Week 31 - What Else it Is

Wall-scape

Iconic photographer Minor White is known for many quotes regarding photography. Among them is, "one should not only photograph things for what they are but for what else they are."

As we evolve as a photographer, we begin to see things not for what they are but instead for their shape, depth, and lines.

For example, being primarily a landscape photographer, a walk in the woods becomes not about the actual trees and paths but how the forms are composed and relate to each other. This abstracted view informs how the eye will traverse the image.

Over time these abstractions that we equate with the landscape are recognized in unrelated impressions. In this case, a time-worn wall. But, what else is it?

By its very nature, a wall is a two-dimension object which isn't ideal for photography. But here, the cracking masonry bends as a path to the horizon. The white on the upper left suggests the sky, while the same tone on the central right could be the sea.

Converting the image to black and white heightens the illusion. In color, it is a vibrant yellow wall. In black and white, the lines and texture allow it to become "what else it is"

f5.6 1/125 sec ISO 200 August 7, 2022