Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/06/01

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] William Eggleston on the Today Show
From: imagist3 at mac.com (George Lottermoser)
Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:20:47 -0500
References: <BANLkTimYdiuhZ5jNdniYUbNsPAFei9citQ@mail.gmail.com> <BANLkTim7X0dHMo7eT1=41uqsO3jFnoEQ1w@mail.gmail.com>

On May 31, 2011, at 8:44 PM, Richard Man wrote:

> Like it or not

Sonny is fond of noting that photography is a form of pointing.
or as he notes on his blog header: "?discern clearly, behold, look upon, 
see."

Though pointing is only the beginning of what a serious photographer does.
composing within a rectangle,
precisely slicing time,
eye contact (or not),
choosing color (and level of saturation),
or
black and white (or other mono or duotones),
choosing lens,
angle of view,
grain, noise (or lack thereof),
recording "as is"
or
studio construction (or other fiction),
closeup or long shot,
use of light,
exposure,
depth of focus (or lack thereof),
all go well beyond
simply pointing at a subject.

Not until all these considerations
come together in some harmony (or intended dissonance)
can the viewer of the print actually begin to appreciate
let alone know
why the photographer "pointed" at a particular subject.

So when people say, "I don't get it." or "I don't like it."
I often wonder which of the photographers decisions have failed
to communicate to this particular viewer;
while another viewer "gets it"
to one degree or another

Regards,
George Lottermoser 
george at imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com/blog
http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist







In reply to: Message from robertbaron1 at gmail.com (Robert Baron) ([Leica] William Eggleston on the Today Show)
Message from richard at imagecraft.com (Richard Man) ([Leica] William Eggleston on the Today Show)