4 thoughts on “Fish tank. Incheon, Korea”

  3. Jeff Hladun

    David, I know you’ve been thinking about mystery for over a year now. This image has it in spades.

    I’ve been thinking about what mystery means in a photograph ever since Look3 (2012). I mean, really thinking about it. What I’ve come up with is, essentially: mystery comes into play in every single aspect of the photographic experience. It’s not just the mattress or the blanket; it’s the bed, the bedroom, the house. At it’s very least, it can be that which replaces what isn’t present (but ideally, should be)in the image – composition, story-telling, emotional depth. It can be a substitute for anything otherwise lacking, a delivery system in a way for an image that can’t carry itself. At the very least.

    It’s also a great tool to have at hand when editing. Once I became aware of the importance of mystery, its presence or absence in my images really helped me become much, much more objective about my efforts. Talk about an “eureka!” moment! Looking for it really cuts away a lot of the chaff.

    Unfortunately, by definition, mystery is that which cannot be explained. That becomes both the rub and the attraction of the concept. I wish you would have conducted another virtual workshop on the subject, although let’s face it, studying it would have left us running in circles.

    Anyway, I hope you’re still considering the idea of mystery in your present work. Some day, I’d like to hear what you discovered.

    Jeff

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