happy medium
so, I’ve had this somewhat rhetorical question floating around in my head for quite some time now, and I haven’t really known what it was, per se. I was just reading/viewing Pilfered magazine – Patrick Hoelck tweeted a link I picked up – and it sparked.
I have two favorite styles/genres of photography: editorial and contemporary. my own style, though not quite refined yet, is pretty editorial. now, I know some may say that editorial isn’t really a style, but I think of it this way – editorial either tells a story, connects a viewer to an image, or sells a product. for the most part, I think I’m the middle category. I try to make some sort of connection with the viewer; for each person, it will be different but it will hopefully evoke something (ie, a memory, an emotion, a thought) and in a way, connect the both of us. I think that’s me. usually, I work with digital tech because it’s the most familiar to me, and when working with a conceptual idea your margin of error is essentially a moot point. I don’t know if other photographers that fall into my personal conception of editorial photography feel that way.
as I said, I also really enjoy contemporary photography. stuff like Doug DuBois’ all the days and nights (yeah, even before it was viral), Thomas Broening’s personal work, or Phillip Toledano’s days with my father really gets me.
with contemporary work, there’s more than just an aesthetic. it kind of borders on what I like to do, but definitely has a different feel and a different look, generally speaking.
so, while I like both styles, I’m torn between the two when I shoot. I know for fact that I’m not a contemporary shooter, I’m not really suited for fine art work. and then again, some of my stuff isn’t really well suited for editorial purposes. I think all of us go through a period where we try to remake the photographs we’ve seen and admire, just because we’re lost or haven’t quite realized what it is we’re supposed to shoot. I’ll admit that I do that sometimes – not for lack of creativity, but like a band covering a song in an homage to its creator. I thought that, off and on, up until now. what I really need to do is match my admiration for both styles on equal fronts. what I mean is make my contemporary and editorial sides meet in the middle and show parts of both. but then again, what the hell do I know?
