Re: [Leica] Re: Terminal something or other

[frank.dernie@btinternet.com]

Yes we live in an increasingly money oriented society - people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
The level of greed which seems acceptable these days is embarrasing.
I never meant to imply, incidentally, that the level of craftmanship required in photography ever was as high as in fine art, just that it is easier now. I am in awe of people who managed to get good motor racing pictures in the 30's.
cheers
Frank

>  from:    Teresa299@aol.com
>  date:    Tue, 03 Feb 2004 09:25:32
>  to:      leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>  subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Terminal something or other
> 
> 
> In a message dated 2/3/04 12:25:32 AM, Frank.Dernie@btinternet.com writes:
> 
> << I agree very much with this BD. Anybody can (and sadly do) just "push 
> the button" it takes an artist's eye to see the photograph before 
> taking it and getting the composition. The "craft" side of photography 
> has been made easier by the automation and certainly the modern sports 
> pros I know need nowhere near the craft skills of their fathers 
> (literally, in a couple of cases I know father and son) but if they 
> don't have the eye they produce dross.
> I guess the same is true in painting and sculpture but the automation 
> of the craftmanship side is much less.
> cheers
> G
> Frank >>
> 
> I tend to agree. 
> 
> But the fine arts can get hit with the lack of craftsmanship line too.  Just 
> stand by an abstract painting at an art museum and listen to how many folks 
> say..."it's just a red canvas, with a dot in the middle, hell, I can do that."  
> the same is true with sculpture that appears simplistic.  
> 
> The thing about photography is that the technology makes the medium simpler 
> enough that masses can easily say, "hell, I can do that."  For instance....my 
> main artistic endeavour is ceramics, both functional and sculptural.  I make 
> large (well not that large) vases on a wheel....14-21 inches in height.  If I 
> have a class of rank beginners, learning how to throw on a wheel, I'm happy that 
> at the end of a 2 hour session, they just, "center" the clay.  For someone to 
> learn to be able to throw a 14-21 inch pot takes months, maybe even a year or 
> so. If however, I hand everyone in the group a camera, each and everyone of 
> them can trip the shutter.  And in the case of digital, push the button and 
> almost instantly upload to computer, print out on inkjet, viola, instant 
> photographers, each and everyone of them. Is the composition "good," does the photo 
> tell a story?   Who cares, you've a product.  Get enough shots and you've got a 
> portfolio.  Get a portfolio, you're now a photographer.  Who's to say you 
> aren't?
> 
> In the case of functional ceramics, a mug that weighs 20 pounds, a bowl that 
> has edges so sharp that it slices your hand, a vase that looks like Anna 
> Nicole Smith before her diet, it's obvious that the work isn't professional even to 
> the aspiring artist.
> 
> With automated everything in photography, cameras that can shoot as fast a 
> machine gun, hell with future digital camera/videocam hybrids, missing a 
> decisive moment will be nearly impossible, fixing blown shots easy (sorta) in 
> photoshop.  what's the point of craftsmanship anyway at the time of taking the shot 
> if it can be fixed later?  that's something I'm hearing a lot more often.
> 
> I think one of the reasons why I like looking at contact sheets of other 
> photographers is the same reason why even when I'm doing crazy sculptural stuff 
> that I have my "straight" ceramics closeby.   I want to be sure that folks know 
> that I have a certain amount of mastery of technique and what I'm doing is the 
> result of an intentional act and not just "lucky."
> 
> That said, I'm not really sure how much craftsmanship is valued anymore by 
> the bulk of consumers. Let me clarify that, U.S. consumers.   A few perhaps, but 
> I'm increasingly coming in contact with people (perahps the result of no arts 
> education in schools anymore) who value lower cost and immediacy over 
> anything else.
> 
> 
> -kim
> --
> To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html

- --
To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html