A Bit of Inspiration

Sandy Richards posted this video on the General Discussion forum. If you missed it and have about 20 minutes, it's quite an inspiring piece from Dewitt Jones. Enjoy.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=28163893

Thanks for bringing the link over to MWNP, Chuck. It's so refreshing to see someone talk about and show the positive side of the world for a change, instead of the negative!!

Dewitt Jones is an exceptional speaker. I heard him a few years ago as the opening speaker at an annual NANPA conference. His slide show/speech had incredible emotional appeal. I still think about it from time to time.

Funny to listen to this, as I was just thinking some similar thoughts this past Sunday as I was out photographing. I have a post-modern leaning art background, and I came to the same conclusion through my photography that Dewitt spoke about. Basically, I don't feel the need to reinforce or prove that there's problems in the world. I (as do most people) see evidence of these things every day through the media and through simply living. Rather, I too choose to focus on the positives; specifically, on the natural beauty of my homeland. One could probably argue that this is simply feel-good romanticism. However, I also believe that by showing "what's right with the world", we can also validate and increase awareness of whatever it is we believe to be worth saving (conservation in the case of nature photography). Anyhow, I've found this outlook to be significantly more rewarding than a more pessimistic approach. Surely we need different artists to show us different things about ourselves and our society, but I'm thankful that I chose to work with the positive things that surround me.

Sorry for the rant...good stuff.

Dewitt is definitely one of the more cerebral nature photographers that has ever lived. He's been know to sometimes get pretty far out when it comes to dissertations on photography other than.... here's how you expose this.... and here is how you compose this.

Frankly I love his stuff. For a quite a while now I am reading and absorbing more from guys like Freeman Patterson and Dewitt. I also go back & re read my Galen Rowell books almost yearly if not more.

Thanks Chuck for finding this. I really enjoyed it a lot.
JG

What a refreshing view. Well worth the time to absorb a great message!