this photograph / book
made such an impression
on me as a child.
from alice to ocean
the story of robyn davidson
and her 17,000 miles trek across
the australian desert with
her dog and 4 camels
in 1977.
i miss the influence
of national geographic
today we can
snap 1,000 pics of
a 4th of july bbq and
call it photography.
there is a difference
if you know what
i mean.
ph: rick smolan
16 comments:
I love this, thanks for reminding me. Stay cool over there in NY.. I bet you could use a dip in an ocean.
beautiful little text beneath the photograph...
Oh my !! I haven't thought about that book for years & years until just now. Visual reminder slap. I always felt a bit teary while looking at that exact photograph & wanted her to take all the camels home with her.
I know exactly what you mean - I remember devouring National Geo. when I was a child, just poring over the images especially. I must still have the scrapbook I carefully prepared one summer. I typed up my "Scientific Record Of the Exhibitions & Behaviours of the Species Of Humans in My City" on an old typewriter & cut and glued the numerous polaroids I had taken. Gosh...memories.
i loved everything about this hero of my past too.
there was another woman who walked across america for peace.
she stopped at my grandfather's restaurant for a glass of water.
i was about 9.
she stayed in my thoughts and actions for years.
i think you might just be a candidate for one of my "more mail less e-mail" postcards.
b
Once Kodak came up with the Brownie, photography became forever democratized... Of course professionalism and talent and an "eye" differentiate the quality of a photograph, but to say what is and isn't a photograph (of a July 4th BBQ or whatever; is it a momento then?) is not the same as delineating what artful photography is... Is that your point--the difference between a mere snap and "art" owing to the heedless capability of snapping a 1000 digital 'photos'?
oh yah, i totally agree. i'm NOO photographer. i do like to take pics, but only on a creative side, not the pro side. :)
i wish i was a national geographic photographer though!
nikjillb.blogspot.com
Ironically in the book itself Davidson rages against National Geographic and its demographic and that she is forced to take their money.
It's a fascinating read. The text transcends any photograph one may take.
Thanks for your post. The photos & words together capture Robyn's trek and that time & place in history. Reminds me of the old Police song "Tea in the Sahara" based on a Paul Bowles story.
Always an interesting debate about what the boundary is between simply reproducing something or actually creating something new - today's digital age blurs the boundaries even more. Then there is the issue of fine art vs commercial art. John Berger's book "A Way of Seeing" and companion PBS series does a great job of examining this very theme.
love this.. and i couldn't agree with you more.. digital photography has made everyone a 'photographer' .. there is a purity in film...miss those days...
I remember being absolutely mesmerized by National Geographic when I was young -the photos were so stunning and the locales remote and glamorous. I think you're right about modern photography - my grandpa, who collected cameras and took pictures of everything - always swore by film.
I love Robyn Davidson. She's a real role model and adventurer. I'm surprised she's not more well known. Her writing is excellent as well. I wonder what her life is like these days?
thank you for this. i've never heard of robyn or her work, but i'm ready to devour it. i love travel, australia and photography.
I'm so glad I came across your blog.. I love that book and this is such a beautiful image :)
> 17,000 miles?
I think you meant to write 1,700 miles.
"1700 miles from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean."
Digital is great, but it has taken way a lot of the work of photographers and replaced it with amatures and wanna-bes. Like any tool it can be a blessing or a curse. Thanks for posting this! I am interested in reading her story! I like your blog a lot!
http://tied2themast-boo.blogspot.com/
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