Camoin Method, Example for Analysis, Flavio #2

Here is my 2nd try on the Camoin Method, this time the spread is shorter than the first one (16 cards) and is about my first experience in erotic photography, so far the activity at the studio was more about model books and fashion photography but a couple weeks ago I had the chance to do an erotic shooting that showed me a new niche to bring more business to the studio, so the question was:

What shall I do to succeed in the erotic photography field?

Please refer to the attached image for the spread.

Method:

As the questions deals with photgraphy I expected to see symbols for these concepts:

Light/Shadow
Camera
Lightning equipment
Nudity
Art
Stage/Studio
PC

So when the first 3 cards came out I felt at ease because L'HERMIT is holding a lamp and that worked for me as lightning equipment, the same for the lighting bolt in LA MAISON DIEU.

Gazes and solutions were solved, L'HERMITE is watching XIII and the solution to reversed LA MAISON DIEU is LE IUGEMENT, those cards made a nice complement, XIII made me smile as the face shows the profile like a shadow and thanks to L'HERMITE's light and LE IUGEMENT showed some nude people and made think in the A-ha! moment I had when realized erotic photography is another area I'd love to explore and make some profit out of it.

READING
XIII and L'HERMITE make me think about the portrait work at the studio, seting up the lights to get the person's best profile, L'HERMITE as an old man gave the idea that I've already developed experience in that area and the red walking cane seems like a support, as if the portrait work is a photographic job I can rely on.

There is a problem in the present position that prevents the transformation from an old man into a youthful appealing guy, what is happening?

LA MAISON DIEU is reversed, why can't I benefit from this new chances and opportunities and the raining money? I've seen LA MAISON DIEU in previous readings as my studio (or school studio for that matter) so there is something wrong there... I'm glad it is reversed because it makes me realize that not everything that shines is gold and the so called A-ha! moment (LE IUGEMENT) might be only the heat of the moment.

So LE BATELEUR is holding only one of the many sparkles from LA MAISON DIEU, whether said sparkle in his hand symbols money or choices of photography areas I must realize the erotic photography is just one of the many things I can do at the studio and needs time and luck to develope, as LE BATELEUR's staff is very small and thin compared with L'HERMITE walking cane, he is looking to the past, new work areas are welcomed but the already acquired experience must be acknowledged.

SUMMARY:
Experience and luck can help to succeed in the erotic photgraphy field but I must acknowledge that at this moment it would only represent a small part of my job/income and I must not forget to keep on working in the areas I'm already strong.

OK, that's it, thank you very much in advance for your comments on the thread.

Flavio, I'm still absorbing many of the rules, and Method, but I'll add my untrained comments until the knowledgeable arrive.

I noticed that you said you'd like to explore the area of erotic photography and secondly, make some profit. When I see the reversed Tower beneath the Judgement card it suggests to me you might have to spend more at the beginning before you make that profit. I wonder what significance the color yellow has since that's the color of the sparkle Le Bateleur is holding.

L'Hermit and XIII combined send a signal of following your own artistic direction and maybe a sense of it's now or never to pursue such a direction? Also calls to mind the fleeting quality of the erotic state? Just impulses, so hope you don't mind my practicing on your thread!

Interesting Flavio because when I looked at that spread, I thought it was say, "go artistic erotic photography!"

To me it seems like in the past, you went looking with your lights & tripod (the hermit carries a light and his stick supports him, like the tripod supports the camera) and found Dry Bones. The Hermit faces away from the Tower, with all the money. In the past, you didn't see as much money as you should have (Tower reversed). So in the present, when you solve the Tower with the Naked People (artistic erotic photography), the Tower rights itself, and the money showers down. The Magician is you, with your skillful photographic craft, now seeing all the moeny come raining down! All that stuff on the Magician's table, could it represent dark room equipment? All the little pans, and tweezers and negative cutters -- those little things you find on the darkroom bench? I also wanted to say that maybe the "trumpet" in Judgment could also represent a long lens?

Here's an in-post image of Flavio's reading, which sometimes allows for more facile analysis. (Thanks to Flavio for troubling to make the original and helpful image.)

That table reminded me of the magic he would perform making beautiful art, too, frelkins. Also, the blue woman made me think he should make sure his subjects are warm enough.

I'll give it a try.

Many synchronicities here.

I see that L'Hermite is the photography(er), but that there has been some transformation (XIII) desired here, because at present, there could be a better cashflow (La Maison Dieu, reversed). So, in the Camoin method we look for signs of the nature of our question in the iconic TdM images.

Also, in L'Hermite's cloak, there is a book at the bottom; as well, he is flowing with fabric. So, the idea of fashion and model book seemed to be confirmed to me.

Law of Solution (we place an upright Solution card over problematic frozen cards to solve the problem). We also follow any gazes, but in the Basic Method as Camoin says on his website, there are no gazes for XX: The solution was for Flavio attempt erotic photography (obviously XX), as the clothed people in XVI go commando in XX. (This is the Law of Duality, wherein we look for dual images and how they stay the same or change.) The camera image is also evident in XX in the lens and rays. So, this is where more iconic synchronicity comes into play.
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O.k. -- nice, we are comforted that the spread mirrors his situation well. If this was Flavio's first encounter with Tarot, we'd have his rapt attention, because he would be intrigued to see himself reflected in the signs of the cards.

Also note how in some of the cards, we are not using Macro meanings or book meanings; for example, Le Jugement is not being interpreted here as "liberation, good news, positive outcome" or something like that, but as an image of erotic photography. This is not really a Camoin phenomenon, but has long been a way of interpreting the Tarot de Marseille, due to its seemingly primitive or simplistic imagery, which translates well into an iconic approach, when such is appropriate to the context.
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Then, we place a future card I-Le Bateleur. Now, any card can be interpreted in its Macro meaning-- Le Bateleur is the card that siginfies the employment in the Majors. I wasn't intuitively impressed with this idea, though, although it would seem to say, "Yes, continue, carry on with the erotic photography". But, my eye started looking for patterns, duality, sameness, and difference, and relationship (Law of Duality) between cards in proximity. The Law of Repetition notes that what repeats and varies is intriguing.

I kept focusing on that little coin in his hand and how it compared and contrasted with all of those coins on La Maison Dieu. He seems to "pluck" one coin out, although there are other things on the table.

As well, I was intrigued by his gaze. When La Maison Dieu is reversed, he is looking at the people in suspension. Well, the people have come to represent this new venture or new style of photography (because people go nude in the Solution card above-- Law of SOlution and Law of Duality and Law of Columns). When La Maison Dieu is "fixed" and then uprighted (Law of Solution and Reversals), where does Le Bateleur look? Now, he looks at the tower, which I take to be the studio or business. (Law of Gazes, we can look at how images between two cards in proximity interact.)

Here's an image:


What's my point? The solution is for Flavio to take this new venture as a legitimate point of exploration, but that his focus needs to stay wider on the studio and not get too fixated on this new venture. Erotic photography is a piece of the action (a coin amongst many). His eyes should be on the greater business, but exploring this venture is fine. Thus, this reading would advise not to start investing too much in this new idea, as if he had suddently tapped the motherlode.

Does this resonate? It seems similar to other readings.

I did not speak to the Law of Extremity, but I thought this was enough for the moment.

One final thing: Flavio's question was, "how can I make this successful?" Le Bateleur is not a super success card (being 1); so, I think it is also "saying" that this new venture is a start (and a fine start as the card is upright), but not to get too enraptured.

Interesting Paul. I interpret the Law of Extremities differently. Changes comes to the Magician. The skillful photographer will hold the coin he seeks by doing something completely different. Flavio will come back to us in a few weeks and tell us if the erotic photography is bringing in loads of cash right away or not.

I think the Tarot is saying erotic photography will be a cash cow.

frelkins said:

Interesting Paul. I interpret the Law of Extremities differently. Changes comes to the Magician. The skillful photographer will hold the coin he seeks by doing something completely different. Flavio will come back to us in a few weeks and tell us if the erotic photography is bringing in loads of cash right away or not.

I think the Tarot is saying erotic photography will be a cash cow.

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Absolutely!
I mean to say, I record my readings and then check them later on.

BTW, this might be one of those moments when a Minor Arcana(s) is drawn; we might ask, "Is Le Bateleur signifying a cash cow or a beginning? Or better yet, What is Le Bateleur signifying?" and then see how the Minor(s) clarify.

I actually didn't address the Law of Exremeties -- I should do that, but gotta go for now.

MaureenH said:

Flavio, I'm still absorbing many of the rules, and Method, but I'll add my untrained comments until the knowledgeable arrive.

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Everyone's comments are appreciated, thank you for letting us know your take on the reading.

I noticed that you said you'd like to explore the area of erotic photography and secondly, make some profit. When I see the reversed Tower beneath the Judgement card it suggests to me you might have to spend more at the beginning before you make that profit. I wonder what significance the color yellow has since that's the color of the sparkle Le Bateleur is holding.

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I also think this new area to explore is going to require a time for development. According to Jodo, yellow stands for all things shinning mind, it is intelligence, clairvoyance, clear mind and the alchemical gold. For more information on colors please see this this thread

Also calls to mind the fleeting quality of the erotic state? Just impulses, so hope you don't mind my practicing on your thread!

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I like that, many people have said that a photograph is a moment stolen from eternity.

So in the present, when you solve the Tower with the Naked People (artistic erotic photography), the Tower rights itself, and the money showers down. The Magician is you, with your skillful photographic craft, now seeing all the moeny come raining down! All that stuff on the Magician's table, could it represent dark room equipment? All the little pans, and tweezers and negative cutters -- those little things you find on the darkroom bench?

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Thank you for pointing out much more symbols that represent photography equipment, the way you explained the artistic erotic photography solves a cash flow problem at the Studio made a lot of sense and somehow sounds more like the method understanding of solution cards.

Regarding LE BATELEUR table... I don't work anymore on the dark room but many of the tricks and techniques have an equivalent in the "digital darkroom" photoshop which is regarded by many as a really magical thing

I also wanted to say that maybe the "trumpet" in Judgment could also represent a long lens?

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Hehehe I loved that! long lens are a must whenever you really want to make your subjects look better with improved facial features and thinner bodies