The Death of the Straight Line

The Death of the Straight Line

There was a time when wanting to accomplish something required that you knew a way — typically a single, straightforward way — to do it. In fact, most typically there was only one way to do something. For example, when we wanted to make a phone call we picked up the phone and dialed. Today, when I want to make a phone call I can choose between my landline, my cell phone, my Skype account, my Tango account, or my Unison account — let alone that I could also send a text message, an email, an instant message, a voicemail, a voice email, or even a video email. I suppose I could write a letter, too, but how quaint is that? (Can we still send telegrams? Nevermind.)

For something as simple as "reaching out" (when did this god-awful phrase infect the culture?), the first thing I have to do is not compose the content of my message, but rather decide which type of message delivery system best fits my needs of the moment. Startlingly, we are fast approaching that level of complexity in photography, too. It's like trying to find a straight-line path across a Chinese Checkers board. I may desperately want there to be one, but the number of possible paths to the other side are incalculable.

Film or digital? Large-format, medium format, or small format? Camera, tablet, phone, or camera-capable MP3 player? Square format, rectangular format, or panorama format? Black and white, color, or "effects"? Still photograph or video? Photoshop, PaintShop Pro, Lightroom, or Aperture? Worse, almost any of these answers can be cross-pollinated with any of the others — camera still, camera video, tablet video with effects + square format, camera with black-and-white video? Yikes. Part of me longs for the days when I had one camera, used only one film, was limited to three fixed focal length lenses. In those days, my biggest decision was which Zone to place the shadows at. Such thinking is now merely nostalgic piffle, fondly remembered by a few old codgers. For the rest of you youngsters, Zones are explained here. Better yet, youngsters, read this book. (Pssst, old guys, don't tell them. He-he-he.)

This illuminates, I think, another way in which artmaking in photography has changed so dramatically. It's not just that we use new equipment, but that in order to be reasonably competent we need to have competency in each of the variations. It's no longer sufficient to be skilled at one and only one method of image making. Said another way, faced with the creative challenge and the desire to most effectively present my vision in a finished image, I need to be able to foresee (or to use the old term, previsualize) the final result in ever so many production variants. I find more and more that artmaking has become an attempt to answer the simple question: In order to achieve my desired result, which technical path is best?

I fear we're at the very beginning of this multiplying myriad of choices. I see nothing on the horizon that would indicate we will have fewer choices five years from now than we have today. I'm not bemoaning this, but I am pragmatic in the realization that the implication is that our futures are all filled with a plethora of unavoidable learning curves. The only other option would be to restrict our options — a path that looks seductively more and more intelligent as the technologies multiply in ways at which even rabbits would be amazed.

Comments

[James Bullard]

For what it's worth that is a problem confronted by painters for centuries. "What do I paint on? Cave walls, wood panels, plaster, canvas, paper? What medium? Oil, water, and more recently acrylic? For me the solution is to chose a medium and go with it. Don't waste a lot of energy on options that distract me from the image.

BTW, I don't believe that Ansel Adams ever used the term "previsualize'. He always talked about "visualizing" without the "pre". Later photographers added "pre" to the term and I've never understood that. To visualize something is to see it in you mind. "Pre" means before. How does one see something in their mind before seeing it in their mind?

[Brooks Jensen]

That is great! I think what we need next is a pre-pre-visualization so we know before we know what we know. Very Zen — Minor White would have loved it. Come to think of it, perhaps the real challenge is to not under-visualize while over-verbalizing. (Enter rabbit hole here.)

[Chuck Kimmerle]

Seems to me that this is an issue, for good or for bad, which we make for ourselves. We can be fully intertwined with technology, or we can be on the periphery, aware but not necessary participating. I mean, it's great to have options, but there is nothing wrong with the simplicity of passing on the majority of them.

And speaking of simplicity, Ansel Adams may or may not have (I do not know either way) the term "previsualize", but Edward Weston used it many times in his daybook entries.

[richardplondon]

"[artmaking] - In order to achieve my desired result, which technical path is best?"

The term "art" has always strictly meant, "technology" / "contrivance" - with the implication that superior results come through deliberately employing the means in a more cunningly-chosen and executed way, than the merely workmanlike use of those same means.

The tactics of what one may call "fine art" - are IMO merely a refined awareness of the subjective and conceptual impact of the particular technology used; a recognition that close attention needs to be paid to that as well as to the sheer production aspects.

This is merely another kind and layer of contrivance, of course - which is not to demean it. The great artists of the past were not ashamed of their prowess in that; and in yet another layer of contrivance over the top; the art-historical one, for lack of a better term.

[CJ Chilvers]

Constraints are always useful in creative endeavors. Most creative disciples learned this ages ago, but there's financial incentives for photography publications to hide this effect.

[website development company]

This is really great to pre-visualize the things in your mind before the things we think. It is kind of unpredictable but interesting.