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Response to Message in image?

from tom meyer (twm@mindspring.com)
Hi Martin... what meaning do you ascribe to this image? It seems you get something that is not readily apparent to other viewers.

And John K, in what way would this be a "good editorial or advertising shot for any number of serious subjects involving young adults."? This observation seems to imply the possibility of a resident message. Or do you believe a message could be implanted by some omnipotent art director, that would legitimize this photographic treatment? (And as an aside, do you really believe that messages cannot be conveyed by a photograph without the art directors text? You really don't believe in messages? In any visual art, or is it just photography that has this lacking?)

Two points relevant to this photograph... Were the contrast lower in this "print" or the light more even (not both), more interpretive possibilities might come to my mind. And for this to be a still from some slasher flick, her expression just doesn't have the qualities of extreme character employed by that genre of movies, hapless victim or unwilling ditzy hero.

Wayne, regarding your observation regarding our willingness "to consider poorly lighted images to be of such value". This is probably due to the appreciation of subjective qualities even at the expense of objective qualities (no, Tony, this is not ArtSpeak, check the dictionary). We want to viewers to consider something of our subjects other that their objective qualities. A real challenge for the visual arts with which tangible objects attempt to convey intangible qualities (not ArtSpeak). It's why there is so much unsuccessful art creating in the name of good intentions, we don't always know what we're doing! It's an ongoing, intuitive process. But we can't help (and won't stop) trying. Contrast this with advertising which has a very specific goal... create desire.

And by the way, in the history of famous photography, are there no effective images made, in really bad light? Arnold Newman's photo of the Nazi Industrialist comes to my mind... bad, but perfect for the subject, light...(a considerable contrast to this image, which utilizes bad, but inappropriate light, in the attempt to convey an intangible, subjective quality not actually in the young girl. Maybe that's what the real problem is here, this girl looks like she's pretending ("Acting!" says John Lovett). Keep trying Martin, Wayne will let you know when it works!... t

(posted 8593 days ago)

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