I like your photographs very much, but what I really like is how your titles make the photographs better. I have been looking at one of my photographs for the past week and haven’t come up with a title. Expressive meaningful titles are hard work.
Allan, thanks for the compliment. I’m definitely not in the camp of photographers who claim that only poor photographs benefit from titles. My titles are usually just the result of a bit of free association when viewing and working on an image. (Or sometimes a title occurs to me even before I photograph a scene.) In all honesty, my own feeling is that while some of the titles definitely impart meaning or otherwise improve the associated images, other titles are simply puns or silly detractions from what I meant to be serious subjects. I used to worry about that, but then decided I didn’t care as it is a part of what makes photography fun for me.
Just for grins, I am sitting here staring at the photo you framed and gave me when I visited you (it’s hanging here in my studio), trying to think of a title. The first thing that comes to mind is “Western Swing,” a riff on the fact that at first glance the photo always comes across to me as an abstract version of a map of the western U.S. states. I realize you might not even remember which photo you framed for me. If so now you can entertain yourself with trying to figure that out. 🙂
The photograph I gave you I called 39 because of the penciled 39 in the upper corner. When I looked at it on the computer screen I saw a county map of California. I am pleased that you see it as a map also.
Alan, it’s interesting that we both saw maps and not surprising that I didn’t see what you saw because I’m not familiar with the counties of California at all. Instead I saw hints of Nevada and Idaho in addition to the coast of California which lead me to the map of the western U.S.
I like your photographs very much, but what I really like is how your titles make the photographs better. I have been looking at one of my photographs for the past week and haven’t come up with a title. Expressive meaningful titles are hard work.
Can I hire you to be my title generator?
Allan, thanks for the compliment. I’m definitely not in the camp of photographers who claim that only poor photographs benefit from titles. My titles are usually just the result of a bit of free association when viewing and working on an image. (Or sometimes a title occurs to me even before I photograph a scene.) In all honesty, my own feeling is that while some of the titles definitely impart meaning or otherwise improve the associated images, other titles are simply puns or silly detractions from what I meant to be serious subjects. I used to worry about that, but then decided I didn’t care as it is a part of what makes photography fun for me.
Just for grins, I am sitting here staring at the photo you framed and gave me when I visited you (it’s hanging here in my studio), trying to think of a title. The first thing that comes to mind is “Western Swing,” a riff on the fact that at first glance the photo always comes across to me as an abstract version of a map of the western U.S. states. I realize you might not even remember which photo you framed for me. If so now you can entertain yourself with trying to figure that out. 🙂
The photograph I gave you I called 39 because of the penciled 39 in the upper corner. When I looked at it on the computer screen I saw a county map of California. I am pleased that you see it as a map also.
Alan, it’s interesting that we both saw maps and not surprising that I didn’t see what you saw because I’m not familiar with the counties of California at all. Instead I saw hints of Nevada and Idaho in addition to the coast of California which lead me to the map of the western U.S.