|
a shadow of my future
self's photostream
|
For a long time I had a very long introduction here that made a lot of sense. It all still applies but I lost it somewhere in a hard drive. This one was meant to be a brief antidote to that but is gradually accumulating itself.
I take photographs because I have done since I was a child. I'm not precious about it at all but I'm not me if I don't take photographs...
When I began taking pictures very few people took photography seriously. It was a thing which professionals did professionally and which amateurs used to record highdays and holidays without much consideration. Although I was rather unaware of this at the time, I realise now that I used photography as an aide-mémoire for the things I saw around me. A bit like an external hard drive really. As I grew up taking pictures I began to like the notion that photography can be a sublime, almost nihilist, art form entirely accessible to anyone who can afford a snapshot camera. Ubiquitous. Casual. Throwaway. Valueless. Personal. Precious. Priceless. And at the same time it can be an incredibly powerful tool of communication on many different planes.
Sometime in the 1970's one of Ansel Adams' photographs of Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, became the single most expensive photographic image sold at auction while at the same time its original negative was the world's most reproduced image. This struck me as a pure example of photography's potential power. It can be exclusive, egalitarian and all encompassing at the same time.
My memory is highly visual and works through pictures made in a blink. I see the world in pictures and frames and this seeing is my memory. I'm a collector of random, of things which catch my eye. I can sort these things into themes and streams but never have time to clear my thoughts enough to do so. One day before my death I will do this, in the meantime there is much to do that is much less important to me but more immediately pressing. I just have to be careful not to die before I achieve my very personal ambition which is to be a photographer more than a collector of images.
We are making the only place we can live in uninhabitable for... us. This is very odd. We know it and we're not doing enough about it. This is the greatest failure of Humanity. It is not rational and is very dangerous. But that's the way we are.
Somehow I manage always to see the bright side of life, which I love, even when I have been very depressed and at times suicidal I have seen humour around me. I'm over that period of my existence now but still completely struggle to understand how stupid we are collectively. I strive to equip my children, two boys, with the capacity to deal with life positively, to accommodate its pitfalls and grim realities constructively, sensitively and maturely. I hope to teach them that it is possible to do life by learning what thousands of generations of humans have already learned without first having to repeat all those previous generations' massive mistakes.
If I knew how to remove myself from most of the groups I've joined I would because I cannot keep up with them. I'm far too busy.
And, by the way it's not your fault, so don't blame yourself - blame your parents. It's most definitely THEIR fault. But remember that although it's THEIR fault, it's our responsibility not to do the same again. We have the chance to heal the past and make the future different, don't let your life miss that chance. And do turn off the lights when you're not there.
These are places I had a hand in making happen:
www.sunanddoves.co.uk
www.se5forum.org
www.fairpint.org.uk
Photos of a shadow of my future self (57)
a shadow of my future self's favorite photos from other Flickr members (2,627)
Contacts (1,369)
Groups (50)
- Bus, India Double Decker 74 photos, 17 members
- Transport Upholstery Patterns 197 photos, 116 members
- The Killer Cones 616 photos, 106 members
- Interventions in Art Galleries 15 photos, 12 members
- Documents.02 1 photo, 97 members
- your most BORING shot of the month 249 photos, 93 members
- VisitEngland 7,989 photos, 419 members
- Everywhere I look I see STARS 823 photos, 103 members
- Dust Magazine 2 photos, 148 members
- Londonist 152,898 photos, 4,798 members
- wrapped up and well-covered 2,227 photos, 181 members
- Long Exposure Cows 0 photos, 1 member
- Bread Porn 171 photos, 51 members
- Jazzlive at The Crypt 226 photos, 20 members
- Effra FC 3,713 photos, 124 members
- Camberwell Crypt Jazz Club Photo Club 15 photos, 99 members
- South London's legendary red vans 4 photos, 6 members
- Guardian Camera Club 21,498 photos, 10,819 members
- My So-Called Life (please remember your pics need text ) 7,435 photos, 542 members
- Walking in my shoes 140 photos, 32 members
- Abstract Scaffolding 8,221 photos, 747 members
- Crap Signs 1,659 photos, 114 members
- At war with the obvious 12,642 photos, 1,244 members
- Earth Hour 2010 3,904 photos, 1,473 members
- Councillor Street Campaign 7 photos, 2 members
- " retombons en enfance .." - relapse in childhood.... 149 photos, 25 members
- The George Canning SE5 Observeration Group 22 photos, 51 members
- urinals 3,117 photos, 716 members
- Moviscrolliosis/ Images that appear to change as you scroll them 983 photos, 203 members
- Chorizo Sausage 579 photos, 51 members
- La mia prima foto su Flickr - My first photo on Flickr 12,354 photos, 23,628 members
- Cardiff Pubs 362 photos, 68 members
- Glasgow Pubs 1,133 photos, 105 members
- British pubs 11,078 photos, 247 members
- Pubs RIP 1,782 photos, 84 members
- Pubs, Bars, Inns and Taverns 15,536 photos, 1,266 members
- Bristol Pubs 1,421 photos, 134 members
- Bar. pub, whatever you want to call it! 3,425 photos, 164 members
- Pubs-everywhere(Pub fronts) 14,560 photos, 613 members
- Pubs 20,619 photos, 612 members
- Lost Pubs 2,125 photos, 142 members
- Bath Pubs 139 photos, 36 members
- Pennine Pubs 1,860 photos, 116 members
- Pubs U.K. & Eire....(Public houses, inns and bars) 12,762 photos, 671 members
- 6 Hats 19 photos, 38 members
- Gilbert & George 82 photos, 14 members
- The Sun and Doves' Glorious Goodwood Group 19 photos, 25 members
- Lambeth Country Show 116 photos, 26 members
- Facebook Friend 74 photos, 59 members
- Brickwork 2,395 photos, 165 members
Testimonials (6)
-
Polytechnic100 says:
"As LoopZilla says, Mark is a tall Geordie with an eye for detail and composition. He has found his niche here on Flickr, whereas I am a chaotic photographer always looking to bend the rules and always after 'that picture', the one that tries to get away. At college Mark was not in his comfort zone, he was bored of the bullshit the tutors spouted and did not think much of their photographic skills - are all lecturers in Photography failed photographers ? ...I don't know, all I know is that he is passionate about his craft. The shadow of his future self is an interesting take on light and shadow, which after all is what makes a photograph exist....I am sure he will continue to post great images until the Flickr servers start to crash and burn."
23rd April, 2008
-
VinaPix says:
"Marks photostream is one of the reasons that Flickr is such an addictive pastime.... the images here are a perfect combination of really beautiful subject matter and great techincal photographic skill all created by one with the soul (and eye) of a true artist.
Thank you for sharing your work with us on Flickr!
I urge you to take a careful look through this photostream... these is so much to see here, both to delight you and indeed to challenge you to greater efforts in your own works... but be warned... these picture are addictive!"9th November, 2007
-
LoopZilla says:
"I have met Mark at last, and he is much taller in real life."
10th July, 2007
-
H@shim A ™ says:
"i've been thinking about writing a testimonial for Mark for some time now... here it is.
one thing that i've really enjoyed, and have tried to incorporate in my own photography because of him, is viewing settings around me in a different way.
i'm in awed and in envy of how Mark presents geometry of everyday things. i think that's what stands out most for me. in addition to that, if you read his observations about the photographs he comments on, you can see yet another perspective that, i think many (including myself) miss. kindev like a different layer, it's hard to explain but very rewarding.
not only is geometry covered by Mark, if you take a stroll through his stream, lots and lots of variety becomes available and, to me at least, there is a sense of cohesion in his work. not only cohesion, but progression. it all ties back to his flickr username the more you think about it imho.
he's been a good friend while here on flickr and i always look forward to his posts, comments, humor and his vacations - yes his vacations, since he tends to bring back some very enjoyable stuff from his travels.
all the best to you Mark and it's been a pleasure to get to know you over the last few months.
;o)"12th April, 2007
-
My TVC 15 says:
"Mark has a great energy for ideas and words. His commitment to the earth and the creatures that live on it is commendable.
If only I had an ounce of that energy I'd at least be out of bed and someday I might just get a car. But probably not.
His intelligence and eye for the subtle detail of this world keeps me in awe. I'm always in suspense when I open a window into his photo stream and into his world."20th December, 2006
-
Kent Johnson says:
"I could have written all that great stuff in my profile but I didn’t. Why? Well because I did not think of it!
Mark has thought of all this stuff and he has thought about the pictures he takes too! None of this stuff is obvious until you experience it. We are all lucky Mark is here on Flickr putting his experiences of the world and his camera here so we can all enjoy them.
Smart pictures from a clever and intelligent photographer.
Thanks Mark."6th March, 2006
- Name:
- J Mark Dodds
- Joined:
- January 2006
- Hometown:
- camberwell se5
- Currently:
- camberwell se5 London, uk
- I am:
- Male and Taken
- Occupation:
- parent publican restaurateur community warden photographer artist
- Website:
- the sun and doves