23.6.08

Getting Hard...




I have to admit I am finding it harder to write these days, especially without the use of my left index finger due to a Sunday roast beef incident at the weekend. My writing slow down is not due to lack of material, in fact its the opposite in that there is too much. Sadly though its too much of the same... As I have been concentrating mostly on landscapes (these being my main source of interest and inspiration) time and time again I see work of similar themes and technique. This is not the start of a rant, just common fact and something I have seen as early as my college days when people would hide there prints as they came off the processor in fear of plagiarisms a-kim-bo.
But copy cats aside I wanted to draw attention to the work of Lynne Cohen
which is quite simply superb. I re-discovered her book No Mans Land the other day and had forgotten how much I love her work. What is most remarkable is the access gained to Military installations and the like. Cohen makes a point of this in the book interview and claims one of the key elements to her work is the fact that no one knows (or will know) how she does gain access to these fascinating places. I have always thought that access is the key with a lot of the best photography created, especially if access to anyone else is limited. In some cases it may simply be a case of who you know, vast research, or maybe it was just luck. I think an element of mystery within an image and the words "How on Earth did they do that" is something all photographers should aspire to. And if they succeed, then they should join the photography magic circle, or a Masonic lodge as I believe people there are very good at keeping secrets....

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