Haptic shots

[Silo]

Hello, this thread is about switching neural networks. Don't worry it's not painful. All I mean is using our non-visual senses as well as our eyes. I've found it interesting to try to feel an images' effect before thinking or too much association kicks in.

As photographers we're weighed down with the memory of what's gone before in our work and others, and can become disembodied minds only relating to abstract aesthetics (which I love too), but by way of contrast I hope this filter will give you a fresh look at your past work and the world now.

the dictionary definition of haptic is;-

'of or relating to the sense of touch, in particular relating to the perception and manipulation of objects using the senses of touch and proprioception.

ORIGIN late 19th cent.: from Greek haptikos ‘able to touch or grasp,’ from haptein ‘fasten.’

In this thread I'm interested in Images that evoke a direct body response first rather than mental symbolic or linguistic associations. Show me what does that for you (within the bounds of forum decency;-)

since it's difficult and unnatural to isolate one sense (or association) I allow more than just touch (at a pinch!) including smell, taste and hearing as they all lead to a body-centred feeling or sensation.

What I'm finding in trawling my archive for this is that qualifying shots need not be beautiful or colourful. They seem to mostly be simple factual shots which record the substance of my environment that my body recognises. Often it is the materials in the shots that are the recording medium of some mechanical force or process. Other times they hold the potential of sensation like heat from a flame etc…

I've uploaded a bunch to my members gallery to show what I mean, from which here are two.





I guess some responses will be universal and some highly individual and look forward to seeing how this shows up. I hope you enjoy it.

Best wishes

-Silo

[Ian]

Re: Haptic shots

Now this is very sophisticated! I interpret this as an invitation to members to here to post photos that involve an action related to 'touch' - is that right?

This is a sort of challenge so I will move the thread to the Assignments and Challenges board.

Ian

[Silo]

Re: Haptic shots

Hi Ian, I guess so, I wasn't sure where to put it.
-I hope my intro isn't too obscure.
It can be an image of anything that triggers a visceral response above all else, action, object animal vegetable or mineral etc...
We tend to ignore that response as viewing photos isn't generally a survival threat.

;-)


-s

[Pops]

Re: Haptic shots

Interesting interpretation of photograph/s. A completely new concept to me which does take a bit of geting around.
I do believe that this image I took a long time ago qualifies.

[andym]

Re: Haptic shots

My try



In Amsterdam

[patmoore]

Re: Haptic shots

I'm not sure these qualify but I'm a big fan of Escher and created these after touring an exhibit of his works.

[Silo]

Re: Haptic shots

Hi Pops, Yeah!
I can smell the zest and feel it spraying onto the skin and taste the orange juice-fab.

-S

[Silo]

Re: Haptic shots

Hi Andym,
apt response. it makes me feel uneasy just as the metal hand knocker I put up does, it's the juxtaposition of form and content...and mild embarasment for the artist!
-nice one, thanks
-S

[Silo]

Re: Haptic shots

Hi Patmore,
It's a stretch from where I started, but that's what I wanted, not more of my take on it. The whole thing is somewhat subjective and elastic by nature ...this is interesting.
I get a sort of double take from these as my senses check what sort of space they take me to. there's a pull (cogonitive dissonance) between the dimension-less field of the background and the definite 3D space of the images that is disconcerting for the body as it has no definite frame of reference.The first one doubly so as it had two different perspectives.
The second doesn't do this so much as its' perspective is almost flat and graphic. The pencils lead us (no pun intended) towards a graphic perception too.

Departing from the thread theme;- to fully transcribe the original into the photographic medium the pencils could be cameras...we seeing the hands somehow on their screens?....

great post, thanks

[Autumn]

Re: Haptic shots

I'm not sure these qualify but I'm a big fan of Escher and created these after touring an exhibit of his works.

The first image does something to my brain, it makes me feel really uncomfortable, the second one also has a similar effect but not quite so much.

[Ian]

Re: Haptic shots

I found it quite hard to find an image to fit into the topic here but I feel this might qualify:



It has a sense of the tactile to me at least.

This was taken in June 2001 in Kyoto, Japan, at the Rokuon-ji temple. I believe these are tied paper messages containing wishes.

I used a Canon EOS-D30 (three megapixels!) and a 28-135 zoom.

Ian

[Silo]

Re: Haptic shots

Yes, I would say it was primarily a people shot with this added dimension. His eyes draw us into his focus of attention in his hands, and the lens focus further shows his neighbours fingers and cord there. without prior familiarity with the scene my first reaction is "what are they doing?" then as I keep looking I move on into the imagining of paper in my hand and the hairy string fibres.
thanks Ian, there's lots to discover from all these shots

-S

[Autumn]

Re: Haptic shots

I am not sure whether this image meets the criteria, but it does invoke the sense of smell for me.

[Silo]

Re: Haptic shots

Hi Audrey,
Absolutely does meet the criteria.
It seems to me that food photography is exactly about triggering our body responses to get us salivating about the products. That's why close focus is used to bring us right into 'smelling-range'. We appreciate food a lot closer than a picture when we get close enough to smell it.

great vivid shot.
thanks

S

[Autumn]

Re: Haptic shots

Now I know what you are talking about and I am on a role, here are some Raspberries from a Bergen Market.

They could accompany my Lemon Pavlova.