photographing what life gives you | A Shimmer of Possibility by Paul Graham | off the shelf

Sharing some thoughts alongside a closer look at A Shimmer of Possibility by Paul Graham. Thank you to Squarespace for sponsoring this video. Go to squarespace.co... for 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
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Video by Louisiana Channel, photography lacks intentionality: • “Photography lacks int...
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[@juliascamp2175]

I’ve never heard of these books before. Watching you flip through them reminded me of walking around in metro Detroit, where I live. I think most photographers and just general “appreciators” of looking and thinking about what’s going on around them would understand and enjoy these books. It’s a narrative without words.

[@mattdayphoto]

Well said! It's easy for me to get sorta lost in looking, in my own head. Feels familiar when you flip through.

[@krishnapriyaka3261]

also love his book “american nights”, interesting approach

[@neilcousineau4956]

Exactly, I always have a camera with me. Most of the time I don’t use it, but some of the time I have to stop and take a photo. Last night is was a gas station, the same gas station that I’ve driven by a thousand time time but for some reason I felt the urge to take a photo. Cheers

[@RyB717]

I like it. The pace you flipped through the pages made me understand your summary. “Is there something there? Maybe… maybe not.” Good stuff, Matt.

[@mattdayphoto]

I really appreciate you sharing that feedback! I overthink stuff like this constantly; am I showing too much, am I misguiding the viewer, is this a fair assessment, etc. I was really hoping that came across on this one that you mentioned, so thank you!

[@Magneira]

I love this. Every time I have to do something with photography, be a job or a portrait, I freeze and don't feel passion. But when I'm out with a câmera, or documenting my life, I fell alive and full of possibilities.

[@ZachSaintWard]

I honestly feel like the best art is emotive in such a way that because of its existence people are forced to feel something. I personally think that a book filled with a whole bunch of “almost maybe, could be?” is a hard sell and I would question putting it into print - but isn’t that exactly the point? It’s called a glimmer of possibility, as if to say, maybe there’s something here, can you feel it too, or maybe not. It makes you question and feel just as much as a banana duct taped to a wall or a giant balloon dog made of chrome - does it need to exist, probably not, but does it put a smile on my face to see it, yep!

[@hsien-huayu5966]

Wow, I’ve been photographing my everyday life for a long time just to record, never think of this kinda perspective. Really inspired! Thank you Matt!

[@kristinakappes6564]

This is my first video I've watched of yours and I've never heard of Paul Graham. Both of you seem wonderful. The title of his book series, along with the way you shared it brought me to tears.

[@MichaelZieschang]

I'm about to put work together into a book about my quarter and I showed an earlier version of my work to professional photographer and book designer: he gave me nearly the same advices as you described about that specific book. That's quite a task now...

[@AI-Hallucination]

I like this and the photo talk it's refreshing photos are dangerous you got to keep the feeling

[@miketittel69]

This is one of my fave photo books of all time. Saw him a few years ago at the Cincinnati Art Museum. His conceptual thinking and the way he articulates it is almost as satisfying to me as the work itself. Had him sign a few books and basically geeked out on him. Gracious warm guy. The quotidian flow of life is nicely seen in all of his books. His "American Night" is maybe the most sobering concept book of all time. It is staggering as a social justice viewpoint.

[@geoffmphotography9444]

I watched the Paul Graham film a while back. Unfortunately, here in the UK that box set is UK£350! Your assessment was spot on Matt.

[@EvanxBurke]

I love the sequencing of these!! It really did something to my brain.

[@Al_Bx]

Was it at Paris Photo or Arles but I have seen this work on display. I recognized the landscape worker mowing the lawn sequence. It's not breathtaking by any means but it does make you wonder, you do pause and ponder, you do scrutinize and travel back and forth between the photos or inside them, looking for clues. So you take it in. You take it all in. And you're there, experiencing the moment that was frozen in time. And it sticks with you somehow. Back there in your brain. Like one of those moment you're not so sure you if you lived or dreamt them.

[@amy.naegele]

This one spoke to me. Hadn’t heard of him before but watched the Louisiana Channel video. Loved it and loved your take on it. Thanks for sharing

[@yugenfocus]

Matt, Yet another awesome video exploring the work of someone whom I admire a lot, specifically because of his photographic eye. I remember watching that Louisiana Channel video a couple months ago and feeling super inspired. It really helped me break out of my creative funk and inspired me to go out and shoot during my daily walks with my dog. I already had a natural inclination to shoot everyday scenes, part of why I'm attracted to the works of photographers like you and Paul Graham, but that video and this video have further affirmed my work even more! Keep on keeping on brother 🤝

[@garykuhlmann8149]

Thank you for this video. I've been a fan of Paul Graham for a few months now. I hope to someday drop the coin on this wonderful book! Everything you say about his work is right on target--what I enjoy most is the sense in his photographse, as you mention, of "the moment," of temporality, a kind of beauty in time passing through our everyday experience.

[@MikeChudley]

Great video Matt. I recently bought his 'A1 - The Great North Road' after seeing that video from the Louisiana Channel. The A1 is a road I travelled up and down for years between work and seeing family at either end. Although the images are nearly 40 years old I still feel like I resonate with the photos. They're a simple representation of what he see's, but in a very observant... is there something here? Maybe not? Maybe so... I keep returning to the book as if I'm looking for something else I could have missed. Perhaps I should get all this into a video on my channel. Anyway, good video Matt!

[@iconindexsymbol]

If you’re interested in this book, you need to watch Alec Soth’s video “Real Time vs. Storytime.”

[@jaykey6307]

Very interesting. I liked the way you related his work to your own experience. I can also relate to this idea of seeing *possibilities* but most of the time they do not turn into an *actuality*.

[@BryanBirks]

The sequence starting at 2:12 with the woman on the street starting to cross and then disappearing made me feel a certain type of way. Whether it was sadness or melancholy or just a curiosity of what happened to her…yeah that was a good one. Don’t see that much in photo books.

[@parkermillican]

Loved this

[@Brian_Jones]

Paul Graham is such an incredible photographer with such an inspiring approach even without an explanation of intentions.

[@pushingfilm]

Who is this kid that took over the channel? 😁 Great video man

[@stevep564]

What book ends do you have?! They look sturdy!

[@billyspocketlife]

Hi Matt, I'm going through all my family photos that I have that is all shot on film, being the photographer of the family who knows about scanning film I have become the one to digitise what we have purely for my own satisfaction but we're looking at having books made but with film being unorganised for 19-35 ish years since they were taken I was wondering how you would tackle the organisation of this? Also do you think putting all the off shot photos that don't fit in to the albums would be worth being placed into another as a collection? I think it could be worth considering encase there's a collective feel to the photos as hidden memories that might hit someone because of one small detail or simply as something to reach my inner documentative side?

[@IanDocherty335]

Unfortunately (for me) they do absolutely nothing for me. Each to their own I guess!

[@mattdayphoto]

Nothing wrong with that!

[@Jean-Poule_II]

When life gives you lemons, make pictures out of them.

[@markgarcia8253]

Never been a fan of street photography. Taking photos of strangers is so meaningless. I don’t enjoy the photos afterwards unless the subject is someone I value.

[@_Just_Some1]

@Phillip I guess he means it means nothing in a photographic way; if I had to guess, I’d say he does value strangers.

[@Wanderhirsch]

I can connect with that initial comment. I long for more depth, like I want to know about a stranger's life and feelings.. to continue the story. It's not enough meaning to only have a visual, it would be more complete knowing something about the person.

[@AI-Hallucination]

Dude 😢 everything is ok