Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/04/09

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Subject: Re: Message VS Medium--It Ain't the Camera
From: Ted Grant <75501.3002@CompuServe.COM>
Date: 09 Apr 97 09:58:47 EDT

Paul  Schliesser wrote:

<<<<You don't necessarily need formal training, but you need some form of
training even if it's teaching yourself through trial and error, or through
reading and by studying other people's work.>>>>

Hi Paul,

One learning aspect I have always credited to my early days of "schooling" in
photography is, the influence of photo magazines of the 40's,50's and
publications of LIFE, LOOK, VOGUE and others.  Trying to "see and shoot the
world" as the photographers in those publications did, thus their strong
influence on my using available existing light even today, after 45 plus years. 

In my earlier post, I explained my inner drive of passion for photography that
has always been a part of me, which I feel is an inherent fact of my success.
As much as I like to think the "natural instinct" to see without commercial
schooling, I also realize that "my school" was scanning hundreds of magazines
and shooting tons of film to learn "how did they do that?"

I suspect after these many years of experience it is far to easy to make light
of "formal education" when your own success has been as good as it has, without
the same.  What we take for granted in producing images by, "untrained instinct"
is in reality our own experience and  many years of looking and learning from
others whom we unconsciously emulate.  

<<It's an utter waste to have raw talent and not have enough sophistication and
training to be able to use it>>>

How true!

ted 
Victoria, Canada
http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant