El fotògraf i filòsof, Lluís Bussé, ens proposar una Barcelona diferent. Fem un recorregut per diferents instantànies d’una fictícia Ciutat Comtal.

The photographer and philosopher, Lluís Bussé, proposed us a different Barcelona. We take a trip through different snapshots of a fictional Comtal City.

Source: Barcelona’s Multiverse

Opinion:

A lot of people take photographs. There once was a time when only a relative few took serious photos. Before digital cameras and phones with built-in cameras, there were two types of people.

The “shutterbugs” used real film, an SLR body with detachable lenses, and a battery-powered flash. These enthusiasts weren’t necessarily professional but they were generally cast as “artistic” types.

The other type was the average consumer who used a Kodak Instamatic or Polaroid camera, with a plastic cartridge film, snap-on flashcubes or a built-in flash. These were the simple folk, photographically speaking. They just wanted to capture memories of family, friends and recreational fun and didn’t really care about making an artistic statement.

An exception to the second type was Andy Warhol, who used a Polaroid to photograph celebrities and notables. Doing that in itself was a statement… I mean, the medium really was the message in this case. Andy was different. Who else would have actually painted instead of simply opening a can and eating Campbell’s Soup for lunch!

But to return to photography in the here and now, websites like Flickr and Instagram display countless wannabe pros who IMO are good but not really that good. One thing I don’t like is the overuse of Photoshop filters on regular photos. I’ve done it myself but the end result is just too much phoniness. A good photo should just leap out and not need a ton of glossy filters. Narrow depth of field is great but only when it’s in the original photo. I can always tell when fake blur is added.

And believe it or not, back in the day it was almost a sign of greatness if your original negative was identical to the final fix. By that, I mean no cropping. Just getting it right at the outset.

Maybe I’m old-school but for me, overly doctored photos tend to obscure rather than enhance the subject. And I really don’t get off on most of those heavily planned theme shots, either—you know, half-naked fairies standing around a ’57 Chevy in the countryside, stuff like that.

Having said that, I am not talking about mixed media or graphic design (artists like Artemis Marina Kanavaki do a great job of mixing media). I’m simply talking about taking pictures, straight and sure.

Lluís Bussé is a blogger and photographer who caught my eye some time ago. I find him interesting. He obviously has top-notch gear and his creative augmentation and use of juxtaposition doesn’t swamp but rather enhances – or better put clarifies – his work.

The use of monochrome in today’s day and age is almost revolutionary. And getting your portfolio recognized by major TV stations is also quite a feat!

Definitely worth checking out.