Lanvi Nguyen SPF '10-11 Research: artist entry: week 07: october 11

Dave Nightingale: photography: i can lose myself in the moment

interest and relations:
Nightingale's images caught my eyes, not just because of the vibrant colors that burst from every seam, but also because of what he said in an interview that sounded honest and sincere. He responded to a question in a interview (below in quotes), and it was his response that gave more value to his images, for me personally. Sometimes, I cannot explain why I photograph the things I photograph. I believe anyone can relate to this, sometimes you just photograph what you do and just do it to rid it from your system, perhaps it will take more than a few shots, but a lifetime commitment to the content. But if only you could just go on and release that indescribable driving force, satisfy that hunger or curiosity, follow that desire, do all of that without having to explain, justify, or reason with anyone else. Why, why, why? I honestly am so over hearing that question. Should we not encourage one another to seek, to explore, to search, to find, to discover? Not everything in life is worth the breath or time to explain and reason with. By the time one has reasoned, the moment has past by and you are left standing without ground beneath, holding you up. Not every moment of the now photographed needs some sort of profiting or gaining reason behind it to be projected into the future. Every shot should be taken, because it is for the now, for the here, for the selfish self. I try to practice that, because I do not want to lose myself over to _________.

Another thought that came from Nightingale's images is, I find a strange relationship between the images that I have chosen below. The number of people does not have as strong of an effect as the color atmosphere of the image. For example even if there are two beautiful people portrayed as together, happy and carefree, when it is set against a calm, self-losing tone of blue, the only feeling that comes across is loneliness, something that once was, a memory. Another image with just a single hunched over person surrounded by radiating gold and yellow, warm and wonderful, gives the meaning of individual, singular, alone, a whole new meaning. Pictures rendering great distance render different feelings depending on the number of people, the atmosphere. For some reason, we are all drawn to the "other side", even if it equates to the "vague out there". When we are given the choice of thinking it and acting on it, the "out there" is the most gorgeously rendered stretch of land. However, when we are forced and projected out there involuntarily, due to forces out of our control, we seek to return to "square one", to "the other side before this side". It is sad that we suffer uncontrollably, but I laugh thinking about it, perhaps a nervous laugh to cover up the fear that seeps from the truth and the on going pain in each and all.

biography:
"David Nightingale is the photographer behind Chromasia, an award winning photoblog that was selected as "Best Photoblog" by numerous publications, and was ranked as the 6th most influential blog in the UK by the Financial Times."

quotes:
"Question: You seem to take a lot of photographs from strolls on the beach. Could you tell us a little about that?

Answer from D.N: One of my favorite ways of relaxing is to take a walk along the beach, photographing either the landscape, or any items washed up along the shore. In some ways, though I’m not sure I could explain it all that coherently, walking along the shore and taking photographs is one of the ways I can lose myself in the moment."

"Being aware, really aware of these colors and how they affect our perception and the responses they evoke inside of us is important. Understanding how you can affect these colors with the tools we use every day is even more important. I'm not talking about Photoshop or some bizarre filter, but basic tools you should have in your camera bag or vest at all times."

[http://www.moosepeterson.com/techtips/color.html]

images: