----- Original Message -----
From: "Godfrey DiGiorgi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
You should read this month's Lenswork interview with Nick Grant regarding
his wildlife photos from Africa. He uses a Pentax 6x7 camera and gets in
CLOSE. Patience and a tolerance for letting the world do as it might is
essential. His wildlife photos are the only ones I've seen in recent
years that really do the subject justice, to my eye. All these "fit a
600mm telephoto and bang a hundred shots off in 10 seconds" pictures are
boring. His technique allows the intimate expression of the animals to
surface.
So I had to check out Nick Grant.. errr Brandt to see what he's all about.
http://www.nickbrandt.com/
I agree with you about getting close to the subjects and I try to do this in
my own nature (bird) photography. After looking at Brandt's photos, I must
say that you and I have VERY different ideas about photography and "doing
the subjects justice" I don't like his technique at all. I hate the soft
edges; it reminds me of glamour photos with a soft filter/lens. The soft
focus (or post processing; whatever it is) ruins otherwise very nice
closeups/portraits. I DO like the framing and composition of his wider
shots. In my opinion he is trying too hard to make his photos look
"vintage" and that bothers me; it isn't "genuine" and it makes it look like
he is trying to be something that he is not. Except for the wide shots
showing the animals and the sweeping vistas of their environment, it doesn't
(in my opinion) do them any justice.
Christian
