Paul Graham - Photography is Easy, Photography is Difficult (2009) (link)
Photo by Senami d’Almeida
It’s so easy it’s ridiculous. It’s so easy that I can’t even begin – I just don’t know where to start. After all, it’s just looking at things. We all do that. It’s simply a way of recording what you see – point the camera at it, and press a button. How hard is that? And what’s more, in this digital age, its free - doesn’t even cost you the price of film. It’s so simple and basic, it’s ridiculous.
It’s so difficult because it’s everywhere, every place, all the time, even right now. It’s the view of this pen in my hand as I write this, it’s an image of your hands holding this book, Drift your consciousness up and out of this text and see: it’s right there, across the room - there… and there. Then it’s gone. You didn’t photograph it, because you didn’t think it was worth it. And now it’s too late, that moment has evaporated. But another one has arrived, instantly. Now. Because life is flowing through and around us, rushing onwards and onwards, in every direction.
It’s verging on the twee. And it’s a bit art school. But Graham uses everyday words for why photography is the way it is, and why the psychic pressures of being a photographer at this time, must be endured. Why it’s all worth it.
When I was younger I was afraid of the dark. So what I did was try to spend some serious time in the dark when my parents would go out. To saturate myself with enough fear that I’d get to a point where I didn’t care. I’m no longer afraid of the dark.
You can get lost if you try to think of this as a career. It’s not that putting pork on the table isn’t important, it’s just that thinking directly about it, isn’t the best way to get at it. You do this work because you have to, not because you want to. Wanting to would be crazy!
Click on the link in the title.
Posted 2 years ago
