Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/10/29

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: Mythology v Reality - A Call For A Thoughtful Discussion
From: "B. D. Colen" <BDColen@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1998 10:24:14 -0500

>
> It is chic today to talk of "everyone having talent in something".
> Balony! Talent is passed around sparingly and w/o work it
> atrophies and dies. Fortunately, those with real talent, tend to
> realize it, work hard at developing it and the world correctly
> admires it.
>
>
...Absolutely true. I would argue, in fact, that "true talent" is in large
part genetic. It's development is environmental, but either you are born
with a talent or you're not. I have taught writing on  a number of ocassions
and believe that there are those who can write gracefully and skillfully -
and intuitively - and there work gets better and better the more they write.
There are also those who can be taught to write functionally well, who will
never write better than that no matter how hard they try. And then there is
the vast majority, who will never be able to write a laundry list without
sweating blood.

In photography, you either have "it" or you don't. If you do, the more
photos you take, the more you work at your craft/art/vision the better you
will get. The less you work at it - the fewer photos you take - and more the
quality will deteriorate.

Those who don't have "it" can get better - but they will never be "good."