Wed 30/03/211 The Photographic Fundamentalist.

I recently read an online article titled "Unreasonable Apple" (presentation at the first MOMA photography forum, Feb 2010- from the Paul Graham archive). In it, the question is raised as to whether or not photography is EASY or DIFFICULT ( good ?) The author states: 'Its so easy its ridiculous. Its just looking at things, we all do that. Its simply a way of recording what you see.' Ha Ha Ha, I chuckle to myself, how true. He then goes on to add: ' Its so difficult because it is everywhere, all the time . Its the view of the pen as I writ this. Its right there across the room. Then its gone, you didn't photograph it and now its to late, the moment has evaporated'. Thinking on the easy/difficult question, I am of the opinion that photography is in fact quite easy. However, it is extremely difficult to be really good (Uelsmann good) at it, perhaps even impossible to perfect. This is because it is always evolving and developing, just as the world we see changes and evolves. In this sense it must be an organic art form.
 Another interesting point raised in the article is the question of what to photograph: 'Do  I walk down the street and make pictures of strangers, do I make a drama-tableaux with my friends, do I only photograph my beloved, family, myself, or should I just go straight to a war zone??   I find myself considering what is it that  I point my camera at and why. 1.Trees. Simple, the first photographer I took an interest in was Atget. 2. I have an irresistible impulse to photograph walls, windows and door ways. I would say this was an Atget influence also, only its been going on even before I knew who he was. I find it interesting to think about the things that you naturally find yourself pointing your camera at and why is it your spirit takes to that particular object, person, face or form and not another.
 Today I discovered a photographer that shares my spirit for the doorway, window and wall. He was a major player in the 'New Topographics: Photographs of a Man-altered Landscape' (1975 Rochester NY) exhibition. The aim of this young group of photographers was to move the public (and critics) raptured gaze away from the old skool sentimental view of the American Landscape e.g Ansel Adams & Co. aka ARAT  another rock another stone. I will talk more about where that gaze was moved to another day. For now, just enjoy some works by 'Lewis Baltz' (b,1945)  




Reading:     http://www.egs.edu/faculty/lewis-baltz/biography/
                   http://www.paulgrahamarchive.com/writings_by.html
                   Photography a critical introduction. (Liz Wells 4th Ed.2009)
Images:        My camera.
                    http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=baltz+images&hl=en&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=S4OTTZWQLs3xsgaWtazQBg&sqi=2&ved=0CCAQsAQ&biw=1259&bih=594