Thanks everyone for your comments. The image I posted along with this one is not mine but Bill Hensons. It was an interesting experiment to see what people like and don’t like and how we all have an idea of what a “FINE ART” photograph really is. I’m still not sure myself but in the past year my notion of what I am interested in photographing has changed dramatically. You all know I have these moments of madness when I get on some shopping trolley roll or drool over a pile of steel waste. This is because for me photography is expanding. I am trying to get past the banal image to something that is truly great. Of course to get there you need to experiment a lot. Sometimes it works and other times it doesn’t.
Now my question is to everyone out there, why try to produce something we have seen a hundred or a thousand times before? In the words of the great William Fox our curator on the Pilbara Project “show me something I haven’t seen before” The challenge is to find what that is. In a world where we are bombarded with images on a daily basis that is a huge ask but hell what a cool task, “show me something I haven’t seen before”
I have been studying Bill Hensons work and I think you guys should have a look at it seriously too. It is different. It might not be what we are used to but it isn’t to say it is worse because there are large areas of black. His photos are about moods, about feeling about pushing and pulling the viewer. The image I showed did push and pull you lot. It got a discussion going and if that is what Bill wanted then that means it worked.
Henson is one of Australia’s most highly regarded contemporary artists, having represented the country at the Venice Biennale. He has been the subject of exhibitions at major galleries, including the Art Gallery of NSW.He has a strong reputation among private collectors, among them Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull, Elton John and the Smorgon family. His artwork has changed hands for as much as $250,000.
The image I showed was on for $30,000 I believe and I also believe the exhibition it was in sold out. Now don’t quote me on that but I think it is about right. Even so, I would rather a black Henson hanging on my wall than an over the top Lik.
In the end it is art and not everyones cup of tea. It does inspire me and it reinforces our need to go further and push ourselves to produce images that can’t be seen!
I WANT TO SEE SOMETHING NEW, we are a collection of talented photographers all producing the same stuff on a different day. Have a look at Flemmings recent work, he gets it. Photography can be so much more than an image ready made for a jigsaw puzzle.
p.s. my new coaster range is on sale in my galleries, true story, and we are selling sh1t loads. Oh the pain! Someone put me out of my misery! And I’m trying to be a serious artist!!!!!
.jpg)
.jpg)
yehhhhh…..nahhhhhh…dnooooo
Coming up with something unique is def the way to go, I want to do something unique, but im still trying to figure out what that could be. I know i dont like big pretty saturated panos, is that a start?
but Bill Henson isnt my cup of tea…well not on a small internet preview..they might look good printed really big under some good lighting?
Matt you are thinking down the right lines. I think what I am getting at is that every photograph has merit no matter what it is. I think by loving all sorts of styles you never get bored and it opens up images in places you never thought was possible. It is unbelievable exciting to have all these choices.
To me it’s all in the eye of the beholder.
Art , music, fashion, doesn’t matter , if you like it you like it, if you don’t you don’t.
I read somewhere that someone once said, ” If you can make something sound like a really big deal then people will believe it’s a really big deal. It’s that easy. That probably proves that a lot of people don’t think for themselves these days.
that is it Merv, it doesn’t have to fit the mould of a perfectly executed photo to be called art. It just needs to be liked by someone and that then becomes their art taste! I think you are on to it though with your mining images, I like them the best from anything else you have done.
It’s really weird to hear a ‘tog with your level of success getting so excited to be discovering a new side to photography. That’s supposed to be for plebs like me
I too want to see something new, something I’m not familiar with, something I struggle to understand. Which there is a lot of out there, thanks to the internet (have you been to Conscientious? http://www.jmcolberg.com/weblog/) . I am often overwhelmed by stuff that I see and between “In a million years, I’d've never seen it that way” and “What am i looking at?” I think I sometimes I’ll never really get it, cause there are a million stories in one image set. But that’s all part of the learning and evolution and maybe fun
A Jedi master once told me to “shoot the sh*t out of it” and that when you do, you’re bound to shoot a lot of aforementioned sh*t, but you find your voice and some gold in the midst as well. I have been following your progress through Flemming (who also sent me here), and I have to say it’s strange to see Christian Fletcher shooting grimy, unpretty industrial scapes (went to check the 52 Weeks at FORM gallery out too), but it sounds like a good journey you’re on, and i’ll be following along
Sorry for the blog post in your comments box. Flemming will be able to verify that I am very long winded.
Hi Charlene, yes I am really excited about the possibilities of photographing new stuff. I get bored and this has been the catalyst to venture out of my comfort zone. It makes you think and use your brain to solve complex tasks. I mean how do you photograph an emotion?? I am just itching to get out there and tell some stories through my photography. It is the ultimate challenge. Flemming is on to it. We are Altered Jedi brothers now! We just need to use our mind powers now to see the unseeable! Shouldn’t be too hard for us.
Careful you don’t get lost in the hives of scum and villany out there, heh.
Hazel is right, photographers that do documentary work have been looking for something new since that type of photography started. There are lots of sites, books, exhibitions etc out there that concentrate on the message, not the image. You’d probably enjoy this article, given it’s all about your line of altered landscape exploration right now: http://places.designobserver.com/feature/new-and-old-topographics/12878/
Come to Foto Freo during March/Apr next year if you can. Should be heaps to see!
Hi Charlene, will have a read. I think my brother and I are doing something at foto freo next year so we will be there.
I think Merv hit the preverbal nail on head with his response ….
Yesterday I was viewing a few art pieces at Buratti Fine Art. Some well over the $100k mark by folks like Tommy Watson, David Bromley, Tim Storrier a drawing by Picasso … and while I was being taught an education of fine art, I left feeling like I must of missed the boat on this one, as there was no way I would purchase these art pieces (outside of a pure investment) over a nice large colourful landscape pano from a Christian Fletcher before his dark period ….
Just my 2 cents ….
Ok back to capture one pro 6.2
thanks Neal, I am still going to shoot pretty stuff, it is my bread and butter after all. I like the association you made, my prices have just jumped by 100K ! hehe.
Now if you can generate a 18% compound growth rate to go with the $k00k price range you be rocking …
At the end of the day for me there are 2 reasons to buy something, one because I love it, the other is it makes me money ….
Yep Neal to be a successful artist you need to have two hats, one of those has to be a business persons hat. If you can’t do that yourself you need to find someone to do it for you. And yes I have to like something to hang it on my wall.
Maybe you should get onto Buratti Fine Art to help you out Christian? I’ve heard that the owner is a big fan of photography and knows how to get the big $$$. He’s done a good job with his painters so far!
I agree – you have to love it before you buy it.
Keep up the amazing work tho
Its all about branding mate! If your brand is strong and you are associated in the right circles, you can demand just about anything!
Lik and Henson are classic examples of this brand strength.
So how does Muzz and Merv now feel knowing the image they were bagging sold for $30,000!!
your right Mark, look at True North. Everyone knows that is the boat to get on if you really want to experience Australia in style. Time to put your prices up, hehe. Invite Henson on the boat mate! that would get an interesting crowd along. Of course I would have to be there because it was my idea!! :-0)
Mark , my opinion is the same, i don’t care who it belongs to or how much it’s worth , If I like it I like it , if I don’t then I don’t.
Hey Mark I think you missed the irony – I only bagged it after I found out what it really was, just to join in on CF’s cunning and devious plan. My opinion of it hasn’t changed – isn’t that the point? What it says to me and how I react to it aren’t going to change just because someone else thinks it’s worth a pile of cash.
My Jedi Brother it is such an inspiration to see you, an established highly successful landscape shooter with his own range of coasters, really push yourself and explore new directions.
I have been on a two year inner and outer journey and me, myself and I and my photography has changed completely. I have lived outside my comfort zone every day to push myself. I no longer have any interest in banal pretty landscapes. I love shooting people, I love shooting abstract arty lanscapes, I love altered landscapes. I want to capture something NEW, I want to constantly push myself, and I love new ideas, new looks and new inputs.
I did Wide Open Spaces like an obsession and I’m over it. The change with landscapes happened in USA as I got so tired of shooting these pretty but banal and boring epic wide open spaces. No challenge, no drama, no contrast of ugly versus beauty, light versus dark. Nothing to make the viewer pause and go “wait a minute, that is both disturbing, thought provoking, pretty and ugly and everything in between”. If people go “nice image, pretty colours” I have failed totally. I have so much new stuff I have not shown you guys yet.
I am branching into two directions, photo documentary and reportage photo journo style with my people and street photography. And art photography for my landscapes and alteredscapes.
What is art and what is not is entirely up to the viewer. If you like a Likky image, by all means pay a fortune for it. If you like Bill Henson, that’s art to you, go for it. Make up your own mind!
As photographers the important part is not what others think but what YOU think and really, you owe it to yourself to keep thinking, pushing yourself, trying new stuff. Why shoot what you shot two years ago when there is so much new art to explore?
Dare to re-invent yourself I say!
Anyway, enough nonsense from me. Jedi Brother, we shall boldly go where no one has gone before.
Jedi Flembot your wise inference to my seemingly unfettered artistic coaster range serves you well. Keep up the kind words and some coasters might be teleported to your next destination.
I have seen some of your new stuff, I see the direction you are heading and I forsee a bright future.
Remember the force will be with you……. Always
P.s. You need a coaster to put under your Flembot mug.
A coaster for the Flembot mug, of course, the missing link. I want one, well both, mug and coaster
Hey Flemming… My sentiments entirely… Go to where no-one has been before! I’d like to take some of your comments a bit further.
You said…”As photographers the important part is not what others think but what YOU think and really, you owe it to yourself to keep thinking, pushing yourself, trying new stuff. ”
I have noticed though with my own work, and with some of my students, that when there is too much “thinking”… that we miss noticing that spark of creativity which rises from within which makes work which speaks from our individuality and makes it unique and ‘where no-one has been before’!.
You also said “Nothing to make the viewer pause and go “wait a minute, that is both disturbing, thought provoking, pretty and ugly and everything in between”. If people go “nice image, pretty colours” I have failed totally. ”
I actually would go so far as to say that rather than creating images which make the VIEWER pause and go ‘wait a minute’…etc…., images should keep making the PHOTOGRAPHER saying these things. It comes back to one’s intention and goal in relation to ‘failing’. I am of the opinion that for whilever we keep producing images to make OTHERS pause etc, we are missing the point, and it is the precise reason why there are so many banale images exhibited and why so many are feeling despondent about the images we are producing. Imagine the power of an image if it continues to make the photographer stop and take notice and one feels something new in it every time they see it.
I have happy snaps as a diary or record and loads of ordinary and heaps of rubbish images, but my exhibition works are the ones which continue to inspire me or continue to make me question or make me stop and go ‘wait a minute’… and there is something else in that image which affects me in some way. The images which continue to do this to me interestingly are the ones which I have found to be the ones that also do this for so many others as well.
Julie
Documentary and life photographer’s have been recording “something new” and “telling stories” for years. Go to the Magnum site and browse the talent there for a start and go look at Charlene’s “Tug Boat” work…… brilliant or mine even lol.
Chien Chi Chang of Magnum said to me……You have to make every single frame count, you have to make every picture tell a story….. go find the story. He also told me to never change my style because it is beautiful. That to date is the biggest compliment I could ever wish for from such a master.
Flemming is right….. its about what you think and believing in yourself and not been influenced by someone or something you have only just discovered. Yes these things do influence us but we have to draw the line and say well that’s what they do and I am me.
Henson is now a household name because of the controversy surrounding his last photographic exhibition. I saw some of the images that the media didn’t release….ummmmm… not my cup of tea.
A lot of people buy “art” at ridiculous prices as an investment not because they truly love the image. If you had a Henson now and he dies tomorrow…… yippeee that will pay of the mortgage.
I truly love the kind of pictures I make……. I’m no technical genius and I haven’t the patience or interest to sit and wait for the right light to pop over the hill….. thats why I look at your landscapes, but I love meeting new people, hearing their stories and trying to convey that in a photograph (working for the news paper has helped me with that) and I also love seeing two chairs and wondering who sat there.
Christian Fletcher you have a beautiful style of photography . Take that style out into the world start believing in yourself.
Hazel, Adam was telling me about the exercise Chien Chi put you all through on the first day – shoot 10 different frames of the same thing. That is such an excellent exercise. It goes with “shoot the shit out of it” mantra that Trent’s group. Slightly different approach to the same Force utlilisation.
Charlene is was the most useful exercise I have ever been involved in. It taught us to make every frame count and it taught us who it felt to be photographed by a complete stranger…… we had all only just met…. no names or introductions….. just tape around our zooms if you had one (because he hated zooms lol) and off we went. Every morning the same exercise with an added little twist…. BRILLIANT! That man was a visual story teller and teacher and needed few words. Say hi to Adam….. I haven’t heard from him in a while.
This conversation has been great and Hazel you are very right. Isn’t it awesome that we all can shoot what we like and have our own take on a scene or a thing that no one else has. I have had these discussions with Les Walkling, he is so knowledgeable on this topic. I have found the harder I try to be artistic the hard it is to be artistic. Art photography can’t be made by photoshop alone, in fact you don’t even need photoshop…………. Well I do!!! It is inspiring to see work from people that is more than just a pretty picture.
p.s. there is no truth about art and photography…. it is what it is and has been from the beginning of time.
Everyone should create their own style & be an artist in their own rights!!
That’s it Antonio, even Tommy Putt deserves to be artistic………. Well maybe just with his dress sence!
What a great discussion. Photographers far more elegant than me have handled this topic before. Here in America, one of my friends (Guy Tal) has said:
“Photograph for yourself and satisfy your own sensibilities and aesthetics. True artists do not pander to a pre-selected audience. Instead, they carve an audience of their own from those who will encounter and be moved by their work.”
“The best way to use your imagination is simply to not stand in its way.”
I think he’s right. We have to shoot for ourselves first & let the cards fall where they may. If we consume ourselves with making $100,000 prints and worrying about getting the shot for someone else while shouting “It’s bloody ROARING!” on camera, we’ll die a slow, very public, artistic death.
Shoot for ourselves. Embrace our own passions. “The truth will out” & people will be drawn to our work because they will identify with something not seen within the frame, but felt within their hearts – if we’re lucky, they’ll identify with us. They’ll identify with something they haven’t seen before, because we showed them a new perspective. Ours.
“Discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
~ Marcel Proust
Very wise words Dave, I agree totally and the way you put it really makes sense of something that doesn’t make sense. Do what you do and they will come. Do what someone else is doing and you are likely to be in their shadow. We are all influenced by others but in the end our own styles come through. good to hear from you again, hope your getting some great light.
Flemming said it all!
Flemming needs to discover WEDDING photography with me if he wants to shoot people and a new challenge . Always looking for a new approach in that business as well !!, To me this applies to everything I do in life anyway, and goes without saying. thats what living is all about. Bring on the new challenge !!!!! he he
Don’t do it Flemming!,, nooooooo
Charlene does tell me weddings keeps one shooting very sharp, but I am never shooting a wedding again (have done one, no more, hope my brother reads this). Jedi Masters don’t need to stay sharp, we see into the future. I have seen mine and there are no weddings!
I agree mate!
Great discussion and really interesting to hear everyone’s opinion on this.
We are even thinking about what we say and that’s got to be a good thing.
Everyone needs to just stop thinking about it so much and get out there shoot whats turns them on at the time to the best of the ability and stop trying to analise things so much.
I agree with that , but it is good to see others opinions on this subject .
Yeh Pete… Just made this comment above about ‘thinking” too much. Doing what ‘turns YOU on” … is getting out of our heads, and just being aware of what we feel, and going with having fun playing and trying different ways of seeing and creating and expressing how we respond to what we see…. without thinking.
Julie
I disagree Pete, I think analysis of one’s own work is an essential part in improving and pushing one’s craft to the next level. I am not shooting for recreational purposes, this is serious stuff and I want to tell stories, capture emotions, produce art.
If you don’t think about things, how do you decide what to do ???
Most definately I think analysis is vitally important… but only after the image has been taken and created. I have found if there is too much thinking and analysis before a work is developed it can become so cerebral that the inner spark is lost and has the potential to become forced and pushed cognitively rather than evolve from creativity.
Julie
mervfrench says:
May 6th, 2011 at 7:51 pm
If you don’t think about things, how do you decide what to do ???
Hey Merv… the point is that you don’t ‘decide’… you come from a place of creativity and simply your gut…. not your head which is bound and restricted by our perceptions of what we ‘think’ our images should be like… or ‘think’ others may like. Thinking in the process of creating in my experience just limits the expression of the spark within…. which is why so many people are bored with their images and feel ‘stuck’ with where they are going with their photography.
You can never stop thinking and analyzing . That’s like saying stop caring. What people have to do is stop comparing.
You cant stop thinking and analising thats like saying to someone to stop caring! What people can do is stop comparing.
I agree totally Hazel that it is imperative that we stop comparing, but I can’t see how stopping thinking and analysing equates to not caring.
Thinking is an organic function of the brain, and analysing is important AFTER the process of creating images. To clarify further what I mean by “stop thinking” – in this albeit short space of a blog post – for me it is just noticing the thougths but not continuing getting into a conversation in your head when you are photographing or creating images. When I allow the mental chatter to dictate what to do, I am not allowing creative inspiration to come from within…. from that heartfelt place which is spontaneous and without ‘striving’ for anything. When I create images and artwork from this place, the work says more about me personally, and is less like the ‘masses’ of other images around. Isn’t that what most people want for their images? Unique images which say something of themselves to move and make an impact on oneself and others? Getting caught up in thnking and analysis during the creative process I feel limits the possibilities for creative self-expression and connection with passion and that something ‘felt within one’s heart; and in my mind has nothing to do with not caring; and actually now I recognise that not ‘thinking’ is more about MORE caring, because it facilitates to a truer expression of oneself.
Julie
If your average Enthusiast took that photo, people wouldn’t look twice at it, because its a “Bill Henson” its worth 30k that’s saying something in itself, everyone shoots what they like and if they’re happy and people like there images I don’t see the problem, I agree though its good to push yourself and always try to see new things and scenes in different ways but alot of this arty farty stuff is a load of rubbish imo, that Henson shot has nothing going for it at all and doesn’t provoke any emotion in me whats so ever.
Julie is right and I do take it seriously Flemming..
Sorry Pete, didn’t mean to imply that you did not take it seriously.
I tend to agree with you Will, this Henson does nothing for me either.
A long time ago in the early days, Christian put up one of my shots as a header on his old blog. People commented that it was a great shot , but they didn’t know it was one of mine.
If I posted it, it wouldn’t have rated a mention.
Go Figure !!!
Christian,
Is this a mid-career crisis or what? Seriously, while (or whilst if you prefer) it is good to push your comfort zone ala Flembot, it is better, imho, to excel at what you do best. Yeah, Lik is a super-sized ego-maniacal self promoter and he has convinced folks that his work is “art” and worth the astronomical prices he charges, but as said earlier, I’d rather have a CF image on my wall any day. I don’t know about Henson. Moodiness is something I think all great artists struggle with and many incorporate it into their works, but I don’t think it is compelling enough to base one’s entire body of work around, fine “art” or not.
In sum, “To thine own self be true” as the Bard said.
Shit it’s going off tonight CF. Bring it on.
THAT’S WAT I’M TALKIN BOUT !!!
This blog is getting more hits than “Pippa Middleton’s Arse” Facebook page
Now that is worth talkin about !!!
A picture paints a thousand words …….
Mood doesn’t always have to be dark either, what about happy and colourfull mood? or the mood of the location you’re shooting and trying to portray that in a photograph? Personally I try not too view other peoples work too much especially view there photos of a certain location too much before I head there so I can shoot them in the way I see them and not be too influenced.
Mood is what YOU see and what YOU make of it Will. Your onto it.
On the money Will.
“‘Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder” That pretty much says it all right there! Personally I love looking at good photography be it from Peter Lik, Ken Duncan,Christian Fletcher or a friend who snapped a great scene with great light and doesn’t know or care about technique that much.
Photography means painting with light and a good image of any subject will have the right light for that particular subject to elicit a response from the photographer. That’s why he pushes the shutter in the first place. From there on each individual will have a different response to that image. The best images will please more people than not.
No matter who makes the image or what the subject is, a good image will keep you looking at it longer.
That ‘s Art!
What an AWESOME post, puts the brain into overdrive (which is a good thing!)
I’m with you Christian and Flemming!
After going to Africa 18 months ago photographing wildlife, my inspiration for the landscape has diminished. I thought it was a problem with me, but have realised its just a huge change in direction.
I love photographing the African wildlife and I believe if you shoot what you love, then your passion will show in your images, whether it be altered landscapes or whatever.
Whether the image is dark and mysterious, or pretty and colourful, it doesn’t matter, if you want to take the shot, then take it, and if you can evoke emotion within the viewer, then I believe that image is a success (whether it sells or not might be a different story!)
An American client purchased one of my Cheetah images, and while it’s not technically one of my best, it still moved her to tears, so for me, that is a successful image.
Sam
PS I think it’s easy to keep doing what we’ve always done, but when we push those boundaries to explore the unknown, thats when we truly grow!
I would just like to add something about wedding photography. Its not for the fainted hearted. Firstly you are negotiating your camera settings all day, negotiating light which at times can be challenging, negotiation people and most importantly trying to put into pictures the story of the day…… you cant miss a trick. Its really documentary photography with a few fancy pant images thrown in here and there. I got my job with my editor mainly because he liked my wedding images (that and I bugged him for over a year) and realised I was capable of all the above. Those skills help in any story telling situation with a camera. Not to say that I still have a lot to learn and I hope there is a slight improvement every time I shoot a wedding, a portrait or an editorial job.
Along similar lines, Guy Tal says:
http://guytal.com/wordpress/2011/05/just-saying-552011/
thanks for the post CF, all good to get a push and a shove sometimes to get us moving in a different direction.
Great post, Christian. Pretty darn glad you changed your mind about shutting down the blog.
I’m with Flemming, Sam and Ezra Pound on this one – you have to “make it new”
Well that was… insightful reading. The whole ‘mass produced identical landscapes’ thing has been in the back of my mind ever since i developed a website. Maybe i need to ditch my pano head and get a lensbaby
Go away for a few days and look what happens – bugger me ! I’m going to go back to the previous pst and read everyone’s comments now.. haha
There will always be different strokes for different folks, good, bad pretty or ugly. Photography can be so wide,varied and diverse in so many ways it is only limited by our creativity and how we see things… I my opinion very few ever truly master more than one genre of it.
So I think as long as you do what your instincts tell you and follow your own photographic and art/emotional journey where ever it takes you then you can’t lose. I’ve never really cared about what anyone else is doing and always followed my own passion,thoughts and ideals. I like to hope the makes me and my photography somewhat unique.
most of all – enjoy and be yourself
You can’t go away and not check my blog Tone, shame on you.