Visually exhausted

H

Hsg

who dares wins
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Dec 28, 2013
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People no longer draw pleasure from looking at photographs, since their visual senses have been overused in daily life, computers, phones, video and TV, at least for those who still watch TV.


So, why are we still producing one photo after another for a visually exhausted world?
 
Are we visually exhausted?

In my case, absolutely. To such an extend that I cannot even enjoy reading anymore.

On an average, how much time people spend looking at their phone screen, let alone the computer monitor?
 
I'm still a fan of photography and still look at it daily (outside of the obvious stuff like ads, etc.). You could ask this question about anything that has been in the public's eye for extended period of time.
 
Do we agree that eyes have become the most abused sensor in our lives today?


When you look at a screen, there is light projected on your eyes, which exhausts the eyes, the same way that shining a flashlight to the eyes exhaust the eyes.

Our eyes have evolved to look at 'reflected' light, we don't look at the sun, we look at the reflection of sun on the surface... Today we live with artificial light projected at our eyes, and we can't get rid of it.
 
Hsg said:
On an average, how much time people spend looking at their phone screen, let alone the computer monitor?
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Look at most street photography now & all you mostly see are photos of people looking into their smartphones. They gotta be reading something. I think what I suffer from is location burnout. Lately I can't seem to find anything fresh to photograph. Even driving a truck all towns I go to look much the same.
 
Hsg said:
Do we agree that eyes have become the most abused sensor in our lives today?


When you look at a screen, there is light projected on your eyes, which exhausts the eyes, the same way that shining a flashlight to the eyes exhaust the eyes.

Our eyes have evolved to look at 'reflected' light, we don't look at the sun, we look at the reflection of sun on the surface... Today we live with artificial light projected at our eyes, and we can't get rid of it.
Click to expand...

You talk as if evolution is a end point. Whats to say that our eyes aren't continually evolving? Also who has agreed that the eyes are the most abused organ? I would imagine thats another organ your thinking about:angel:
 
I absolutely hate editing. And now I know why, I just don't have the energy to look at the photos, especially if I have seen them once when I actually took the shots.

This is something that most will agree.
 
jsrockit said:
I'm still a fan of photography and still look at it daily (outside of the obvious stuff like ads, etc.). You could ask this question about anything that has been in the public's eye for extended period of time.
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Looking at photographs from others still excites me too. It's the behind the lens for me that I struggle, eventhough yesterday I managed to finish off a roll of film.
 
We are visual and social creatures, expressing to each other with photography and other mediums. Other qualities inherent in all humans is curiosity and the desire to experiment, try something new and different, sometimes to make a statement and to get kudos from others.

Photography can help fulfill those and other desires we have. I wish folks would slow down and spend more time, "smelling the roses" instead of jumping from one thing to another, never quite satisfied. As I get older I have learned that it is quality and not quantity that counts.

Take a deep breath. Now slow down.

Then enjoy.

Smiles!
 
sounds like you need to stay away from the ipad and computer after dark, hsg. keep the house lights dim, too.
 
Hsg said:
I absolutely hate editing. And now I know why, I just don't have the energy to look at the photos, especially if I have seen them once when I actually took the shots.

This is something that most will agree.
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I actually like editing photos...
 
After all these years and all these photographs, I STILL love deciding what to put into that little rectangle.

If I think beyond that, like "Why?" or "Who is this for?", then for a moment I become tired of photography. But then I pull back from the brink by ignoring those thoughts. :)
 
Being a photo editor for over 35 years, one has to remain discerning. At the very least for themselves.
 
Lauffray said:
I'm currently working through ~800 pictures in my backlog. Care to assist ? :D
(Not to mention about 300 more undeveloped sitting in my fridge)
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Sure Jerome... 800 images that I can load into lightroom to view? I can do that in one night. Now, if we are talking making contact sheet and small prints for editing... maybe not, maybe a few weeks. By the way, I haven't developed film at home since 1998. :eek:
 
jsrockit said:
Sure Jerome... 800 images that I can load into lightroom to view? I can do that in one night. Now, if we are talking making contact sheet and small prints for editing... maybe not, maybe a few weeks. By the way, I haven't developed film at home since 1998. :eek:
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They're all scanned, so 800 "digital" pictures. I think I lost a lot of computer stamina when I stopped shooting digital completely, I used to be able to do that in a sitting like you say.
 
stompyq said:
You talk as if evolution is a end point. Whats to say that our eyes aren't continually evolving?
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Evolution needs natural selection (or at least some form of selection) in order to the survival of the fittest. That is not happening anymore (lucky me) so, yes, human evolution has stopped.
 
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