Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/03/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Walt, your kindness and generosity of spirit know no bounds On 3/21/06 1:04 PM, "Walt Johnson" <walt@waltjohnson.com> wrote: > B.D.: > > Having survived the last few days of "mindless banter" (I did my share) > here on the LUG taught me something. Just finished reading your last > post and firmed up my otherwise flighty thoughts. You are one hell of a > fine writer and have that gift you mentioned yourself. I only hope your > students and those here will pay close attention. > > Walt > >> Hi, Barney - Of course I don't think that people shouldn't try. But try to >> be what, and try what? >> >> Yes, one has to be pretty hopeless in many ways not to be able to take a >> "decent" photograph. But I firmly believe that to go much beyond that one >> has to have some sort of inborn 'gift,' just as I believe that to be able >> to >> write well, play music well, paint well, one has to have a 'gift.' In >> photography, that 'gift' is an 'eye ' - no, I can't define any of this. >> >> No one I know of has HCB's 'eye.' So why try to be HCB? Study his work? >> Absolutely. Try to figure out what it is about it that makes it so >> special? >> Sure. Try to emulate that "specialness" in your own work? Sure. But given >> that most people think of HCB as a 'photo journalist,' or a documentary >> photographer, rather than as an 'art photographer,' how in (*)_*(_ are >> they >> going to even attempt to emulate him? ;-) I know, for example, that many >> people think very highly of HCB's portraits; I don't. I think that, as a >> body work, they are - with a few very obvious examples - his weakest work. >> Why? Because they required directly engaging with people, and I don't >> think >> that people particularly interested old Henri - I think he was far more >> interested in people's physical form, and the images he could create using >> their forms as compositional elements. >> >> I believe, that rather than trying to emulate our photographic 'heroes' - >> and we all have them - we have to get them out of our heads so that we >> can, >> as you so sagely observe, find our own voices. >> >> But beyond all that, I made my first comment in response to what I few as >> this nonsensical apparent belief that emulating HCB has something to do >> with >> equipment. Why is that nonsensical? Because if I believe that if he had >> been >> photographing during the last 20 years of his life, rather than drawing - >> and what does that tell you? - HCB would have been photographing with the >> latest M bodies and the latest Leica glass - and his images would have >> had a >> different look than his earlier images, shot with softer lenses, had. >> >> Best >> B. D. >> >> >> On 3/21/06 11:35 AM, "Barney Quinn" <bquinn@sgi.com> wrote: >> >> >> >>> B.D., >>> >>> I think that every artist - in any field - has to find his or her own >>> voice, >>> and I think that another way of thinking of learning to be a >>> photographer, a >>> writer, a musician, or an artist is that it as a journey toward finding >>> one's >>> own voice. Learning to take pictures in the style of HCB, write music in >>> the >>> style of Beethoven, or paint pictures that look like Monet is an useful >>> part >>> of the journey because it requires thinking about what you are perceiving >>> and >>> then working out how to use the various technical things available to >>> you so >>> that you can reproduce it. Beyond that I am wondering about the creative >>> value >>> of imitating the work of a great master. Imitation may be the sincerest >>> form >>> of flattery, but HCB was already there and already did that. >>> >>> I think that in one sense you are exactly right. I play the cello in my >>> secret >>> life. To play like Yo-Yo Ma or Pierre Fournier or any master you should >>> choose >>> to name probably really does require both that you be born with some >>> special >>> gifts, start your education while still quite young, and that you devote >>> hours >>> and hours and hours to learning your art. Fair enough. But, there's an >>> exclusionary implication to this arguement which I also think needs to be >>> put >>> on the table. That's this. The blunt truth is that most of us aren't born >>> with >>> the gifts to be virtuosi in any field. But, that doesn't mean that one >>> can't >>> learn. There are very few tone deaf people. There are very few people >>> who, >>> if >>> they are motivated, can't learn to play the cello well enough to play in >>> a >>> community orchestra, and there are some surprisingly good community >>> orchestras >>> around. There are very few people who, if they are willing to put in the >>> effort, can't learn to take decent photographs. >>> >>> I know that you didn't say that people can't learn, and I know that you >>> don't >>> believe that. I just wanted to say that just because most of us aren't >>> born >>> with the special gifts of HCB doesn't mean that we shouldn't try. I am >>> under >>> no illusions about the absolute level of my abilities as either a >>> cellist or >>> a >>> photographer. But, I think that the arts are of vital importance. I have >>> no >>> idea why. It's just what I think. And, I think that learning to take >>> pictures, >>> write, play, whatever, is a wonderful journey and I think that each >>> person >>> who >>> goes on that journey makes the world a better place in ways I cant' >>> explain. >>> And I definitly think that the world would be a much better place if more >>> people spent their time trying to learn to create rather then shooting at >>> each >>> other. >>> >>> Sorry, just felt like posting something this morning,. >>> >>> Barney >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> "B. D. Colen" wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>>> The only way to get photos "like HCB" has nothing to do with what lenses >>>> you have in a drawer, or what camera you use them on; it is to be born >>>> with >>>> his artistic ability and sensibility. HCB would have shot "like HCB no >>>> matter what equipment he had used, as long as that equipment had allowed >>>> him to realize his vision. I'd concentrate on developing the vision, not >>>> trying to ape the style. ;-) >>>> B. D. >>>> ___ >>>> Sent with SnapperMail >>>> www.snappermail.com >>>> >>>> ...... Original Message ....... >>>> On Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:13:17 -0800 Richard >>>> <richard-lists@imagecraft.com> >>>> wrote: >>>> "Why not, we all have at least a Leica body or lens right? >>>> " >>>> "Most of us suffer from equipment-itis, you know, the urge to say, "If I >>>> "only have that XYZ, I can get that photo just like what's his name >>>> HCB!" I >>>> "contend that this is harder to do if you start the Leica obsession >>>> late so >>>> "you don't already have a drawer full of Elmars, Summicrons, etc. I >>>> mean if >>>> "the drawer already has a few ASPH 'luxes or 'crons of different focal >>>> "lengths, there aren't a whole lot of (logical) reasons to get anything >>>> else! >>>> " >>>> "Discuss,... or not. >>>> " >>>> "// richard (This email is for mailing lists. To reach me directly, >>>> please >>>> "use richard at imagecraft.com) >>>> " >>>> " >>>> "_______________________________________________ >>>> "Leica Users Group. >>>> "See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Leica Users Group. >>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>>> >>>> >>> -- >>> Barney Quinn, Jr. >>> (301) 688-1982 (O) >>> (240) 535-3036 (C) >>> (877) 220-0981 (P) >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >>> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information