Re: Possibly Off-Topic of Previsualization

[LP6@aol.com]

WARNING:  This may be a long missive and those not into Previsualization
Issues in Imaging had better move on:

BACKGROUND:  The matter of previsualization skills, going into the moment of
 image capture,  has inerested me for sometime.  ( I sent a manuscript to
OUTDOOR PHOTOGAPHY, I think it was, about a year ago which was rejected!).
 I'm still fine tuning that manuscript and if anyone knows a publisher that
might be interested in "my story, my stuff" on previsualization; why, then,
let me know!

THESIS:  Previsualization behavior exists at both conscious and unconscious
levels.  It is my view that we enter into a dialogue with ourselves in the
run up to image capture, no matter the media:  from oil canvas to Kodachrome
64!    We are all "locked in" approching that moment whether we like it or
not.  We must value spontaneity, decisiveness, and quickness of action; for,
much of our subject matters demands nothing less!

Sir Francis Bacon has aid that "knowledge is power".  Kierkegard  (Sp?)
wisely added that "knoweldge is power only when it comes alive within us"!  I
agree.

NOTE:   While it is well and good to value spontaneity and avoid the stiff
and stilted bias of being "locked in"  the tension between these two anchor
positions is resolved by the expedient of "planned spontaneity".  

DEFINITION:   "Planned Spontaneity"  is the learning curve whereby through
discipline, practice and experimentation we hone new skills.  In order to
strengthen our previsualization skills (involving emotion, motivation,
behavior)  we need to study  what I call the "structure of previsuaslization"

TERMS:  STRUCTURE OF PREVISUALIZATION:    Herein lies my story, the substance
of the rejected manuscript I referred to above.  My discussion is both theory
and fact and cannot help anyone this month:  An intellectual appreciation of
this topic, followed by its use in a playful and creative fashion in the
field, so to speak,  will permit these powerful ideas (re: structure and
dynamics of previsualization)  to "comes alive within us"  in the manner of a
"co pilot", acting in the back of our minds, while self talk of various sorts
acts in the front of our mind, at the moment of image capture.

The long and short of it is we talk to ourselves on at least two levels when
shooting pictures; the less conscious level of aesthetic values and the more
conscious level of pracical decision making in the moment of image capture
that involve our more conscious and habitual premises, criteria and standards
for a "good picture".

Now a "good  picture" is merely a picture that successfully captures your
concept of a good picture in that moment:  concept fulfillment!  The goodness
lies in the degree of success you score in producing an image that matches
your expectations.  Goodness is the successful intersection of expectations
and results:  "concept fullfillment"  Of  course the good  will have property
density:  it will be richer in properties than the bad, in crude
two-valued-logic!  

CONCLUSION:

Previsualization behavior ought to concern all of  us image makers and
especially those of us who invest in high quality, high tech hardware.  It is
an opportunity to get into the development of high tech softward (cognitive
mental processes, inner dialogues with ourselves in the run up to image
capture, high quality, spontaneous image capture decisions  etc.).  Working
on our relationship to composition issues, lighting issues,  etc. using  a
higher previsualization consciousness (which can be learned)  is only common
sense.  While learning this high tech cognitive technology, to match our
hight tech Leica technology and aspiration, is only uncommon, common sense,
in my view!

As you can see I'm in the middle of a manuscript on developinging imaging
skills that is a bit high tech and until it comes alive within us through
personal growth with it, practice with it, etc. it will seem abstract and too
difficult..  But, then, we all enjoy behaviors that were hard won through
just such discipline, practice, and drill.  In time any deliberately acquired
skill becomes spontaneous and of the more properties the skill possesses the
greater the pleasure!  I enjoy my  touch typing skill enormously, and have
ever since I labored tediously in High School to learn it!  During the moment
of drill and learning we are engaged in what I call "planned spontaneity", an
investment in tomorrow's familar spontaneity.  There are many who resist
learning new skills and will stand pat and that' ok.   Hopefully not everyone
will stand pat against the merits of , and new thinking surrounding  the
development of previsualization behavior and skills!  This is merely a new
direction for personal growth having profound implications for all image
makers. Remember:  High tech cameras without high tech inner dialogues with
ourselves is a match up that will only become a mix up!

I apologize for the length of this LUG missive; but.,  along with Laboradore
Retrievers, Bee Keeping, Lecia Cameras, and Lenses I will have a tendency to
mouth off.  I hope f my  more sympathetic readers will feel free to offer
feedback.  Perhaps this is off topic stuff; but, then, I'll let  the LUG make
that call.    As for the others, I've warened them up front.  There is an old
saying that while I have no formula for success, I have a formula for failure
and that is to attempt to please everyone!  Impossibl;e?  

This is touched typed without editing and  I'm sending it without re-reading
based on the fact that I writing a book on  this stuff.  My core premise is
that  people don't have values they are their values and that good imaging is
a magger of  habitual evaluative habits and that there is a structure to such
things.  I'm applying my science to imaging and having writen many words on
this subject, these words come easily.  I  trust they will make sense to
some, but not all.   Disclaimer:  There is no Laboradore Retriever with his
nose on my keyboard; although,  am, hoping to find a couple Labs in '98 and
we all need all the help we can't get!  

Leon

LP6@aol.com