Week 2 Reading - In The Making: External and Internal Sources of Inspiration - Thomas Joshua Cooper (pp. 182-190)

I found it interesting how Thomas Cooper has one foot in contemporary, almost conceptual art, and one foot planted very firmly in the historical practices of the craft of photography, combined with the even older histories of the places and narratives he chooses to research and photograph.
I chose this essay based on the title.  The only information the title really gives is that inspiration can be drawn from history, geography, sensuality, and cosmology.  I felt very drawn to this immediately, which by now should be no surprise, as there is an obvious historical influence in my work as well. You could even say there is a geographical influence; although I am not traveling to make my work, the history I'm currently drawing from is very geographically ingrained. 
I thought Cooper's photographs were elevated to a higher rank of integrity by his process; how he will research a location thoroughly before traveling, but will only travel with one roll of film, does not use metering equipment to ensure a properly exposed shot, and will even only take a single shot once he gets there.  I was in awe of this, because his images are photographically beautiful independent of the subject matter, and he must have incredible confidence in his craft and his judgement to be able to do this.
I twinged a little, too, when I read this though.  I felt myself slightly concerned for him, because he explained in the interview that it took him a long time to be able to financially justify his approach to travel photography.  He also explained he has a young family to support, and yet he spends thousands of dollars in transportation, rent, and labour just to produce a single photograph.  This one shot he takes on any given trip, I assume, turns out well more times than it doesn't.  But to me there is so much risk involved in only taking only one shot, in not even glancing at the light meter for reassurance, and then leaving that location, and deciding that if the shot wasn't right, there would be no photograph from that location.  This single-shot approach to photography is one of the few forms of generating art I can think of that produces a piece that can't be redone, that can't be further worked into if it's not right.  A painting can be painted over, pieces of digital art can be deleted or retraced, stitches can be ripped out and resewn, and even some sculptures can be added to or taken away from to repair them or drive them in a new direction.  But if you're only taking one shot, there isn't much you can do after that shutter closes.