# 6587-90 / travel ~ separating the wheat from the chaff*

June 3, 2023

*my brother asked, “Why are you taking a picture of that*?” ~ (embiggenable)

*who would have guessed*? ~ (embiggenable)

***it’s true, I am the fucking artist*** ~ (embiggenable)

I AM AT THE 130 PICTURES MARK, re: pictures made while in Portugal. The wife is sending me a few of the pictures she made for inclusion in the total. I’m thinking that I will edit the pictures down to about 100 for inclusion in the Portugal book / album.

That written, it occurred to me while staring at the complete folder in Adobe Bridge that, just as an exercise in editing, I would see if I could make a collection of just 20 pictures which would, in minimalist kinda way, represent a believable summary of our trip. As it turned out-at least for me and the wife-it was possible.

Re: at least for me and the wife, it was possible. That is to write that, for other viewers, it might be a reasonably indicative view of our trip, but that impression would very limited relative to how the pictures “work” for me and the wife; i.e., that’s cuz, for us, each of these pictures trigger numerous memories associated with what each picture represents. Memories that other viewers would not associate with each picture unless they had visited Portugal.

That written, the fact is that this selection of pictures is more suggestive of what I saw-aka: my experience-in Portugal than it might be for the wife. That’s why I have asked her to sit down and work her way through the Adobe Bridge album and select 20 pictures which would incite the most memories, specific for her experience in Portugal. Looking forward to seeing the results of that exercise.

* this subtitle is not meant to suggest that there is any “chaff” in the entire body of work. It is, of course (iMo), all “wheat”. That written, some of the wheat, in this case, was more suited to my specific editing purpose.

ADDENDUM the wife has read this entry and, to reinforce my point-re: my experience, her experience-she states that she would not have chosen the same 20 pictures. That’s cuz, for instance, she did not drink as many sangrias as I did. And, furthermore-re: incited memories-she has no idea where I made the WR triptych pictures even though she was sitting right next me (having a refreshing drink) when I got up and made the pictures.

# 6578-86 / travel ~ more than just a sense of place

May 30, 2023

all pictures ~ (embiggenable)

WHEN I TRAVEL IT IS ALWAYS MY INTENTION to make pictures of what I see. The challenge of doing so is to make pictures that convey a sense of place that do not look like pretty picture postcards. Actually, truth be told, that ain’t too much of a challenge cuz my vision dictates how I see what I see. And pretty picture postcard pictures just ain’t part of that program.

That written, when one is a stranger in a strange (to you) land, the temptation to make pretty postcard pictures can be a powerful force. You know…you see some thing-aka: a people, a place or a thing-that looks different than what you are used to seeing back home and wham-o, you wanna make a picture of the thing forgetting that the best picture can be more than just a picture of a thing. It’s kinda like a Pavlovian going home to mama, rules of picture making wise, by reverting to the idiotic advice that, when you are making a picture of some thing, you must simplify. That is, to eliminate any thing (or things) that “detract” a viewer’s attention from the thing you wish to picture.

Now, if your picture making intention is to make pictures for the picture viewing simple-minded, that’s good advice. However, if your intention is to make pictures that invite a viewer’s visual senses to spent a little time moseying around your picture’s real estate, providing a little more visual information, iMo, is the way to go.

Of course, the counterpoint to my way of picture making thinking is that too much information can cause a viewer to struggle with figuring out the point of a picture. To which I write, “Good.”, cuz maybe, just maybe, that consternation might just lead a viewer to the idea that the “point” of a picture is the picture itself, not just the thing that it depicts.