While doing my morning research in bed today I came across the photography of Alessandro Calabrese.
He has created a body of work using Google Reverse Image Search, creating '
an image of photographs' that is constructed using his own work along with images found using his work within the reverse image search tool.
I can't explain it well in words. I recommend that you take a peek at an
interview with him that explains the process fully.
Now I had never heard of reverse image search before today, and as I am currently having a minor existential cricis about where I go with my photography from here, I decided to have a play, to see whether I was creating any vaguely original work.
I started with a photo of myself, taken a year or two ago... as I was interested to see if I have a doppelganger.
I am looking super happy, as it was taken on the occasion of giving up my regular job to allow more time for travel and photography.
(OH please note this photo is already '
out there', so I am not giving up any deep secrets....)
Image reverse search tells me that I look like these people.....
Harry Styles.....
Help.
Alan Rickman....
it could be worse.......
Not too convincing so far...
Next up, the navigation tower at Dungeness
 |
| dungeness |
Again, nothing vaguely similar, and certainly nothing from Dungeness.
 |
| towers |
Then the red hut at Rye harbour; surely there must be millions of those...
it seems that my multiple exposure has tricked the search engine fairly well
legs and holiday houses....
 |
| Add caption |
So lets try a regular photo of the red hut
 |
| red hut, rye harbour |
interesting....
hay bales and cornfields...
 |
| not the red hut rye harbour |
I am not convinced.
How about an iconic architectural image from Canberra
 |
| Canberra architecture |
it seems that shape is more important than colour
 |
| not Canberra architecture |
and finally that slowly moving water in the Abisko river
 |
| Abisko revisited |
|
Waves and surf come up.
 |
| not the Abisko river |
So it seems that all of my work is totally unique......
........if you believe
Google Reverse Image Search
..........which I don't.
I also came across these words from
Chang Chao-Tang this morning.
'
Photography is not for the satisfaction of others. Neither is it some kind of responsibility or mission. It is a means to fill a personal void'.
And to quote
Amy Tan on the '
what is my work about?' subject
"
what is it about? If you look too hard it will only be about 'the about''
In other words, don't worry about why or how or who for;
Just keep taking the pictures.
