Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/06/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]It may have been more accurate to say people will write better -- indeed, much better -- if they have a clearer understanding of that which they desire to communicate. Whether or not they reach the plateau of "writing well" is a separate issue. I would defer on this issue to an educator or someone who has more experience evaluating the writing of others. I can only speak for myself, and there is such a clear connection between the quality of my writing and the degree with which I understand the subject, that I assumed it was universal. As far as the "old photographer's saying", I believe it has a degree of validity, although I appreciate and acknowledge your point. Here was my point: If you understand or are familiar with something, whether it be a person, concept, or anything, and that understanding is well articulated in the mind, then scenes which comment on that subject are more readily apparent due to that understanding. And least that's my working theory. I may be full of bologna. It would not be the first time. ----- Original Message ----- From: B. D. Colen Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 12:12 PM To: Leica Users Group Subject: Re: [Leica] Good Writing is Harder Than Good Photography No, it is not easy to write well if you know what you want to say. It is only easy to write well if you are one of the very few people with the ability to write well. You would, however, be correct in saying that it is impossible to write well if you don't understand your material. And actually, I think the "old photographer's saying" you quote also turns logic on its head - you are far more likely to "see" what you don't know, than what you know. When people photograph that which is familiar they often miss the best pictures because they don't see what they are too familiar with. B. D. On 6/8/05 3:30 PM, "Stephen York" <York915@msn.com> wrote: > I always like to draw a distinction between folks who have a pendantic > writing > style -- technically correct, and often times very lyrical-- but have > nothing > to say, and those who understand a concept so thoroughly that they are > able to > communicate that concept in a clear and concise fashion, albeit with > somewhat > less flash. The latter is almost always more strong and effective. The > point > is that if you understand what you want to say, then it is easy to write > well. > I'm starting to believe that the same distinction can be drawn in > photography. > It took me a long time to understand the old photographer's saying "you see > only what you know." > > Back to writing, and I may be going out on a limb here, but I came to the > conclusion along time ago that grammatical rules are flexible beyond normal > notions and what is written in the text books. Isaiah Berlin, the late > Oxford > historian of ideas, is a writer who comes to mind, whose essays flow like a > waterfall, but, I swear, they seem to stress the rules of grammar. > > A bit off topic, but one item photography does better then writing, at > least > today, is to communicate emotions to the masses. Only music rivals > photography in this regard. This is one of the reasons why people can > listen > to music or view a photograph multiple times and still get something out of > that experience. How many people read books twice? Writing, through > poetry, > historically did the same thing, but few read poetry anymore. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Peterson, Arthur G CIV SEA 02 > Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 6:06 AM > To: Leica Users Group > Subject: RE: [Leica] Good Writing is Harder Than Good Photography > > > Yes, there should be, Doug. As William Strunk, Jr.'s book "The Elements of > Style" explains, "In a series of three or more terms with a single > conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last." > > Art Peterson > > > -----Original Message----- > From: lug-bounces+arthur.peterson=navy.mil@leica-users.org > [mailto:lug-bounces+arthur.peterson=navy.mil@leica-users.org]On Behalf > Of Douglas Sharp > Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 8:33 > To: Leica Users Group > Subject: Re: [Leica] Good Writing is Harder Than Good Photography > > The worst one, which for some unknown reason seems to be universally > accepted, is still "Collect-i-ble" !! This one always sets my teeth on > edge, similarly, "different to", "compared to" and "independ-a-nt". > > What I'm never sure about is, when listing a series, as above, should > there be a comma before "and"? > Douglas > > Daniel Ridings wrote: >> Actually ... "dyeing" for the coloring of fabrics ... >> >> >> Buzz Hausner wrote: >> >>> ...all "dying." >>> >>> Buzz >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: lug-bounces+buzz.hausner=verizon.net@leica-users.org >>> [mailto:lug-bounces+buzz.hausner=verizon.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf >>> Of Douglas Sharp >>> Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 5:12 AM >>> To: Leica Users Group >>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Good Writing is Harder Than Good Photography >>> >>> Castings, dies, metallurgy - the making of a die, or form, to be filled >>> with molten metal. >>> And the process of colouring fabrics is ............ >>> Douglas >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. 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