David Brooks had a wonderful and insightful column in the New York Times on November 26 entitled "The Other Education." In the piece he discusses knowledge that we acquire indirectly through our life experiences rather than through formal training.
This knowledge "comes indirectly, seeping through the cracks of the windowpanes, from under the floorboards and through the vents. It's generally a byproduct of the search for pleasure, and the learning is indirect and unconscious."
I was particularly struck by this column because I think it applies to the arts in general, and photography specifically.
For a number of years I have given a lecture entitled "Learning from the Masters." It was a lecture put together by my good friend Professor David Carter and me to educate photographers on what they could learn from studying the work of the great painters. David and I gave it together for many year until his death several years ago.
Over the years of giving the program what frequently struck me was how few photographers, who profess to want to be "fine art" photographers, actually go and look at work. It's not that they don't go to see paintings, they don't go to see photography exhibitions either! In doing so, they are cutting themselves off from this indirect learning that will potentially seep into their vision.
I am a big believer in going to exhibitions, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Often there is a fine line between work that is truly wonderful and that which is awful. Where this line is drawn is different for each individual. However, denying oneself the opportunity to draw the line is a mistake.
Photographers, and all artists for that matter, should challenge their vision and understanding. It may be more helpful to determine why we don't like something than why we do. In failing to explore we fail to grow.
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