unless you consider yourself.
Your next best friend
Tom
You buy the first round.
_DSF2919 copy - Copy by Tom Dinning, on Flickr
DSCF1210 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr
DSCF2589 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr
DSCF2673 copy by Tom Dinning, on Flickr
_DSC2456 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr
