Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/12/07

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Subject: Re: [Leica] The snapshot declaration
From: George Day <george@rdcinteractive.com>
Date: Fri, 07 Dec 2001 09:16:01 -0800

Matt,

I take snap shots all the time. Why not?  I make absolutely no pretense that
every photo must be interesting in any particular way.  Snap shots are fun.
Snap shots pedestrian, as you say, but they are not, generally, artful, of
journalistic merit or very interesting.  You should see our refrigerator
door.

What I don't understand is people taking it personally when images shot with
their Leicas -- gosh, and we all know that if one has the class and money to
own a leica, that individual is perforce an artist whose pictures carry
significant weight -- are pegged as being less than interesting.

My best advice to anyone is to look at lots and lots of pictures.  If one
wants to be a writer, reading is crucial.  Good writers read constantly and
more than most individuals.  If photography is your thing, then look at lots
and lots of pictures.  Look at books, go to galleries and museums.  Don't
rely too much on the Web, but look at the real thing.  Go to workshops.
Take classes.  Bite into some real meat, as opposed to a few quick emails or
Web sites...which, like a hot dog in the park or a slice of pizza, can be
fun and hit the spot, but aren't the particularly artful.  Like a snap shot.


on 12/7/01 7:38 AM, Matt Kollasch at matthew.kollasch@uni.edu wrote:

> George, I agree. But we learn a lot more when someone goes a step
> further after their snapshot declaration. Tell me why it is a snapshot
> and I can better learn from my pedestrian photos. I learn from my
> mistakes only if I know what they are.  If you tell me it is a snapshot
> and dont' help me see why, I will continue to take snapshots (and we all
> lose -- I take snaps and you have to keep lookin' at 'em :-).  Sometimes
> the next step is forthcoming after the snapshot declartion,  sometimes
> we get only the declaration...  The declaration may be objective, but it
> can also be glib.
> 
> Advice on how to travel the road from pedestrian to more professional
> photography is always appreciated.
> 
> /matt
> 
>> Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2001 16:44:29 -0800
>> From: George Day <george@rdcinteractive.com>
>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Jim's Brickbats  was: I commend to your attention
>> 
>> Frankly, I have to second Jim.  There's a lot of sensitivity on the
> list, it
>> seems to me, to any sort of criticism unless it's praise.  Well, a snap
> shot
>> is a snap shot is a snap shot.  That's not being insulting, it's just
> being
>> objective.
> 
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