[Leica] RE: While it is happening (B. D. Colen)

[bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)]

Ah, but Len, I believe that "conversational" photography has been with
us for as long as there have been inexpensive cameras and film for
people who have no interest in photography per se, but simply want to
record a moment or event. Look at the great mass of snap shots - for
that matter look at many images posted on the LUG - and you'll see what
I mean. Does digital technology make this worse? I don't know - I'm not
convinced that cell phone cameras are any more of a threat to 'real
photography' than disposable film cameras and cheap Polaroid's. As I
said at some point when someone suggested shooting a wedding by putting
disposable cameras on every table - that's great if what you want are
hundreds of poorly composed, often fuzzy photos taken by a bunch of
drunks. ;-)

If technology is a culprit here, the technology is that which makes it
possible for people to widely disseminate their lousy snap shots. Back
when we were all shooting with film, before we had websites and email,
our lousy snap shots sat in shoe boxes, envelopes, or were mercifully
thrown away before anyone saw them. Now they're emailed around the
globe. That's the real problem.

Best

B. D.

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Leonard J Kapner
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 12:01 PM
To: 'Leica Users Group'
Subject: RE: [Leica] RE: While it is happening (B. D. Colen)


My 2? on this issue...

I think B.D., Doug and Mark are all right about this one. 

I think most, but not all of what we read on the LUG is just "finger
chatting" and not literature, with a lot of the colloquialism, fuzzy
thinking and idiomatic expression one might expect in an ordinary social
conversation conducted among friends or peers. 

To keep us closer to on topic, I think I'm beginning to see the same
"conversational attitude" toward capturing images emerge, especially
with digital cameras in the hands of a "chimper" or worse, the cell
'phone cam. Those of us who learned and love to use the fully manual
camera such as Leica M series, with gorgeous, sharp optics, are probably
just as put off by "out of focus" and "poorly composed" thoughts as we
are similarly flawed photographic images.

And yes, just to place where I am along this spectrum, I find I am
usually offended by unintended unsharpness in a photograph!

Len

-- 

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+ljkapner=cox.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+ljkapner=cox.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of B. D.
Colen
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 6:43 AM
To: 'Leica Users Group'
Subject: RE: [Leica] RE: While it is happening (B. D. Colen)

You're absolutely correct, Mark; there are different standards. The
problem, however, is that the formal standard has weakened enormously in
the past 40 years, and having the second standard weakens it further, as
the sloppy Email writing carries over into more formal communication. At
least that's how I see it.



-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Mark Rabiner
Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 9:51 PM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] RE: While it is happening (B. D. Colen)


According to me there is a different kind of style and level of writing
which goes with email and email on lists. You don?t write email like you
would type or hand write a letter in the 60's all other cultural things
aside. This is not just me I think I got it from somewhere. Hook me up
and find out.

I think its like eating spaghetti with a friend. Sometimes you just make
a truce and agree to slurp. Romaine leaves can be best eaten by hand
sans fork. http://www.caesar-salad.com/


Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland Oregon
http://rabinergroup.com/

(snip)


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