Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/12/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Speaking of drawings and photos ...60 Minutes last night had a fascinating report on David Hockey and his theory that the great leap forward in drawing and painting in the early 15th century was a result of the use of optics - the Camera Obscura - to allow the tracing of images...(I know, I know, Hockey has a written a book about his theory and it has been oft reported - but it was fascinating none the less.) Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the report was how foolish one of the curators of NY's Metropolitan Museum of Art appeared as he tried to dismiss the Hockey theory.... - -----Original Message----- From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of Martin Howard Sent: Monday, December 02, 2002 2:38 PM To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us Subject: Re: [Leica] What Makes a good Picture? On Monday, Dec 2, 2002, at 04:45 America/Los_Angeles, Simon Greenwood wrote: > The additional factor was that my camera was the only one in the > place. Would you light a cigar when you are at a party, and of 60 > people, not one was smoking? Taking a picture of someone doesn't contribute to their demise through secondhand exposure. Unless, of course, you believe that the camera captures their soul. After you've smoked your cigar, you cannot go home, stick the ash into a developing tank, process it, get negative ash, stick that into an enlarger, and print beautifully captured moments from the party which you can then give to those who were there. All you can do is leave ash on their carpet. Hardly seems like a valid comparison... wouldn't you agree? Instead, do this: imagine that you could sketch with a pencil and paper. Imagine that you could sketch very lifelike drawings, such that no-one who looked at your drawing and knew the subject would be mistaken as to whom you'd drawn a picture of? Now, ask yourself: at this partly, would you allow yourself to take out a small sketchbook and your favorite pencil and draw scenes or portraits that you see? M. - -- 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