As a present, she had given me a few books, the first of which that I’ve read so far is Beauty in Photography, by Robert Adams. One interesting tidbit (albeit discovered from Wikipedia) is that Robert Adams only began photographing after he left college.

A few choice quotes:

Why do most great pictures look uncontrived? Why do most photographers bother with the deception, especially since it so often requires the hardest work of all? The answer is, I think, that the deception is necessary if the goal of art is to be reached: only pictures that look as the had been easily made can convincingly suggest that Beauty is commonplace.

After years with a camera I had wasted still more time trying to do what it apparently was not given me to do.

The book itself is a collection of essays that he’s written, and definitely worth a read. It not only describes his views on photography, but discusses the path others have taken in discovering what photography means for them, and thoughts on art criticism as well, among a few other topics.

The first entry I ended up jumping to seemed like an awesome start; “The Definition of Play and The Classification of Games” by Roger Caillios, 1958“. I was able to find the full version of the document, and uploaded it for reference, or the curiosity of others.

Important to note, games of chance are excluded. [This is a] discussion about games and rules when profit is not obtained, and it is merely the existence of the absence of reality. (p.124)

While it was not an article that redefined what I thought of “play” as a individual and social construct, it was interesting to see how the observations of a document in 1958 translates to electronic entertainment in the modern day.

Play is an occasion of pure waste: waste of time, energy, ingenuity, skill, and often money for the purchase of [gaming] equipment… (p.125)

The industry may not be so quick to agree, but this rings true if wasted time is seen as a reflection of not accruing income. However, most if not all would agree that if play results in some form of entertainment, time and money may have been well spent.

A game which one would be forced to play would at once cease being play. It would become constraint, drudgery from which one would strive to be freed. (p.125)

I found this quote quite humorous with regards to my job, and I know some QA testers that might agree, I can’t say I “strive to be freed” from the games I play at work.

“In fact, the game is no longer pleasing to one who, because he is too well trained or skillful, wins effortlessly and infallibly.”

(In classifying games of sport) The goal of the encounters is not for the antagonist to cause serious injury to his rival, but rather to demonstrate his own superiority. (p. 132)

Both of these remind me of what the inherent draws in competitive gaming that kept such a stranglehold on me.

“Industrial civilization has given birth to [...] the hobby, a secondary and gratuitous activity, undertaken and pursued for pleasure, e.g. collecting, unique accomplishments, the pleasure in [...] inventing gadgets…” (pg. 145)

Did he just predict Achievements and LittleBigPlanet?

Here’s what I’ve tackled (in some cases, for a second or third time) this summer.

Suggestions?