Comments on: Breaking up is hard to do http://artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html a multi-disciplinary dialog Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:56:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: jonathan Polkest http://artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html#comment-37462 jonathan Polkest Fri, 21 Sep 2007 16:16:12 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html#comment-37462 Steve, Initially my attraction to pinhole techniques emerged during an earlier seminar of an M.A.Fine Art Practice in London, my work was then sharply figurative and the commentary about my work from the seminar floor suggested that my persuit would be satified by photography rather than eye to hand mark-making techniques (drawing). I wrote the comment off but an exhibition of the work of Barbra Ess curated by Susan Hillier at Camden Arts Centre, Arkwright Rd at that time (2000) influenced my opinions. My first Pinholes were cameras that convert easily from glass lens instruments into film holders with a very narrow aperture fitted, once I had overcome the technicalities I was able to see how Bill Brandt possibly concieved his landscape, or at least, how I read his work on landscape. Ansel Adams f64 group, by using a larger format camera perfecting the gaze into detail, or perhaps a more contemplative view. As an introduction to the visual approach of some photographers, understanding this technique is very useful, and not in a didactic way...Perhaps Instructive would be a better word choice, The aspect I most appreciate is less of a visually aesthetic attribute more of a visceral element : the ritual,or process during the slow exposure time one imagines the receptive emulsion or pixels pick up incidental aberations and express another layer of something, that of time passing. It is only the smaller formats that give a very soft edge and vibrant colour but even these images present a sublety worth exploring. Steve,
Initially my attraction to pinhole techniques emerged during an earlier seminar of an M.A.Fine Art Practice in London, my work was then sharply figurative and the commentary about my work from the seminar floor suggested that my persuit would be satified by photography rather than eye to hand mark-making techniques (drawing).
I wrote the comment off but an exhibition of the work of Barbra Ess curated by Susan Hillier at Camden Arts Centre, Arkwright Rd at that time (2000) influenced my opinions.
My first Pinholes were cameras that convert easily from glass lens instruments into film holders with a very narrow aperture fitted, once I had overcome the technicalities I was able to see how Bill Brandt possibly concieved his landscape, or at least, how I read his work on landscape. Ansel Adams f64 group, by using a larger format camera perfecting the gaze into detail, or perhaps a more contemplative view.
As an introduction to the visual approach of some photographers, understanding this technique is very useful, and not in a didactic way…Perhaps Instructive would be a better word choice,
The aspect I most appreciate is less of a visually aesthetic attribute more of a visceral element : the ritual,or process during the slow exposure time one imagines the receptive emulsion or pixels pick up incidental aberations and express another layer of something, that of time passing. It is only the smaller formats that give a very soft edge and vibrant colour but even these images present a sublety worth exploring.

]]> By: Steve Durbin http://artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html#comment-37131 Steve Durbin Tue, 18 Sep 2007 03:07:57 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html#comment-37131 Jonathan, It is a fascinating question how our expectations from experience and culture influence our interpretation of images. We have expectations of phtographs through their use in journalism, school textbooks, and non-fiction generally. We are expected to treat them as transparent windows on the real world, and that's what we generally learn to do. Anything different looks "wrong." I have never used a pinhole camera, but I've seen beautiful examples of its use. It's one of several influences that have led me to experiment more with unsharpness in my own images. This different appearance of pinhole photos is perhaps as much a plus as a minus. We may question it, but that very fact implies we are engaging with it, noticing its difference, and possibly being affected in a new way. I definitely look longer and think more about the pinhole photos of Tom Ferris (they're not on the web, unfortunately) than I would at ordinary photographs of the same "ordinary" subject matter (e.g. barbed-wire fences). You're quite right, I think, in considering pinhole photography something that can jolt us out of our perceptual ruts in a similar way to what the divided views do here. Quite possibly it's a more effective way in general. Is that the appeal of it for you? Jonathan,

It is a fascinating question how our expectations from experience and culture influence our interpretation of images. We have expectations of phtographs through their use in journalism, school textbooks, and non-fiction generally. We are expected to treat them as transparent windows on the real world, and that’s what we generally learn to do. Anything different looks “wrong.” I have never used a pinhole camera, but I’ve seen beautiful examples of its use. It’s one of several influences that have led me to experiment more with unsharpness in my own images.

This different appearance of pinhole photos is perhaps as much a plus as a minus. We may question it, but that very fact implies we are engaging with it, noticing its difference, and possibly being affected in a new way. I definitely look longer and think more about the pinhole photos of Tom Ferris (they’re not on the web, unfortunately) than I would at ordinary photographs of the same “ordinary” subject matter (e.g. barbed-wire fences).

You’re quite right, I think, in considering pinhole photography something that can jolt us out of our perceptual ruts in a similar way to what the divided views do here. Quite possibly it’s a more effective way in general. Is that the appeal of it for you?

]]> By: jonathan Polkest http://artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html#comment-37048 jonathan Polkest Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:34:31 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html#comment-37048 Image manipulation within the context of human perception is extremely interesting to me, the images and reference to Hockneys film about the Emporers River Journey remain incomparable for its accessability to this area of theory. The images of the trees and the bowl of plums are likewise very stimulating, I would like to be able to offer an insight into the shift of perception experienced through the pinhole camera technique; We have become so dependent upon all reproduced images being sharply focused and yet question the value of a graphic mark or a figuratively executed painting, the pinhole image is so impressionistic in its attributed softness and yet so "correct" in its rendering of verticals and horizontals, perhaps this apparent dichotomy relegates the pinhole image into an "unprofessional", or somehow less sophisticated appearance to the point where it is used for "dream" or "mystical" photographs. Image manipulation within the context of human perception is extremely interesting to me, the images and reference to Hockneys film about the Emporers River Journey remain incomparable for its accessability to this area of theory. The images of the trees and the bowl of plums are likewise very stimulating, I would like to be able to offer an insight into the shift of perception experienced through the pinhole camera technique; We have become so dependent upon all reproduced images being sharply focused and yet question the value of a graphic mark or a figuratively executed painting, the pinhole image is so impressionistic in its attributed softness and yet so “correct” in its rendering of verticals and horizontals, perhaps this apparent dichotomy relegates the pinhole image into an “unprofessional”, or somehow less sophisticated appearance to the point where it is used for “dream” or “mystical” photographs.

]]> By: Jay Hoffman http://artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html#comment-33029 Jay Hoffman Fri, 24 Aug 2007 00:44:08 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html#comment-33029 Tree: A very good museum indeed. Tree:

A very good museum indeed.

]]> By: Jay Hoffman http://artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html#comment-33028 Jay Hoffman Fri, 24 Aug 2007 00:42:03 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html#comment-33028 Steve: Thanks. Seems to me that the shifts in perception now work at a less announced level. The boundaries catch my eye in a subtle fashion. Steve:

Thanks. Seems to me that the shifts in perception now work at a less announced level. The boundaries catch my eye in a subtle fashion.

]]> By: Steve Durbin http://artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html#comment-33012 Steve Durbin Thu, 23 Aug 2007 19:57:12 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html#comment-33012 Jay, Karl, Yes I tried the gapless presentation first, as well as a wider separation. The thin dark lines are about what you might get if these were stretched canvas panels butted to gether. Regrettably, I don't have most of the trials available, but here's a version of a different image with no gaps. <img src="http://www.artandperception.com/v01/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/4656-quad-4501.jpg" /> Jay, Karl,

Yes I tried the gapless presentation first, as well as a wider separation. The thin dark lines are about what you might get if these were stretched canvas panels butted to gether. Regrettably, I don’t have most of the trials available, but here’s a version of a different image with no gaps.

]]> By: Tree http://artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html#comment-33010 Tree Thu, 23 Aug 2007 19:34:33 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2007/08/breaking-up-is-hard-to-do.html#comment-33010 Jay, Cincinnati Art Museum although they recently completed renovations in the Asian galleries and the scroll has been put away. Jay,

Cincinnati Art Museum although they recently completed renovations in the Asian galleries and the scroll has been put away.

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