Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/05/06

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Subject: [Leica] M8 trials and tribulations? NOW! More techie BS!
From: tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)
Date: Sun May 6 10:05:18 2007

Walt asked:
>> WHAT THE HELL IS EXIF and why is he saying all those bads things about 
me? :-P<<<<<<,

Walt I was agreeing with you! :-) Because you offered:

> Walt Johnson noted:
> Could working the darn camera end up as the accomplishment instead of 
> making images?<<<<<

It's true as you say above... picture quality is becoming second to knowing
all the stuff on making a digital camera work. Day after day it's the
technical things like .... "my pixels are bigger than yours, I record EXIF
and the list is endless about the camera and their numbers." And nobody is
talking about "shooting well composed, interesting photographs and how to do
that!" 

That was the point of my lecture...."basically forget the numbers" because
the essence of photography and the taking of good photographs is more
important to successful pictures. Than thinking and talking about how the
digital camera works.

You did say:
>> working the darn camera end up as the accomplishment<<<<  

And that's just what's happening because people are thinking about pixels
and making the camera work rather than the visual motivation before them!

In the lecture I offered... "Forget the numbers, set the camera on
automatic" and have fun taking pictures! Because that's what being a
photographer is all about, whether pro or amateur! And if one isn't having
fun then why the heck spend the money and time doing something that creates
frustration due to the technical aspects of operating a digital camera.

The surprising thing after the presentation?

How many came and said, "Thank you for telling me I could use the camera on
"automatic!" I've been so frustrated because I've always been told I should
set it using the settings."

One sweet little old lady said, "As soon as I get home I'm setting it on
automatic and going to my daughter's to take snaps of my new grandchild!"
Now it can't get any better than that?

Yep it can. The lady called me on Tuesday and said she'd done it and had the
best digital snaps she'd ever had! 

So Walt I wasn't against what you were saying, I'm on the same line you are.
Operating the camera isn't the main thing, it's the finished photograph that
is."

ted

 







-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+tedgrant=shaw.ca@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+tedgrant=shaw.ca@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Walt
Johnson
Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2007 8:44 AM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] M8 trials and tribulations? NOW! More techie BS!

WHAT THE HELL IS EXIF and why is he saying all those bads things about 
me? :-P

Ted Grant wrote:
> ROCKIN' THE BOAT! :-)
>
> OK Guys & Gals here I go again about the crucial needs for knowing this
> stuff. EXIF whatever it does in making, taking, shooting good photographs
> does?
>
> Please explain, as usual in the simplest of terms, because this EXIF isn't
> recorded does it mean the picture is lousy? However it becomes a work of
art
> because you know what the EXIF is?
>
> Before people get their underpants in a knot and delete the "old guy "
think
> about shooting film.  
>
> We never had exposure, lens, aperture data on the negative! We shot it
right
> or we didn't. All the details were recorded in our mind or you didn't
really
> give a damn. Unless it was for a specific example of handling the camera
and
> shutter speed for special effects.
>
> No I don't have a clue what the hell an EXIF is or does in shooting good
old
> fashion solid photographs. And yes up to this moment I've worked with 4
> different digital cameras, including an M8 with varying degrees of
> goodness!!! However the goodness depended on the guy holding the camera
and
> had diddly squat to do with knowing an EXIF file from a wart! And all
> un-marked lenses!
>
> Or is this just another one of those digital techie things that clutters
> one's vision while trying to shoot solid photographs?
>
>
> Walt at the rate people go on about all this techie stuff I agree with you
> whole heartedly. It has become, or seems so, operating the camera is more
> important than taking good photographs. And having to "think" all this
stuff
> litters the visual senses to the point where a piece of crap exposure on a
> sensor is gushed over because it has the EXIF details.
>
> So far the M8 material I've shot has been with plain old fashion M lenses
> quickly clicked into place and used without thinking about anything other
> than the visual moments before me! Dang and you know what? They look just
> fine!
>
> People can't be thinking about all this techie stuff and shooting good
stuff
> at the same time. Simply because "you can't think and shoot" at the same
> time! Think about it and it's over before your finger twitches!
>
> EXIF? Hell who cares, don't think and wring wrists because it is or isn't
> there unless it truly makes ones photography better than you re-act to!
>
> Me? Hell I'm just going to continue using digital the same as I've shot
film
> for over half a century, "see-click!" Nice picture.:-) Or, damn! Missed
it! 
>
> The title of the digital Power point lecture I gave last weekend to a
couple
> hundred shooters?  "DIGITAL. Ease up on the numbers. The Essence of
> Photography does not Change!" 
>
> KISS guys and gals that's what it's all about! :-)
>
> ted
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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


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Replies: Reply from walt at waltjohnson.com (Walt Johnson) ([Leica] M8 trials and tribulations? NOW! More techie BS!)
In reply to: Message from walt at waltjohnson.com (Walt Johnson) ([Leica] M8 trials and tribulations? NOW! More techie BS!)