johnfisheruk.com » Culture

Experience grinds the Lens though which we perceive reality

johnny f — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:09:32 +0000

That sounds great doesn’t it ?

But also so very true. Sit three photographers in front of the same subject and you’ll get three different images. You see it a lot in artists group portrait sessions. Half a dozen artists sitting around one naked model,one will produce a perfect rendering of the person in front of them and another will come up with a pacaso style image with three noses and a dog thrown in for good measure.I suppose it’s that old adage that if were all the same the world would be a boring place, but we could never be all the same could we ?

Experience grinds the Lens though which we perceive reality

I’m actually quoting Dave Stewart of eurythmics fame, who I believe in turn was quoting someone else. Dave is an incredibly creative person, his “lens” it appears to me, is not ground purely by what’s happened to him by chance, rather he goes out of his way to find people and experiences that colour his world and in turn enhance his creativity. Great things happen when your open to new people and experiences. The more inspiration we take onboard the greater the pool we have to draw from when needed.
If your wondering what your seeing in the image above, it’s an inverted shot of the underneath of an elevated section of the Paris metro.

Experience grinds the lens ?

I’d say so.

more images from this series can be found at John Fisher – Photography is the new Rock and Roll.

Would you still come to the dance, the day the music stops – Make way for the New bohemians . . .

johnny f — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:09:39 +0000

New Bohemians

Yes dear reader that is a rather elaborate title, but why use only a couple of words when you can get away with eighteen ?The first part is a reference to the ( yet to be written let alone published ) book I want to produce regarding the importance and impact popular culture has had in our society since way back. They say there’s a book in everyone this is mine. The second part is regarding where we are now the latest recession not unlike the eighties seems to be accompanied by fashion and music that is in complete contrast; colour, bold statements, accessorizing all flying in the face of the economic down turn. Back in the eighties even songs like the Specials – ghost town may have painted a bleak and oppressed landscape, but at the same time enveloped the listener with a sense are belonging.

Rich culture enriches our life’s, creative thought begets creative thought and it has forever been so. Art is always richest in the face of adversity, the first room of Birmingham art gallery as you enter from the main entrance ( Chamberlain Square ) contains art from different artists, countries, even centuries and its content is life itself; tragedy, love, warfare, spectacle. A richness of colour, texture and talent that never fails’ to inspire me. These days life may not be as hard but it’s certainly more complicated. Fashions may come and go but look around you, culture whether it be music, fashion, art, photography as never been more rich and diverse.

The New Bohemian dear reader is you.

Be sure to check out my main site for more info www.johnfisheruk.com

Would you still come to the dance, the day the music stops?

johnny f — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:15:00 +0000

I often wonder what it would be like to live in 1950’s post war Britain. Surrounded as we are now by technology ; Internet, mobile photos, digital this and that, automatic doors, automatic cat flaps come to that. The more simple existence back then does have its appeal, trouble is you tend to look back with rose tinted spectacles overlooking the hardships of to time, the long working hours, poor working conditions, coal fires, outside loo’s etc.So I ask you this…How much harder would life be, then and now without culture – music/ books/ art/photography come to that. Everywhere you look these days you see photographs/ drama – be it stage, movie or TV .

Indeed would life be worth living, how would we spend our time without those small luxuries ?

We would all become alcoholic sex maniacs !

OK, fair enough that argument doesn’t hold any water, but you get my drift and so I offer you another of my favorite quotes, from the film Pitch Black …

” it’s amazing how you can do without the necessaries in life, so long as you have the luxuries”

And long may we wallow in our current luxury. Popular culture tends to be dismissed a trivial, but surely it is the elixir of life…

The photo’s above are of The Beautiful Deadly Creatures, a sort of goth cabaret band. They may not appreciate that label, but i personally enjoy their show and the title fits for me. These guys are the perfect example of the freedom and luxury that today’s society allows us. The more culture we have access to the further we push the boundaries, maybe technology and culture aren’t that alike after all.