Another Objective

[cbertsch]

Although I'm often taking pictures, it doesn't happen that often someone other than myself photographs me and even more unusual that I get to see the results. That's why it was a treat that Matthew, whom I met on my mid-April trip to Seattle, sent me a link to the shots he took of me at a friend's housewarming party. He was using a traditional camera with black-and-white film, which led to a great conversation about photography before and after the onset of the digital age. I love that this particular photo, though it has obviously been "remediated" into JPEG format, still bears a trace of its development:

I also like the fact that I'm making one of my characteristic faces, the sort I pull in conversation, but which I struggle to capture in self-portraits. Part of the reason is that I'm usually talking with my hands when I make those expressions, something that's hard to pull off when you're holding a camera away from your body.

Comments

[zonaroja.livejournal.com]

awesome pic!

[(Anonymous)]

Great pic -- it reminds me of class. Hope you're doing well, --jm

[elizabeg.livejournal.com]

That is *totally* a cbertsch face! And I can absolutely see why it's hard for you to catch in self-portraits, but I'm glad someone caught it on film.

[flw.livejournal.com]

Now you need to write a book!

That picture is classic. You are simultaneously amused, irritated, frustrated and intrigued.

[art-thirst.livejournal.com]

I like that pic but, it could be intimidating if you were my dad; know what I mean? In the classroom, I have no problem especially, if getting challenged.

[quuf.livejournal.com]

I've seen that look in person. It's terrifying!

But seriously: It reminds me of something I once read about one of the Analytic philosophers—Quine, maybe. He had a habit of shooting some hapless student who'd made some insufficiently precise remark a deadly look and asking, "What EXACTLY do you mean?" Jesus!