Tim Soter… blog.

There is a segment in the documentary ‘William Eggleston In the Real World’ (if I’m not confusing this with an article that I’ve read, instead of the documentary) where a student stands up and asks him, “do you take several photos of the (portrait, object or landscape) you’re shooting, or just one?”   Eggleston pauses and replies, “Just one.”  There’s another long pauses as the student tries to find a way to get more information beyond that curt reply and he asks, “Could you tell us why?”  And Eggleston responds that when he gets his developed negatives he would then have to choose between four of five and he doesn’t want to choose.  This of course is all coming though in a slow handed southern drawl and presented in an almost slightly annoyed manner as if to suggest, “is there any other way?”

I’ve tried to abide by this but I confess, sometimes the Olympus misfocuses and I would hate to get back a good image and have the focus be off.  So sometimes I take another shot, though not often.  Then while I’m “retaking” the photograph I’ll make an adjustment, recomposing slightly… and I’m not retaking the photo at all.  I’m taking a new photo.  A variation of the first.  And then I’m left with making a decision when the prints come back.  Above and below and the siblings.  Sophie’s Choice.

The above photo is most in line with the photos I have been making.  The angle and the crop are similar to photos I’ve made for this ongoing series.  But the straight forwardness of the photo below is different and for me a little exciting in its novelty.  It’s a little farther away than I normally allow myself to be.  It seems like is might be less about abstracting shapes and textures and more about the experience of standing there, where I’ve placed the viewer.  I see it both ways.  That is the problem.

In September, the New York Times published a piece by Tim Kreider (here) titled “The Referendum.”  One of the topics Kreider profiles is the frustration that humans have in choosing one path of life – in this case, the choice adults make to become (or not become) spouses and parents.  “We only get one chance at this, ” he writes, “with no do-overs.  Life is, in effect, a non-repeatable experiment with no control.”   I have a very, very difficult time making choices, large and small because I usually can see the possibilities and potential of all decisions and this become paralyzing.

Perhaps all we can do is simply embrace the luxury and privilege of having choices.