Providing these quotes to you every Sunday is actually becoming a gift to myself. As I search for quotes that I feel would be of interest I run across many more that give me food for thought. Even more thinking through my reactions and sharing the ideas with you makes me give pause and understand my own thinking on this process of creating art from photography.
I thank you. And, without further ado here’s this Sunday’s art quote.
“Creativity takes courage.” Henri Matisse
Three short words. Maximum impact from Matisse.
I can’t tell you how many times I have walked away from a piece of art because I ‘THOUGHT’ it may not be received well and I might get ridiculed or told that something isn’t the norm. Most of the fear is generated from within and has absolutely no basis in fact. It is important to override the self-doubt of the inner voice that holds you back. And after you have broken through the inner doubt be ready to counter any beginning negativity you ‘MAY’ hear from other. Think about the ridicule and grief the Impressionist Painters were subject to when they first began to unveil this new way of showing the world to itself. Now there entire museums around the world dedicated to the display of this art.
“Why talk about this Bob?” you might ask. “I’m a photographer not a painter.” I say, if we take this career seriously and are beyond just pushing the camera button on P or A or S and taking what our camera gives us we are creating images of artistic intent. What subject and how do they pose or are they framed in the viewfinder. What lens, angle of view. Light and shadow – take what’s there or craft it by adding or subtracting? this doesn’t even begin to think about how the set is staged. What extras do you add or take away? How about post processing? Some? A little? A lot? Adding multiple images?
I ran into a budding photographer on the trail the other day and he said he didn’t want to “cheat” by adding filters or making multiple exposures to record the scene or do extra work in post. Reminds me of myself when I first started. I said the exact same thing until I learned that the camera does not see as the eye does and in order to show the scene as the eye sees it there must be adjustments made. And for sure the camera doesn’t see the way my mind sees. All the additions and adjustments, multiple exposures and post production bring forth what my minds eye sees. And, less and less do I worry about what others may think. I may have finally found the courage that Matisse has spoken of….
