Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/10/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]It is an interesting and appropriate point that you make. I must confess I agree with much of what you say. I have an artistic background and now mainly use photography in my job as a graphics designer. Apart from the commercial/illustrative value, I am using the camera to explore ways of seeing things, to deepen my realizations of people, nature and reality as such. I certainly get bored by pictures that just feel like by-products of someones technical obsession, or typical "photo club" images, where people just analyze composition, sharpness, contrast and such. Shapes, colors, light have power, energy to touch and transform our minds and souls, and it is extremely rewarding for a photographer to set out on a journey into such visual discovery with his camera as a tool. My feedback to many PAW images here (I say it once so I don't have to write it each time) is: When you press that shutter, think about what you want to say, and "feel in" the image. Does it have any power in it, something to convey, or will it, in spite of being pretty, visually smart or whatever, feel empty, "flat", speechless if you will. We are all differently developed when it comes to "inner seeing", and any criticism on that level has to be of a very encouraging nature, since we are in a way dealing with individual growth here, not just technical or artistic ability. To say to a person, "Your picture is shallow and empty, just as you probably are yourself", won't do it, of course, but unfortunately it is often true among us modern people who rarely give ourselves time to develop any vivid inner life. Here are possibilities for us to develop and make photography into a real-life adventure. In case anyone is still reading this and has any idea of what I am talking about, thanks for the word. Per tisdagen den 29 oktober 2002 kl 05.59 skrev Wariowilly@aol.com: > I'm new to posting, having been a "lurker" for quite awhile due to my > fear of > weighing in on various issues and being torn apart (however well > intentioned) > by far more knowledgeable members of LUG. But there seems to be a lack > of, > shall we say, intensity with respect to review and comment on PAWs. > I'll be > blunt -- I've seen a large number of PAWs that are, at best, mediocre, > almost > snapshots at a backyard barbeque that could have been taken with a $70 > point > and shoot camera. Yet, the comments for such works include things like > "great > shot" or "wonderful image." Even allowing for differences in taste, the > feedback on the PAWs seems remarkably consistent, and overwhelmingly > positive. Sure, its nice to encourage folks, and it isn't easy to > submit > anything for public scrutiny, especially by the extremely talented and > knowledgeable people who contribute to this group on a regular basis. I > wouldn't submit my work because, quite frankly, I don't think it is > yet at a > level where it should be shown, nay, inflicted on the general public, > let > alone the experts here. > > Don't get me wrong, lots of PAWs are amazing -- almost life > transforming -- > but others, well, its almost like "point a Leica at it and submit it." > Should > we all bite our tongues at the latter sort and keep silent, or offer > encouraging "strokes," or should we be honest (but always respectful) > and > honestly present constructive criticism? Again, I don't want to > belittle > those who have the courage and confidence to submit PAWs, but I need > clarification -- are we here to review and critique in constructive > fashion, > or simply to validate with hollow "attaboys" yet another submission of > someone's wife or daughter by the pool, or colorful locals sitting > around a > cafe in some foreign locale? I don't want to offend anybody, I'm just > wondering what the ground rules are. > > Many thanks to all for the wisdom the have provided, and continue to > provide > on this site. > > Ellis Krane > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > > - -------------------------------------------------------- VisiMedia -- Webbutveckling & webbhotell www.visimedia.com Tel. 0416-300 07, 070 99 22 55 9 Fax 0416 300 03 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - ----------------------------- Läs mer om GateScan, den nya virusfria e-posten: www.gatescan.com - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - ----------------------------- - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html