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[OM] What's you excuse? [was IMG: Trust, Color]

Subject: [OM] What's you excuse? [was IMG: Trust, Color]
From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 08 Jan 2013 19:58:36 -0800
I'm not exactly sure what you mean. I suspect the same words might mean 
different things to different people.

I can see camera as excuse for going somewhere, and/or doing something. That's 
certainly true for me sometimes. I would 
have seen fewer places and things and done fewer things, without the internal 
imperative to get out and take pictures 
and the presence of my camera.

I know for some people, the camera, and the need to find subjects seem to get 
in the way of actually 'seeing' their 
surroundings in some pure way. Maybe they don't get lost in their head as 
easily as I do. When I am carrying a camera, I 
pay more overall attention to my surroundings, and see more. Much that I see is 
not photogenic, at least in my limited 
imagination. But I am always looking at everything, even if I am also 
performing the, possibly secondary, function of 
scanning for photo subjects.

One of my little pleasures is to go walking with other(s) and later show them 
images that surprise them with things they 
didn't notice at all.

I can also see the camera as an excuse to engage with people. While my motives 
for approaching strangers might be 
suspect, with a camera, they are clearer. If not rejected, it provides the 
basis for interaction.

Clearly, this is only for people with certain personalities, and not useful 
with tribal people afraid of having their 
souls stolen. ;-)

I saw a video of a supposedly famous old photographer of people. He had started 
carrying a small, digital camera around 
on the streets of NY. He would stop people and ask if he could take their 
picture. Many would say yes, and most of those 
became engaged in an interactive process, both by his personality and the 
promise of seeing what came out.

Some of the results were quite good, and much, much more emotionally engaging 
than anonymous street photography. In that 
regard, they remind me of your people photography.

On 1/8/2013 2:59 PM, Tina Manley wrote:
> You absolutely get it.  I've never tried to put it in words before, but I
> couldn't do better.  The camera is an excuse.  Amen.

Did You See That Moose

-- 
What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
-- 
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