[Leica] FOM2

[firkin at ncable.net.au (Alastair Firkin)]

Steve, these are very kind words, and they please me greatly, but its 
the fact that the project is from a group of people most of whom have 
never met, and yet most of whom have developed strong ties that makes 
it so interesting: This could not have happened before the internet 
became commonplace, and without the ideas of people like Brian. Now we 
have a 5 year project run in Australia, with contributions from Europe, 
Asia, and North America and contributions from all over the world. 
Great time to be alive, and the project has straddled some very very 
interesting times in photography. Autofocus was the big talking point 
at the beginning, no one even mentions it now. The world of photography 
is in a major state of flux.

Cheers
On 11/10/2005, at 10:46 AM, Steve Barbour wrote:

> On Oct 10, 2005, at 5:25 PM, Alastair Firkin wrote:
>> Thanks Graham,
>> I feel a bit the same about the FOM2 project. Weighted down with LUG 
>> mail, fascinated by the fragile surface of humanity which is quickly 
>> peeled away by e-mail immediacy, tired of hearing about street 
>> photography technique but not seeing any results, and stimulated by 
>> the original exhibition book, I challenged the group, including the 
>> "big-names" to come out in an anonymous setting and compare images. 
>> Put your money where your keyboard is.
>>
>> 5 years later, I'm amazed that it is now winding up. I look at the 
>> standard of images coming in from those who have been there since 
>> 1999 and am amazed at the improvement. I think we will have far fewer 
>> pros submitting this year: they have all gone with the pixel, no 
>> Kyle, no Ted, no Tina, no Sandy so far, and yet the overall quality 
>> of the images is IMHO as good.
>>
>> Now I would love to see images from all our "pros" again in this 
>> year's mix, but I'm sure they can be proud that they have helped 
>> raise the standard and make it even harder for them to get a vote. 
>> All of them were happy to help out in the mentor programme, helping 
>> others to review and edit their images.
>>
>> Anyway, you might be interested to know there are 3 publishers and 
>> one exhibit organizer interested in FOM2, we have been asked to 
>> supply images for a spread and story on the project in the Readers 
>> Digest --- I'm not saying any of this will come off, and I'm still 
>> waiting to hear from Aperture about interest, but it could be a good 
>> end to some great times and good fun.
>
> FOM2 started for me as a stimulus, an inspiration, with my hope being 
> to learn to produce a technically good image, of something meaningful. 
>  One goal was to have an image included in FOM2. To be included with 
> others that I considered not merely excellent, rather excellent and 
> profound.
>
> The five year project has more than satisfied this purpose. The 
> stimulation, learning, and wonderful images I have seen...have been 
> powerful medicine.
>
> I want to thank you Alastair for initiating this project, guiding it, 
> and having such an impact on me and others....
>
> Steve
>
>
>
>
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Alastair