Sorry for being a bit late with the newsletter. We attended an out-of-town wedding yesterday, and I couldn’t get the newsletter written beforehand.
Several years ago, I was watching a documentary on the photographer Jay Maisel and in it, Jay mentioned that he photographs on the streets of New York every day. When asked what he looks for when he goes out and if what he’s looking for changes daily, Maisel gave what I thought was a surprising answer – he said that he goes out empty. He doesn’t want any preconceived notions or ideas about what to shoot – he feels if he does, he’ll be apt to miss something more important. He goes out with an open mind, letting the city tell him what needs to be photographed.
That intrigued me, and I took it at face value, not knowing that there was an actual movement or philosophy of thought regarding this.
A few weeks ago, for this past Monday’s newsletter, I was researching the photography of the actor Jessica Lange. To that end, I watched an interview with Lange where she was talking about her photography in general and about her upcoming book of photographs called, Dérive. During that interview, she explained what Dérive meant and how it affected her and the photographs for her book. Her explanation of her intent of Dérive while taking pictures aligned perfectly with Jay Maesel’s explanation of going out empty. That’s when I decided to research it further, and in my opinion, I believe Dérive can be of value to many photographers, so let’s get into it!
What is Dérive?
The term dérive was first coined by the French philosopher and psychogeographer Guy Debord in 1955, and it refers to a method of exploring a city or other urban environment in a non-directed way. The dériveur (or wanderer) allows their movements to be guided by their own intuition and the specific atmosphere of the place they are in. This can lead to unexpected discoveries and insights into the city's hidden history and psychogeography.
In photography, the dérive can be used as a way to explore the city and create images that capture its unique atmosphere. The photographer can follow their own instincts and intuition, allowing the city to reveal itself to them in unexpected ways. This can lead to photographs that are both visually striking and emotionally resonant.
There are a number of ways in which the dérive can be applied to photography. One way is to wander around the city with a camera, photographing whatever catches your eye. This can be a great way to discover new places and capture the city's unique atmosphere.
Another way to use the dérive in photography is to focus on a particular city area and explore it in depth. This can involve walking the same streets repeatedly, paying attention to the details of the architecture, the people, and the atmosphere. This can lead to a series of photographs that capture the essence of a particular place.
The dérive can also be used to explore the city's hidden history. This can involve visiting abandoned buildings, exploring forgotten neighborhoods, and finding traces of the city's past. This can lead to photographs that reveal the city's hidden layers and tell untold stories.
The dérive is a powerful tool for photographers who want to explore the city differently. It can lead to unexpected discoveries and insights, and it can help you to create photographs that capture the city's unique atmosphere.
The Photographer as Dériveur
The photographer who engages in the dérive takes on the role of the dériveur. This means they are not simply a passive observer of the city but actively participating in its creation. The photographer's movements and actions help to shape the photographs that they create, and the photographs themselves help to shape the city's psychogeography.
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