Random Acts of Creativity- Part 3- Headphone Cables and the Merits of Instagram

Continuing on the theme of finding beauty and interesting stuff all around us, here is a shot of flailing headphone cables in the air. I can attest that it's quite a way to spend an afternoon flinging these things repeatedly into the air. This is the start of a series which I hope to be able to share soon.

However, what I really would like to talk about, while I'm in the midst of "Creativity Week," is the Instagram debate. I want to get my two cents in before I spend them on something else. With Facebook's recent acquisition of Instagram, the debate over its merits seems to be gaining attention. For a quick look at some of the debate you can visit PetaPixel and The Verge. This is the same debate that creeps up in photography every time some new advance in technology comes along. Is it art, is it not art? What is its value? There seems to be some special love/hate relationship between the practitioners of photography and the technology with which it is so entwined. This is the same debate when digital cameras first came out, when color film came out, when the first consumer cameras came out, and when photography itself was first introduced.

Art is so much more than a device or the media used. These are just the modes of communication, the clothing, they give character to the voice, but they alone do not determine whether an object is art or not art. It doesn't have much to do with Instagram, or megapixels, or Canon or Nikon, or Holga, or collodion, or daguerreotype in itself. Art is the way you live your life. It's the way you perceive and receive the world. It's the way you reflect your small piece of the human experience back onto the stage of existence, hopefully with ever increasing acuity. The chosen mode of communication is secondary.

As an artist there is a responsibility. A responsibility to yourself, to the process, and to the viewer. A responsibility to not waste anybody's time, to value the viewer and their thoughts, and to give them something that enriches their lives, something new to consider, to challenge them, or simply to enjoy. That's the intention, but it is a precarious process and there are no guarantees. When you are dealing with the abstract communication of emotions and ideas enrichment is difficult to quantify.

Right now, what's the best (or worse, depending on your side of the debate) thing that Instagram has going for it? That it's fun? Isn't fun a part of the human experience? Instagram is too new to have developed much value as an art form in terms of the institution of the art world. And here I'm talking about a broad definition of "the art world" meaning a general consensus of what is considered art along the lines of George Dickie's "institutional theory of art." Similar to photography when it was first introduced, it took time for its potential to develop and mature before it achieved "the status of candidate for appreciation." In this sense, Instagram isn't there yet, because it can't be. There hasn't been enough time for it to realize its potential and enrich its value. Much like how the bonds of a new relationship take time to develop and mature, it will take time to determine and define our relationship with Instagram.

Random Acts of Creativity- Part 2- The Lamp Post

I'll christen this post on creativity with a quote by 20th century French painter John Duffet

"Art does not lie in beds ready made for it. It runs away when its name is called. It wants to be incognito. Its best moments are when it forgets what it's called."

Which brings me to a line of questioning, and for those who follow me on Facebook this will be familiar; is creativity different from originality? How does it differ from art? How important is originality and what is its role in creativity/art? Does practicing a craft, such as photography, automatically mean one is an artist? How are they different or the same?

Another point to consider is; does being a unique individual, which we all are since no one else has lived a life exactly like ours, enough to make one original? Is it the degree to which one can access this uniqueness that makes one's work considered to be original or cliche?

Jonah Lehrer recently published a book on creativity called Imagine: How Creativity Works,
(or for a more scathing review you can visit The Guardian) which makes some interesting points concerning the creative process. His interview on Slate is good to get the conversation rolling, however limited it may be. There is also the book Conceptual Blockbusting by James L. Adams which is a great resource on creativity. Well, I think that's enough to get us going on a Tuesday and all from one image of a lamp post!

Random Acts of Creativity- Part 1- Antler Studies

This week I'll be concentrating on random acts of creativity, a study in how creativity constantly surrounds us in our lives we just have to see it that way. This series of antler images came from a visit to an antiques flea market looking for interesting objects to spruce up the house. Oh yes, these antlers will probably get painted neon pink and be placed somewhere on the wall or television. Perhaps there will be a whole room dedicated to neon painted antlers and when you enter that room you have to be dressed either like Teddy Roosevelt fresh from a Jazzercise class or Max Headroom.

Brent- Part 4- "Portraits and Pain"

And then sometimes photography just plain hurts! And thus concludes the many sides of Brent week. My thanks to Brent for giving so much of himself that day, the true potential of which took five years to manifest!

Brent- Part 3- "Color and Juxtaposition"

I found the juxtaposition of theses two images and colors very interesting. I was playing around with some ideas and these two just kept coming back together for me. Even though they really don't go together, somehow, to me it works. We'll see how I feel with the perspective of another five years!

Brent- Part 2- "Bob and Weave"

I wish I could tell you what was happening here. All I can say is sometimes in life you've got to bob and weave. I think I am attempting to combine two continuous series that I work on from time to time. To the best I can tell, those are "Big Love" (which is the name of the suit Brent is wearing. Sometimes I have people wear it and take their picture) and the other is a series of spinning portraits where I take people's picture while they spin. Other than that we are all on our own here. Best of luck.

Brent- Part 1- "How to Put on a Hat" or "The Persistence of Hope"

Recently, I was reminded of a shoot I did almost five years ago with Brent, a friend of mine I went to school with. It was interesting to see all the unedited images from the shoot with the perspective of five years. I was fascinated by all the stories that could be told from just one shoot with different edits. And that is what I would like to concentrate on this week- just how many different stories can be told from one shoot with one person and why editing isn't always so easy! Here is the first installment where Brent illustrates one of the more difficult ways in which to put on a hat. I also think his hopeful look in the first image is great. Like we were going to get it in one try!

Hawaii- Part 4

A little bit more from Hawaii to send you into your weekend.

Hawaii- Part 3

Hawaii- Part 2

More pictures from my recent trip to Oahu, Hawaii to shoot Laura and Jackson's wedding. I'll be posting more throughout the week. It's difficult to come back from Hawaii empty handed, wedding or no wedding!

Laura and Jackson's Wedding- Oahu, Hawaii

If you ever get a chance to shoot a wedding in Hawaii I say go for it! Just be cordial with the clouds, which are constantly changing moods, use the wind to your advantage, and respect the sun you'll do okay. Plus, if it's your younger sister's wedding it makes for a very special occasion! I'm so glad for these two!