The following is a precis of what I tell my students in the first and second lecture.
First I go through the old process of holding up a photograph of a lemon and asking what it is. The correct answer is, of course Ä photograph"
When the students shout out "Lemon"", I take a bite out of the print and scowl ans say: This tastes nothing like a lemon... what kind of lemon is it?"
Cosider a view of a lemon. There is the Lemon and there is our internal image of the lemon. The one we carry inside us so that we can remember the lemon. Of course the one inside us has a whole bunch of data with it like taste, opinions about fruit, considerations of yellow-green...etc.
The internal image is not the lemon and the lemon is not the image. We create an internal lemon from an external lemon, so to speak.
Now imagine an elephant wearing a pink tutu. This is an internal image. It does not exist in the external world. If we paint this internal image we bring into existance, in the outside world, something that was inside us. We "CREATE" it.
A painter creates a canvas or sculture or symphony representing his internal vision.
If we photograph the internal lemon, using the equipment, our skills as a photographer, the light, a computer and of course, the external lemon and whatever other medium we choose, then we create art.
If, however, we have a weak internal image with no insight into the lemon, then the art will be very weak. At its weakest, art is simply a reproduction of the external image. At its strongest it is a multi-faceted work of original creation and communication.
My 5 cents worth
herschel
lacomphoto@xxxxxxx wrote:
I experienced an unusual situation in college that may put the argument into perspective. I took a class called Economics of the Arts. Since I was a Business and Chemistry major I found the degree to which members of each branch of the arts snubbed their noses at the other (The class was composed of equal numbers of Business and Art students). Music majors looked down on fine art majors. Painter looked down on Illustrators and nearly all looked down on photogtraphy majors. Chemistry majors consider the only true art to be science and Business majors consider it all a waste of time if there is no money in it.I think the bottom line is (That is the business major in me speaking) that if you find a creative venue that you enjoy then it is art and damn anyone else's opinion.
-----Original Message-----
From: Marilyn <marilyn@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sat, 21 May 2005 08:19:51 -0700
Subject: I thought this was interesting
I'd like to hear what PF members think about the thoughts expressed on this page.
http://www.usefilm.com/photo_forum/11/5830/
Marilyn
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Leave gentle fingerprints on the
soul of another for the angels to read.
Proverb
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Herschel Mair
H.O.D. Photography Dept, Higher College of Technology
Al Khuwair
Sultinate of Oman
9899673
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