Surface and Form
What makes for a successful Van Dyke Brown photograph? Is it the tonal range, with a balance of highlights, shadows and a wide range of mid tones? Is it the Lighting? With a stronger focus on the subject matter and limited light on the surroundings, where the focus becomes illuminated and draws the eye.
Or is it the subject matter, our value for that object which brings life into an image? Symbols of meaning, the images of objects are literal and idealized symbols of what that object means to the viewer. A combination of texture and form, the photograph is able to reveal the geometry of a space or object in a way that is inviting and creates depth. Is it the texture and surface of the objects being revealed in an image that give character and ultimately remind us of something pleasant or familiar?
Illuminated Homegrown Tomatoes, 2021. Van Dyke Brown photograph.
Most likely all of these traits contribute to a successful print, but it is also a unexplainable feeling. A great work of art has a clarity to it, as if it glows. It is the most satisfying surprise, to capture an image that speaks to the subject matter in a way like this. Looking at artwork becomes a exploration as to what can work, not just what is certain to work.
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