RE: [Leica] Re: What makes a good photo, by Ted Grant

[Jem Kime <jem.kime@cwcom.net>]

Jim,
While I agree with Ted's perception on photography being 'spot on' for a 
photojournalist, we have to remember that there are many avenues in which 
the wonderful world of photography can lead us.

A scientist using his MDa atop his trusty microscope would no more 
understand that his record photography is 'a feel thing' than some artists 
I know who regard the act of making pictures as art, and therefore 
(potentially) cerebral. Similarly, for mums at their children's parties, 
just getting the kids in the viewfinder is all it takes, there's no need to 
'feel' it; the kids are there, the shutter pops and the picture's in the 
bag. The police photographer noting his latest admission to the cells does 
not need to 'feel' it either... etc. etc.

I'm being a little argumentative here, but the basic premise is, 'don't 
knock folks if they want to think about their photography before they take 
the picture, (or explain it afterwards) it's just a different way of doing 
things. It's not for everyone and by and large it doesn't align much with 
Leica photography as it has become best known, i.e. photojournalism. But 
let us be open to embracing different attitudes to photography in the same 
way that we'd be open to different cultures, races, sexes and whatever else 
is on the PC agenda these days.

Jem
(sermon over)

- -----Original Message-----
From:	Jim Brick [SMTP:jim@brick.org]
Sent:	27 January 2001 17:49
To:	leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us; leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject:	[Leica] Re: What makes a good photo, by Ted Grant

Now these are words to listen to.

Everyone should print this out, 14 or greater font (so you can read it
across the room,) mount it and hang it on the wall.

Hang a copy in your bathroom so you read it every morning when you get up.

Put a copy on the ceiling over your bed (tape it to the mirror if need be)
so it can be read just before you zzzz out.

Jim


At 09:19 PM 1/26/01 -0800, Ted Grant wrote:
>
>If some of these guys would just leave all this damn theoretical crap in 
the
>unopened can and busy themselves with picture taking without all the fool
>thought processes about photography and the photo process,  I bet a 
hundred,
>many of the PAW pictures would be a thousand fold better!
>
>Photography isn't a brain thing, it's a feel thing! And the more one puts
>the brain into it,  the more they create crap pictures that takes a weeks
>worth of thought trying to figure it out instead of looking at the picture
>with a response of,    "holy hoppy toads what a great picture!"
>
>And when this happens, one doesn't need to get all gushy assed with theory
>and what to read into it.... it's just a simple damn good picture in yer
>face! Words and fancy assed word cleverism doesn't do one iota in making 
the
>picture any better!  If the picture doesn't stand on it's own, all the 
fancy
>wordsmithing isn't going to save it nor make it any better!
>
>ted
>
> Ted Grant Photography Limited
>www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant