Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/10/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I see a situation where people of NO photographic aspirations or commitment are throwing their vacation pictures up in a forum where there are of course plenty of people from or in a serous academic environment or otherwise pursuing goals in the photographic art word or the higher levels of photojournalism. People who take their photography very seriously. Hence the two thousand dollar lenses from the black forests of Germany. They don't want criticism. The want "Gee you wife looks great up against that tree! (or is that the Eiffel Tower?) I don't even mention the word "baby" or "child." "That's not bokeh, that's my kids!" We are being shown peoples families under the guise of being shown serious attempts at photography. It's like looking at the snapshots in someones wallets at a camera club. "Is she a little out of focus or is it me?" "She looked in focus to me when i looked thought the viewfinder! Oh you mean I'm suppose to line up those little square things!" A lessen we don't have to relearn is your choice of photographic weapons (A Leica instead of a lesser system) does not mean you are in one school or the other on the aspiration and commitment spectrum. In most cases it would seem it means you are in kindergarten as the majority of us ARE prideful dilettantes. "If you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen" I say. But on the other side as I like outdoor cooking we'd have to say that just because one spends all this cash on esoteric cameras and decides to shoot ones family with it or otherwise causally it does not mean we are doing the wrong thing. We can shoot what every we want and at what ever level. The problem again is when we put those shots on a forum which is going to include a whole lot of very serious photo enthusiasts. Some of which are going to be put off but such a casual approach to their beloved hobby. I would just post one and say "here my camera went off accidently" or otherwise right off the bat pre qualify it as a picture taken with the most casual aspirations. They we don't get all excited about the fact that here is no subject, is plainly out of focus and has no apparent composition or otherwise meaning. Mark Rabiner Portland, Oregon USA http://www.markrabiner.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html