Re: [Leica] Some history

["Dan S" <dstate1@hotmail.com>]

A note on the historical argument between "pictorial" and "straight" 
photography:

Some of the most vocal opponents of the "pictorial" style, including Ansel 
Adams himself were guilty on regular occasion of falling into "pictorial" 
technique.  Indeed the differences in these genres range from the obvious 
(photographic representations of classic art scenes vs. photojournalism as 
art) to the non-existent (Many of Adams "straight" shots were burned, dodged 
and developed behond any resemblance of the actual scene)

The fact that the well known masters of both 'straight' and 'pictorial' 
photography commonly created works that overlap the opposing genre leeds one 
to believe that most of the distinctions were in the minds of the 
photographers.

The VIEWER typically does not care at all about these distinctions.  To the 
casual viewer the emotional impact of the final image is the determinate of 
it's success.  To classify a type of photography (Leica 35mm or 8x10) or a 
technique of any type as belonging only to one genre is not in the interest 
of good photography or discussion.


Best wishes
Dan States
Madison WI
>
>At the beginning of the 20th century photography was dominated by the
>socalled Pictorialist School, that insisted upon the artistic possibilities
>of camera-made imagery, giving photographs that represented a personal
>vision, by selecting subject, light and atmosphere.
>This movement brought the world the aesthetically motivated photography 
>that
>gave photography the respect of an artform.
>These Pictorialists however deplored intensily the utilitarian banality of
>of Realist or Straight Photography.This style   gave us sharply focused
>pictures with unblinking realism. This approach yielded images full of
>details, enlarged and crisply purified of their functional context and so
>lens filling that the images border on pure design.
>This text above is a condensed abstract from the book  'A History of modern
>art'by Arnason.
>The two positions, Pictorialism and Straight Photography, are in my view at
>the heart of the current topic if one is allowed to use the image potential
>of Leica lenses and when doing so, one is still being a true photographer.
>As Pictorialists seem to despise the Straight Photographers, this emotion
>nicely summarises what is going on on this list lately.
>I have no dispute with, nor objection to photographers who wish to foster
>their personal expression by whatever means and tools.
>I do object however to the assertion that a Realist approach, that is using
>the tools to represent reality with unblinking realism, should be
>considered a banal way of using the Leica.
>I also do object to the notion that the Leica is the proper instrument for
>pictorialist photography and may only be used to reach that goal.
>So maybe the Pictorialists will allow that Realists do exist and can 
>proceed
>with their goals without being deplored and ridiculed at every step. And
>maybe they will even accept that the Leica is a tool that can be used for
>both types of Photography and that neither type is superior in itself.
>
>
>Erwin
>

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