A Digital Camera Story to Warm the Old Film Heart

[StuartR]

I am not really trying to be defensive, I just don't see it as the same thing. If, as you say, the person doing it is very involved in the process (as shutterflower was), then I think it is a different matter, but if they just set the camera at 2 seconds at f/22 and randomly toss it at random places, I don't see much art. At least someone doing a vomit sculpture has something specific in mind. And you are of course right about the sharpness of straight photography not being integral to art, but you probably also know better than to tie artistic merit directly to what a work sells for. Many things go into the price of an art photograph, its absolute artistic merit is probably pretty low on the list. After all, you can surely buy a poster of the same photo for 5.99 somewhere that has the exact same artistic merit. So while an extraordinarily rare print of a lovely photograph of some woods may sell for 3 million, it does not mean it is a better photo than say HCB's picture of Matisse sketching, which will cost a mere 12-20,000.

but anyway, I am not saying that there is no art possible in tossing, just that I, personally, care very little for it.

 

[RJBender]

Not really. The tossographer decides on white balance, shutter time, f-stop, focus distance, motion of throwing, spin, etc., and can reevaluate after every toss. In Ps several images can be put together in any form or shape.

I think people here are overly defensive to alternative ways of creating "art" and assume that sharp and "straight" photography is the holy grail, which IMO it's not. I have not seen a sharp, straight photo go for several millions of $$ while a vague, out-of-focus and darkly printed shot of a lien of trees and a forest lake recently went for, what, $3 million IIRC.

Let's face it, there's more to any form of artistic expression than what you or I consider art/Art. Any shit or vomit sculptures anyone? 🙄

Andy Warhol, Oxidation Painting, copper metallic paint and urine on canvas

source: http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/irvinem/visualarts/Warhol-Oxidations-Post-Gagosian-2002.html

R.J.

 

[RJBender]

got poop?

got poop?

Chris Ofili: The Virgin Mary
paper collage, oil paint, glitter, polyester resin and elephant dung on linen

source:http://www.guardian.co.uk/gallery/image/0,8543,-10704194503,00.html

R.J.

 

[amateriat]

We're veering (sinking?) into the old is-it-Art? canard. Some argue art vs. non-art. I prefer to argue good art vs. bad art. Confering the "A" word to a particular work doesn't necessarily bestow greatness upon it. There's more than enough bad art around us to sneer at for several lifetimes, and more of it is being cranked out every day, cutting across genres, generations, and damn near every medium cooked up by humankind.

And, as far as "tossing" is concerned, be careful how, and where, you decide to toss. In the case of this misbegotten Leicaflex, there wasn't much choice, leading to it's current status as the Mother of All Camera Tosses (how does a five-mile drop suit you?).


- Barrett

 

[Dracotype]

When I actually looked at the "tossographer's" pictures, a thought occured to me. You could model the light patterns using fairly simple equations. Just think of the camera as a rigid rotating object, tell the computer you want it to look one way, and go from there. Kinematics and rotational inertia will get you the same thing. Only you don't have to sacrifice a camera to do it. 😀

Drew

 

[kbg32]

What is old is new again.......

What is old is new again.......

I wish I could remember the photographer's name, but there was someone years and years ago who tossed his Leica in the air with the self-timer activated to see what kinds of images he captured.

 

[RML]

I wish I could remember the photographer's name, but there was someone years and years ago who tossed his Leica in the air with the self-timer activated to see what kinds of images he captured.

HCB? 😛

Just kiddin'! 😀

 

[dazedgonebye]

HCB?

Just kiddin'!

When the Leica hits the ground..."THAT would be the 'decisive' moment."

 

[quattro98]

Andreas Gursky

... And speaking of the Turner prize, that German guy who won it a couple years ago is really a fantastic photographer. Can't think of theguy, but he took the large format pictures of the Hong Kong stock exchange, shopping malls, etc. that became in a sense abstract works, even though they were hyper-realistic shots. Abstract if for no other reason than the absurdity in the images....like the grocery store with the thousands of candy bars....