For as long as I can remember I’ve been dealing with images on some level. This started with the simple reading of comic books and their frame after frame of wonderful images. Then drawing, then taking pictures and then off to college.
I wound up in college for six years. I took art history classes all six of those years. Three years of studying architecture. Three more years of art and painting and drawing and making sculpture and taking pictures.
I would absorb art history books and books on individual artists. Then there were art magazines. I would get them all and read everything and stare at the pictures. Then there were the gallery crawls. Every month for years wandering from gallery to gallery in Chicago, absorbing everything.
Then there was the endless shows at all the major and minor museums. I even went to a Picasso show in New York where his painting called Guernica took center stage. I had studied all of his working drawings and working paintings that eventually culminated in this one painting. When the show closed the painting was being shipped to Spain now that Francisco Franco was dead and I knew this would be my last chance to see it in person.
Then 4-5 years of working in picture frame shops matting and framing hundreds of images of every imaginable kind.
Then 30 years ago I got into the graphic arts industry. Over the years I’ve dealt with images on a daily basis, images by the thousands. Sizing, cropping, sometimes increasing the size by one percent because it made a difference. Sometimes moving the image less than 1/32 of an inch up, down, left or right because it made all the difference in the world.
Through all of this, especially when dealing with the art, I’ve always had one question lingering and nagging in the back of my head… what makes this good?
Because of that I’m my own worst critic. I’m never satisfied with the pictures I take.
Last weekend I went for a walk and took a handful of pictures of the changing fall colors. I put them at the end of what was a fishing post.
The Last Fishing Trip of the Year
In order to settle on the pictures for that post, I went through my usual routine.
Open them all in a Mac program called Preview. By hitting the down arrow I can cycle through all the images. I never spend more than three seconds on any one image. Less if it’s a down right piece of shit that leaves me wondering what the hell I was thinking of when I took that picture. I single out the images I want quickly. I have no clue how or why I’m making the decision. Either the image strikes me as interesting enough to post or it doesn’t.
Then I take the ones I’ve settled on and open them in Photoshop. Highlight, shadow, contrast, color correct and saturate the colors a little to make them close to what I thought I saw. Takes all of about 10 seconds per image and I’m done. I rarely crop images. I go with whatever is in the frame.
What got me thinking about this was the fact that I was out the day before on a walk at Silver Springs State Park. I took 116 pictures. When I went through them that night, not a single one jumped out at me. Every day for the past week I’ve been going back to that folder of 116 pictures and looking through them. Still nothing. Slight possibilities, but it’s taking far too much thought. There had to be a reason I was taking those pictures. I took 116 of them.
So I went back to the folder of the walk I went on that resulted in that post. There were 38 images. I opened all the ones that didn’t make it into that post and actually gave them some thought.
Why did these get cut?
What is there about them that I didn’t see for those first three seconds I looked at them?
What in my brain rejected these outright?
I have no real clue.
All I know is that for some reason the following pictures are a disappointment. I’ll probably jack up the view stats on this post and the last one all by myself by going back and forth all week while trying to decide.
As I put these up and look at them for the last time, if a reason for their rejection hits me, I’ll put it under the picture.
See what I mean about my own worst critic.
Once upon a time a friend and I used to get kicked out of galleries. A few beers, the inability to hold ones tongue for the sake of sparing the feelings of the artist on display… but those are different stories.
Dan "The Impractical Fishermen"
3 Nov 2013I agree with your line of thinking on those shots. I know not all of the photos I publish are master pieces, but some of the photos people post are not something I’d be proud of. Especially since people started using their phones for everything and adding annoying filters with Instagram. Compared to a lot of the poorly composed , over filtered, and blurry photos people post with pride there is nothing wrong with what you posted today. 😀
Ken G
4 Nov 2013If you go look at Bob Long’s Flickr site Dan you’ll see some real artistry in the use of layers and textures and words. He’s got a real skill for putting them together well. That’s a tough thing to do and a skill I’m not sure I can ever have.
bob
3 Nov 2013they just didn’t have “it” – no smoke, no tingle, no pizzaz, no jump, “like a dull knife, they just ain’t cuttin’, just talkin’ loud, and sayin’ nuthin.” we know.
shoulda’ framed a little to the left, a little to the right, a little more bottom, a little more top, always, always a bit closer (like the red leaves on dull leaves), etc.
you know why. I know why. but it is now so natural it defies explanation. jus’ accept it is all y’all can do.
Ken G
4 Nov 2013I thought of getting in tighter on the bright red after the fact Bob, but it still does nothing for me. I’m curious if those comments are in my head when I’m going through all the pictures for the first time. I want to know what my brain is thinking at that moment. I don’t seem to know how to slow it down.
Jim McClellan
3 Nov 2013For non-artists like me, they’re all striking. But then that’s like William Hung telling you you’re a great singer. Seriously, all of those are better than my best efforts.
Ken G
4 Nov 2013Thanks Jim. After all these years I always expect better of myself. There’s an old adage about shooting a roll of film, 36 shots. If you get one good photo out of the 36, you did well.
Mike Sepelak
4 Nov 2013Thank God for digital. Remember what those 116 pictures used to cost in processing (or in chemicals)? And too often I ask myself your final caption – Why the hell did I take this?
Thanks for a chuckle this morning.
Ken G
4 Nov 2013I can’t even imagine the costs Mike. I’d definitely be more selective.
Those 116 shots of “why the hell did I take this?” are driving me nuts. They looked so good when I pushed the button. I may have to put one up with some of those pictures just to get it out of my head. Maybe they’re not bad, just different.
Richard Velders
4 Nov 2013I have an appreciation for artistry and disagree with your professional assessment of those photos. Any pictures of outdoors and nature are just fine. Dick
Ken G
4 Nov 2013Thanks Dick. I think one of these times I’m going to pick apart a spot from different angles. I tend to shoot and run. Maybe I’d find the angle I want.
Howard Levett
4 Nov 2013Well I’m going to let the little idiot inside my head respond to this post Ken. I actually like almost all of them for exactly the reasons you didn’t. If a picture keeps drawing me back for good or bad, than I assume it’s me and that it’s probably a pretty decent picture. They might not win a prize at the county fair, but I’m not after that either.
Ken G
4 Nov 2013That’s interesting Howard. I think that’s why I just shoot and shoot. I probably should put up more of the ones I’ve rejected. Maybe I’m being too harsh on myself and I’m missing something that someone else might see. I have to think about this…
Nature in the Burbs
8 Nov 2013This post made me laugh. You described me! I will take 175 photos and maybe end up with 3-4 that I like, all else are rejects. The difference, however, is I like the photos you posted here, the bridges, reflections and especially (my fave) paths in the woods – maybe it’s just the beauty in the simple things, I don’t know. There’s a group on Flickr called something like “Bad Bird Photos” that I enjoy looking at and participating in with my rejects! By the way, you are both a good writer and photographer…and fisherman.
Ken G
8 Nov 2013Howard brought up the same thing. It’s making me rethink what I think are rejects.
The next time you put up a post with one of your wonderful pictures on it, now I’m going to be thinking… I wonder what the other 174 look like…
I think the fishing takes precedent over the other two…
CHUCK KOENIG ( D, P. LUNKERBUSTERS)
8 Nov 2013THANKS FOR YOUR HELP IN THE PAST FINDING SPOTS ON THE FOX. WENT TO L. GENEVA TWO FRIDAYS IN A ROW – FIRST TRIP ABOUT 30 SMALLIES (BIGGEST 4.4 LBS) ; THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY TWO WEEKS AGO AGAIN AROUND 30 S.M. BASS – A 4.2 A 4.7 LBS, – TOTAL THREE 20″, A 21″, AND A 22″ – ALL ON MINNOWS – SOME SUCKERS. I’VE GOT THE PICS. TO SUPPORT THAT. AGAIN – THANKS FOR THE HELP IN THE PAST.
Ken G
16 Nov 2013My pleasure Chuck. Those are some nice fish and especially from the Geneva stretch.