[Leica] Re: Ansel Adams

[leica at web-options.com (Bob W)]

That's not for me to decide - email Elliott Erwitt and ask him to explain
himself. 

However, I do think that subject matter is the first and most important
aspect of photography; technique is secondary to subject matter. A great
many fine art photographers appear to think that technique is more important
than subject, which is one reason why there are so many beautifully printed
but boring pictures of dried up logs beside lakes, and so few exciting but
technically bad pictures of the D-Day landings.

Another Magnum photographer, David Hurn, has some interesting things to say
about the primacy of subject matter in 'On Being a Photographer'.

Bob 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+leica=web-options.com@leica-users.org 
> [mailto:lug-bounces+leica=web-options.com@leica-users.org] On 
> Behalf Of David Rodgers
> Sent: 22 December 2008 16:22
> To: Leica Users Group
> Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: Ansel Adams
> 
> Is good photography really completely unrelated to contrast and
> exposure?  
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bob W [mailto:leica@web-options.com] 
> Sent: Monday, December 22, 2008 3:51 AM
> To: 'Leica Users Group'
> Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: Ansel Adams
> 
> Here's an exception:
> 
> "Good photography is not about 'Zone Printing' or any other 
> Ansel Adams
> nonsense. It's just about seeing. You either see, or you 
> don't see. The
> rest
> is academic. Photography is simply a function of noticing things.
> Nothing
> more." - Elliott Erwitt  
> 
> Bob