I’m not lost after all, I am found and that reflection proves it. I always knew where I was anyway. Call off the search. Alright, let’s not pretend that this blog is in any way profound or philosophical, I was outside the Bus Station in Bath. I am still searching though and at times not entirely sure what it is I'm supposed to be looking for, “je ne sais quoi” my friend and photographer Jeff Chane-Mouye might say. Is it time to call off the search then? Not a chance, but I won’t be searching through the internet. By the way, I see the irony as I wrote that. The only way anyone is going to possibly read this blog is via the internet. I’m not wholly against the web, it’s just become increasingly difficult to distinguish between what’s Fake or Real. It’s a web of lies, as they say: ‘Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive’, but we still need it. I hope this isn’t going to be one of those posts which continues in that vein and contradicts itself all the way through...
You’d think, and really I’d find it impossible to disagree, that I would know what it was I was looking for by now. I can only reply with a large degree of certainty and a similar dose of disappointment, that I haven’t found ‘it’ yet. There’s always the possibility ‘it’ may not even exist, but we live in hope and therefore continue to look and search for inspiration. We already said this isn’t a philosophical blog, we’re talking about photography, right? In photography terms, or anything else for that matter, the internet maybe not be the best place for that search. What you see is often not what you get and now I exclusively search for inspiration through books.
‘It’ can’t be perfection or whatever our concept of perfection might be, because it’s often fake in any case or eventually revealed as some kind of mirage and ultimately subterfuge. I suppose all we can really ask for is a little honesty and that, as we all know, is a rare commodity to find. Hey, I can’t be honest with myself half the time, even though I am totally trustworthy in all other respects. None of this is newsworthy in the slightest, nor is it a groundbreaking revelation to anyone over the age of about seven years old. An arbitrary age selection, but possibly when we begin to see things aren’t always quite what they seem. Personally I’d had quite a few clues, but was at least treble that age before I really began to work it out.
Just to digress briefly and don’t complain because you knew I would; that guy above is an actor in Stephen Merchant’s excellent TV series based in Bristol called ‘Outlaws’. That’s not to say Bristol is exclusively a home to outlaws, but there are a few for sure. On this occasion the TV crew were filming in Bath and I happened to walk past. It reminded me that I really do need to spend some more time in Bristol and I will once we return from our family holiday. A holiday that initially was billed as a “mystery tour” by the way. I’ll explain more about that in a moment. Let’s continue for a little more with, and I’ve honestly just realised, a blog topic that isn’t overly interesting.
I read in the newspaper the other day that 43% of 18-24 year olds say social media is their main source of news. I’ve no reason to believe that’s not true and as such all I can say is lord help us. For many years I have questioned every story I read or hear. Those headlines and column inches are mostly dictated by political or economical motivations. There are those who live in echo chambers, only subscribing to one news source, nodding in agreement to everything they read or hear from their chosen circle. Birds of a feather flock together, it’s as though they’ve joined a kind of weird cult, everything that seems so believable to them is treated with scepticism by the more well balanced amongst us. How come I’ve only just realised what bullshit the internet is then? Alright, I always had a suspicion, but since the advent of A.I. I’ve found it practically impossible to believe anything that I’m seeing, hearing or reading. Remember when the internet was a nice place? It had nice people and you could post nice photos of your nice cats. Sam (I’m still not sure whether to say my ex-wife or second ex-wife) calls this photo below “Kitten Spam”! Hilarious and also absolutely correct. The subjects of this particular piece of kitten spam below are hers incidentally.
So recently I was thinking about photography and decided to take a look at what others were producing, therefore discovering some much needed inspiration. I made a schoolboy error of believing social media might assist. Firstly I typed “Portrait Photography” into Instagram’s search area and secondly “Street Photography”. The first of those was a big mistake, my search page was populated by a huge amount of women with even huger boobs in minuscule bikinis, generally on a Dubai beach holding with something they were promoting which I doubt they ever used. I clicked on one for “research purposes”, strangely enough I didn’t find any inspiration whatsoever. The second search for Street Photography was worse still. No fake boobs, just fake photos. I looked at them, decided that they didn’t look real and clicked on a couple of the thumbnails. They were as fake as an “influencers” breasts and projected lifestyle. Created using A.I. and tagged: Street, 35mm, Photography and so forth. Worse, they were posted by those so called ‘hubs’ that profess to be all about Street Photography. As usual the subjects had rather more fingers than you’d generally expect on a human being.
Arguably that shot above isn’t the best example of a street photograph, it’s just a colour match. My wonderful dad used to say “just draw what you see”, I can’t draw and so I just click what I see. It’s an honest photo though.
Now, Instagram knows I have a link to Leica and mistakingly believes, through its algorithm assisted by A.I., that it knows exactly what I like. My search page is now populated by 1. People holding a Leica Camera. 2. Russian women in bikinis with big breasts. 3. A.I. Street Photos. None of which I’m in the slightest bit fascinated with. I’m sticking with photography books as I’ve always advocated to anyone with an interest in photography. It is within those we find true inspiration or alternatively we can walk through the streets, putting in the hard work. Not just typing four words for A.I. to trawl billions of our images and steal, ones that we have sweated for, that have been painstakingly created through our years of experience and practice.
Let’s leave all that behind us and move on. Here’s a few more recent, normal, honest and not ‘Glory’ Street shots and we’ll return to the briefly mentioned forthcoming holiday. Just ordinary, everyday street photos. You can see Louis got pulled into the first one, that girl he’s stood next to was lovely, genuine and kind.
A far cry from perfection and not hitting a chord with me for whatever it is I’m searching for. I’ll know when I find it, you’ll be the first to know, I promise. In the end I suppose you have to take everything on the information that is available to you and draw your own conclusions. Whether that’s the virtual world of the internet or life. Decide what’s fake or real, what it is you’re searching for and if you find the need for validation from anything or anybody that isn’t the real deal. I still have 87,000 followers on the photography platform 500px, it’s highly doubtful that many of those are actual people. Therefore it’s unimportant for anyone to gauge their own photography by followers or likes. In any case the last photo I posted received under 200 likes, does that mean 86,800 followers didn’t like it, even the bloody robots weren’t inspired.
Sam was going to book a holiday for us as a family. A simple enough task you’d think and be completely wrong. I drive her crazy for many reasons, but for holidays it’s worse because even though I’m not doing any of the work searching for the vacation I’ll critique every suggestion. The hotel doesn’t look that great, or the flight times aren’t that brilliant. You know the kind of thing? So when we decided to have our family break I announced; “I’m not going to say anything, don’t tell me where it is, I want zero information, just book it”. She said that she’d tell me the night before what time we were leaving and from which airport in the morning as we left the house. All I knew was that it would be likely hot and sunny. We both agreed that my roomie would be Louis…here he is looking at me after we broke the news to him!
Whenever we’ve been away in the past we’ve all shared a large family room or suite. All I’ll say is one member of the tourist party can be a complete pain, especially when the others are wanting to get to sleep. Although Sam and I were separated awaiting divorce, and I know this might sound odd, when we went away to Kos last summer we actually had our own room and the children shared the other. Unfortunately Amélie had to deal with his shenanigans. Believe me, nothing happened with Sam and I, just in case you were thinking it. We’re extremely good friends, that’s it. I know you’re now thinking; Surely she’s only human, how could she possibly resist the temptation? Well, I look like a Greek God admittedly, however I also possess a special ability that some say is a curse. I transmit something through the ether that radiates to all women thus putting them off me completely. Note to self: Work out how to turn it off. Explore the possibility of not speaking?! Besides, as Instagram thinks it knows, I’m only interested in Russian women with fake boobs, stood in a street grasping a Leica camera with their twelve fingers on each hand. Oversharing possibly, but I thought it was funny to bring in the Instagram search nonsense.
I was telling my eldest daughter’s boyfriend who happens to be ex-military about this mystery tour holiday. A really nice guy, an ex-paratrooper amongst other services he provided. “I won’t even know the airport I’m flying from “ I said. “As long as it’s not Brize Norton you’ll be fine” was his reply. I couldn’t stop laughing. In case you’re not familiar with British airports that one isn’t used for civilians to fly out on a holiday mission. The next day I sadly got an email from British Airways revealing all, flying from London Heathrow and the destination was Turkey. I wasn’t going to be removing a despot from power after all, I had a much tougher mission, share a room with Louis for a week in Fethiye. I’m joking and can’t wait for our family break and to spend time with Louis, Amélie and of course Sam. I leave you with my youngest daughter and her boyfriend. I had to take their photo right? No point being a father if you can’t embarrass your children. I think they’re perfect together.
Yesterday I shot a lovely wedding and tomorrow we jet off. I’ll write a blog covering that wedding once I’ve done editing the results and another featuring our holiday. Until then keep well, look after each other and be kind.
All images can be opened by clicking on the thumbnails and are made using a Leica M with Summicron 28mm Lens fitted except the last one taken with a Noctilux 50mm.
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