The Blog@DHP-Finding the Art 04/228/2011
"What is art, but a way of seeing?"
Saul Bellow
How do I find my art? There is no easy answer to that question. I have found art in some truly unusual places. I almost never go looking for it though, it never seems to work out when I head to a specific location with the idea of creating photographs. The truly great moments are when the art finds me.
"Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others. "
Jonathan Swift
The short answer is that I keep my eyes open, always. No matter where I am, or what I am doing, I am always looking around. Looking at the landscape, the buildings, things on the side of the road. I have taken photographs of places that people I know drive past on a daily basis, yet when they see the image it's totally foreign to them. That's not saying they've never seen it, they just don't recognize the potential it had as a photograph. My mind works in a very visual way and I notice those details.
Just because I am always looking around and seeing these things doesn't mean that I am constantly stopping to photograph something, in fact it's quite the opposite. Many times when I see something, I file it in the back of my mind to take at another time. Sometimes I just don't have time when I first see it. It could be that the lighting isn't right for what I want to do, or i think it would look better during a different season. The series that I shot called "_______ and White" is an example of this. I wanted the only color in the frame to be that of the barn door, I needed a deep snowfall in order to accomplish my goal. I first came up with the idea in August; the photographs were taken in January. The beauty of working this way is that it gives me time to work the picture in my mind, sometimes for days, or even months before I ever open the shutter.
"True realism consists in revealing the surprising things which habit keeps covered and prevents us from seeing."
Jean Cocteau
Something as simple as my drive to work has inspired many photographs. By always searching for the next photograph, I keep finding incredible surprises in my routine. As long as I make a habit of loooking for them, I will continue to be able to find new art.
"What is art, but a way of seeing?"
Saul Bellow
How do I find my art? There is no easy answer to that question. I have found art in some truly unusual places. I almost never go looking for it though, it never seems to work out when I head to a specific location with the idea of creating photographs. The truly great moments are when the art finds me.
"Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others. "
Jonathan Swift
The short answer is that I keep my eyes open, always. No matter where I am, or what I am doing, I am always looking around. Looking at the landscape, the buildings, things on the side of the road. I have taken photographs of places that people I know drive past on a daily basis, yet when they see the image it's totally foreign to them. That's not saying they've never seen it, they just don't recognize the potential it had as a photograph. My mind works in a very visual way and I notice those details.
Just because I am always looking around and seeing these things doesn't mean that I am constantly stopping to photograph something, in fact it's quite the opposite. Many times when I see something, I file it in the back of my mind to take at another time. Sometimes I just don't have time when I first see it. It could be that the lighting isn't right for what I want to do, or i think it would look better during a different season. The series that I shot called "_______ and White" is an example of this. I wanted the only color in the frame to be that of the barn door, I needed a deep snowfall in order to accomplish my goal. I first came up with the idea in August; the photographs were taken in January. The beauty of working this way is that it gives me time to work the picture in my mind, sometimes for days, or even months before I ever open the shutter.
"True realism consists in revealing the surprising things which habit keeps covered and prevents us from seeing."
Jean Cocteau
Something as simple as my drive to work has inspired many photographs. By always searching for the next photograph, I keep finding incredible surprises in my routine. As long as I make a habit of loooking for them, I will continue to be able to find new art.
©2010/11 David Hill Photography
