Notes from a photographer

May 23, 2006. In last Sunday's New York Times, in the Arts and Leisure section, there was a review of Henry Wessel's photographs. The article began:

"Most musicians I know don't just play music on Saturday night, Henry Wessel explained, "They play music every day. They are always fiddling around, letting the notes lead them from one place to another. Taking still photographs is like that. It is a generative process. It pulls you along."

He went on to talk about how he works:

"Part of it has to do with the discipline of being actively receptive. At the core of this receptivity is a process that might be called soft eyes. It's a physical sensation. You are not looking for something. You are open, receptive. At some point you are in front of something that you cannot ignore."

I'm embarrassed to say that I'm not familiar with Wessel's work, but I sure liked what he had to say.

Comments

[Doug Plummer]

Hank Wessel was highly influential to me in my formative years as a photographer. He did a week long workshop at the Sun Valley Arts Center when I was a student there, in the mid 70's, and his approach of finding poetry in the mundane world affects me to this day.