Over the past week due to dropping temperatures and icy snow I have spent a great deal of time inside listening to podcasts and perusing my collection of photography books. As someone that enjoys winter and the comforts of hot tea, stews and sweaters I thought this post would be the perfect time to share some of my favorite photographs from a season that encourages personal reflection.
The act of looking at photographs is a simple enough task, it is however not always easy. I often think about who the photographer was, the history behind the image, and the criticism surrounding it. I was recently reminded of how important the practice of simply looking is while listening to an interview with photographer
David duChemin on
The Candid Frame. duChemin was addressing a problem that many photographers encounter which is focusing on the technical aspects of creating a photograph rather then capturing good form. He suggested that in order to create the aesthetics of a image you have to study them, and the best way to do that is to look at big, beautiful photographs. As an art historian I immediately connected with this statement. In a field where so much attention lies on networking, perfectly curated shows and intuitive criticisms, sometimes I need to be reminded to
just look. After all, it was the intrinsic act of observing that compelled me to study art history in the first place. So this week I encourage you to look with me and to ponder duChemin's suggestion of contemplating "the light, the lines and the moment" surrounding each photograph.
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