Re: [Leica] Our existential pleasures

[LP6@aol.com]

Posted:  

<< Yes, the way we value >ourselves in turn influences our valuation of
imaging opportunities and our general struggle to make a good photograph.>>

Commentary:
 
Which in the end means what? That sharpness is an illusion of wishful 
thinking? That tonal modulation is in our mind? In one sense yet, but in 
another sense, no. Both subjective and objective criterion go beyond that.
Leica lenses do perform better than other lenses in many way. That's where
the thread began, no? It's not enough to say that the best qualities of our
pictures are in the mind. That's meaningless for photography's power of
communication.   >> 

Interesting:  Be it noted,  my response is long; and sorry!   It is also an
off the cuff (1st draft), and please forgive typo errors etc.  

					3 Fundamental Ways to Value Ourselves:
				        			Needed: Balance
Basics:  

1.  In terms of belonging to something:  e.g.,  National Geographic
Photograpaher.   Boston Globe Photographer.  US Airforce Photographer.
Excessive role definition of the self  = S Valuation/Dysvaluation.  A
photographer that carries this too far is in trouble behind the lens.  

2.  We may value ourselves as primarily a special "hunk"  with enormous
appeal.  Such narcisism is better on stage than behind the lens.  Or, a
personality may swing the other way and disvalue "itself" as some sort of
looser...maybe just a "thing" an "it" of some sort.  E.g., in sexual
encounters merely a sex object where the relationship is devoid of feeling and
depth.  Such coldness and emotional anesthesia ain't going to perform well
behind the lens either....= E- valuation or dysvaluation.

3.  Finally, we may value ourselves as unique and having infinite
possibilities while belonging to a human and spiritual world.  E.g., in nature
mysticism, we experience ourselves as one with nature.  This feeling, this
state of mind, healthier than the other two, has special implications behind
the lens,,,, = U -valuation.   

Conclusions:

In the real word we need a relative (not perfect) blance of I = E = S value
skills behind the lens, as photographers, to give us our optimal shot at
maximizing a good lens.

We also need something else:  We would better make I-valuation most important,
E-valuation second and S-valuation third in importance as we break away from
perfect balance (I = E = S) which doesn't exist in personalities anyhow.  

Thus relative balance with a shift to I and E dominance gives personalities
behind the lens of cameras a leg up as photographers!  Your probbably
wondering what your I-vision, E-vision and S-vision is...read on:     

It may be obvious to some; but, it bears stating that personalities come in
all sorts of value-packages:  1.  some are out of wack, I prefer baslance,  in
that they order the relative importance of these dimensions as S > E > I.  

In peace time, and in nature work this personality value profile is a a dam
poor one for photographic success.  On the other hand, in times of war this
"contrarian" profile might have adaptive value (self protective value in
battle); but, the resulting photography will still suffer!   If you let war
numb you down this way (the very essence of the S > E > I profile) you will
loose your edge behind the lens!     

                               Self Valuation Shapes our "Photoagraphy":

Further Conclusions:

1.  Our I, E, S Categories of  Valuation are Bench Mark Dimensions and in the
real world we combine them in different orders...and with different weights
(sensitivites).  

1.  Apart from valuing the self we value the world through the same I, E, and
S lenses of the mind.  Behind the optical lens of the camera are the three
lenses of the "minds eye".  We see the world and self through the I-Lens, the
E-Lens and the S-lLens.  These lenses can suffer astigmatism (metaphorically)
and they can be seized upon to double duty.  E..g., we might see a flower (E
object) as a person (I Object).  This is intrinsification of the flower...we
do this with cars we fall in love with don't we?  

3.  If we have intrinsified our car, overvalued it as some sort of living
thing or person; why, then, this shapes our photography of the car.  If we
disvalue ourselves and fall into a largely Systemic Identity then we will
always see people as belonging to something or in terms of their role only (as
against seeing their uniqueness and individuality and inner beauty) and this
will make our photography rather shallow!

4.  S-Photographers run the risk of being too stiff, of missing the deeper
meaning that can guide composition.  They also focus excessively on the
photographic forest and miss the photographic trees. No vital balance...the
stuff of creativity.  

5.  E-Photographers would focus excessively on photogralphic trees, missing
the photogralphic forrests, so to speak.  Also, loosing vital balance and
creativity.  
Even a career of macrophotography focusing on the minute details of nature etc
would suffer because of a lack of better I, E and S balance!  

6.  I-Photographers are probably the best equipped to capture good photographs
and work their lenses to the optimum.  Yet, even here the I-Value dimension
ought to remain in relative balance with the E and S Dimensions to optimize
creativity.  

7.  Thus our ideal photographer should exhibit a spontaneous ordering of the
importance of his or her value dimensions as I > E > S; yet, have this
hierarchical ordering remain in rought balance, avoiding extreme deviations (I
= E = S).  In the real world nobody so balances his or her dimensions of value
and not everyone ranks them I > E > S in importance.  But the closer we come
to the ideal hierarchy and balance the better will be our skill in
photography.  

Shall We Test this Theory?

If enough LUG members would like to take my values test (the HVP-PVI) and
anonymously is ok, we would have a LUG SAMPLE to test all this stuff and
nonsense which I have spent over fifteen years exploring in other directions!
Here our generous but reasonable assumption would be that LUG members are all
a cut above the crowd when it comes to photography.  

For those reading through this post, thanks for your interest and patience and
your comments would be appreciated.  

The Best of Value Vision and The Best of Light,

Leon
LP6@aol.com