Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/07/20

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Subject: [Leica] Altered Photo Ric and reality
From: chs2018 at med.cornell.edu (Chris Saganich)
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:01:24 -0400
References: <AANLkTin8h0C9qYLdXaQaTpUY0zoOeVwIkB2Jn0wdoDLp@mail.gmail.com> <E9F63B3B-2964-4BDE-9034-726315CDA4F7@embarqmail.com> <6.2.5.6.2.20100720122051.05681d18@med.cornell.edu> <16889D52-C7C8-4C5B-AE36-70A9E59F2B71@embarqmail.com> <6.2.5.6.2.20100720143719.0534a008@med.cornell.edu> <4D4E88BA-63B3-428C-B139-F271715E3836@embarqmail.com>

There IS something special about the frame, o precious frame.  The 
assumption was that we derive meaning from the world through brute 
facts, however, brute facts can't create significance.  Significance 
is derived via our background knowledge being applied to the 
frame.  Changing elements in the frame changes significance and 
relevance.  HOWEVER

The brain on the other hand doesn't create frames, we don't have an 
internal representation of the world we need to refer to each time 
something happens, ours is one of always coping in a situation moving 
anew with past experience going before organizing what will show-up 
next as relevant.  The frame is intriguing to the brain because it is 
outside this holism and shows that everyday understanding is not just 
a sum-total of occurrent elements.  I think what confuses people 
about image manipulation is that significance doesn't change much 
because we all share common background understanding about the 
world.  In the case of the golfer the significance would be 
dramatically changed for the caddy and those close to the caddy who 
share a more detailed intimate understanding of his role in the 
moment of victory.  For you or I, well who cares?  I agree, the 
significance doesn't change.  But it could.  I'm thinking of that 
famous photograph of Clinton and the innocent looking Monica which 
all the digital photogs had dumped from their archives as 
insignificant later to become most significant.

It would be a interesting exercise to photoshop out elements of 
common understanding.  A garden party scene with all the chairs 
photoshoped out so people looked to be standing in these awkward 
positions.  Could be a surrealist revival.







At 03:17 PM 7/20/2010, you wrote:

>On Jul 20, 2010, at 2:41 PM, Chris Saganich wrote:
>
> > It reminds me of a Vonnegut novel where an alien was able to see 
> a person not in time but through time, so they appear on one end as 
> a baby and on the other end as an old adult with their entire life 
> creating their form in between.
>
>i love vonnegut
>
> >  I would say that if those elements were in the image then they 
> shouldn't be photoshopped out.
>
>That puts us back in the last lengthy discussion on this--some 
>people think there is something special about the frame--it's okay 
>to crop with the camera, and brain, but not okay with photoshop. I 
>think there is a very fuzzy line between them
>
>i don't think any of these questions are answerable--but they make 
>for a valuable exercise
>
>my main problem is with those who think the answers are very easy 
>and very black & white--people's lives are being ruined or trifled 
>with by people who are are dogmatic and have less command of their 
>subject than they think
>
>i'm seeing many shades of gray where some are seeing black & white
>
>ric
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Leica Users Group.
>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information



In reply to: Message from images at comporium.net (Tina Manley) ([Leica] Altered Photo)
Message from ricc at embarqmail.com (Ric Carter) ([Leica] Altered Photo)
Message from chs2018 at med.cornell.edu (Chris Saganich) ([Leica] Altered Photo Ric and reality)
Message from ricc at embarqmail.com (Ric Carter) ([Leica] Altered Photo Ric and reality)
Message from chs2018 at med.cornell.edu (Chris Saganich) ([Leica] Altered Photo Ric and reality)
Message from ricc at embarqmail.com (Ric Carter) ([Leica] Altered Photo Ric and reality)