Jonathan Kirkendall on thu 20 jun 02
Through an odd set of coincidences (my alumni magazine asking to do an
article about me and a friend who had a friend visiting who was a
professional photographer looking to build his portfolio) I spent three and
a half hours yesterday afternoon in my studio being photographed!
It turned out to be a really wonderful experience. What I walked away with
is a deeper understanding of craft (this is not the "craft vs. art" thread -
I'm speaking here of the development of proficiency and skill). The
photographer (Christophe - really! And he was French!) would position me on
the wheel, take a poloroid shot, look at it (he referred to it as "reading
the light"), change a few things, take another pic, and so on for about two
hours. When he got the poloroid shot that he wanted, he brought out his
real camera and shot about two rolls of film. During this time, we kept up
a conversation, talking about the similarities between learning photography
and pottery.
He told me about his first apprenticeship. He would show up on Monday
morning and the photographer that he was working with would ask "How many
pictures did you shoot this weekend?" Christophe said that he would hmmm
and haw and shuffle his feet. He would offer excuses like "I can't afford
the film..." "I'll give you film" was the response. "Well, I can't afford
to have it processed..." "THEN THROW IT AWAY, but take the pictures!!!" He
then told me how important the process of taking the picture was - not just
the final result. I told him about my first apprenticeship, about how my
teacher sat me down and said "Throw 500 bowls." I thought she was kidding,
but she wasn't. She kept count.
On several occassions, we caught each other examining our object with
similar expressions on our face - he, looking at his photograph, me, bending
back to look at the pot on the wheel.
As he kept snapping poloroids, I became very interested. There really was a
sense of sculpting, but in a way that was new to me - placing objects in
space, then studying how the light hit them in a picture. He placed my can
of tools near his lense and took shots through the tools. He placed
finished pots behind me and backlit them. There was definitely a quality of
depth that he was developing, and I told him that is was as if he were
building a 2 dimensional sculpture, to which he responded (with humor) that
no, he was taking a 3 dimensional photograph! We had a nice light hearted
argument about this!
When he was ready to take the final photographs, the lights went out, and
all I had to throw by was the light coming in through the open door. I cut
myself twice with the damn rib, and because he liked the effect of the water
on the surface of the pot, I had to keep wetting it down...so there I am, my
finger bleeding, in the dark, throwing a tall pot that's overworked and very
wet, flashes going off, and doing my best to make love to the camera (ok, he
never really said that, but I'm sure that's what he meant by "Look at the
lens...").
It was fun. I walked away from the session feeling as if I had gained a new
understanding, a new way to look and experience the space around me, and
around my pots. Who knew being photographed would be so enriching?
Jonathan in DC
L. P. Skeen on thu 20 jun 02
Ye gods Jon, SAY these images will be where we can see 'em.
L
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jonathan Kirkendall"
Subject: On the Experience of Being Photographed
> Through an odd set of coincidences (my alumni magazine asking to do an
article about me and a friend who had a friend visiting who was a
professional photographer looking to build his portfolio) I spent three and
a half hours yesterday afternoon in my studio being photographed!
Janet Kaiser on fri 21 jun 02
How very enjoyable for you Jonathan. Of course you now know first hand
why photography is considered sexy.
Funnily enough, one of our two resident professional photographers
with XX years press, industrial, client and private experience decided
to do a degree course in fine art. After the first year of "having a
go" at all media, he really wanted to concentrate on painting, but his
tutors have decided he must concentrate on sculpture as his major.
Something to do with his ability to think spatially, which they
attribute to him being a professional photographer for so long.
I just wish potters (and most other exhibitors) would take better
photos of their work... One "professional quality" set taken twenty
years ago is not much use when trying to promote work, publish (either
in print or on the web) and generally inform the public about "new"
work. Musicians should also "do better". The number of times we have
expected a bright youthful looking performer, only to be disappointed
by a person usually twice the width of the original and not half as
glamorous! Before someone points out it is the music which counts
most... Yes, but it is much easier to promote if it looks good too!
:-)
Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art / Capel Celfyddyd
Home of The International Potters' Path
8 Marine Crescent : Criccieth LL52 0EA : GB-Wales
Telephone: ++44 (0)1766-523570
URL: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
postbox@the-coa.org.uk
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