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Monday 19 March 2012

Who'd have thought it...?


Some time ago, I happened to write on this blog:  "It's interesting, isn't it, how we all 'see' different things?  Take any two photographers and put them in the same place at the same time and, the chances are, each will interpret the scene quite differently.  I think that's half the fun of blogging, to see what others see through different eyes from our own."  My dear blog-friend, Alan Burnett, who lives not so far from here, responded promptly in the comments: "OK here is a challenge for you. Let us pick, at random, some village which is within a given radius of Saltaire/ Brighouse: both make our way there independently and record what it says photographically to us. We co-ordinate the subsequent post and test out your theory."  Well, I couldn't resist that, could I? - so we agreed to carry out the experiment, visiting a village called Thornton (on the edge of the city of Bradford) which is more or less equidistant between us.

Many moons passed... and a premature baby in my family and various commitments for Alan meant that it has taken us some while to achieve the assignment.... but, finally, we haveOver the next few days I will post some photos of what caught my eye.  (All were taken on February 19th).  Alan has agreed to do the same on his blog - go to NEWS FROM NOWHERE to see his side of the bargain. We visited separately and neither of us knows yet how the other approached the challenge.  It must be stressed that it's not a competition, more of an experiment.  I am looking forward to seeing the results and, indeed, to testing out my theory.

For starters, the above photo (self -portrait!) was taken in a tiny little park that does its best to be the centre of a village that really rather lacks a focal point.  It suggests that Thornton is perhaps rather a surprising place - and, in many ways, I would agree.  See what you think....

16 comments:

  1. Well, who'd have thought it Jenny! I wandered through the same park and saw the same words but didn't capture the same image. Our experiment starts out fascinating and I am sure it will continue that way.

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  2. Oh heck! (as they say in these parts) The Lad has been using my iPad again and left it signed in to his account. The previous comment comes from me (Alan Burnett) and not some young whippersnapper called Alexander

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  3. As I've already said to Alan, this is blogging at its best. Absolutely fascinating.

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  4. Hi Jenny .. love this photo - so you. While Alan's one - reflects his interest .. fascinating - looking forward to the next ones .. cheers Hilary

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  5. Great idea for comparative photography

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  6. You can compare almost any photograph like you have. I think it might be a surprise to some but most people take pictures of other people when the other people are moving away — or we take the backsides. Wonder why?

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  7. This is a 'project' that I'll follow with interest to compare the different Thortons in your and Alan's eyes.
    What a start!

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  8. Dear Alan and jennyfreckles, I do hope you took all of your photos before seeing the work of the other. I'm afraid that if I got involved I would be influenced by what you each are taking and would either copy or purposely avoid. Both are excellent, by the way, and I look forward to the rest of the series. Jim

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  9. Jim, all mine were taken on 19 Feb and Alan hasn't seen any of them yet, nor have we discussed what we took. I've already substantially prepared all the posts too so I won't be influenced directly by his. Mind you, we have been following each other's blogs for several years so I guess we do recognise each other's styles a bit. Whether we end up covering similar things here or very different things, it's all part of the experiment anyway.

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  10. How very fun...looking forward to these photos!

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  11. I'm sure you'll end up with very different photos. How many times does this happen to you? You see someone taking a photo and you can't resist glancing over their shoulder to see what their focussing on. BUT when you look you still can't figure out what they've spotted. Happens to me all the time!

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  12. This is going to be fun looking in on your experiment.Already the two photos are so different. Alan's reflects the old while yours the new. I have also noticed that about me and others taking pics of the same place. I have found that some people have to have people and action in their photos whereas I am a landscape freak. Although I use people to show perspective often.

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  13. What an interesting project! I look forward to more! :)

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  14. I am following the experiment with interest!

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  15. This was such a fun series to read. Makes me want to do something like that over here. Great idea for a self shadow-portrait! ~Lili

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