Via The OnLine Photographer, I came across the work of Paloma Dooley. She photographs landscapes in the Los Angeles area of the USA.
Like the New Topographic photographers, her subjects are mostly rather mundane semi urban areas. Subjects most of us would pass by, without seeing anything worthwhile to record. But I found these pictures rather fascinating for some reason.
Why do these picture hold our interest?
I don't think anyone but you can tell why you like these pictures. Honestly, I don't like them, except two or three from the set, the same as for the cherry blossom set you posted yesterday. I took some time to look because you shared them, but I would have skipped both series in a blink. In a word, from my point of view, she is documenting garbage and I would throw the series to the bin.
However, "worthwhile to record" really depends on your purpose. This suburban set is maybe interesting for someone living there, documenting the place and maybe it's evolution if she does that again next year. Or it can be extremely effective at showing how ugly suburbs can be, and how man can destroy beautiful natural places.
Again, and surprisingly, very similar in that regard to the blossom set from yesterday: I love flowering trees in spring, but would hate to find myself in such a crowd. Nature ruined by people, one way or another.
Ok, please dont take offence, Nigel!
I looked at about a dozen of her photos, and saw nothing of interest. Same with the recent Japanese photos. Maybe it is me. LA, which I have visted several times, and Japan, where I have never been, just do not awaken any interest in me. But then, I found DC to be a city of death, too, despite the National Gallery, where I spent a week. Interestingly, i spent 30 years in the USA and I have very few photos from there. Many US cities have unexpectedly interesting art museums, though: Indianapolis, Chicago, Tulsa OK, St Petersburg FL, Detroit MI, Houston TX, and even Omaha NE come to mind. They are much more fun than fighting to get to the Met, MOMA, Guggenheim in NY, the Louvre, the Vatican, or the Uffizi. And I have given up on ever being able to visit the Hermitage in St. Pertersburg, Russia. (I recommend the video Russian Ark.)
By contrast, there are not many museums that I can think of where astounding photos are to be seen. The internet is the place for them, but they are not to be found in groups, just singly here and there. When I find one, I download it to my iPad. I rarely remember the name of the photographer.
Sorry! A bit of a ramble...
David
