hm1912 Posted July 6, 2006 Share #1 Posted July 6, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) For the past two weeks I've been totally stuck in my writing. Not only am I having a difficult time figuring out what I want to say and how I want to say it, but I am having a heck of a time trying to understand some concepts that seem a bit silly to me. So, today I'm going into the dark room for about 3 hours in the hopes that some photographic activity will help those little gray brain cells into action. Whether this is procrastinating or not, who cares! But, it got me thinking that perhaps other people find that photography can help them get out of a rut, or perhaps have experienced some unintended consequences/effects of photography. Any thoughts? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 6, 2006 Posted July 6, 2006 Hi hm1912, Take a look here The merits of photography. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
stunsworth Posted July 6, 2006 Share #2 Posted July 6, 2006 I don't think it has to be photography, doing just about anything other than the task that's causing the frustration can help. And it's suprising how often the solution to the original problem can come out of the blue when doing something totally unrelated to it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyj Posted July 6, 2006 Share #3 Posted July 6, 2006 Ilan, Your post is fascinating to me because I've experienced something very similar. Photography has always been a way to relax and clear my head, but recently its taken a different turn. My company does computer forensic analysis for court cases for some very large financial clients. There is a lot of stress involved with these cases and sometimes the lawyers don't know where to go with the case and are hoping that we can uncover something that will help recover the case from dismal failure. As we start to perform analysis of the data and develop a profile of the individual a lot of little bits and pieces are discovered but may not seem to be connected. In the last two high profile cases I've stopped the analysis and picked up the camera and gone off to find a place to shoot. The interesting thing that happens is that I've developed a certain "mood" as a result of the data that I'm analyzing and I find myself shooting in that mood. As an example, I was in Houston recently and had developed a gloomy strange mood as a result of the data that I was working with. I found myself with the camera out in the night finding locations where I could shoot the buildings in ominous and foreboding ways, almost imaging myself as the perpetrator in offices and board rooms in the evening. I came back to the hotel room refreshed and with a certain creative force. While shooting I had developed new ideas about the data and how it tied together. Those ideas resulted in a breakthrough that caused the opposing party to capitulate in Federal court. This has happened twice now. How strangely the mind works! John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertwang Posted July 6, 2006 Share #4 Posted July 6, 2006 I agree. However for me, it has been drawing/painting/digital art that has supplanted photography. I use my photography as the basis for my art at least . It is photographic in nature. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hm1912 Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share #5 Posted July 7, 2006 That's a very interesting story John. It is interesting how one activity can influence the next. Last week, when I went into the darkroom, it was a rather uneventful experience since I was going in frustrated with work, and stayed that way. I had a much better time yesterday, got some good prints done, and I may be onto something in my work, but I don't know yet. I need to read a bit more and see how some new ideas play out. I totally agree with you Steve (and by the way, I really like your avatar). But I think some activities are more "therapeudic" than others. In this regard, I find photography to be a mentally stimulating excerise (thinking about aperture, speed, composition, etc.), and so it keeps the mind at work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlancasterd Posted July 7, 2006 Share #6 Posted July 7, 2006 Ilan What are you studying at Aber? It's a good part of the world for photography. I'm based near Porthmadog, having retired there from an overseas career with the British Council 10 years ago. I've been involved with the Ffestiniog Railway since it reopened in 1955, have been editor of the FR Society Magazine for the past 3 years and my wife works full time in charge of the cash office. I occasionally get down to Aber to ride on the Vale of Rheidol, and more often go to Tywyn to the Talyllyn. Much of my photography is therefore railway related - especially with the Welsh Highland Railway project moving towards completion by 2009. If you come up to this neck of the woods, perhaps we could arrange to meet - send me a message off-list if you would prefer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hm1912 Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share #7 Posted July 7, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi John, I'm doing a PhD in International Politics (my research is about political obligation -- primarily philosophical, but not exclusively). It's interesting to hear that you worked with the British Council. I applied for some funding from them years ago. They do a lot of very interesting work. Being in Aber, I'm definitely getting opportunities to work on my nature photography. One of the photos I enlarged in the dark room yesterday was a close of up shot of a field. I used a light green filter when I took it, and I'm really pleased with the result. I generally feel that I'm at a loss doing nature shots, but I'm working on it. Next time you head down to Aber let me know and I'll be sure to do the same. Best, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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