Re: [Leica] Sunlight in the lens

[chefurka@sympatico.ca (Paul Chefurka)]

On Wed, 22 Sep 1999 23:36:52 +0200, Anthony Atkielski
<anthony@atkielski.com> wrote:

>From: Jem Kime <jem.kime@cwcom.net>
>Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 1999 20:32
>Subject: RE: [Leica] Sunlight in the lens
>
>
>> If you had half an inclination for the possibilities of
>> photography in that beautiful city of yours, Paris, then
>> you'd know that the greatest 'night photographer' of them
>> all, Brassai, created a master volume of work, 'Paris by
>> Night', without recource to Noctilux, Leica or anything
>> available to you now.
>
>Not necessarily.  I like to take photographs; I don't like to read about them.
>There are a few names I recognize, but I'm not a great worshiper of other
>photographers.  No two photographers are the same, and while I admire the work
>of others, that doesn't mean that looking at their work would necessarily make
>mine any better.  It's a matter of talent, not imitation.

You are kidding, right?  You really don't like looking at other
photographers' work?  You must realize that virtually no creative idea
springs full-grown from the forehead of Zeus - they all have seeds
somewhere.  While those seeds need not be the work of other
photographers (they could be works of literature, music, mathematics
or even news stories), the work of other photographers is one of the
fastest ways to experiment mentally with different style and content
ideas.

For instance, I went to an evening at the camera club last night, and
was treated to the most egregious display of double-exposed,
slide-sandwiched tricks-massquerading-as-art displays I have ever
seen.  A week before, the latest issue of NatGeo arrived, with David
Alan Harvey's *second* Cuba spread.  Not looking at the work of other
photographers would have deprived me of both those experiences, each
of which has served to focus my understanding of what I think is
important in photography.

In addition, seeing good work (like Harvey's) serves as a marvelous
antidote for complacency.  Just when you think you're getting pretty
good, along comes someone who reminds you to keep trying harder.

Not look at other photographers work?  That's like a physicist who
doesn't like reading about experiments in the literature.  What an
astonishing attitude!

Paul Chefurka