Hi, Marnie, So, in other words, nothing much has changed from your initial assessment, which was about two or three classes into the course.
He's a good stock photographer. A nice guy. But a lousy teacher (if what a teacher is supposed to do is not merely pass on knowledge, but motivate and excite students). Interesting that it sounds like he's having trouble breaking out of the "stock" mode, and that his "artistic" stuff, while very competent, is safe and repetitive. Anyway, sounds like in spite of everything, and in spite of your teacher, you did learn a fair bit in the course. Again, wonderful images in your portion of the show. Congrats for sticking it through to the end! ciao, frank [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I feel like giving a long-winded reply, so I will. :-) > > Long winded reply started. > > I found him very anal retentive. To put a nice face on it, he's a perfectionist. > This may often be a requirement for photographers. But while sometimes that is okay, > and it certainly made the students that remained try harder, other times it was a > big pain in the ___. Also having done stock photography for 25 plus years, he does > know his stuff. I don't think his technique can be faulted. Exposure, film usage, > all that. But his critiques were too brutal. Now, I think that bothered him, that he > had a high drop out rate. And he would soften his critiques on the next class after > a previous class where he might have been too harsh. He was good at finding what was > wrong or needed improvement, but not nearly as good at saying what worked and > motivating people. > > But doing good critiques is, after all, an art form. > > About three weeks ago, he had his own show (with three others) at the library next > to the community center (I don't think I mentioned this before, I did see his work > before but that was in class). IR B&W of mainly oak trees. Very nice. It is still > running. So I was sort of aware that this student show -- well, it would reflect on > him as a teacher -- and he is now trying to make part of his income as a teacher. > He's probably semi-retired. > > But I think that also made him a little too harsh sometimes, worrying about how it > would reflect on him. He actually had to call up two people and ask them to come > back for the show (the ones that dropped out last). > > However, I came to see that he was trying. He really wanted to help the students get > better and was basically a giving sort of person. Although the little show helps him > promote himself as a teacher, it was also super nice for us, the students. And he > really enjoyed the fact that we enjoyed it. > > So, hehehehe, the night of our show as I was leaving, I gave him a letter making > suggestions on how he could make his critiques less brutal in the future and > including a critique of HIS show. Hehehehehe. He can critique us, I can critique > him. ;-)I found many of his pictures "too safe." Although undoubtedly good. But > little risk taking. That can be a rut, so I commented on it (without calling it a > rut). I didn't tell him this, but I found his pictures a little too repetitive, > although it may be a factor that he is trying to sell them. I think, after years of > doing stock photography, he is branching out into the "art" realm. > > However, during the class there were also a lot of things I disagreed with too, like > "in wild life shots there should be at least one eye visible." Okay, who's rule is > that??? I can see where that is preferable, but certainly not always achievable. > That's why the deer shot I have in the show is very small, no eye open. It's there, > but closed. Also it's not that great a shot too. > > So, he's good at what he does, he has stuff to offer, but his critiques were too > brutal and in his own work he plays it safe a lot. That anal retentiveness or > perfectionism. I've seen some more interesting things on this list, and most of the > people here are not making a living at it. Of course, that might be why they can > take more risks too. But I figure if you are trying to do "art," you HAVE to take > more risks. > > No word back on the letter yet, although I included my email address. But not really > expecting one either. > > Long reply ended. I learned a lot, but some of it I am definitely rejecting too. > I'll make up a lot of my own "rules." > > Marnie aka Doe ;-) -- "What a senseless waste of human life" -The Customer in Monty Python's Cheese Shop sketch
