Forensic Foraging: Photography to Unlock the Unseen

by William Crawford, Jim Provencher, Dave Cappella

Forensic Foraging is a shooting approach that can add some much-needed, creative options to modern digital photography. This volume suggests basic, minimalist techniques that help to unlock the unseen in our everyday, visual world. The throwback principles showcased here serve as signposts for the digital shooter who is trying to step back a bit from today’s techno-driven, computer enhanced images.The authors—both lifelong, wandering shooters—share compelling photos that chronicle both their throwback techniques and their ever-driven wanderlust. They also present prose and poetry that offers keen insight into their travels as experienced lensmen. They are not self-described artists, but rather they are simply itinerant shooters.But this book is much more than these descriptions. It is a tour de force revealing a creative friendship that spans the decades since the Vietnam War. It offers the reader an intimate glimpse into the souls of two contrarian ex-GIs who thrive on doing things with their personal, creative fulfillment as the goal. They shoot and write mainly for themselves, allowing others to view their work in a purely flexible, egalitarian manner.

Kindle Edition

Published December 26, 2018

Reviews

[Crystal Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be sure to read the full description of this book before committing to it. The authors are very good writers (the word "erudite" comes to mind) and consequently, the reader will also need to be such. Also, you can't expect this to be a book about photography, per se, though the title claims it to so and there are photographs included within it. This phrase from the book description is probably most accurate: "[Forensic Foraging] reveals a creative friendship that spans the decades since the Vietnam War." The book is about the men and their ideas ABOUT photography (and travel, and occasionally how old thing are better than new things) and not actually about the process of photography.

I like the concept of Forensic Foraging, which they define as taking photos of ordinary and mundane things in such a way as to bring new interest and attention to them. I quite like that type of art. However, there is very, very little explanation, instruction, or description of actual techniques. Instead, there is ample discussion about the two authors' philosophies on photography, including their rejection of images that have been altered (beyond traditional retouching) through digital means, to the point of calling these "cryptographics" instead of photographs. I agree with them that some digital enhancements create images that are "often better than the real thing" and "too much for the eye and brain to process," but since the beginning of the book description mentions "much-needed creative options to modern digital photography," I was looking for some concrete and tangible suggestions, and there just really aren't any.

Part 1 is comprised on an essay and an interview with another photographer, who may be good but is also too full of himself for my taste. Here's something he says during the interview: "Some of my images are more difficult to make than others. For someone who knows photography, they know that some of my images are not simple and easy to take. For someone who doesn’t know photography, maybe they don’t get it." And then in his next response he says "Maybe I'm underestimating myself." While he might be a good photographer (I can't even confirm this), his personality just grated on me so I skimmed through most of that part.

Part 2 is comprised of photos that demonstrate the Forensic Foraging style, with a few paragraphs relating to each. The write-ups were again focused not on the techniques used to get the shots, but on the photographers' feelings about the location or memories about the trip that got them to that particular point, etc. This is entirely consistent with what one should expect from this book based on the book description, so it's really a matter of my own lack of understanding that this is more of a multi-medium memoir than an actual book about photography that led me to be continually surprised.

Part 3 is half poetry and half personal essays about their travels. Again, entirely consistent with a book description that reads: "[Forensic Foraging] offers the reader an intimate glimpse into the souls of two contrarian ex-GIs who thrive on doing things with their personal, creative fulfillment as the goal. They shoot and write mainly for themselves."

So my point is, take the book description to heart when considering this book. If that appeals to you, you'll probably enjoy this book very much. But just don't expect it to be anything different than that.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is unlike any other text on photography that I've read before. It speaks very little on the subject of technique, but is a fascinating and intelligent approach to the artistic ideology of 'the photograph' as a form. Specifically, the authors question what the best purpose of photography can be, and how best to emulate this. The answer they come to is the titular concept, 'Forensic Foraging' - taking ordinary moments and objects and capturing them with as little digital enhancement as possible, in order to preserve brief aspects of beauty in the mundane. The argument they put forward for this is a compelling one, and approached with great care and experience.

The book itself is presented in an interesting format, often positing poetry and prose alongside the photographs to illuminate some aspect of one or the other. It's an enjoyable and intelligent read, and one that provides many great aesthetic joys. I highly recommend it.

[Corrine Cassels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cool book! My husband has a passion for photography so I found this book very compelling. It focuses on the authors/photographers perspective on photography itself. The pictures are intriguing and it's written in a very intelligent manner, nothing is watered down. I enjoyed it very much.