Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/04/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]David W. Almy wrote: <<<<<<Oddly enough, today I hire photographers occasionally. And my office, at 18th & M Streets in downtown Washington, DC, is a mere two blocks from National Geographic's headquarters. I walk by every now and again, and look inside, and wonder. Funny how things turn out.>>>>> Hi David, An interesting life story, somewhat along mine by going from shooter to hirer and back to shooter and we never know where we are going or what path we may walk when we become involved in photography. Photography for me, although not formally trained, has given me a life that is hard to believe from the events I've been involved in, places I've been and things I've seen. And with or without formal education, I have accomplished more from what I believe is an inherent feeling of when to shoot, than from any learned place of education. I also believe that my relationship to other human beings has given me an ability to be a very successful photographer. The only thing I feel that education would have given me throughout these 45 years is a better business sense. There maybe some who don't understand this, believing that a formal photographic education would have made me an even better photographer and that is their prerogative. But I have seen the work of many hundreds of formally educated photographers and what I see is a technically correct photograph, whether B&W or colour, without feeling. And when I look at my uneducated photographs I see pictures with feeling and compassion and mood that no one could have taught me, as that comes from "me" inside and mine. Some things can be learned in schools and I admit I might well have been better technically, but I doubt that my work would have been better emotionally. <<<<My point: great people produce great photographs. The technical stuff can be learned, in school or in life, and the equipment can be bought, but the eye develops elsewhere, deeper, and more arduously taught.>>>>> I guess what I'm trying to say is just what you have said above, only yours is in a more understandable manner. <<<<<<Old news: The greatest variable in this whole picture-making process is the photographer. Fred Ward with a Brownie Box probably could take better pictures than I could with an R8, although I would give him a run for his money. My point: great people produce great photographs>>> I find this a very interesting comparison, as 200 years ago (1958) :), Ralph Morse of LIFE magazine influenced me more than anyone else in the value of gut feeling and when to press the button in relation to equipment. He pointed out equipment could be bought by anyone, but the guy with the instinct and the simplest camera could probably outshoot the guy with $50,000 in gear and all the lessons. Interesting comparison, yours and mine. :) It still comes down to the guy holding the camera and how he relates to what he sees and relates to other human beings! ted Victoria, Canada http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant