Re: Thanks for sound advice and another question: Why is that?

[Eric Welch <ewelch@ponyexpress.net>]

At 09:52 PM 11/4/97 -0500, you wrote:

><<<<<<<<<<<< You think it bad on the newsgroup,=A0 you should see how it is=
 in
>photo schools.
> RIT, Boooks, Art Center you name it.=A0 Lots of times students will not=
 talk
>to
> each other.=A0 If they do, it's only interdepartmental.=A0 The Industrial
>people
> don't talk to the Illustrative people.=A0 Image Science definitely will=
 not
>talk
> to General Photo and so forth.
>Photo has always been that way.=A0=A0 As a whole, it is not a group that=
 hangs
> together.
>Larry>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
>How sad!=A0 Why is that?

My guess is that the profession is getting harder and harder to break into.
And there are lots of people trying to get in. And they don't want to share
their ideas and philosophies, because that gives away a "secret."

In photojournalism schools, it's a whole different world. There technique
is secondary to the ability to make pictures that communicate. And so one
can know all the technique in the world, but it's up to the photographer to
create story-telling pictures that mean something. And there's no secret to
that at all. It just takes some talent and a whole lot of work.

Thus I find most photojournalists at that stage in their careers tend to be
quite friendly, and most willing to talk, share and put up with some
people's quirks. At least, at the University of Missouri it was like that.
But I find that whenever I talk with journalism students.=20

Now when they get out and start working up the ladder, there are some who
get big heads and think they're hot stuff because they are at a bigger
paper and make lots more money. But more often than not, the ones who are
like that are not the best ones.=20

To be a great photographer might not require you to be a nice person, but
it helps.
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

Eric Welch
St. Joseph, MO
http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch

I am Homer of Borg, prepare to be assim...ooh, donuts!