Proof: Ruminations on the Everyday

by Martin Springborg

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0974186015
• ISBN13: 9780974186016
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: Crotalus Publishing
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.98 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 8.5" x 10.9"

Customer Reviews

The most important things are often overlooked

I recently purchased Martin's book at a book signing in Minneapolis. I began flipping through the pages in the art gallery prior to that purchase and thought to myself what an idea, forcing yourself to take a picture everyday for a year. Most people bring their cameras out to the family picnic, a holiday dinner, or maybe a party to celebrate someone's promotion at work. It seems kind of odd to take a picture of just everyday things. I mean who wants to see stuff like a picture of a diner in the thick of winter or a picture of a jeep by itself in the middle of the woods. It is just at that moment that you catch yourself, and say as you are talking to friends, Oh boy! I remember this day; this is the day that . . . and at that moment, that insignificant photo meant the world to you because it was forty years ago and in an instant you can describe exactly what happened right down to the smells in the air like it happened only yesterday. That insignificant photo was instantly transformed into a masterpiece. After the book signing I got my new book home and started at page one reading the text in conjunction with the photos and kept going until I reached the back cover. I was so excited, it was like a light clicked on reminding me that the most important things are the ones you see everyday. Now one may say, well sure I knew that. In response I would say I did too, but every once in awhile we need another reminder from another point of view. For me, it was this book. Another thing that is evident in this book is Martin's passion for photography expressed in both dialogue and photography. However it does not take someone to have the deep convictions that Martin displays for photography to appreciate such a book. Anyone can enjoy it. Hopefully that light is turned on for you too. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

There is Proof - it's here in Minnesota, October 10, 2003

Proof follows one year in the life of Martin Springborg, a young photographer/artist as he searches for and captures those moments, fleeting and precious, that give meaning and purpose to our lives. These are not the images we often find framed and hanging on the wall, or carefully put into albums. More often, they are the ones left in the envelope at the back of the drawer. Actually, the back of the drawer could be an image in this collection.What makes these images powerful is their ability to conjure up specific memories, like the old linoleum floor in the kitchen you grew up in, or the blurry photo of Uncle Al at the cabin. They resonate, even though they are Martin's moments. This is a marvelous achievement. His journal entries, as well as the photographs, reveal his process, which is another element often left out of photography books. I think that may be it's greatest gift. It is also fitting, as Martin is a gifted educator. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys looking at and taking pictures.

A Minnesota Family Album

...I am PROOF's first reviewer! Simply stated, the book contains a selection of images taken (one per day) for a period of one year. The idea was to create an image at the moment of inspiration. This, of course, makes the photographs look like snapshots from a family album. The accompanying text reinforces this notion. When viewing photo albums or rummaging through boxes of pictures belonging to other people, you may see a thumb that blocked the lense, a portrait of Aunt Martha where half of her face is missing or a double image caused by an unsteady hand. Some of these pictures may have come back from the drug store with a sticker attached stating what could be done to make them better the next time. The problem is that there can never be a "next time" because time only moves forward. Regardless of how bad they are, snapshots signify human presence at a particular moment in a particular place. This is what makes them so precious and why it's the first thing we rescue in a disaster.What Martin has done is fill a book with photographs that often mimic snapshots. Some are out of focus ("Self Portrait, February 29th"), some items are unrecognizable ("Interstate 94, July 11th") and some feel "forced" ("Hotel Bible", February 10th and "Minnesota Remembers, September 16th"). What makes this body of work truly remarkable is the discipline it took to snap a picture each and every day. I, for one, could not do it. As a whole, PROOF is an absolute gem and many of my favorites are ones that I had never seen ("Photographs", Februay 3rd", "Leash, August 12th" and "Photography Students, June 27th"). Pay close attention and you will begin to see subtle relationships between images. For example, the dark, glossy surface of the Polaroid negative in "Archive, April 2nd" possesses the same reflective quality as the lifeless eye in "Doe, April 6th" printed on the facing page. "Thumb" through the book and you will miss an important difference between 4/18 and 4/19!My only disappointment is in the quality of the printing. Typically, black and white photography books are printed using a duotone process (two inks printed at slightly different angles to produce a richer image that closely matches the original). Aside from this detail, I highly recommend Martin's book to anyone who finds pleasure in digging through (and looking at) other people's pictures. The best part is that you can look at them for as long as you wish and you don't have to worry about getting them out of order!THOMAS ALLEN ...