Luminous Landscape Forum
The Art of Photography => The Coffee Corner => Topic started by: wolfnowl on May 17, 2013, 11:37:22 pm
-
A question worth asking.
http://www.npr.org/2013/04/19/174724704/what-is-beauty
Mike.
-
Beauty is a reminder of the soul to the mind that we are more than the sum of our parts.
-
Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.
-
Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.
If one takes this even remotely literally, it falls to bits. Especially regarding human beings.
I think beauty is just a random set of variables that, combined in a certain way, strike a chord in the human psyche. It can apply to other humans, animals, sounds, various sights, smells and even piles of rubbish in the corner of a field. Maybe it just has no constant rules, and that's why it's difficut to define: it's too mercurial, and just when you think you've got it sussed, you change your mind and pick something else... but even so, you usually know it when you see it.
Rob C
-
For some of us it's the Nail-Factor ;)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8080/8438679589_42dfa476d5_b.jpg)
-
Unwise decision, ladies.
Rob C
-
If one takes this even remotely literally, it falls to bits. Especially regarding human beings.
Of course it does, Rob, and regarding pretty much anything. Beauty isn't an absolute. It's a subjective impression: it is, truly, in the eye of the beholder. I look at photographs of models sometimes and think how ugly the girl is; but plainly she's thought beautiful by some. I see landscapes which strike me as truly gorgeous dismissed as "merely pretty" or "chocolate box". We must simply seek out that which appeals to us and see if it appeals to others.
Jeremy
-
Of course it does, Rob, and regarding pretty much anything. Beauty isn't an absolute. It's a subjective impression: it is, truly, in the eye of the beholder. I look at photographs of models sometimes and think how ugly the girl is; but plainly she's thought beautiful by some. I see landscapes which strike me as truly gorgeous dismissed as "merely pretty" or "chocolate box". We must simply seek out that which appeals to us and see if it appeals to others.
Jeremy
Why would that matter?
If it lights your fire, that's reason enough. Unless you are working, of course, but where good fortune can sometimes makes the two one.
Rob C
-
OH NO! I'm not going to touch this one with a ten foot pole. We've already been through "What is art?", and "What is photography?" No way, Jose! This could lead to "Why are we here?"
-
I think beauty is just a random set of variables that, combined in a certain way, strike a chord in the human psyche.
Rob, you are magnificent! Word substitute "art" for "beauty" and we can kill two birds with one template.
-
OH NO! I'm not going to touch this one with a ten foot pole. We've already been through "What is art?", and "What is photography?" No way, Jose! This could lead to "Why are we here?"
Shrewd.
Jeremy
-
OH NO! I'm not going to touch this one with a ten foot pole. We've already been through "What is art?", and "What is photography?" No way, Jose! This could lead to "Why are we here?"
No, no, Russ; that one was resolved in school!
Rob C
-
Rob, you are magnificent! Word substitute "art" for "beauty" and we can kill two birds with one template.
Damn! Why didn't I think of that!
;-)
Rob C
-
OH NO! I'm not going to touch this one with a ten foot pole. We've already been through "What is art?", and "What is photography?" No way, Jose! This could lead to "Why are we here?"
to taste the sound of rushing water from your homeplace,
to breathe with other people,
to take responsibility for our actions,
to make something ultimately worth doing,
for people that can't and won't say anything,
and because we all deserve the whole thing...