P3D Re: Alternative Content

[Brian David Phillips <phillips@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

RAMBLE MODE ON

"Dr. George A. Themelis" wrote:
 
> >Subject, social-context, cultural intent - that is disturbing to
> >the norm is a form of 'alternative content'.

Disturbing to the norm?  How about just very different from the norm? 
Some folks in "alternative" movements do seem to go out of their way to
shake up and "disturb" the norm or "freak the mundanes" but other
"alternative" movements are more about marching to a different beat than
most folks follow.
 
> OK.  I would still like to know why those under 26 would be more
> likely attracted to "alternative content 3D" rather than more
> traditional 3D.

If alternative means "young, kool, or hip" then younger people will go
for it just as teenagers from every generation listen to music their
parents are pretty certain is just noise.  It it means in-your-face
anarchy or trashing of all of society's values, then I doubt that most
young people would be interested.  Young people interested in
stereophotography would be interested in stereophotography and whatever
other hobbies or topics interest them.  Harold's site appeals to folks
interested in stereophotography and the other stuff he documents with
that medium (very neat photos too).

I am not so sure that Harold's site is intended as "alternative content"
though.  I just got the impression he liked to go to Burning Man (which
is NOT age specific in and of itself albeit more younger folks can go
than those with families and most folks don't bring their kids if they
have them since it is in the middle of the desert).  Since he goes to
Burning Man and since he is into stereophotography he combines the two. 
I didn't think he was trying to "disturb" anyone's norm in doing so or
trying to provide revolutionary content either, he just likes to combine
his interests. :-) I could be wrong.

I didn't see anything in Harold's pages to give the impression that he
was in the under 26 set.  He could be, I don't know him and he doesn't
seem to have his age listed anywhere.  However, judging from the
four-year-old photos of his two sons and that he is listed as a Ph.D.
for a 1995 paper, I assumed he was more on the over-30-or-more set than
the under-25.

Some people like to call what they do "alternative" or "avant garde"
just to make it sound revolutionary or distuptive or in-your-face. 
Others do the same activities and just call it "fun."  I've had a couple
folks who wanted to get involved with my T.I.T.S. troupe (the site has a
ton of stereophotos too) because we were trying to be revolutionary or
alternative but really all we do is have a bunch of folks with a common
interest get together and have some fun together.  The fact that we use
stereophotography to document our "events" or "performances" is not to
be revolutionary or kool but because it's one of my hobbies and I run
the webpage and take most of the photos.

This weekend I'll be going to a Cosplay show in Taipei (where folks
dress un in the costumes of their favorite Japanese comic book, cartoon,
or game characters) and will be taking as many stereo shots as I can. 
These will go on the web as well . . . partly as my cosplay hobby and
partly as my stereo hobby.

If others find the shots kool or interesting, great.  If not, well, I
figure it's my hobby. :-)

> I would imagine there is a lot of illegal, immoral and distrurbing
> activities happening in a place like Las Vegas.  Who says you have
> to point your camera only at what is acceptable, legal or non-
> intrusive?  That's what the casino owners would like you to do,
> but do you really have to do that?

Right.  Take pictures of whatever you find interesting.  If you have a
specific audience in mind for your shots then keep them in mind when you
do the setups and choose subjects but in the end please yourself.

> >The Burning Man images Harold put up represent content that is
> >'alternative' to what is usually discussed on this list.  I
> >congratulated him and ask for more.

If the working definition or "alternative" is disruptive or
confrontational, I would disagree.  Harold's shots are not
confrontational or disruptive of the norm . . . rather, to me at least,
they are a celebration of an event.  They're alternative in that you
don't usually see stereophotos of such events but realistically you
don't really see a lot of stereophotos of most events.  In the grand
scheme of things, there aren't really all that many stereophotographers
to go around. :-)

> >One of the purposes of art is to 'shake up the norm' (and not just make
> >'pretty pictures' to hang on the wall or present at shows), but violating
> >what is deemed 'acceptable content'.

No, that's a possible purpose of art . . . as political rhetoric or as
"educational" conduit.  Art can also be to make pretty pictures to hang
on the wall and to present at shows.  The "purpose" of art has never
been to "violate what is deemed acceptable content."  That is merely an
agenda of some-but-not-all artists.

Art doesn't have to deconstruct the aesthetics of the masses to be
successful.  Pretty pictures of flowers in vases can also be art.

Stereophotography can be used to document anything that regular
photography can document.  If your purpose is to appeal to young people
with your stereophotos then by all means take stereophotos of subject
matter they would enjoy.  If your purpose is to appeal to
church-going-satanists then document something that would appeal to
them.  If your purpose is to take pretty stereo pictures of whatever
else interests you, that's kool too (whether it be vintage cars, murder
scenes, naked ladies, bdsm parties, flowers, hummingbirds, or news
events).  The list is about the medium not the message.

[BTW, don't get me wrong here . . . I love to see certain types of
"alternative" subjects presented in stereo (I am really looking forward
to Mark Bennett's project coming to fruition and would love to see more
strippers, fetish, and other subjects that makes Harold's Burning Man
images look like they were taken in a nunnery), I just object to the
idea that such material has to be intentionally disruptive or
in-your-face or that other subject matter has to be considered old-hat,
conservative, or hokey -- a nice "stairs" or "wheels" shot can be very
evocative and quite beautiful.]

RAMBLE MODE OFF

Brian David Phillips, Ph.D.                    [phillips@xxxxxxxxxxx]
Assoc. Prof., English Dept., NCCU             Taipei, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
ICQ 5780689                        [http://wwp.mirabilis.com/5780689]
http://www.rpg.net/larp/      Interactive Drama Freeforms - Live RPG!
http://phillips.personal.nccu.edu.tw/tits/ Taipei Interactive Theatre
http://phillips.personal.nccu.edu.tw/3d/ Taipei Stereographic 3DPhoto
http://phillips.personal.nccu.edu.tw/             Tons of Other Stuff