Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/07/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Eh - actually not - I thought I saw someone wearing that suit already from time to time! But then - my eyesight may be failing fast ;-)) M. Bet you thought the Emperor was wearing a new suit of clothes.;-) OK, a day later I'm adding some more thoughts on the subject - and I am glad I'm not exactly alone to see some content in this picture. I can put it in other words - in photography I tend not to go for the _obvious_ - be it beauty, event, memory - you name it. And this picture conveys meaning that's slightly above the obvious <a drunk & his wife at a social gathering> to me. The bottom line is the difference in the notion of <having good time>. I could elaborate. And because of some subtleties it <is the kind of picture that's worth more than a 1000 words>. Not exactly _universal_ in meaning, but it tells me more about people than quite a few other pictures taken with the conscious aim to show _elation_, _relaxation_, _love_ - and so on. I admit - the photographer might have captured this life-slice unintentionally, but what's wrong with that? I know this is not <the picture of the year> - but it's worth some attention. The problem about this photo - as with lots of others - is: the author has to prove <sustainability> of his vision, it would be bad enough if this example would remain accidental. And in that case I'd be more willing to stick to the dominant <thumbs down> point of view of this picture. Martin I must say I rather like this pic. Robs working on something here and getting close. He hasn't quite caught the moment, but he's getting there, and there are lots of interesting elements. As for flash, if you're going to use it, you don't always have to hide the fact. a "natural looking" flash shot often isn't that natural at all, in the circumstances. Sometimes it's just good to go ahead and blast it (take a look at Martin Parr's people shots using ringflash). Everything about photographic representations is unnatural - it's good to highlight that. The highlighted "15" and the flag are important elements. It's a good picture in my opinion (I won't add the false note "humble", as usually, when IMHO is in there, it's usually anything but!). Keep working along these lines and they'll get even more interesting. tim a > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us > [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Pablo > Kolodny > Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2002 7:38 AM > To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us > Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: decisisve moment question on PAW ? > > > B. D. Colen wrote: > > > Okay - Time to be blunt.:-0 (As we all know, we post photos asking for > > honest comment and criticism)- (Sorry, Rob) > > > > This is not a "GOOD" photo. It is not, by any stretch of the > imagination an > > HCB "decisive moment." And it certainly isn't an FOM photo - I, > II, or C. It > > is an improperly exposed party snap. Period. As Ted pointed > out, the light > > from the flash is dumped onto the foreground, blowing out the > light colored > > items and leaving both the woman and the man underexposed. All the photo > > tells us is that the man isn't feeling well - one assumes he's > drunk - or is > > very tired, and the woman is looking at a little flag, or is > waving it. So > > what? We don't see anything in the photo indicating that it has > anything to > > do with soccer, the World Cup, the Invasion of the Faulklands, or the > > election of Margaret Thatcher. Nothing, in other words, to give > it any kind > > of context or meaning. If one knew these two people, this would > be the kind > > of moderately amusing photo one might hand them as a 60 Minute 4x6, > > expecting them to titter in embarrassment as they tore it in half. > > > > B. D. > > today we found an inspired BD... > and, on the other side, let me say I gladly agreed with Ted too. > don't know if the first and hope it is not the last one. > > Pablo > anti flash dept. > > > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html