I was surprised again last week to learn that one of my photographs received another award at the Orange County Fair. Virgin River and the Watchman received a Purchase Award; that is, the fair purchased the photograph for its permanent collection. Actually, I was more than surprised.
This is a shot that literally thousands and possibly tens of thousands of people take every year. If you’ve been to Zion you are probably aware that photographers line up on the bridge over the Virgin River nearly every day at sunset to photograph the setting sun on the Watchman, the magnificent face that towers over the south entrance to the park. It’s one of those places that has become an “Excuse me, may I squeeze in here?” photography site. From one end of the bridge to the other, photographers are set up with their tripods legs almost overlapping.
Many would call it a cliche shot. I know, I did for many years. I avoided this particular shot precisely because it was so popular. There’s a picture in the Zion administration office (the old visitor center) of the bridge lined with photographers and a comment questioning their creativity. The photograph and comment were no doubt made by a ranger.
So is it possible to get a great photograph from the cliche locations? Apparently the Visual Arts folks at the Orange County Fair thought so. I think so too. Because, it’s not the location that makes the art but the interpretation. For me, art is interpretation and communication. A work of art is the artist’s attempt to communicate his or her unique perspective of reality, of the world, and his or her reaction to it. Art is at its best when an artist has something new and fresh to say that’s never been said before or when an artist shows us something we’ve not seen before about something that is very common. On this latter point I think of Edward Weston’s photographs of bell peppers, or especially his photograph of a bed pan.
I thought I had something rather unique to say in Virgin River and the Watchman. It of course was not the subject; there must have been 15 to 20 of us on the bridge that evening. It was the interpretation given to that photograph in the post processing, the digital darkroom if you will, that made it unique. What I was able to achieve was an intense and almost passionate look that was very much like a painting.
But when deciding which photographs to submit to the fair, I didn’t select this one at first because of the fact that the subject was cliche. I asked myself how many photographers submit this same image each year. But obviously I ultimately selected this one and the outcome was very satisfying – a 2nd place award and now the purchase award. I’m happy about the money of course but what excites me the most is to have a photograph of mine join those of the other recognized visual artists.
And I’m happy that a unique interpretation of a common subject apparently does in fact communicate something new and fresh.
To see more of my work go to http://RalphNordstromPhotography.com.
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