Sorry for the delay in reply. I was away from the net for the last 3 days. (Conducting a small exhibition of my photos.)
Doc,
why does a photographer need to have a painter's approach firstly ? Well, why shouldn't we have a painter's approach?
I have deliberately said the approach is of a painter and not the image is looking like a painting.
If we try to relate music and photography, why shouldn't we relate painting and photography?
Theoretically, every photo can be painted. A highly skilled painter can paint all the photographs. But a musician can't sung a photograph, a dancer can't dance a photograph, a sculptor can't sculpt a photograph. There is an inherent similarity between a photograph and painting.
There are many common aspects in painting and photography. Photography has drawn many things from painting. From the rule of third to impact of colors on human mind photography has taken many things from painting.
In the last century many moments have taken place in the field of painting like impressionism, expressionism, surrealism, abstract expressionism, etc. These all moments have happened with a purpose. they are the result of intellectual minds.
Why shouldn't we get inspired by them?
At the same time, a photograph/bad photograph can't become a good photograph just because it looks like a painting. Imitation of brush strokes, deliberate attempt to make a photograph look like an impressionist photograph can't convert a bad photo into a good photograph.
A painter starts with a blank canvas and a photographer starts with the objects which are already there. Yes, a photographer has constraints (If we can call like this) compared to a painter. But if try we can overcome this. In this RD's picture itself he said that he is trying to depict the joy of rain. He has managed to to get the colors which represent rain, clouds, joy and earth to him.
But, then again doesn't every pre-visualisation is a painter's approach? We go to a place, analyse the scene, wait for the right light, wait for the bird to enter into the frame .... If the scene is already in our mind do we really need camera to record that or we can just paint that. I feel photographer's approach lies in expecting nothing and reacting to the moments spontaneously.
an abstract in all cases is an attempt to move away from reality thus having a degree of freedom I agree with this. I also like to add, there are times we try to represent the things which doesn't exist in real. E.g. portrait of a wind. We haven't seen wind. Yet we try to represent it in our ages. Of course, even though we can't see the wind we feel it. How about the portrait of a mind or an angry mind through nature photograph? We haven't seen it. Yet trying to represent through photographs. We have tried to describe it through words, why can't we represent it through pictures?
In most of our expression knowingly or unknowingly our expression revolves around written/ spoken language or the expressions which can be put into words. Why can't an "amoortha" feeling be represented through picture? Why shouldn't an artist try to generate "amoortha" feeling in the minds of the viewer ?
So I have a doubt. You wrote, (In your article-abstracts) "Distortion presupposes a norm or order from which to depart and in representation
it must have a recognisable reference to the norm which is distorted for example a distorted circle". What if the presupposed norm doesn't have a recognisable form?
Off late I am thinking of new ways of commenting/ reacting. I wish I could just post a picture in the comment section instead of words. I wish I could place a real stone in the comment box. I wish I could hug the artist in the comment box. A reaction to the abstract art in the abstract form.
Just because a shape begins to form, does it become an abstract.
so are you suggesting that you are looking at this image to create a degree of binding and not a degree of freedom ?When I said "some random shapes are emerging in the yellow portion." I meant these are the physical things happened in my mind. This is how I tried to construct the image in my mind. This is may be one of the thousand interpretation/responses to the image. The image failed to grow beyond that. So I guessed, "some, more gradation in the colours/ different arrangement colours/ some more colours would have added". I know, this again becomes technical aspect. This is like a suggestion by a fellow photographer, like how we suggest "how about cropping?". Not the suggestion to change the entire design.
I am sorry, I may be deviating from the topic. You know, how good I am in expressing through words. I wish I could accompany you guys in Bharathpur to have a tete-a- tete.
RD,
To be honest, I am not able to connect with picture. I tried to connect in my own way, but I felt it lacks something to hold my attention. I don't think I need your words to guide me. In fact your words (in your last comment) are binding my imagination.