“We make art from the uncertainty.” – Author unknown
Recently the phrase “B-Sides” has crossed my reading and listening. Howard Grill wrote a post about the B Side of photography and U2 has re-released The Joshua Tree with a bonus CD of B-sides. On a side note, Howard has a very funny explanation of what a B-side is. (For those of you that have no memory of what an actual record is, Howard does a great job explaining it). Second side note is that the U2 bonus disc is great! The Joshua Tree could have been a double album for sure. If the word “album” means nothing to you, see Howard’s explanation of B-Side (again).
I have enjoyed thinking about the B-Side selection of my work. The idea of purposely enjoying what you know is not your best work, but knowing that it is an integral part of creating your best work. That is why the practice of documentation and preserving your B-Sides are important to the development aspect of your art work.
My Flickr portfolio is my greatest hits and misses of my B-Sides collections. About once a month I do a photo shoot for my own enjoyment. No client to answer to; just me, my mind, my muse and the outcome. At the end of the year the B-Side work could turn into print work, greeting cards, DVD slideshows or simply improvements of my photographic skills.
