Misha Gordin
Featured art photographer this month with new work is Misha
Gordin conceptual fine art photographer.
Conventional versus Conceptual
Do I point my camera outwards to the existing world or turn it
inward towards my soul.
Am I taking photographs of existing reality, or creating my own
world, so real but non existent.
Results from this two opposite approaches are notably different
and, in my opinion, conceptual.
Photography is a higher form of artistic expression that places
photography on the level of painting, poetry, music and sculpture.
It employs the special talent of intuitive vision. By translating
the personal concepts into the language of photography, it
reflects the possible answers to major questions of being: birth,
death and life.
Creating an idea and transforming it into reality is an
essential process of conceptual photography.
Today's conventional approach, with a few exceptions,
completely dominates Art Photography. But introduction of digital
photography can change this balance. The ease of producing altered
realities, will bring a new wave of talented artists, who will use
it to express their special world of visions, with all its
meanings, symbols and mystery.
In a world of high technology will you still believe in
truthfulness of a photograph?
And does it matter?
To me it matters. In all these years of creating conceptual
images, I tried to make them as realistic as possible. My
technical abilities have improved, allowing me to broaden horizons
for my ideas.
But this is not the most important part of the process.
The poor concept, perfectly executed, still makes a poor
photograph
Therefore, the most important ingredient of the powerful image
is a concept. The blend of a talent to create a concept and the
skill to deliver it - those are two major building blocks of
creating a convincing conceptual photograph.
It is not a new idea to manipulate photographic images. As a
matter of fact all images are manipulated to a certain degree. The
real power of photography emerges when altered reality is
presented as existent and is expected to be perceived as such.
An obviously manipulated image is a trick that shows a lack of
understanding of the unique power of photography - the belief
engraved in our subconscious that what was captured by the camera
has to exist. In the best examples of successfully manipulated
images the question "Is it real?" does not arise.
My first introduction to digital manipulations showed me how
similar analog and digital techniques are. Each has it's bright
and dark spots. At this moment I don't see any reason to switch to
digital. I still prefer glowing quality of original print and the
laborious process to achieve it. Yet, I believe, that it is only
matter of time before digital technology replaces analog and the
conceptual approach will receive well deserved place in Art of
Photography.
I also want to believe that, many years from now, artists will
continue to develop the language of photography, understanding and
preserving its unique power.
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