S&S W3 Collaberation

A lot of photography involves one or another way of collaboration with the subject of interest. I had this discussion with another student who came to the conclusion that all kind of photography is collaboration. I disagree because when I am in the studio and take images of an object than the object is not collaborating with me.

The idea that I have always images or influences in my mind and therefor will be influenced unconsciously is really philosophically and far-fetched. If I photograph landscapes, the weather can be fine, but the weather is inorganic and can something that is inorganic collaborate? Not in my perception.

This Friday I went to a talk by Artist Sougwen Chung about her collaboration with a robot. They draw together and with artificial intelligence the robot gets better in the proces. The robot mimics her action. Is it human versus computer or with the computer was her question; I didn’t hear the answer in her talk but I can see thta in teh future they will work together I don't think that is now already.

Sougwen Chung and the robot drawing together

Chung works on the question that often comes back: "is technology the answer" her question: "then what is the question"? The translation of the word computer can be automation, but there are also countries where the word can be translated into an electric brain. That suggests some intelligence. What can that computer learn. How does artificial intelligence work? Can we give confidence to the system, and can there still be coincidence if you work with a computer?

I am wondering how would it be if I could collaborate with your camera. How would that work? Would things that aren’t possible or not as easy become accessible?

In what way would I want to use that, what would be the goal. But if I were blind and could see the camera in front of me, it would certainly be great. I met Neil Harbisson a few years ago. He cannot see any colors at all and therefore has had a senor implanted in his head so that he can hear sound. He calls himself a cyborg and in the meantime he can hear sounds that we normal people can't even see such as UV and IR. He uses this knowledge to make art with it and to let us experience the world differently. He calls on us to also become cyborg. https://youtu.be/ygRNoieAnzI I also met a friend of his, also a cyborg, who feels all the earthquakes in the world. A real intense experience that she transforms into sound and dance. That would go a step too far for me. It is also more use of equipment when collaborating with. https://youtu.be/qU6UPUlbmLw

Two weeks ago I was at a presentation of Jarno Duursma about how to stay human in the future when artificial intelligence takes over a lot of jobs and tasks in our daily live and the question if it would make us happy. The answer was to become even more human. https://youtu.be/kr3Z6tQVmXY

The question arises does it make me happy to collaborate? In a collaborative project it is often the case that expectations are high and that you start working full of energy. I also often notice a dip moment. If the end result is amazing, I am happy with that, I feel good. That feeling about the project is the most important and the way to measure the success achieved. But also a difficult benchmark because it is subjective. However, I have noticed that if I have a good opinion about something, others have the same feeling.

Making a portrait is a form of collaboration for sure and there are days that I just approach people on the street and ask them to cooperate while other days I don’t feel that well and avoid contact.

The good thing about working together is that you always influence each other and as a result come to a different, often stronger project and through communication you have to express the goals and strategies, become more aware of it and therefore sometimes engage in a much more intense project. It becomes more difficult if not everyone is actively involved because your team is as good as the worst link.

As a collaboration project we have done a photochain this time. James says I came up with it, but it was actually his idea that he told him that it reminded him of such folded paper so that someone else drew where the previous one had stopped. Because I placed the idea in the forum, I sort of automatically became the point of contact even when others showed initiatives. It went wrong with the order when people kept coming and people were taking turns because they were busy working. Then I published a wrong list, a good one, and someone else started changing the order again. Confusing everyone. It depends on good planning, which is difficult if everyone has their own agenda because of work.

Fortunately, we have enough people in this project who want to reach the finish line together.

What made us happy was the title of a presentation that I attended 3 weeks ago. It seems that 50% is in the genes (DNA, a hormone issue). Only 10% of your happiness is determined by circumstances and you can make and practice 40% yourself. I had never realized this but I found it very pleasant to know. On going to becoming happier because I can influence that myself.