Chiaroscuro

The photographer’s problem, therefore, is to see clearly the limitations and at the same time the potential qualities of his medium, for it is precisely here that honesty, no less than intensity of vision, is the prerequisite of a living expression. This means a real respect for the thing in front of him, expressed in terms of chiaroscuro through a range of almost infinite tonal values which lie beyond the skill of human hand. – Paul Strand – “Seven Arts”, 1917.

I’m not implying that I am living up to Paul Strand’s idea of the photographer moving past the “limitations” of painting and other art forms. I’ve just begun reading Mr. Strand’s work and it is making me look at photography as art in a whole new light.

I do, however, think that this image is a good example of the extreme variation in tonal values available to photographers. It is . . . not easy, but perhaps undemanding to make a straightforward image at music events such as UMX. I’m trying to push myself a little further that documentary imaging. I think I’ve managed to capture something else here but perhaps I’m self-aggrandizing.

I’d love to hear your opinions on this image and the role that photography has in the larger artistic world. Can photography be art without overt manipulation in postproduction?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 at 10:54 am and is filed under Art, Images and tagged with Art, chiaroscuro, Concert Photography, Images, UMX. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.