[Perception]

It might sound like a paradox, but taking an extreme close up of an object actually transcends our usual perception of it. This is the beauty of Macro Photography. It encourages the viewer to utilize a wider range of cognitive awareness to see what is not commonly revealed.

Most objects are only fleetly observed as we undertake our daily duties and they enter our consciousness as fundamental signs. Therefore, we may pass a garden and mentally register a flower by its relationship and opposition to other phenomenon. However, without stopping to look more closely, we would find it difficult to add further definition to that flower other than attaching superficial variables such as color, species or size. Our everyday existence is routinely limited to generalizations and a more direct and penetrating perception of the forms we encounter is seldom realized.  Even, “I saw a really beautiful flower today”, is a rhetorical expression in as much as it adds nothing to our established conception except the notion of ‘beauty’, which is ultimately relative and without definite meaning.

What macro photograph does, however, is challenge both the preconceived visual signs and the passive awareness with which we commonly view an object. By focusing on an extremely limited detail, an alternative way of perceiving is abstracted from the form. So we find a luminous jungle at the center of a small orchid. Or a tiny five millimeter bud lost in an ocean of blue (which is, in reality, an optical illusion created by unnaturally reduced depth of field). 

In my opinion, Macro achieves what all good photography should. That is, it offers an alternative representation of the concrete world rather than simply illustrating that which is easily perceived by the naked eye. The viewer is encouraged to re-evaluate their predetermined conceptions by entering an alternative vision which transforms the usual signs by way of extreme closeness. 

Putting the semiotic critique aside, there is another aspect of this photographic genre that can be appreciated more by the photographer that the viewer. Because of the minimal focal range involved when opening the aperture of the macro lens to f2.8, a slight movement in either the camera or the subject will result in a shifting of focus. At such close proximity, this shift will produce completely different images. This means that the majority of Macro Photography is what the Dada artists of the 1930s referred to as a ‘happy accident’. We can take numerous shots of a single object and confirm the results on the camera display, but it is not until we upload the images onto a larger computer screen that we can truly observe the details and accuracy of focus. If we were photographing a flower, for example, some shots might show a petal or stigma in sharp focus, while others accentuate a filament or even just a drop of water on an anther.

Regardless of the amount of foresight or planning one may put into the execution of a macro shot, the final result depends primarily (and wonderfully) on chance. This chaotic randomness is what makes Macro Photography a unique and fulfilling art form. So go out and try for yourself this method of getting away from reality by getting closer to it.

[Persona]

Having been involved in the Art world in one way or another for the past 30 years, I realize the importance of individual style that is necessary in order to achieve any kind of recognition. People like to identify an artist with their art, so if we create images in every genre, using as many different techniques as possible, we start to appear too irresolute and non-committal. Therefore, we develop an Artist Persona through which the world can identify and critique us.

I developed my Painting Persona by the third year of my studies at art school. It was based primarily on the early influences in my life. Dada and Surrealist anti-values combined with a love of early renaissance narrative painting formed the foundations of a style that was to remain until my last exhibition. Furthermore, I was academically active during the peak of a period of criticism that rejected the idea of originality and encouraged a re-working of history involving appropriation and demystification. My Painting Persona was all about content and the visual images were just an illustration of my theory.

However, my approach to photography is different. Firstly, I'm not concerned with originality (or the lack of it) because no two images can ever be identical, no matter how similar they appear. Great photographs are more about form than content. Though, we should always keep in mind that Form exists within Content, and vice versa. My Photography Persona is yet to rear it's ugly head. I've been taking this medium seriously for around nine months and it took me many years to develop as a painter, so I don't expect any sudden revelations and I am content to leave my style to find itself. There are, however, three formal areas in photography that I find myself drawn to: macro, urban exploration and night shots.

Macro attracts me the most because we can never see the true result of our shoot until we enlarge it on the computer screen. So, it's left almost one hundred percent to chance. This is because the depth and focal area of a macro shot is so narrow that moving it even slightly will create a different image. I love the fact that I can take hundreds of shots of the same object and each one will show a unique aspect. I own a 60mm macro lens and a macro convertor which fits on to my larger lenses (allowing me to distance myself further).

My first serious photos were of narrow passages around the city of Sendai. I'm still greatly attracted to this kind of shot. There is a surreal quality to an empty hall and a combined mood of expectation and doom simultaneously.

The low noise on my camera at at high ISO makes it ideal for taking night shots. An isolated area of light surrounded by darkness creates an extremely foreboding atmosphere. 

I have no idea where photography is taking me at this stage, but I look forward to the gradual emergence of my Photography Persona.

[Practitioners]

There are four photographers whose work I admire most. Even though these four have had no great influence on my styles and approaches to the photographic medium, they are the ones who got me interested in the first place.

When I was studying painting at university, I had my first introduction to Man Ray. Of all the movements in art history, my favorite has always been Dada. And Man Ray was one of the first photographers to be included in an art movement (i.e. Dada). His experimentation took photography beyond a simple device for representation and his images still hold their power today.

I also came across Joel Peter Witkin around the same time. This American photographer is not too far removed from Man Ray in that he encapsulates the spirit of  Surrealism. Though his images often cause offense because of their subject matter. He uses human body parts and deformities primarily to shock the viewer.   However, his compositions and themes are harmonious and ineffably beautiful, so they cause aesthetic conflict in the mind of the observer.

An Australian photographer whose work I have admired for more than 25 years is Bill Henson. He  has also caused controversy due to his use of underage homeless children as models for his work. This is the kind of challenging work that pushes the art of photography across moral boundaries.

Finally, more recently I saw an exhibition of a Japanese photographer named Ken Domon. His simple black and white images portray Japan in the aftermath of World War 2. The scenes are often very innocent, yet on occasions also shocking. Although, they never preach any moral stance. They simply record a time in history.

[Parking space]

At this time of the year in Japan, the leaves are in their last color cycle before their final demise. So, when I was walking home from the subway station last night, I was overwhelmed by the yellows, browns and reds illuminated by street lights. After reaching home, I immediately grabbed my camera and went back to the main street to capture some night shots.

 

I used my 60mm macro lens and set the camera's ISO to auto (with an upper limit of ISO5000). Before reaching the my destination, I stopped outside a local guest house to capture a few macros. This place is particular favorite of mine as it has a small flower garden with flowers that bloom in all seasons. It is quite sparse now but I still got a couple of nice shots using Aperture mode on a low stop of f2.8.

 

 

The main street near my apartment was exploding with color. I played with the white balance, because of the artificial lights, and took about 30 images. The results were quite pleasing. This one really captured what I saw and felt upon leaving the subway station earlier in the evening:

 

 

 

I find talking night shots with a high ISO camera to be an extremely rewarding experience. I love the atmosphere produced by artificial light. There's always something sinister about the tightly lit spaces and the final product can be a little surreal.

 

 

I finished my shoot with a few random snaps of lights and buildings. I especially like this one with its odd name. 

[Philosophy]

Wabi-sabi is a Japanese aesthetic philosophy that is closely associated to concepts of Zen Buddhism. Although trying to express this theory in word is in total discord with its ineffable quality, the fundamental idea is the expression of imperfection and impermanence which is attached to the rudimentary way most of us perceive reality. A work of Art created in the spirit of wabi-sabi would include such elements as beauty, melancholy, grace, euphoria and darkness, and would finely balance the negative with the positive. To penetrate wabi-sabi as a viewer elevates ones awareness, but to capture it as an artist belongs to the realm of an elite few.

This aesthetic is my goal in photography. Taking technically perfect shots is a magnificent achievement, but the role of an artist is to express the inexpressible.  As I stated previously, I'm still finding my way with photography. This is my time of experimentation before settling into an aesthetic that reveals my personal creative statement. Meanwhile, I have taken a few photos that play with the ideas I've mentioned in this post.

A simple shot of a building at night. At first it looks like a simple abstract geometrical pattern. However, on closer inspection we see workers at copy machines in their office. 

Macro photography helps to portray the oddities of nature. It's a great way of looking closely and discovering what was previously unseen.

Even an everyday scene, like a teddy bear on a bed, can take on an ominous character with the right lighting and depth of tone. It can transform a safe, welcoming environment into something unnerving.

#photography #philosophy #art
 

[Pride]

 A couple of things happened yesterday that I am proud to share. Firstly, my photo report was featured in "fotopedia" and was also published on the "fotopedia Japan" iPad app. This may not seem like such a big deal, but it's the second time and last time more than 30 000 people viewed my photographs. As a beginner in any field, I believe in the importance of getting your work out into the public eye. I spent many years just creating ideas without any physical manifestation. Now that I am using photography as my preferred medium of expression, the next logical step is to share my images with other people. And the more that I can reach, the better. If I were precious or exclusive about my work, I might as well simply look at the world and keep the pictorial process locked away in my mind instead of creating a physical representation of it.

Therefore, I was very happy to have the opportunity  to share my pictures globally. If you have a chance, please see them for yourself at the following site: http://www.fotopedia.com/reporter/featured

My report is about Yamadera in the north of Japan, and I have tried to captured the atmosphere of this area during Autumn. I hope you enjoy it.

The word "pride" tenuously leads me to my next proud moment. Yesterday I went to my local zoo (a pride of lions) and filled my camera's memory card with images of animals. After returning home with over 350 shot, I was extremely pleased at seeing the results on my computer. I tweaked the best of them on my editing software and posted a few on "500px".  Here are my three favorites...

While I was shooting yesterday, I finally felt as if I had a certain control over the out come of the images. I'm getting the gist of lighting and aperture selection, as well as shutter speed. Also, my camera is beginning to feel very comfortable to use, so I am more able to use it as a tool for expressing my perception and concepts rather than just recording what is there. This has always been my goal since taking up photography and it's steadily appearing within my grasp. 

[Prologue]

This is my first blog post, so I thought I'd give you a little background information. As I mentioned above, my blog is primarily concerned with photography. However, I could only be referred to as a beginner as far as technical photography skill is concerned. Actually, I have been truly serious about taking photographs for less than a year. Where this seriousness wil take me, I have no idea. I just know that I really enjoy learning about this creative medium, both from practical experience and from ploughing though publications.

Originally, I was a painter. I studied for five years at Art school in Australia, at which time I took classes in Graphic Design, Photography, Film as well as my majors of Painting and Drawing. For around 15 years following my graduation, I continued to paint and exhibit my work (with varying degrees of success). Throughout this time, I also enjoyed traveling and visited over 30 countries. This curiousity in cultures not my own eventually brought me to Japan, where I have lived for more than eleven years.

Unfortunately, living and working in Japan meant, through a variety of circumstances, that I no longer had the space, energy or inclination to paint. What didn't change, however, was the way my mind works and the concepts that pump through my imagination on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis. My training has been in the principles of conceptual perception, and for many years this was a personal experience. Until I eventual found an outlet in photography.

So, in this blog I want to throw around some ideas about creative processes, technique, equipment, style and other general imaginings. To keep it all structured I'll title my entries under words beginning with "P"... like photo (and publish):