The moral of the story is cliche sells !
Kenneth Waller
http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/kennethwaller
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jack Davis" <jdavi...@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Why do you shoot?
Well said, Darren!
Several years ago, the owner a local gallery in which I had a number of
images hanging, "ordered" (with a smile) me to quit being "so damned artsy
and shoot a sunset." Told him I've always considered sunsets a cheap shot
and I was beyond cliches.
One evening I ran into one that I took the time to shoot. I've always felt
it acceptable to sign and hang in a retail display and it's out sold any
other picture. It's now the background image for an ale bottled in
Northern California. The brewery owner is prepared to buy exclusive rights
to that image as well as a couple of others sometime later. It's not all
about $$, but, as I stated above, I'm esthetically pleased with the image.
In every case it's all about the total setting and lighting.
Jack
--- On Fri, 4/1/11, Darren Addy <pixelsmi...@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Darren Addy <pixelsmi...@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Why do you shoot?
To: "Pentax-Discuss Mail List" <pdml@pdml.net>
Date: Friday, April 1, 2011, 11:12 AM
I also thank Collin for the
thought-provoking post. I think we know
what you mean by "cliche images" but I disagree with the
concept
entirely. I think what you call "cliche images" might more
readily be
called "obvious beauty". Sunsets, flowers, cute babies,
etc. They are
likely subjects that we all notice and want to capture.
They are
almost empirically beautiful and it may be hard not to be
attracted to
photograph them.
However, there is a difference between noticing "obvious
beauty" and
capturing it well. Frankly, I think that if we are going to
condemn
artists for capturing obvious beauty, then we probably need
to condemn
Ansel Adams for taking another damn photo of a mountain (or
other
landscape) or stone Georgia O'Keefe for choosing to do a
painting of
yet another damn flower. I think that is silly. You could
spend your
whole life just getting better at photographing one genre
of "obvious
beauty", if you chose to do so.
Now where I think Collin provides some inspiration and food
for
thought is in challenging us to extend our vision beyond
"obvious"
beauty, or perhaps leaving beauty altogether. One way that
I like to
challenge my eye is to go somewhere without obvious beauty
and then
try to find some by working only with the lines, shapes and
colors
that are there. Collin's theme suggestion is another good
way to
stretch one's eye/vision/execution.
That would be my "spin" on Collin's word: Take out "cliche
images" and
replace it with "obvious beauty" and allow people to start
there or
stay there, if they so choose - but also consider
growing/expanding
your subjects.
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