wwp@yahoogroups.com:
Re: Sustenance - what does it mean?
G. Donald Bain 2007-Sep-04 19:47:00
Hello everyone.
I was the one who chose "sustenance" as the theme (Landis and I
alternate on this). So it is my fault that the promised essay on the
theme hasn't been written (yet). Sorry.
As Caroling wisely intuited we are still burned out from the
conference back in June. Plus I was traveling (and taking panoramas)
most of the summer. And now classes are beginning, and I have field
trips coming up.
Thanks to all who have contributed to this discussion. Keep it going!
Creative input is the sustenance on which the WWP project depends.
The themes are chosen to give you a lot of room for individual
interpretation. A literal interpretation of sustenance would be food,
water, air - what you need to live. Take that a step further and what
sustains us, as a society, is the economy and infrastructure. But
what also sustains us, as intelligent social individuals, includes a
whole range of intellectual and mental factors. We are sustained by
our families and friends, our culture, religion, memories, creative
endeavors, jobs, ambitions, responsibilities - different for
everyone. Sustenance applies also to other living creatures, and to
ecosystems, and institutions.
Even though I theoretically get some advance notice of these themes,
I seldom know what I will shoot until the last minute. Sometimes I
get caught unprepared (as when I failed to get a critical permission
for Energy) and have to extemporize or compromise. But the best way
is to think long and creatively, then explore a number of
possibilities. What sustains me these days, intellectually and
emotionally, is the creative outlet of shooting panoramic photos,
traveling and camping in beautiful natural landscapes, and
interacting with my students. So I may explore those ideas for
photographic possibilities. Or I may opt for a straightforward
portrayal of one of the basics.
There are five days to shoot this time, and everyone has the same
number of hours of daylight. I am, as always, eagerly looking forward
to seeing the amazing new panoramas that will be created.
Don
On Sep 4, 2007, at 9:29 AM, Richard Crowest wrote:
> In other words - whatever gets you through.
>