New Zealand and photography
New Zealand and photography are strange bed fellows. The history of this remote country is about survival and making do. New Zealand went through a period of unusual home made left wing politics, that made it hard to import any item not made in part, in country.
That led to the Kiwi make do attitude, which of course is the same in many countries around the world. The man in the shed making do, is reflected in Britain and other places.
Unfortunately the idea has gone a bit far here in New Zealand. In my exhibition I had a perfectly reasonable and intelligent man who came in a few times to view a picture. He then went to the same location to recreated the photograph. Yep lots do that, but to do it repeatedly and still wonder why the result is not the same as mine, surly would lead a person to ponder, that it takes more then a location and camera to make a good photograph.
What I think is missing is the realization that education and immersion into the context,
both culturally and historical, of photography on a world stage and in new Zealand would lead him to image enlightenment. I feel many people here shy away from the idea of arts based study as too namby pamby, and real men just go into the bush and get great pictures by osmosis. Next time you visit New Zealand take a look at the tourist photo books and compare them to the landscape you see around you, once you have scratched the surface visually and culturally. This might account for the notion that photography, especially digital photography is not art, attitude is still resident in these fair islands.
After all you have to do is buy a camera from the high street, what more do you need, to emulate the greats in photography?
That led to the Kiwi make do attitude, which of course is the same in many countries around the world. The man in the shed making do, is reflected in Britain and other places.
Unfortunately the idea has gone a bit far here in New Zealand. In my exhibition I had a perfectly reasonable and intelligent man who came in a few times to view a picture. He then went to the same location to recreated the photograph. Yep lots do that, but to do it repeatedly and still wonder why the result is not the same as mine, surly would lead a person to ponder, that it takes more then a location and camera to make a good photograph.
What I think is missing is the realization that education and immersion into the context,
both culturally and historical, of photography on a world stage and in new Zealand would lead him to image enlightenment. I feel many people here shy away from the idea of arts based study as too namby pamby, and real men just go into the bush and get great pictures by osmosis. Next time you visit New Zealand take a look at the tourist photo books and compare them to the landscape you see around you, once you have scratched the surface visually and culturally. This might account for the notion that photography, especially digital photography is not art, attitude is still resident in these fair islands.
After all you have to do is buy a camera from the high street, what more do you need, to emulate the greats in photography?
Comments