From: "P. J. Alling" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List <[email protected]>
To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: PESO -- Sunset Over W__*Ma__
Date: Tue, 09 Oct 2007 23:03:22 -0400
Ya know, I was actually trying to make a statement. It seems to have
passed almost entirely unnoticed, though Marnie came close. Now it may
be clichéd, it may have missed the mark, it may have been completely
misinterpreted, but I thought it was well exposed composed.
Tom C wrote:
>> From: "William Robb" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> ----- Original Message ----->From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>>
>> Subject: Re: PESO -- Sunset Over W__*Ma__
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> Beautiful sunset, but not so hot foreground. In fact, it looks a bit
>>>
>> like
>>
>>> a
>>> Wal-Mart ad, unfortunately.
>>>
>>> I have seen countless beautiful sunsets... right outside our Safeway
>>>
>> when
>>
>>> shopping for groceries. I no longer try to bother to take them.
>>>
>> Good decision.
>> The majority of the pictures that get posted here fail simply because
the
>> scene, while it may have a couple of nice elements, is ruined by
>> distracting
>> elements or technical flaws.
>> If the picture can be fixed, I'll use the one of the sunglasses that
Igor
>> posted the other day, then great. It isn't a really strong picture, but
at
>> least it holds together in a cohesive manner. OTOH, Bruce posted a shot
the
>> other day of a bit of a building. The shot had some nice elements in
it,
>> but
>> failed because of poor technique, in that there wasn't enough depth of
>> field
>> to keep what needed to be in focus in focus.
>> I realize it was a framing element, but because it wasn't sharp, the
>> picture
>> went from one that had the potential to be pleasing to a sub par image
that
>> was annoying.
>> I realize that it may have been impossible to secure sufficient depth
of
>> field with the equipment he was using, even if he had bothered with a
>> tripod, which means he was using the wrong equipment. A view camera
would
>> probably have been a better choice, but that is work, which no one
seems
>> willing to do anymore.
>>
>> Sometimes the best choice is to not push the button, and look elswhere
for
>> a
>> picture.
>>
>> William Robb
>>
>>
>
> I agree with this and my comments that follow will be sure to ellicit
the
> ire and wrath of some. Oh well, what's new?
>
> My assumption is, probably because it's been my desire ever since
starting
> in photography, that most everyone here that shows photos is striving to
> improve as a photographer. Is that a valid assumption? I hope at some
> level it is.
>
> What I see here seldom bears that out. Not picking on anyone in
particular.
> A pretty sunset with a ho-hum unappealing foreground, is not a great
shot.
> Plenty of those have been displayed, often to much praise. A different
> image, a landscape with an obvious skewed horizon and poor focus, meets
with
> similar applause. Another photo with a blown out background, and
consequent
> underexposed main subject, unlevel, and poorly composed is also praised.
>
> I often wonder if the criteria for showing an image is simply because it
was
> the best of an even more lackluster collection. I believe I'm leaving
> plenty of room for subjectivity and personal taste, but I could always
be
> wrong.
>
> It seems that very few look at their photography with an analytical,
> critical eye. And even fewer beholders appear to do so.
>
> Sure, let's share photos of our personal lives that don't meet the bar
for
> being a great image, we do that, I've done it. But let's not fool
ourselves
> into thinking that every image warrants praise just because we've taken
it.
>
> The only way to improve one's skills is to realize failures for
failures,
> pleasing scenes with failures as failures, and really exciting shots
with
> failures as failures. Otherwise we doom ourselves to mediocrity.
>
> Tom C.
>
>
>
>
--
Remember, its pillage then burn.
--
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