Discovery + Weather

Apropos a little of Leslie's LF landscape quote, I wanted to add two bits I came across this week which struck a chord on the theme of "discovering," in contrast to "making" (a picture.) With beginners, I'm in the habit of encouraging recognition and practice of the difference between "taking" and "making" a picture. I believe this facile distinction, good for beginners, comes straight from AA (not Alcoholics Anonymous). Later, I think it makes more sense to distinguish between "making" and "discovering."

To whit first, in a promo for Maine Media, is esteemed instructor Craig Stevens, whose notion of discovery resonates with me.

Craig was around and helpful when I was at Maine (then Photo) Workshops. Though not actually my instructor, he authored a workbook used then. I found his vid as I tiptoed through the Workshop's current website, in applying to be the bookmaking artist in residence, knowing there is no chance of acceptance. I took the application as worthwhile in itself, as it helped me think about some things.

Then, reading the New Yorker a couple of days later I came across this piece called Meaning Machines about sculptor Charles Ray, including this quote from Ray.

''"The first day [in a class at U of Iowa taught by South African sculptor Roland Brener], I made this sculpture out of scrap steel parts, and I took wheels and welded them onto it, Ray recalled. "I ran into Brener after class, and he said, 'That sculpture you made today was very interesting spatially. But those wheels-they looked like flowers in a still life. It shows me you want to make something, instead of discovering something. Don't ever do that in my class again.' It changed my life. No one had ever taken me seriously that way. I've thought about it ever since, the difference between making and discovering."'

Also, in the course of revisiting an old instructor whose platinum / palladium class I assisted, I found this droll bit from Robert J. Steinberg, whose amusing and formidable bio you can view at the website. I don't always give up and go home when the sun shines because sometimes wrangling the drama of wide brightness is worth a try (especially now that Lr is equipped with hdr capacity?) but I think you'll appreciate his sentiment.

Check the links and comment...