[Leica] Well, that was educational

[rgacpa at yahoo.com (Bob Adler)]

Not to step on Mark's toes, but Barry Thorton died of a heart attack. You 
can 
still buy his excellent DiXactol developer at:
http://www.monochromephotography.com/

?Bob Adler
Palo Alto, CA
http://www.rgaphoto.com 




________________________________
From: Robert Meier <robertmeier at usjet.net>
To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
Sent: Fri, December 24, 2010 6:35:57 AM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Well, that was educational

Mark,

Did you keep in touch with Barry Thornton?? I read Edge of Darkness a few 
years 
ago and was inspired by it.? And then I heard he died, but never found out 
anything further about the circumstances of his death.? Do you know anything 
about how he died?

Robert

On Dec 24, 2010, at 12:48 AM, Mark Pope wrote:

> Been there and done that myself.? I had the same experience as Ted when I 
>submitted some prints to the RPS and decided there and then not to pursue 
>any of 
>the accreditations any further.? I felt that they were easy to get of you 
>followed the formula laid down by the 'Fellows' of the RPS.
> After leaving a bit bruised, I thought about it and decided that from then 
> on I 
>would take pictures for *ME*, NOT for the RPS.? If others like them, then 
>that's 
>fantastic.? If they don't, then that's fine too.
> 
> I love to receive constructive criticism.? I remember when Barry Thornton 
>taught me to print in B&W.? He would make all sorts of gentle suggestions 
>of how 
>to improve a print by altering the grade, a touch of burning here, dodging 
>there 
>or a slight crop.? A couple of times he would reject a picture out of hand, 
>but 
>he did so with a good reason and was almost always right.
> 
> It sounds like your portfolio is there or there abouts.? Why not try 
> tweaking a 
>few of them to see how they look?? The most important thing to remember 
>though 
>is that they are *your* images and only show them if you are satisfied with 
>them.? Sod's law will almost certainly guarantee that if Gallery Owner A 
>says 
>they aren't punchy enough, B will say they are too punchy and so it goes on.
> 
> And don't forget that prints will look different depending on the lighting 
>conditions where they are hung.
> 
> One last thing.? Those XPAN shots you showed a few weeks back? You know 
> the 
>ones of the trees in the mist?? If there's ever a set of prints crying out 
>to be 
>beautifully printed and put up for sale then it's these.
> 
> Best of luck!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mark Pope,
> Swindon, Wilts
> UK
> 
> Homepage? ? ? ? ? ? ? http://www.monomagic.co.uk
> Blog? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? http://www.monomagic.co.uk/blog
> Picture a week (2010)? 
> http://www.monomagic.co.uk/index.php?gallery=paw/2010
> Picture a week (2009)? 
> http://www.monomagic.co.uk/index.php?gallery=paw/2009
>? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? (2008) http://www.monomagic.co.uk/index.php?gallery=paw/2008
> 
> On 24/12/2010 06:21, tedgrant at shaw.ca wrote:
>> Richard Man Offered:
>> " <richard at imagecraft.com>
>> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, December 23, 2010 7:17 PM
>> Subject: [Leica] Well, that was educational
>> 
>> 
>>> re: rejection
>> 
>> Richard my on screen friend let me offer a tidbit about this gallery etc
>> competition thing and rejection!
>> 
>> About? Ready? 58 years ago I joined the Ottawa Camera Club so I might
>> learn more about being a better photographer and photography in general.
>> They had a monthly photo/print competition as most community clubs do.
>> 
>> They also had the "guru if the club," an old guy. :-) Ok that's easy for
>> me to relate to these days. :-) He was "Old Doc. Martin!" Well
>> everything and anything he said was gospel. Your photography lived or
>> died according to Old Doc Martin and his comments, good, bad or ugly!"
>> 
>> I hung on his words as did many others. That was until other people
>> began making very nice comments about my photographs. I was seeing neat
>> things and recording same. Others in the club offered praise and many
>> positive remarks about my photo results.
>> 
>> One evening it was an open critique and "Old Doc Martin" was doing his
>> thing.. He said his piece about a photograph before the enchanted
>> members because "Here he was, the God of Photography making comments
>> about a photograph!" In many cases he just ravaged unmercifully at times
>> as there wasn't anybody who challenged what he said! :-( That's the way
>> it was in the real olden days.
>> 
>> Some of the older folks, usually the very devoted senior lady
>> photographers would shed a tear at his ravaging commentary about their
>> photograph. As it was I had entered one that I thought was pretty damn
>> good, Even "she who must be obeyed" was very positive about it.
>> 
>> So I made a 16X20 wet tray double weight E surface paper print and man I
>> was glowing in pride about it. :-)Yet humble! Because I was still the
>> "new kid" on the block with all the elder folks in the club. Many I
>> secretively admired their photographic ability. But I did kind of feel I
>> was catching up to some of them on occasion! :-)
>> 
>> In any event there was "Old Doc Martin" holding my print on high and
>> ranting on about any number of tiddly things, but never offering
>> anything positive in how to make it a better photograph! Oh he was great
>> at reaming yer butt, no problem! Rarely did he ever offer "HOW TO FIX
>> IT!" Make it better. Believe me that isn't anyway to critique! PERIOD!
>> Nobody learns anything!
>> 
>> I sat there almost petrified as he ranted on. Then I thought, "UP
>> YOURS!" Now consider this is a twenty something kid so wet behind the
>> ears I was still dripping! Got up, walked to the front where he was
>> still holding my print on high, took it out of his hands before he
>> realized what was happening. Tore it up and threw it in the air!
>> 
>> "Screw you and your BS!" And I walked out until about twenty years later
>> when the Ottawa Camera Club asked me if I would judge and critique their
>> annual photo competition. :-)
>> 
>> The first thing I did after my introduction was to relate the above
>> story of many years past! Fortunately it turned out much to their
>> delight! ;-) And yes I did kick butt! Not every picture is a good one!
>> But I did offer how it might or should have been shot to improve the
>> final image. Trust me, they did learn that evening, it wasn't just
>> ranting! :-)
>> 
>> So my friend it comes down to "we, ourselves are the most important
>> person to be satisfied with our photography! PERIOD! " If we in our
>> hearts and minds produce a quality we are proud to have "OUR NAME" on
>> the photograph, then in 99.99% of the time all viewers will see the same
>> goodness in it. :-) For what it's worth.
>> 
>> cheers,
>> Dr. ted
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> 
>>> I did not get juried into a "gallery show" course. Congratulations to Bob
>>> Adler though as he will be showing his stuff at the group show in March.
>>> 
>>> The thoughts of selling all my gears and take up... something else
>>> occurred
>>> to me. But I figured I should just "pick up the pieces and soldier on,
>>> soldier on"
>>> 
>>> I talked to the gallery owners and the instructor. They made it clear
>>> that
>>> the format, and the content in my portfolio generally are OK, but the
>>> printing and post processing need more "punch."
>>> 
>>> While I know people have different preferences on printing and
>>> post-processing, I agree with their general assessment and more
>>> importantly,
>>> this is a technicality and techniques I know I can tweak and improve. I
>>> would be more concerned if the content fails. As an artist, it's
>>> sometimes
>>> difficult to ascertain whether an image is a good image or whether one is
>>> deluding oneself.
>>> 
>>> Techniques I can handle. After all, it's only in early Nov that I started
>>> the digital negative contact printing.
>>> 
>>> More printing and full speed ahead.
>>> --
>>> // richard <http://www.imagecraft.com/>
>>> // icc blog: <http://imagecraft.com/blog/>
>>> // photo blog: <http://www.5pmlight.com>
>>> [ For technical support on ImageCraft products, please include all
>>> previous
>>> replies in your msgs. ]
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
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>> 
>> 
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