SoFoBoMo: Slow progress
This year’s SoFoBoMo progress has been slow, in my estimation. Or, perhaps, it has been methodical. I started 12 days ago. I have 18 days remaining. No hurry. It has been raining for several days in a row, with the next 7 – 10 days bringing more rain. Since the 10th, I’ve taken 288 pictures. Not many. Of those I have selected 25 thus far. I have written many paragraphs, some of which will not make the cut, some that will. I don’t know what I have on my B&W film just yet. I may get to see sometime in the next couple of weeks.
During this rainy season, I’ve spent a lot of time reading. I’ve read most of David duChemmin’s excellent book, WTF, or Within The Frame. I have read David Ward’s book, The Landscape Beyond, as well. David Ward’s book is more right down my alley because, though both speak to vision, DW’s book is all about landscape, whereas, DC’s book is about photographing people and culture. Both books are certainly worth having on your self, no make that within easy access so you can read them over and over again.
I’ve been greatly influenced by DW’s book. He spends a great deal of time talking about leaving a bit of mystery in your landscape photos. That is, don’t answer all of the questions. Provide a few for the viewer to ponder. With that in mind, I’ve been having a more critical eye towards my photographs and trying to see which ones speak to me in that way. I’ve come up with a number of them that I feel speak to me. In fact, I had not planned to do a black and white section in my book, and certainly not mix color and B&W, but that’s all changed. It seems to fit. They’ll be in different sections, but I want to try it out.
I’ve had my selected photos rotating through my desktop background, one per minute. I’m getting used to them, seeing if I can remove any of them. So far, so good. I like what I see. As this is a holiday weekend, I get one more day to shoot unencumbered by work. I’m taking my film camera with me, too. I wonder what I’ll see.
After I assemble all of the pictures, I think that I’ll have to create a story to tie them together in some way. I already have a few ideas. This year is a lot more methodical, calmer, and through provoking. Last year it was all about the excitement. This year, it seems, it’s all about the message … whatever that is!
Thanks for the book-tip! I guess I’m going to loose a couple of bucks (would like to start with Davids first book).
Looks as if you’re very much on your way, SoFoMoBo’ish speaking. And as if you’re enjoying the ride.
@Thomas: I have both books: The landscape within and The landscape beyond. I much prefer the second book. In the first book he tends to spend a lot of time intellectualizing about aesthetics and psychology. Perhaps that appeals to some, but it didn’t to me. I like the more intuitive side.
I like the slideshow method of choosing prints for the book. The ones that “don’t fit” stick out and are easily eliminated. The slideshow helps me feel the sense of story, also.
My copy of WTF hasn’t arrived yet (just what I need… another book to sit on my stack of unread books). But I expect that it will be here soon. The wait will be worth it, as I ordered an autographed copy. (^_^)
It sounds like you have a good plan of attack here.
With regards to the weather…it sure seems like the rainiest May I can remember up here! Kind of chilly too the past few days.