Aaron, I think you have every right to be proud of your work and your methodologies.
One thing that has not been directly said here is that digital has opened up a new direction for photography - that is - event photography. This includes speculation shooting of various events along with contracted work. In the past, the cost of shooting was rather prohibitive and so not too much was done. Now, shooting digital, photographers can thoroughly cover an event (myself included) that would not have considered it using film. Now, the downside to doing that is the possibility of burnout. You do too much of this type and you just get tired of the massive flow of images and the drudgery that follows. If I remember correctly, Kevin has been doing some of this type of photography (and if not, follow the logic anyways :) ). So it stands to reason that perhaps he is tired of shooting this way. Switching back to film could provide some nostalgia for him, along with a slower, differently focused approach to shooting. A sort of getting back to your roots, kind of thing. It doesn't particularly mean that this direction is the optimum for work output, but perhaps becomes more therapeutic for him. I have days when doing something the way I used to feels good - I don't even care if it is the best way or not, it just makes me feel good. So, in my book, this discussion really revolves around photography as an enjoyment and therapy rather than around art, best methodology, etc. So Aaron can be right that having done both digital and darkroom extensively that there is not much difference for the output product, both methods involving skills and art and Kevin can feel good going back to film because it simply makes him feel good. -- Bruce Tuesday, March 28, 2006, 6:16:00 AM, you wrote: AR> I have no great personal attachment to my car or my TV. But AR> what I do for a living is a great passion of mine. It largely AR> defines who I am. AR> It's not a hobby for me. Wouldn't you feel insulted if AR> people took shots at what you do for a living? AR> Sorry, Shel, call me sensitive but I just can't separate it AR> from me. I don't "fiddle around" for a living. AR> -Aaron AR> -----Original Message----- AR> From: "Shel Belinkoff" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> AR> Subj: Re: Workflow (was: Bailing out.) AR> Date: Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:47 am AR> Size: 1K AR> To: [email protected] AR> Methinks you're taking this too personally. No one said that what ~you~ do AR> is or isn't art, and so what if they did. It's just one person's opinion, AR> one person's perception, one person's feeling about how something (in this AR> case the digital workflow and process) effects him. If you drove a Ford AR> and someone said Fords suck, and they hate 'em, and wouldn't be caught AR> driving one, and much preferred a Chevy, would you be insulted because AR> someone didn't like your choice of cars. After all is said and done, Kevin AR> will do what's best and most comfortable for him, you'll continue doing AR> what works for and is comfortable for you, and we'll all go on doing what AR> we've been doing. No one attacked or insulted ~you~ from what I've read in AR> this thread. AR> Now, if you want to feel insulted, how's this: your wife is ugly and you AR> have no taste, your photos and images are crap, you're too short for your AR> height, and your breath stinks. That's something about which to get AR> insulted. AR> It's not about you, or any person in this thread. It's about how Kevin AR> feels about a certain process. It is no more wrong for Kevin to feel the AR> way he does than it is for you to ~feel~ the way you do, regardless of AR> whether those feelings (yours or Kevin's) are rational, logical, fit within AR> the mainstream of this list, or are from outer space. AR> Shel >> [Original Message] >> From: Aaron Reynolds <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >> Shel, I'm sorry that I feel insulted when people say "what you do is >> not art, it is binary, it is product, it has no heart or soul". Am I >> wrong to feel that? >> >> I've had numerous responses now that all add up to "just shut up and >> take the insult, and don't you dare respond back in your own defense". >> >> -Aaron
