Oh dear, I only have one book from that list: 'The Americans'.
That's a good start.
--Mike
Cotty,
Everybody should read your message twice...
I was introduced to Photoshop not because I'm a photographer but because my
Graphics Department used it at the magazine. Virtually every professional
photography, publishing, graphics, and production shop uses it. (There are
Quark/Pagemaker
Is that true, that digital prints made using those type of printers can now
outlast regular prints made at a photo lab?
Pretty much. There are a number of variables and unknowns:
1. Digital print LE (life expectancy) is a function of the ink/paper
combination, not just one or the other.
2.
You are probably right Mike,that you would want to enlarge these
puppies big,but i had Aaron enlarge 4, 6x6 negs this past summer to
8x8 with a border.They looked great.I'm going to stick with 6x6
format(plus 35mm) for a little while longer anyway:)
Oh, gee, Dave, no, there's no right and
Not that I really expect anyone to keep my prints around for 70-80 years. It's
just the thought of enduring.
I've written extensively on this topic too. The nutshell version: nobody
knows what posterity will value. Therefore the *typical* LE of the
*prevailing* materials is very
I'll bet anyone in this list a pint of Fiddler's Elbow that it will be a
CMOS in the Pentax DSLR.
You're on. But I want a real British Ginger beer, okay? I'll buy you a
Leinenkugel's (local Wisconsin brew) if I lose. :-)
--Mike
A logical extension of this argument would be that all people who use
Pentax 35mm SLRs, and have professional aspirations, should switch to
another brand, since virtually no working professionals use Pentax 35mm
gear.
It happens. When I joined a group studio around 1988 I switched from
Can anybody point me to websites containing serious informations about
various technological aspects of the photographic equipment construction?
I'm looking for some serious stuff, not the popular one which can be found
on an average site for beginners.
Artur,
I can't help with a website,
2. '40 Years of Photography' - Jeanloup Sieff
3. 'Faites Commes si Je n'Aitais pas La' - Jeanloup Sieff
4. 'Arnold Newman' - Philip Brookman
5. 'One Mind's Eye' - Arnold Newman
6. 'Faces' - Jane Bown
I'm familiar with this one. It showed up at a local bookstore and I _almost_
bought it, but
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemitem=3000553578
Mark,
The only problem with this as it stands is that somebody is going to want
you to send them the CD for a penny.
Put the price of your CD version at $10,000 and then it would work. It would
draw more gawkers, too. g
--Mike
Look, Johnston initially made the argument that the Mac is the preferred
platform because it is used by professionals. This implies that if you
want to work like professional you should use a Mac. Since the computer
is now a photographic tool, the same premise would apply to the most
basic
Only a fool would take that bet! The lower cost of CMOS and the
ever-improving quality has made it almost universal, even in very high-end
DSLRs.
Huh? I thought only Canon (well, and Foveon, if they count) currently had
CMOS sensors.
--Mike
That horse isn't dead yet. :) I have tried Elements twice and
actually have a copy installed on my system (came with my Epson 2450
scanner). I still don't like it as well as Picture Window Pro.
From my experience (as a photographer only - no graphic artist
tendencies) I started with
But I would not trade my
Mac for an IBM for anything. That's my choice. Others will not agree. But
then again they have probably never spent any real time on a Mac.. A Mac is
like an LX, once you GET IT you love it...
Yay, Vic.
This is all I was ever really saying. As usual it took someone
It's because you aren't ruthless enough to throw away or sell old books --
those that are out-of-date or those you haven't really looked at in years.
Marnie,
I know exactly what you mean. But in my photo book collection I know what's
good and what's not, and I tend to want bad books out of the
how hard it is to use a Mac
This is a classic oxymoron!
Cotty,
Considering that Windows is a blatant rip-off of the Mac interface that
Gate's lawyers somehow weaseled him out of paying for, the ease of use of
_all_ computers is directly related to the ease of use of Macs. Even though
Windows
Are you complaining, or bragging?
Greywolf,
I can't decide. I think both, in just about equal measure. g
It's true I take great pride in my photo book library. It's a constant
source of education and enjoyment. I wish I had the wherewithal to increase
its size more rapidly.
--Mike
My theory is that books have constantly variable width until shelf
space is allocated to them. At that point their width becomes fixed at
n x 1.3. I discovered this after spending a great deal of time
designing and building some permanent bookcases in my study.
Subsequent investigation has
I've only got eight photography books so far, but I haven't been at this long
-- just give me time. Hehehe.
Marnie,
Actually, I know a fair amount about books. I was in charge of the Rare Book
Room at one of the colleges I attended and would have gone to work for the
Library of Congress if it
Slightly OT, but I was surprised to come across a list of books you
recommended on a sidebar on Amazon.com, but was never able to find it
again. Is there any to track those lists down?
Dan,
Here's what that list was compiled for:
http://www.steves-digicams.com/smp/09082002.html
The link is
George,
I'm changing the thread title since this is about Photoshop again, not Macs.
Photoshop on a decently sized Intel machine
under windows XP is virtually indistinguishable from that same program on a
Mac.
True enough. Photoshop is virtually the same.
To recommend Photoshop to a
I think I'm perfectly capable of solving such issues.
Just thought it might be fun to discuss. I thought
that's what this list was for. Oh well...
I'll try not to bother everyone so much in the
future.
Steve,
I certainly don't mind discussing it. If I sounded condescending, I
Well, I always felt that 35mm makes really nice 5x7 prints.
Tom,
Actually, I like to see a little grain in my prints. Gives 'em a little
bite. I tend to print at 6x9, 7x10.5 (mostly), or (occasionally) 8x12.
I don't know why, but I get a little bugged by the smoothness of 6x6 at
8x10. It always
However, once
I have the book the market price doesn't matter because I only buy
books that I like - predominantly reportage, documentary and
photojournalism - and I keep them. I'm not a trader.
Bob,
Me, too. I will sometimes de-accession books I don't want, but not to make a
profit.
Sometimes it's hard to tell, with Mike...
I suppose he'll take THAT personally, too... Sighhh. g
I wasn't criticizing anybody! I was just responding as best I could. I think
the point is valid...that often we want to think about things rather than
try them out.
This is something I have to
Interesting, I will keep your post and bear in mind what you have said.
But I have never approached books as an investment other than an investment in
enjoyment and/or knowledge.
Of the eight books I have, all are how-to except for Galen Rowell's Inner
Game of Outdoor Photography (which
Raimo,
That's the fellow, all right. He was a native of the area, which is why the
recreation area was named for him.
--Mike
Yes, Major Richard I. Bong, top American ace of World War Two, shot down 40
Japanese planes in the Pacific - with a Lockheed P-38 Lightning, no less.
All the best!
Okay, time for a group question.
If you could direct Pentax to make and market one lens it currently does not
make, what would it be?
(Focal length, max aperture range, MF or AF, for what camera, imaging
characteristics you'd want, and any other special qualities or
specifications you want to
How about a FA 70-200 f/4.0 Constant Aperture Zoom weighing in at about
half the size, weight and price of the 80-200 f/2.8 zoom.
Good suggestion.
--Mike
Being the
owner of 5 LX cameras
Cesar,
You know, that's really quite impressive. Even without the snakeskin!
--Mike
I also discovered that everything photography touches becomes expensive.
Off-camera flash extensions for $50? I know something about the price of
connectors and cable, and $50 is outrageous! $35 for a cable switch at
BH which would cost me $10 to build with Radio Shack parts if only Radio
However with SMC FA 50/1.7 lens I got excellent results with trying to
shoot my daughter. Here is an example:
http://www.photosig.com/viewphoto.php?id=405691
Boris,
What a cutie! Nice light. Nice portrait.
--Mike
I once did an article about saving money in the darkroom by buying generic
items to replace market-specific ones, but the magazine I was working for
wouldn't run the article. No need to look very far for the reason...most of
the magazine's advertisers were in business selling the
Pentax is therefore again planning something obsolete before even it reach
the market.
*sigh*...
Let's wait to at least get a description of the product before drawing
Chicken-Little conclusions, shall we?
Sorry, but I get tired of these dire pronouncements based on speculations
about
I have been involved inphotography for many years.
My first camera was a Pentax Spotmatic, which I still have, although for the
past twenty years I kave been using newer bodies, and have some LX cameras,
a few MX cameras, and, of course, the venerable ME Super. After trying many
lenses from
Hi!
Mike, I'd like to talk to you off the forum. Since I realize that you
may be getting numerous e-mails on daily basis I am asking your
permission here.
No problem! I'm hard to get in touch with by phone (+1 262/513-8951) but
easy to get in touch with by e-mail.
--Mike
That night I kept having nightmares about having to wade through
floodwater downstairs! First light i looked out and breathed a sigh of
relief to see no appreciable rise. The stake confirmed it.
My mother's house in Cambridge (MA) flooded so badly a couple of years ago
that it came within a
Be sure and send Mike lots of kitten and flower photos in email. It makes
his day.
Easy, Brewer. I know where you live and what you look like!
g
--Mike
P.S. Subjects off-limits in my 2nd-year photo class in art school (by
agreement of the students, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, not per dicta of
I enjoy discussions about photography as well as discussions about
equipment. Is discussing photography - especially with Pentax cameras - off
topic?
I certainly hope not. That would be rather limiting, not to mention
unenforceable. We do have an unspoken rule, however, to ignore Bruce
Well, LX owners are more sufferable than those in the vaunted Brotherhood
(6x7
owners, to you neophytes) - mind you, the Brotherhood has been pretty quiet
since Aaron left the list. vbg
Frank,
I thought they'd been brutally suppressed by the Chinese communists, that's
how quiet they've been. You
But I'd add -- and mostly everyone plays nice.
Yes, true. Most people. Mostly.
g
--Mike
I'm planning on forming my own cult for the expressed purpose of being
suppressed by Chinese communists. We're just gonna hang out and smoke dope
all day. We're calling ourselves the Falun Bong.
Mark,
Speaking of Bong, there's a place on the road to Chicago called the Bong
Recreation Area,
I often ride by the Chinese
Consulate here in Toronto, and there are always protesters quietly standing in
front, meditating. Until now, I'd assumed them to be Falun Gong, but now that
I
think of it, many of them were holding freakishly large SLR's.
Frank,
You're aware that exiled Falun
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemitem=1950124573ssPageName=ADME:
B:SS:US:1
This guy's downloaded the PDF service manuals I have on my web page and is
SELLING them on eBay! (He's even got photos of the front of each manual -
this is how I know they're the ones from my web site
Thought this news item today was of general interest:
Dow Jones Business News
Konica, Minolta Confirm In Talks Over Operations Merger
Monday January 6, 7:44 pm ET
TOKYO (Dow Jones)--Konica Corp. (J.KNC or 4902) and Minolta Corp. (J.MNO or
7753) are in talks aimed at an integration of their
Ken Archer wrote:
Can I add, me too?
Christian Skofteland wrote:
My favorite is Tri-X 400 developed in D76 1:1
I hope Ken can, because...me too.
--Mike
Does Photek (or anyone else for that matter) still
sell such a thing? I would be interested in a
portable system, if it came with everything, including
the stand, it's not too espensive.
Steve,
No clue. But I think my old magazine, _Photo Techniques_, still maintains a
Suppliers' Guide on
Good on ya, Mike! You deserve all the praise we can heap on you.
Staying off is incredibly difficult, expecially if you want to live a
'normal life' with other drinkers around you.
Don't even know you, but I'm proud of you!
Thankee Keith. It does get easier as the years pass. To tell you the
The magazine
business is a lot of fun. I miss it, but the monetary rewards were slim.
Paul,
Ditto, ditto, and amen!
--Mike
Here's something funny from their website..They list their top 10
products. Number 1 is the D100. Number 2 is the Holga.
I guess the image quality is pretty similar.
HAR! Talk about a troll!
g
--Mike
Had a great day of photography today shooting the aftermath of a snowstorm
that left the trees covered in snow. Decided to treat myself to a 135/3.5 in
excellent condition for a mere 59.95 Cdn.. Good Deal
Vic,
Sure sounds like a good deal to me! Especially because that's a really nice
If you can't have any of your vices... screw it!
Much good luck to you, Mike.
keith
And to you, Keith. We all need it, that's for sure.
--Mike
You're little more than a pompous, horses ass.
Oh, grow up.
--Mike
JRR Tolkien begins the Lord of the Rings tale with a 111th birthday party
for Bilbo Baggins, calling it an eleventy-first birthday ... a very curious
number and a very respectable age for a Hobbit. Today is Tolkien's
eleventy-first birthday.
--Mike
The Eurocut is ok, it's just not as nice as the Mastercut. I think
it's probably equivalent to other trimmers out there. I got a
mastercut because with the albums I use you can see *any* deviation
from square. If your application isn't critical, the Euro will work.
Tom,
I've had a 30
Okay, this is entirely, 100% off topic.
I don't know much about TV, but this past year I've been watching some of
those police dramas like NYPD Blue, Law Order, and CSI.
Can anybody explain to me why the recent episodes have all been repeats? I
seem to remember from my distant childhood that
You're only partially right. Here are some pictures I took with this
lens:
http://www.photosig.com/viewphoto.php?id=544872 and
http://www.photosig.com/viewphoto.php?id=559008
I don't think this lens is broken. And to start with Helios 44 is not
too much of a lens anyway...
Boris,
I said visual language, not language of photography. The latter I have no idea
of what is. You have yet to explain how to make images without a visual
language.
Pal,
As I say, please send me your address. I'll send you some published writings
on the matter. That is, if you like.
--Mike
However, one of my favorite museum
experiences was NY's MOMA, which is now temporarily relocated. They have
a relatively small collection of impresionists, but it includes Van
Gogh's Starry Night. That painting is such a powerful icon that
viewing it in person left me speachless.
Paul,
What
having at separate times had both ears
sliced off!
Bob,
Playing the field, were you?
s
After the first operation on my right ear, after the bandages were
taken off but while the dried blood, stitches and half-shaved head were
still evident, I made a point of visiting the Courtauld to look
The problem is that most of us don't do C41 at home. Should we ask the lab
for a pull-process when rated at iso 50 or should the standard development
be fine with 3 stops overexposure ?
Thibault,
I've never done anything but standard development. I'll send you a copy of
that scan; it was made
No offense taken. We're all friends here, and adults. Well, except for one
or two people I won't name. g
--Mike
Mike,
I'm, sorry, but I don't know anything about your education that wasn't
admitted here. If you go back
a couple of generations in this thread you will find that Marnie
By the way -
how on earth can you stay outdoors for 2 hours at -40C?
I once went winter camping when it was significantly below 0 degrees F. I
woke up with my head (hair) frozen to the floor of the tent and stuck fast.
I have a feeling a similar experience would kill me today. I'm not very
I am not sure, but I do believe Mike Johnston is trying to get across the
same thing that I am. Rules kill creativity. They are paint by numbers, be
safe, avoid criticism, not reach out and grab folks by the guts art.
Tom,
I do believe we are.
Although Bob W. effectively skewered me
But since I've already made my contribution to the collective memory with
Bjork's name, I'll have to depend on someone else to supply the title of the
movie...I can't remember it :-(
Dancer in the Dark. My girlfriend's been hounding me to watch it for
awhile, it finally made it over
No, I wasn't paying any attention to music is pure mathematics, and my
response had nothing to do with it. It was rules of composition, and
exercises. Are you going to be such a slippery weasel that I have to
find, and repost your specific comments on this issue?
Changing the subject also
It doesn't matter if you figured out yourself or someone did it for you 150
years ago...
Oh, but it does. It's the difference between derivative and original.
--Mike
You can stop playing the fool. This isn't a group of high school
students, and I don't need to be lead by some patronizing ass. You're
just another guy on the internet, that wet his pants with a 50mm Pentax
lens. Big deal.
And you are...?
g
--Mike
Rules are rules. Empirically derived, or otherwise. Try to pick a story
and stick to.
...it?
Try to pick and sentence structure and write to.
--Mike
I was given my first camera in 1961 at the age of seven, had my first
picture
published at the age of eight, and was being published regularly by the time
I was twelve, albeit in the local newspaper.
Now, at 48, I am just another mediocre hack.
What went wrong?
Well, at the age of 16,
Mike I will put together my guidelines for composition when I have a little
time over the weekend.
Vic,
Great! I'll be interested to hear.
--Mike
I like it, Cotty, but the URL should be:
http://www.macads.co.uk/snaps/photogear/tillie.html
See, now I think that's a perfectly wonderful picture.
--Mike
I've been enjoying Mike Johnston's antinomian approach to photography
and the discussion it's provoked.
Two questions:
Are some photographs better than others?
If so, why?
Bob,
LOL! You clearly liked it so much you aren't willing for it to end. g
The answers to your questions:
1.
annsan writes:
I'm jumping into this late - forgive me if what I am going to say has been
said multiple times recently in some fashion or another - I've been overly and
crazily busy for a few weeks and you guys are really getting especially chatty
these days!
anyway.
Mike, didn't
Then every painter has to rediscover perspective and vanishing points to
be original?
Do you even think about what you're writing, or do you have a quota of
absurd things to post per day?
Like you know anything about painters. Name five major painters who've used
Renaissance perspective in
Next beer's on me, Mike :-)
I hope I get the chance to take you up on that sometime, Mark. It'll have to
be a Kaliber or something, but that'll do.
Cheers,
--Mike
It's not semantics. It's simple logic. How can one consciously interact
with something they don't know exists? (break a rule) Only the person
who knows the rule exists can know that the rule has been broken.
Bruce: THERE ARE NO RULES. You photograph by looking at things and showing
them with
PS. Mike, if you happen to find your Good Pictures article, some of us
would love to read it. Perhaps you could post it somewhere.
Thanks Andrew...it was actually one of my more popular articles, one that I
still get comments on and letters about from time to time. It was due to be
published
Finger exercises are for developing good technique so that your fingers
will do what you want them to do. It doesn't give you any
musical/artistic sense, but it will enable you to make good music.
Not. It will enable you to play the right notes, but the right notes don't
necessarily mean
THERE...ARE...NO...RULES. Full stop.
Period!
I have to agree with you on this one Mike. You've got it spot on old
chap. No rules! If it looks right it *is* right. Yep. That's it. That's
*THE* ... golden...er...r-r-r-r-
:-) HNY to you mate!
Thanks Cotty, and to you too.
And to
The fact is, nobody can possibly name a single rule of thumb a) such that
it will usefully improve pictures in all situations where it can be applied
and b) such that pictures which do not conform to the rule will not be
strong or successful or good or whatever positive word you want to use.
Or that absolutely marvellous little imp from Iceland?
Bjork. By the way, if you haven't seen her recent movie, it's really
stunning. I was very disturbed by it when I saw it, but it stuck with me
like few other films ever have, and certainly more than the trite fare
Hollywood has given us in
Galen Rowell made the observation that although there are many child
prodigies in music, there has not yet been one in photography.
Oh but he's quite wrong. I interviewed one of them in Washington, a young
black boy from the projects who was given a camera and some basic
instructions through a
Fine. You think there are rules of composition? Okay, tell me what they are.
List them. I'd like to know what they are.
Disingenuous indeed. You might just as well ask somebody to list the
laws of science in an email.
But dear Heavens, Bob, do you mean to say these rules are so esoteric
Artistic composition is something that is learned. There are rules to follow
that would immediately improve many images.
Vic,
What are they? What rules do you follow?
--Mike
Dan Scott, Tom Van Veen, Steve Desjardins and I have so far innocently
mentioned that we were philosophy majors in university or college.
Anyone else out there?
Well, I majored in Philosophy for a year at Reed before I dropped out...not
sure that counts, though.
--Mike
I've never taken a photography
class in my life (except when I was about 15 - 30 years ago
Wait a minute! You mean to tell me youre a ~45-YEAR-OLD~ bike messenger
Good Lord, I'm 45 and I can hardly get to the convenience store on my bike!
--Mike
I just subscribed to this list
Welcome Pierre--
--Mike
I ask because back in the
early 90's I took the Johnson O'Connor series of aptitude tests. One of the
interesting tie ins was that people with high musical aptitude often
gravitate to photography and there seems to be a lot of musically inclined
people on the list.
Butch,
WHOA! I took those
The next part of the story is harrowing and not
fit for setting down here besides having nothing to do with photography or
Pentax.
Oh, c'mon, you have to tell us now. Can't leave THAT hanging.
--Mike
I come from a family with several musicians. You don't play classical
music without solid technique. You don't develop solid technique without
practice. Technique doesn't make you a good musician (although with
enough practice the vast majority of people wouldn't know it), but you
don't
And if you like the Canonets, I'd also recommend the Konica Auto S3.
It's so tiny, but with a wonderful lens- and it happily accepts an
alkaline battery for the meter.
Ryan,
I tried to buy an S3 before acquiring the Canonet. But they're considerably
thinner on the ground, and quite a bit more
Mike,
You need to listen to Mozart's music. Nothing is more pure!
Bob
Mozart may be pure, but music is no more pure mathematics than
architecture is pure dancing.*
I don't know all of Mozart and I'm no expert, but I've at least heard most
of the major works. I own the string quartets,
Is there anything about digital backs for the 645?
The one for the Mamiya has been announced and may be out (I'm not sure) and
Pentax are working on one I'm sure. It's just a matter of time.
The Mamiya will cost around $10,000 I'm told.
--Mike
Yeah, I know, but I was on a roll. All of these threads have gotten
funny, since we have cheerfully taken on some of the most difficult
problems in philosophy. If we don't get a DSLR rumor soon, we might
solve some of them . . . ;-)
Heh! We haven't tackled the mind-body duality or life
IMNHO, this shot was as much luck as skill. At the instant the
photographer decided to press the shutter release, this soldier would have
been still on his feet. It was just a coincidence that he happened to get
shot when the shutter opened.
AND?
You mean to say you've never been the
I am always glad we have Antonioni. Even though the Blow-up is not
so much about photography as about the world, it's one of my most
favourite films.
Frantisek,
I've never seen it. I must rectify that some day
--Mike
I believe that the full quote is: Writing about music is like dancing about
architecture.
To my recollection, it has been attributed to many, including Elvis Costello,
Laurie Anderson, Zappa, Steve Martin, but the origins are somewhat murky.
Is there a prize for this? (assuming I'm at
Well, it still aint true. Hardly any artistic expression is more about
matematics than music. Rhytm is pure matematics and composition is all about
rules.
Pål,
Again, we will just have to agree to disagree, my friend, because we are
simply 180 degrees apart on this issue as well. There are
Hell, that's easy.
There is no mind-body duality. There is no life after death.
Next subjects... vbg
Thanks. Sometimes it takes a Pentax-wielding bike messenger to cut through
all the crap!
--Mike
501 - 600 of 1471 matches
Mail list logo
