Don’t Worry About the Bread

By: Brian
Posted on: March 12, 2010
6 Comments | Share This Post

While thinking about our current theme, Transformations, I remembered one of my favorite quotes. American author, Barbara Kingsolver said, “If we can’t, as artists, improve on real life, we should put down our pencils and go bake bread.” Personally, I don’t think every image has to have a meaning, sometimes art is just there to be enjoyed for what it is, or isn’t.

On the flip side, photography can be more powerful when it’s creating for a specific purpose. The more thought and emotion put into an image, the more likely it is have a greater effect on the viewer. This week, Doug wrote about what his art means to him. He uses photography and the process of manipulating his photos as a form of therapy.  The final product is often abstract, often dark and haunting. He uses his imagery in a specific way to drive a point.

When I look back at my own images I often struggle to see the purpose of it. What am I trying to say with my photography, what does it mean? I’ve tackled death, hate, and countless other things, but most of the time… my pictures don’t “mean” a thing.

I look at my photography as a way to document my life, life as it exists around me. Places I’ve been, strangers I’ve met, and the people I love. Sometimes, I take a photo to learn a new skill, test a technique, or work through an equipment problem. Occasionally, I’ll challenge myself by taking on a project, like interpreting the alphabet, which can be both a drain and an inspiration.

Looking back at the work of the author, Barbara Kingsolver, she is using her art form, writing, to confront issues by intertwining them within her novels. If you were to read Prodigal Summer, you would see that the story is as much about the environment as it is the characters. She uses the book as a vessel to confront the effects of man, to describe how everything living thing is connected. It isn’t writing for the sake of writing, it’s writing with purpose. The bonus, she’s making an impression on an audience that may not already thinking about environmental issues.

The most important thing, you should enjoy photography. Have fun! For most of us, it’s an obsession ( I mean hobby! ), a way to pass the time. Just getting out there, taking pictures, will spark those creative juices. If you happen across something that has amazing depth then or some hidden meaning, it’s just icing on the cake.

Looking at a few photos I’ve taken over the past week, do any of them mean anything? Did they mean anything before I started the editing process? Without a story to go along with them what do you see?

Do you use your photography to intentionally make a point, or tell a story?

6 Responses to “Don’t Worry About the Bread”

  1. abe Says:
    March 12th, 2010 at 12:07 am

    you know, this gives me an interesting idea of sorts that i may experiment with next week. if i decide to do it, i’ll let you in on it privately ;)

  2. Orbitgal Says:
    March 12th, 2010 at 9:36 am

    this is a nice article.
    like you, many of my images don’t really “mean” anything…i just liked what i saw and wanted to remember it. then there are others i create for a specific purpose.

    i’m inspired by the images you have there. i look at the color story, i see movement stories, and i see people stories. i like what i see and to me, they all have a calm and peace about them. that’s what i feel when i look at them as a set…peaceful. not sure that’s what you were going for, but that’s how i (an outside observer) saw them. nicely done!

  3. john frenzel Says:
    March 13th, 2010 at 8:29 am

    I am curious did Barbara Kingsolver never hear of Artisan Bread? As a master bread-maker in the first part of my working life, it is indeed an art form. But alas, it does not cure cancer or aids. That is how I view my photography, does not cure anything and will be long forgotten when I am ash. But that is okay because in the “now” it pleases me. In the ‘now” is all we really have.

    Getting back to Barbara Kingsolver if I may for a second. She forgot bread played an integral role in revolution, the famous “Let them Eat Cake” was a direct comment on peasants in France not being able to afford their daily bread. The Cake in reference too, a Brioche, a bread rich in egg and butter.

    I so agree with you, the important thing is to enjoy your photography, hey if you make even one other person happy along the way, it’s a win/win.

    I’m not normally a blog person but this is a good site, you guys keep it up!

  4. Clint Says:
    March 13th, 2010 at 8:45 am

    Well, I’m into bread, but I choose the ‘no knead, slow rise’ method, but hey it makes a great loaf! Maybe that says something about me, just like looking in someone’s medicine cabinet. Anyways, most of the time the people who view my photos find their own meaning in them, even if I had no intended meaning. Does that say that I succeeded in something? Does it matter, after all for me it’s also a hobby…..er obsession….

  5. mr.KIO Says:
    March 13th, 2010 at 6:08 pm

    I use it to find the soul
    as I think in every photo
    there is a piece of your soul
    it Soul per Pixel that counts for me
    but Im away from mine, but think
    I can hear “her” now

    Regards.

  6. Stacie Says:
    March 16th, 2010 at 2:23 pm

    I take pictures because it’s fun. No real deep reason. And I bake bread because it tastes good.

    I love the photos here, the flower in the cemetery… nice! The girl spinning also a fave. Thanks for sharing!

Leave a Reply

--->

Categories

Recent Comments