October 31, 2006

Lizzie's Lightbox



I'm Lizzie, and this space is my lightbox, where I'll be collecting thoughts and reflections as I put my photographs up and hold light to them - and this is one way I can think to address something that's been bothering me. The problem is a dual one of speed and quantity. So much, so quickly, but just because we can, doesn't mean we should.

I'm talking about the acceleration of ideas through use of groovy digital gadgets. They can be super helpful purely because they're so desirable and make interesting stuff more accessible, but these little accessories also threaten to dull our critical appraisal: acknowledge sound and vision, collect it obsessively, but don't hang about to enjoy it because this big old freight train of 'more is better' isn't stopping.

Just because I have a million playlists doesn't mean my appreciation of music has matured (I perhaps listen to 20% of what's on the pod), and just because I like my beautiful little camera that talks to my slinky laptop picture library doesn't mean my work as a photographer is becoming more articulate.

I'm amazed by potential. I'm stifled by choice. I want to have a look at what's there and reflect on why it matters to me.




{today's soundtrack: Plaid - Clockwork}

3 comments:

lorna said...

Coooo-eeee.

I like your words a lot. It is great that you have set up this blog so that I can have access to more of them.

I think it is very interesting what you say about the speeding up of technology and the convenience of it perhaps taking away some of the value of the work. (if, that is what you are saying).

On Saturday it was the most fun to play around with the polaroid and the RZ. All the adjustments and thought and 'making it just right', they were important. And because of all that, the few pictures that were taken were imparted with more care, more love, more craft, than just a quick snap that stays as noughts and ones on a hard disk, hardly to be glanced at.

I love snapping pictures but sometimes I think it is a shame that I don't LOOK at them for long enough. I don't value each individual one. It is more about the cleverness of capturing it than the enjoyment of looking at it.

What I like about a blog is that I select just a few pictures to put out there; to archive; to make visible and so I look at them much more.

Now I've rambled for far too long.
Tata
Lorna

Betty Silk said...

hello, and thanks for being 1st commenter!

Yes, that's just what I'm saying, that
a few carefully chosen words that emerge from silence are more powerful than a thoughtless monologue that never ends - the clanging cymbal routine.

Conversely, don't worry about rambling though! Some voices are good to hear.

Lizzie

Anonymous said...

hi, good site very much appreciatted