Guy Tal | Photographer, Author
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Introducing his book, Desert Solitaire, Edward Abbey wrote, “most of what I write about in this book is already gone or going under fast. This is not a travel guide but an elegy. A memorial. You’re holding a tombstone in your hands.” Without intending it, I realized a few years ago that the same has become true of many of my photographs.
To those who wish to become more serious—about photography or anything else—but struggle to find the first, or next, step, I offer this advice: seek out places, activities, and people you feel are worth caring about; and among these find those things or persons who can challenge you, and let them.
I believe that such an implicit contract in photography exists (or should exist) only in some contexts, and that there is no such contract that applies unequivocally to all photographs, and certainly not to all art.
There are moments, and it is only a matter of a few seconds, when you feel the presence of the eternal harmony ... A terrible thing is the frightful clearness with which it manifests itself and the rapture with which it fills you ... During these five seconds I live a whole human existence, and... Continue Reading →
The following article is based on one originally published in On Landscape Magazine. It is my hope that readers who appreciate high-quality content, hand-picked by photography-savvy editors, and free of advertising, consider subscribing to independent, subscriber-supported publications of this kind. Unfortunately what we call progress is nothing but the invasion of bipeds who do not rest... Continue Reading →
Unfortunately some who have achieved leadership in the profession often dictate from a confused throne of success—a success which may be more financial than otherwise. With a few exceptions, publications of the photographic world are founded on the desire to stimulate the photographic trade; materials, equipment, gadgets have been in high flood of production and... Continue Reading →
As in past years, I sit to write this post pondering the significance of the ending of 2017. There isn't one, for me. Or, at least there isn't one founded in any meaningful milestone or other consequential event in my life or work. But, as I realized in past years, pausing to reflect on the events of a full year is good in itself, and seems especially worthy when shared alongside similar reflections by many of my colleagues.
Intelligence, imagination, talent, and creativity will get nowhere without a basis of knowledge and skills, and for this education must be sufficiently structured and focused. But an education too rigid, too formulaic, too lacking in narrative, may kill the once-active, inquisitive mind of a child. ~Oliver Sacks Albert Einstein may be the quintessential genius of... Continue Reading →
I recognize that sometimes viewers may assume about my work what lawyers call, "facts not in evidence," namely that I push the boundaries of (to borrow a term from Ansel Adams) "departure from reality" to a greater extent than I actually do.
Nothing in the world is permanent, and we're foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we're still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it. If change is of the essence of existence one would have thought it only sensible to make it the premise of our philosophy. ~W.... Continue Reading →