[Leica] was: I have to have this, now "mediocre"

[chandos at cox.net (Chandos Michael Brown)]

Point well taken, but over the years I've concluded that the LUG is not the
place to find nor to dispense straightforward, quality critiques of images.
I'm not troubled by this especially.  I simply don't post images here any
more, nor, except in rare cases, do I comment on images on the list (though
I do off-list on occasion).

I like the LUG and the vast majority of its members, but it is (forgive me,
Tina), a haven for a kind of photo-club old boyism, which can grow tedious
to those who look askance at such things.  A handful of members literally
deluge this list with images, which seem to not to represent any conscious
attempt at self-editing, and which are, frankly, mediocre.  It's tough to
comment on an image when one can't quite imagine why the poster feels it's
worthy of close scrutiny, and knowing all the while that any attempted
critique will provoke a circling of the wagons and intractable
defensiveness.

The place has a culture; I'm a member, but I don't participate like I used
to for the reasons stated above.

And yes, I still make images with a Leica.

Cheers!

CHandos



-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+chandos=cox.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+chandos=cox.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of GREG
LORENZO
Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2006 12:48 PM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: RE: [Leica] was: I have to have this, now "mediocre"

Chandos Michael Brown writes in part: 

> How bizarre.  BD's Leica portfolio alone (discounting images he's taken w/
> other gear) compares strongly with any that I've seen posted on the LUG,
> most of which are, by my subjective standards, at least, utterly 
> mediocre(and I don't exempt my own images from this class).
> 
> 
> They're fun to use; they may compensate for the anomie of mass-
> producedlife; but, jeeze, what *can* you say a group of photographers who
obsess
> over whether other folk will recognize the bloody camera dangling 
> from their
> shoulder?
> 
> 
> When one posts an image, one invites comment. If one doesn't like what one
> hears, then don't post.  I long ago learned to take editors seriously.  I
> may not agree with their comments, but I contend with them, and it's
> improved my writing tremendously, if for no other reason than it 
> forces me to explain why I want to say something the way I have.
> 
> Same, I think, holds true for photography.
> 

Indeed it does. The problem with your argument is, unless the original
poster 'comments' were redacted or edited in some way, he wasn't commenting
on a particular or specific post and request for feedback. The comments were
a broad brush slander of image posters who happen to be members of this
list. You and I included.

I believe most of us hobbyists and professionals want a critique good or
bad, not a pat on the back. Afterall thats the best way to improve the next
shot.

Regards,

Greg




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