Fit That Square Peg

Into The Round Hole

T. Siegfried Ip

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Sometime ago I read a blog post written by another OCA student. He got a feedback from his tutor on an assignment and he was analyzing the comment that related to his choice of subject. On one hand, he wondered if choosing the right subject is as important as the photographic work. On the other hand, he thought “it is not the object that makes the photograph, it is the photographer”. Therefore, choosing the “right” subject should not be a break or make issue . I thought, I didn’t think too much about choosing a right subject either, even though I was probably constantly choosing. Take Ansel Adams as an example. Ansel went off to the national parks and found those screens that are already very beautiful on their own right. Part of the reasons why his work is great is because he chose the right subject. Ansel didn’t go on a photo-graph a pile of rubbish and used his photographic skill to make it visually appealing. At that moment, I heard a voice that said, “Why not photograph a pile of rubbish? How can you tell if Ansel actually had the skill or he was just lucky to be at the right place with a camera?” About a year later, I was working on assignment 4. In this assign-ment, we were asked to photograph a single object, showing its shape, colour, form, and texture. My tutor told me that I should go and find a suitable subject that has the properties that I need

to show, then think of the camera angle and lighting set. I heard a voice saying, “This is simply not true. There is no such thing called ‘suitable subject’.” I ignored the voice and moved on to my study. It was not until my submission of assignment 5 was rejected, I wonder what is a “suitable subject” would be. Once more, the voice came back. “Your photography is wrong because your ideas are fraud.” It said to me. “But which part is fraud?” “You don’t choose the ‘right subject’. It is wrong. You shouldn’t be looking for it.” “It is impossible” I said. “Take assignment 4 as an example. If I don’t choose a right subject that has shape, form, colour and texture, how can I make a photograph that shows those proper-ties?” “Just take anything.” It replied. “Try this. Take me on a walk and you will understand.” “Where are you?” “In the paper tray. I am inside the printer.”

I opened the paper tray and took out a piece of paper. I emptied my desk and set it down, wondering what it was trying to tell me all along.

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This is a piece of paper.

So, how am I supposed to create photographs that shows shape, colour, form and texture when this piece of paper hasn’t already had those properties?

It is white, A4, 80gsm. It is very thin.

It has a shape to it: It is rectan-gular. Not particular intere-sting.

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The first book in the Holy Bible is called “Genesis”. In the very first chapter, it said that the earth was a void and filled with darkness. Even so, God didn’t kick his boot and said, “I can’t work with this kind of mess”. Instead, he said,

“Let there be light.”

I suppose, only human beings complain about having a wrong subject. God never complains. He just commends.

So? Let there be colour.

Colour

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Michelangelo said this, “In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it.”

I suppose hew away means taking out the unnecessary piece, which means a subtraction.

Why don’t I try addition? Afterall, subtraction and addition are just the opposite sides of the same coin.

Form

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A few years ago just right after I got my first job, I decided to buy myself a camera with my first paycheque. The digital age was in its full bloom. There were many camera out in the market, with different size and shape. It happened that my boss was a serious amateur photographer, so I asked him what kind of camera I should buy.

“Just get something cheap.” He said. “If you are good, you can take good photograph with any ca-mera. Even with a pinhole! If you are no good, the “best camera” is nothing more than an expensi-ve blunder for you.”

I didn’t buy a pinhole camera. However, I always wonder if there will ever be a day that I can be good enough to make great image with anything.

Yes. Anything. Just give me anything, camera or subject. If I were any good, I should be able to get anything in front of me to work, right?

Maybe I really don’t have to choose a subject. It chose me.

Texture

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What is a narrative structure? In Wikipedia, a classical narrative structure contains a set up, a conflict and a resolution.

I think it is boring.

We should never write just another narrative. We should only write good narrative.

But then, what is a good narrative?

I think, a good narrative should also contain a “moral of the story”. A central message you tried to pass on to the reader. Whatever your setup, conflict and resolution are, they are just the surface elements. There should be something beyond that, something deeper that you try to convey. It is almost like if a narrative structure is a shell, then the moral is the soul.

Seriously, what kind of people are interested in seeing me photographing a piece of paper?

Shape

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I am a square peg, living a world of round holes.

I believe that if we think long and hard, usually there is a way out to whatever complex problem we are confronted with.

When is the last time you hear a voice that tells you to do something that make no sense?

Maybe sometime we should just take the leap and see if the net actually opens.

How important is it to have a suitable subject if we want to make good photograph?

Then, which one we value more: an ordinary image of a beautiful subject, or a beautiful image of an ordinary subject?

For me, as someone just started out, at the very bottom of the photographic hierarchy with little skill and experience, I wonder,

Maybe I should only photograph unsuitable subject.

In that way, I have to work harder.