Is there a photographic equivalent to free jazz? dodecaphony?

[hjulenissen]

In music, there are styles that tries to get rid of "conventions" or "rules" in order to achieve various philosophical goals. Incidentally, this music is often described as "demanding". Often it is appreciated by a small "elite" that themselves have education and background in the genre.

Does anything similar exist in photography? Photographers who "break all of the rules", perhaps non-pictorial, make pieces of art that may be appreciated by the elites (but not by the public)?

-h

[Michael West]

In music, there are styles that tries to get rid of "conventions" or "rules" in order to achieve various philosophical goals. Incidentally, this music is often described as "demanding". Often it is appreciated by a small "elite" that themselves have education and background in the genre.

Does anything similar exist in photography? Photographers who "break all of the rules", perhaps non-pictorial, make pieces of art that may be appreciated by the elites (but not by the public)?

-h

Im posting my most elusively elite avant garde photo for comments....








So what do you think?

[kencameron]

Im posting my most elusively elite avant garde photo for comments....








So what do you think?

By no means the least interesting image I have seen on line.

[Jagatai]

Well here's an odd one that i shot years ago, but just broke out because i want to explore some of what is going on in this shot in a series.  I don't know if it applies to what you are referring to but it's not exactly conventional.

[Michael West]

Thank you. I was hoping that the dynamic range was fitting for the subject matter.

Much appreciated

[Michael West]

thats just the point....

[Isaac]

fwiw

"The Art of Romare Bearden … All in all, it adds up to one of the most lucid, germinal applications to picture-making of the jazz aesthetic yet attempted -- a rich, ever-replenishing mix of invention, bricolage, and quotation, in which self-expression and collective memory echo and dance with each other like friends who've played together for a lifetime."

[ripgriffith]

Im posting my most elusively elite avant garde photo for comments....








So what do you think?

It has sort of a Merce Cunningham-John Cage feel to it.

[ripgriffith]

Many years ago I worked for a film-maker who had a decidedly rule-breaking approach to his work:  he would just let his running camera swing from a strap in his hand.  His takes were as long as the camera wind would last; his films as long as the film in the camera would last (IIRC, he used both a Bolex H16 and a Bell and Howell Filmo.)  Needless to say, given his "aesthetic", the films were projected uncut.  I once suggested that he would save time and money if he just projected the film also unprocessed. And,  needless to say, we parted company soon after that.

[Jeremy Roussak]

It has sort of a Merce Cunningham-John Cage feel to it.

It brought John Cage to my mind. As I look at it, I have 4'33" playing on my iPad. And MacBook. And iMac. Just slightly out of sync.

Jeremy

[ripgriffith]

Just slightly out of sync.

Jeremy

How can you tell?

[Deardorff]

http://zxorb.com/

One who experiments, prints on metals, wood, circuit boards, hand coloring and oils.

Always shooting and pushing things.

Take a look and see if his crazy stuff is anywhere close.

And no, it is not me.

[melchiorpavone]

If it does, I don't care. Why do you ask?

[Michael West]

It has sort of a Merce Cunningham-John Cage feel to it.

John Cage would appreciate the comparison, Im certain of it.

[Brett_D]

How can you tell?

+1

[jjj]

How can you tell?

If you have to ask, then you wouldn't understand the answer.

[jjj]

How can you tell?

But there's also a really simple answer, you just look to see how long the track has to play on each.

[Berliner]

I certainly love (free) jazz and there a lot of photographers who don't photograph by "the rules", whatever that may be.

Look at some of the work of Alvin Langdon Coburn, Harry Callahan and Ernst Haas, just to name few better known ones.

I would put myself into the no-rules category with a lot of my work as well, I'd say I'm very inspired by jazz and freestyle in general.

By way of example, the photo I published today:

Fall/Winter Abstraction II view larger.

[jwheadshots]

I think photographers such as Terry Richardson and even Jill Greenberg would be considered modern day equivalents to Jazz. They came along and broke the perceived rules about their genres of photography and have thrived because of it. I think the fundamentals are very important, but also having the ability to improvise and create without them can yield interesting results. Don't be afraid to take chances like Jazz musicians often do.

[drmike]

Does anything similar exist in photography? Photographers who "break all of the rules", perhaps non-pictorial, make pieces of art that may be appreciated by the elites (but not by the public)?

-h

Firstly you have to accept that there are rules.

But to answer your question, I'd say yes there are many photographers who break whatever rules you care to come up with.

I would question why anyone serious would be using a medium for communication and not wish to communicate with the widest possible audience. If they are somewhat cynical and just want to be artistically and commercially successful then maybe they are happy to be appreciated only by the elite cognoscenti and especially those who hold the purse strings of commissions.

Mike