TRANSLUCENT STUDY © 2012 NATE METZ
Here we are at the end of my translucent study! In addition to these last three images in the series posted above, I entered 2 photo challenges (trees and beauty). And over the past few weeks I have shared parts of the study (1, 2, 3, 4).
While shooting this fall, I really didn’t want to shoot cliched images. In light of feedback on the images selected for AWAKE that they were “just pretty” and many could not stand alone in a frame on a wall in a gallery or museum, I sort of went up against myself and my voice. The challenge was for me to take pictures that carried the spiritual connotations without a lengthy philosophical explanation AND that were technically proficient AND that were aesthetically attractive. I did not meet my own criteria on all of these images, but I posted them anyway! One of the greatest life lessons learned is imperfection. Allowing slightly out of focus images and untouched images to be posted next to my favorites is one way I practice my spirituality through art.
I faced the cliches strongest during voting periods of the two photo challenges. I found that people were taking and posting images that were touristy or pedestrian. This critique is not meant to be condescending or to place my view in a superior ranking. The majority of the popular images were indeed very beautiful, some even professional in technical photographic skill. Yet, I still see a lack in artistic expression in that forum. Considering the host site is very clearly a hobbyist/enthusiast site I don’t know why I still analyze this feature so heavily. I am finding these differences more and more as I compare my work to other photographers’. It is as simple as my self-referencial title: artist. I see myself as an artist and not a photographer even though a dSLR is my primary art-making apparatus. My intuition and guidance indicates that I am so sensitive now to these differences because my artistic voice is still forming and I will be able to clearly delineate my style and my approach to my art.
As for what I do like from the Translucent study, these images speak strongest for me:
SIX