Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/05/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>I'm not saying photojournalism is better. But that advertising >photographers, artists, Joel Peter Witkin, etc., have different agendas >that don't share the affinity for the lens's strength of showing minute >detail. Agreed that advertising photography does have a different agenda, but anyone who has ever done advertising work knows that the attention to detail is critical. As a photographer one is extremely aware of what is in the image and what that says about what ever it is you are "selling". As my staff job for Journal Communications we produce magazines that are used as marketing tools for states and communities to try to recruit companies and tourism dollars to their respective areas. You better believe I am very aware of the "reality" in front of my lens and how the light, paint on walls, trash on the ground, garbage cans, people passing through the shot, how all of it and then some affect the image and how it will help to "sell" the area I am photographing. Heck I spent 10 years working news and still dabble at it a little when something of major import happens in my area and my agent thinks it is worth my time to shoot. I know I pay a lot more attention to detail in my work for Journal and my other corporate clients than I did/do when shooting news. Shooting news I am not as concerned with the nitty gritty details in a photo. But in advertising/corporate work I will look through the finder for minutes at a time to look for any minute detail that wrecks the image then work to correct it. Also as far as staging an image goes...don't think it is as easy as you imply. Sure anyone can get people together and say stand there and shoot a photo, but to do that and get live interesting photos that don't look fake...that is a talent very few people have. And note I am not saying this should be done and passed off as a news shot in a newspaper. But for advertising types of photography this kind of thing is often done. I am not saying one type of photography is better than the other nor am I saying one is harder than the other. Both offer extreme challenges and can be equally rewarding when the image cut to film is what you were trying to get and the emotions and expressions and light (in advertising work almost always created) come together to make a nice image. Best regards, Harrison McClary email: harrison@mcclary.net http://www.mcclary.net preview my book: http://www.volmania.com