There is the technical side. Just as an artist has to know what brushes and paints to use and what their effect are on the canvas, so a good photographer has to know his tools and how to use them effectively.
There is the meaning side. I use meaning instead of artistic because photography is used for many purposes, art being only one of them. You have to learn how to put across your intended meaning effectively. That often involves triggering an emotional response which is what you seem to be looking for in photos.
One is skill in the craft, the other is the ability to see a picture to be recorded. To some that emotional response is all that matters. But I submit that a technically excellent print that triggers the same response is better than a poor one.
Seeing + Skill = excellent photos.
graywolf http://www.graywolfphoto.com "Idiot Proof" <==> "Expert Proof" -----------------------------------
UncaMikey wrote:
--- Shel Belinkoff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I just can't stand that "good enough" attitude that we see so much of today.
I agree with some of what you say, Shel, but this is a bit much, don't you think? Being a middle aged cranky old fart, I get the same feeling sometimes, but I'd be willing the bet that when they were building the Parthenon, some of the older marble cutters were complaining about the new fangled iron tools and shortcuts the new guys had figured out.
I am also still puzzling in my mind what exactly makes a good photograph. A shot can be technically perfect in every regard but just not very good. And another photo could be shot with a Holga and poorly printed at Wal-Mart, yet still have a powerful effect.
In the example you mentioned, the artist and the printer reproducing one of her works, the essential fact was the original painting, no? To have labored mightily over mediocre subject matter would be pointless.
I am still trying to understand and learn what makes some shots work,
and reading you folks' discussions and looking at your photos is making
me think, which is good. I think.
*>UncaMikey
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