it seemed like a good idea at the time

[Tom dinning]

I have lots of ideas; some turn out to be good ones, others not so.

What seems to determine their standing at the time is their clarity in my mind.
What seems to determine their failure is the lack of clarity of the observer.

I am doomed to failure as long as I persist in presenting my ideas to others.
It also follows that every idea I have is a good one until I tell someone.

When photographing, I have a constant flow of ideas; some borrowed, some, presumably my own and original, others of indeterminate origin.

Perhaps this is the nature of what we do. Ideas are what we are. Thoughts are not separate entities from ourselves.
Actions or reactions that follow determine what the outcome will be.
We try our best at presenting our ideas. From there we have no control. We are in the hands of the perceiver.
One must choose their audience wisely.

_DSF5390 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr

 

[Asher Kelman]

I have lots of ideas; some turn out to be good ones, others not so.

What seems to determine their standing at the time is their clarity in my mind.
What seems to determine their failure is the lack of clarity of the observer.

I am doomed to failure as long as I persist in presenting my ideas to others.
It also follows that every idea I have is a good one until I tell someone.

When photographing, I have a constant flow of ideas; some borrowed, some, presumably my own and original, others of indeterminate origin.

Perhaps this is the nature of what we do. Ideas are what we are. Thoughts are not separate entities from ourselves.
Actions or reactions that follow determine what the outcome will be.
We try our best at presenting our ideas. From there we have no control. We are in the hands of the perceiver.
One must choose their audience wisely.

_DSF5390 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr

Tom,

A beautiful and fleeting paradox, metaphor perhaps to our own brilliant transience?

I could, of course try my best to deconvolute both the prose and the picture, but what's "Tordu" and unexplained, like a crippled physicist in a chair and a beautiful wife besides him, is best left as a puzzle.

But I must share my impression and gratitude for something that has excellent effect on my spirit and esthetic senses!

Thanks!

Asher

 

[Andy brown]

Good to see you Tommy boy.

Your thoughts here resonate with me completely. Well said.

The image: excellent as per usual.

 

[Jerome Marot]

I am doomed to failure as long as I persist in presenting my ideas to others.

Not all the time. I like the idea in this post.

 

[Tom dinning]

What ideas are formulated in a young mind? Are they worthwhile? Learning to converse images into words. How strange that the photographer is intent on the opposite, only to be returned to words and ideas in another brain.
No matter how hard we try, we cannot see fully without language. Try looking at a photograph and not think of words.

_DSF4825 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr

 

[Tom dinning]

Some ideas appear on shaky ground as if they don't quite have all the support they need.
There's no clarity to allow the image to form. Like a memory that fails, the idea constantly changes form, adding and subtracting and finally disappearing into some abyss where all dreams perish.

Like holding water cupped in my hands, I loose grip. Its at that moment I want to hang on to whatever it is that has disturbed my thought; become one of my thoughts.

Time enough to react? Possibly. Then its gone.

_DSC3233 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr

 

[Tom dinning]

Like the young girl chasing moonbeams in the sand, what I capture might be enough.
Like the dreams of children and the lost memories of the old, the photograph is no more than the fruits of an idea. They can hold us still for a moment or they can send us to the past.
Whichever, the art is in the idea, not the image.
The art is the idea.

_DSF2260 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr

 

[Tom dinning]

So, now I concede: this is art.
Not the fruits of my labour but the labour itself.
I might even suggest it is the mere thought, the tickling of an idea, the mingling of electrical impulses among the wearying wires of my aging brain that is the true art.
For there is little I can do about the execution of the idea. That seems to be dependent on my skills and the perceptions of those who think they understand what goes on inside my head.

As blurred as the image might be, it is mine. As invisible as the ideas are to others, they are mine.
As little value others might place on what I do, it is mine.
The art comes from perception, conception, and construction. The rest is up to you.
I place no value on that.

_DSF5347 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr

 

[Asher Kelman]

Like the young girl chasing moonbeams in the sand, what I capture might be enough.
Like the dreams of children and the lost memories of the old, the photograph is no more than the fruits of an idea. They can hold us still for a moment or they can send us to the past.
Whichever, the art is in the idea, not the image.
The art is the idea.

_DSF2260 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr

Remarkable treasure you discovered here, Tom. Yes, you had to be there and get the angle, but we mostly are not ready to take advantage of such incidents.

Asher

 

[Tom dinning]

Remarkable treasure you discovered here, Tom. Yes, you had to be there and get the angle, but we mostly are not ready to take advantage of such incidents.

Asher

Like the idea from which it originated, nothing is as it seems. Ideas are fluid, not factual. Instigation of such ideas requires the cooperation of others and sometimes, a little deceit.
Ideas are fairy tales until they are brought to life.
The photograph is the only truth. It's contents might well be otherwise.

 

[Antonio Correia]

You know what Tom ?... I like your images !

 

[Tom dinning]

You know what Tom ?... I like your images !

Thank you, Antonio. From you that means a great deal.

The ideas come thick and fast. Most don't make much sense so I just go with them. Some of the results go against what I might have done otherwise which surprises me a bit. So me reach a dead end, others resurface in the middle of the night.

 

[Tom dinning]

From time to time there is nothing but reality. The idea comes to me as a postcard image, something to send a friend. I should be true to what is there. 'Be here with me' is what it says. Yet the scene needs narrative. It could be anywhere. I know it isn't but the observer will ask. Even now the idea is incomplete. Words are needed. A title, a post script, an accompanying letter.
Ideas are easily lost.

_DSF5466 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr

 

[Tom dinning]

All photographs are conceptual.
The act of photographic, of raising the camera and pressing the shutter button is an endeavour to bring a concept to realisation.
We need to be careful of what that means. The photograph is real enough but the image is not a duplicate of that which is real. In many ways, the image has its own life, its own meaning, its own reality.
In this image, I cannot feel the chill of the morning and see the light intensifying on the horizon.
I can remember it if I have been here before and have experienced the feeling.
But if this is new to me. If this image has no recollection, then the concept is lost and a new vision is experienced. Instead of answers, we ask questions. Instead of understanding, we might be puzzled.

Does such an experience cloud our judgement? Absolutely.

_D3S3619 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr

 

[Tom dinning]

We might then enter into a dispute as to who is right and who is wrong.
This is not how it is remembered so it is unreal, it is false, it is a lie, it is wrong.
And you will be right. It is all of those things and more. It might be considered deceitful.
We might be led astray, expecting to see what we see in the photograph when we visit such a place.
And all we get is reality.
Disappointment is achieved instead of appreciation.

_DSF6474 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr

 

[Tom dinning]

Disappointment is everywhere.
The scene never presents itself in the best light.
The photographer will never stand in the right place.
The viewer will always listen to the voice inside their own head.
Judgement is inevitable.
The glory of universal acceptance is once again surpassed by the persistent gap between photographer and his audience.

_DSC5451 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr

 

[Antonio Correia]

All photographs are conceptual.
The act of photographic, of raising the camera and pressing the shutter button is an endeavour to bring a concept to realisation.
We need to be careful of what that means. The photograph is real enough but the image is not a duplicate of that which is real. In many ways, the image has its own life, its own meaning, its own reality.
In this image, I cannot feel the chill of the morning and see the light intensifying on the horizon.
I can remember it if I have been here before and have experienced the feeling.
But if this is new to me. If this image has no recollection, then the concept is lost and a new vision is experienced. Instead of answers, we ask questions. Instead of understanding, we might be puzzled.

Does such an experience cloud our judgement? Absolutely.

_D3S3619 by Tom Dinning, on Flickr

Excellent ! Both, the text and the image !

 

[John Walker]

So many nice shots, well done