Elevated Squeegee | High rise window washer Carries own weight Flexibly straddles wide expanse |
A s image makers we live in wonderful but challenging times. Our temporal space is fantastic because of the immediacy and flexibility of imaging technology. On the other hand, we are challenged by the enormity of the number of images that exist and are now being relentlessly produced. Virtually everything that can be photographed has been photographed and is currently being photographed. From this viewpoint, all has become a “cliché” - images have become overly familiar or commonplace.
In this context, much visual expression is overused to the point of losing its intended force or originality. As a result, many feel that certain themes should not be used, and if used are an indicator of a lack of creativity or sincerity. This can hamper many photographers, severely limiting their choice of subject matter.
On the other hand, there can also be advantages to using clichés. The use of a cliché that is well known to the audience can support the storytelling without as much explanation and elaboration required. They can also help in connecting with the audience by showing them something familiar and relatable.
In my own work, I am most interested in making images that are worth looking at - that are interesting visually. Often I find the conduit to this goal involves pushing against the envelope of both subject and technique.
"There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are." - Ernst Haas
