Often, but not always, I shoot long exposure photography. I listened to an interview with Alexey Titarenko today and he suggested that to shoot long exposures was to put yourself into the photograph. I like that idea. In long exposures you record something the eye cannot see - the passage of time. In doing so, you determine what the final photograph will be by deciding on the period of time during which your shutter will be open. Therefore, you put a unique element into the photograph and in some mysterious way, that unique element is a reflection of you.
Alexey Titarenko is best know for his 'City of Shadows' work - city_pict1a.jpg He captured the movement of people to create a symbolic image of the transient nature of life in St Petersburg. I find this particular series to be very profound and powerful. You get a sense of the harshness of life under communism. You feel the cold and the poverty and the totalitarianism. You see beyond the photograph into the society. It is remarkable that a black and white photograph has so much colour to it and can reveal layers that are not visible on the surface.
Michael Kenna talks about using exposure times of up to 7 hours to create his photographs and the luxury of having that time in which to do nothing. ba66903.jpg There is an immense beauty in much of his work but I find the extent that he is willing to push the boundaries of what he is doing to be hugely inspirational. Michael Kenna rips up the rule book in pursuit of individual creativity. He demonstrates that it is the photographer and not the camera that actually takes the photograph.
Aside from the genius of Alexey Titarenko and Michael Kenna's work, there are two reasons that I like long exposure photography:
Firstly, I enjoy the process of taking the photographs. During the process I often feel a sense of calm and catharsis. I sit and wait and watch time go by. I listen to the sea or the wind. I switch off. Those moments are the perfect antidote to the stresses of life. I find that my mind empties and there is a sense of peace. Quite often, I will use the time to look around the scene to see if there is another composition that I want to shoot but generally I will just wait.
Secondly, I love the results. I like the idea that you leave something to chance during the process. Things happen that you cannot control; people may wander into your shot, the light may change and elements such as water and clouds will move. Generally, the effect is to smooth movement and this can help generate negative space in the final image. I love minimalist photography and simple images and negative space amplifies these concepts. It also creates a sense of mystery in an image and hints at what may have been there. Not all the questions are answered. You may have to draw your own conclusions.
So what conclusions do I draw? Actually, I'm not sure and this is the beauty of it. Yes, I feel peace in the process and contentment in the results, but not all questions need an answer. Perhaps the creativity is the answer itself. Perhaps this is a part of my life that I don't need a definitive conclusion for. Perhaps all the answers are wrapped up in the final photograph.
Disappearance