" From those who have researched human physiology we learn that there is a
mechaniism whereby light reflected from objects passes thru' a lens called the
cornea, is impinged onto a thing called a retina which in turn passes the data
to a memory bank. Memories are created from these images and can be processed
into graphic form using skills developed with materials such as sticks on
sand, scratches on cave walls and rocks, paint and inks onto various surfaces;
these processes have, recently, become quite sophisticated and categorized
into different areas of human endeavour.
Would anyone care to say whether we could justifiably call this process
ALT photo? If you can, then you have freed yourself from the divisions which
separate photographers from painters. Why would Artists wish to sustain these
barriers, anyway, which have long since disappeared from the world of
advertising graphics practice? I think that, today, this question of
segregation between photography and other forms of graphic work can only be
regarded as old hat. Art historians must be given time to catch up and write
their tomes. This is yet another world of verbalization which tends to control
and stultify what we, as artists, instinctively feel we wish to express with
our processes.
There is room for everyone. Are we not camera systems, or what?"
Just a thought.........Photographist. John Grocott (London UK)
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And again on 21/11/97
From "Principles of Pictorial Photography" 1923:- Comments by the
author John Wallace Gillies on 9 X 12 cm B/W reproductions in the book :-
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"East River and Manhattan Bridge" " This picture was taken with the motion
picture camera on an October morning and then enlarged on bromide paper.
There was no deliberate diffusion except to use a lens which would not cut
sharp, and enlargement did the rest. ...........Compositionally the picture
feels good, and the values are forced a little in development to obtain the
feeling of misty distance."
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"East River - Morning"..".This picture was taken with the motion picture
camera, and a direct enlargement made from one of the frames. It is
effectively, but rather crudely composed, dramatic rather than anything else,
which makes up for many deficiencies in the eyes of the unsophisticated. No
great attempt was made at a refinement of arrangement and the camera was set
up quickly..........Sometimes one must work quickly, or lose it altogether.
If there is any composition, it is the repetition of vertical lines through
which we see the dim outlines of the bridge."
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" An Impression of Brooklyn Bridge."..".Taken with the motion picture camera
using a soft focus lens, and then enlarged again using a soft focus lens to
about 6 X 8, from which this cut was made. Example of extreme diffusion,
eliminating all detail, and holding just the main masses. Three tones in the
picture, which is what was sought after. The feeling of distance accomplished
by this method is apparent."
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My modest analysis followed:-
" The technical references in the above extracts are easy
enough to understand without us having to see the images to which he is
refering. The point I would like to make is that the abstract concepts on
their own can be verbalized using the terminology of the lab worker. Add to
this a brief description of the subject content e.g. " East River", "Brooklyn
Bridge", "October morning', "misty distance", " the dim outlines of the
bridge", etc., and we begin to get flickering images in the imagination
created by the skill of the writer which are overlayed like a mask on the
actual images being viewed or described.
I feel it would be ludicrous to suggest that this process of
conjuring up mental image pictures through language could, in itself, be
called ALT photo, altho' , surely it is an integral part of our appreciation
of the mechanics of our interest and, therefore, an area which may be
discussed without fear of castigation.<--------------------<<<<.
I personally enjoy reading most of the stuff downloaded from
this list, even the "flamings" and "techno freakism", and hope my own meagre
contributions are accepted with all their faults as an attempt to reach parts
of the human psyche which some others' thoughts can sometimes reach, too."
Arigato gozaimashita!
Photographist - John Grocott (London U.K.)