Documentary Planet Garbage

Is this (narrow) restriction not limiting our possibilities, Walter.

I don't think there's just one way of showing our deep miscontent with this maldevelopment in human behaviour.
Posing the ugly next to the beautiful is certainly a way of rousing feelings. Using contrast is a strong means, I'm with you there.
But I would not restrict this thread to just one way of showing things. We all take different views, and each one of these is justified.
And - most important to me - art should be free.

Wherever possible I've tried to give the atrocities I see a "photographic" presentation, having in mind composition, DOF, coulours and the special perspective. Documentary pics of "garbage alone" are not my thing either though I wouldn't consider them unjustiified.
So let's please not have scissors in our heads as to what is good - bad, beautiful - ugly, acceptable or not.
Let's agree to disagree in what we think and what we show.
This has always been the impression cameraderie gave me as "their philosophy".
I think we should not hang this too high and come back to showing what we see.
I agree with you. Sorry my post sounded directive rather than consultative. I, too, think that many perspectives make art interesting. My point is that I could not see galleries around here interested in simply pictures of garbage; but I could definitely see interest in landscape images ruined by garbage. The first gallery director I mentioned it to jumped on the idea very quickly (Colorado is probably more environmentally aware than many places). I will try some of the images offered here on her next week.
Thanks. And again, sorry for the misunderstanding, I don't mean to be directive or 'in charge' - I leave that to the Art Director.
 
I agree with you. Sorry my post sounded directive rather than consultative. I, too, think that many perspectives make art interesting. My point is that I could not see galleries around here interested in simply pictures of garbage; but I could definitely see interest in landscape images ruined by garbage. The first gallery director I mentioned it to jumped on the idea very quickly (Colorado is probably more environmentally aware than many places). I will try some of the images offered here on her next week.
Thanks. And again, sorry for the misunderstanding, I don't mean to be directive or 'in charge' - I leave that to the Art Director.
No problem, Walter. With these additional pieces of information it looks like there was some misunderstanding of your aims on my side as well. Good luck with your gallery director.
 
No problem, Walter. With these additional pieces of information it looks like there was some misunderstanding of your aims on my side as well. Good luck with your gallery director.
Thanks. I would really like others to try to guage interest in their areas as well.
What kind of thing could we, as photographers, collaborate on producing that might be of interest to museum and gallery curators? The environment is a good topic right now. I think we might take advantage of that to collaborate with a few curators to produce a show with some community interest. Galleries and museums are looking for ideas as much ands anyone. We are all touched by COVID-19.
Our strength is this forum has photographers from all over the planet. That is not something a museum or gallery often gets to display.
 
Very interesting discussion; in fact, I'd never considered taking it that far.

I don't have anything major to add at this point, and certainly nothing that resembles a policy; here's just another perspective: My first photography workshop (with Ming Thein in Prague) was labeled: "How to see" - and I thinkt that's what we as photographers can contribute to the debate: perspectives, angles, representation. We are good at seeing things others don't, and now some of us see things nobody wants (to see). That's just how it is for us - it's part of what photography is about! We photograph because we see an image, whatever the content may be. And that's why it's possible to make even the ugly things worth our while: We make an image out of our vision.

In this sense, every contribution, from whatever vantage point and with whatever official or hidden agenda, is worth it as long as it captivates the viewer. And what I saw when this thread began to develop was: We're actually quite capable of offering our unique angle on things - as I said, we prove that we don't overlook these things, on the contraray, we not only see them, we present them to the viewers as images and invite them to look at them. This could be helpful at the very least - but it could also have some impact.

If or not someone takes our images as art and actually does an exhibition is beyond my wishes and dreams (I'd be ever so honoured to be part of such an attempt, however). I'd be absolutely satisfied with opening a couple of eyes. People hesitating, thinking twice ... that's more up my alley, and that's why I was thinking about social media as an outlet, but I fully understand if some of us are hesitant about this (heck, so am I ...). As for people actually appreciating such an image, well ... I know I can. But I wouldn't expect it of anyone else.

Anyhow, let's keep the images coming. We can always go a step further if, as @Walter Palmer hinted at, an opportunity presents itself.

EDIT: I'd better heed my own advice, wouldn't I - amended with an image.

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M.
 
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This scene today immediately made me think of this thread. This is 5 minutes away from a botanical garden. If I'm kind, I'd say this may well not be there if we weren't living in these times, the people paid to clear this up would have been stood down and I can't imagine there'd be much enthusiasm on their part to risk coming into contact with the likes of this. The garbage would have still been thrown in there though.

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Even when they try to get it right, someone's just have to mess with it...
You'll find this next to *any* sort of container for recycling materials from the second day they've been emptied.
It's not that people are unable to find the right "holes". They just don't care.
There are developments in our society where I find that camera-observation (and fines that hurt) would not be too Orwellian.
 
You'll find this next to *any* sort of container for recycling materials from the second day they've been emptied.
It's not that people are unable to find the right "holes". They just don't care.
There are developments in our society where I find that camera-observation (and fines that hurt) would not be too Orwellian.
Actually, I think people are stealing from the container. And the stuff they don't want they throw out on the ground.
I might be wrong, though...

And camera surveillance: it's like the curtailing of certain freedoms during the Covid-19 outbreak. It starts out limited in space and time, but they tend to stay in place after, in this case, Covid-19.

Simply because the powers that be think they are useful to control the people. People always need to be controlled, lest they develop harmful ideas about things.
 
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