I started a photographic club at almost every school at which I taught. At the end of my career, as a member of the Communication Directorate I became, by default, the unofficial official photographer for the Western Cape Education Department. Now retired, my goal is to spend a year in the Karoo learning how to take one or two iconic photographs of the Karoo as almost none of these representational Karoo shots speak to me. This blog is part of that aim.
Dissatisfaction 50 years down the line
Any serious photographer will doubtless ask him or herself what is a photograph, why am I taking photographs and/or what do I want this photograph to say? These questions are pertinent because, although I’ve been taking photographs for more than half a century, I’m still uncertain what I’m doing and why.
On a more primitive level what have also spurred me have been photographs that my erstwhile colleagues at Camps Bay High School and long-time friends, Ken Barris and Gregor Leigh, have shared that leave me envious.
I know it shouldn’t be the case but I sense that I’m also unsure of myself or where I’m going because I don’t have any art training so, for me, it’s largely hit ‘n miss – although, I might be making excuses for myself because neither Ken nor Gregor has a visual art background.
In this blog stream or theme I’m going to share what I’ve managed to distil for myself about what photography is, why I take photographs, and which photographs work for me. Hopefully Ken and Gregor (and others) will share some of their images – so you can see what I mean.
As I’ve also spent much of my life as a teacher and because teaching, for me, is about opening new paths of discovery I’m hoping that one or two of these posts might trigger something in you, the reader. If so, please share your favourite pics.