Photographic Inspiration in Unpredictable Places
Only in the beginning of my interest in photography (in the late 50s) would I have been a street photographer even though I was ignorant of the term. What made it interesting was to go on photo safaris in my neighbourhood which happened to be Mexico City. I had a German friend who would call me up and armed with our cameras we would go to churches, markets and cemeteries.
I abandoned street photography in 1975 (and before) with my interest in portraits and my new job by 1977 in Vancouver Magazine and other magazines.
Cartier-Bresson’s “the decisive moment” I turned on its definition by making my own decisive moments when figuring out how to illustrate (with photographs) a manuscript for a magazine or newspaper article.
But I have to admit that sometimes inspiration can be out there without even having an assignment. Or, when the assignment can simply be to take photographs for a personal blog.
That was the case in 2014 when I went to the Presentation House Gallery in North Vancouver for an art opening. By then I had a brand new digital camera, a Fuji X-E1 that had the capability of taking panoramics like these.
While I do not believe my photographs of that show are all that remarkable they did break a little ground for me with the idea that an art gallery (with the more permissive rules for taking photographs in them these days) can be a place ripe for inspiration.
That idea was reinforced today in my Friday NY Times when my eye immediately noticed the photograph taken by Philip Greenberg at this show. At first I thought it was a hyper realistic painting (newsprint can do that!). But it isn’t!
Originally published at blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com.
