For mysteryscribe.....

[PNA]

LOL Charlie.

I mainly agree... it's really a difference of perspective, rather than a disagreement. I'll explain later, I promise.

Now this is getting interesting…..the suspense is madding!

By the way, I’m having a “conversation” with Funkacious Funk in the General Gallery, ya’l are invited to tune in.

 

[mysteryscribe]

I dont know about the gallery thing, but im not commenting any more but that is a person who should be shooting film. Then see how random his shots are.

Some things fall even below mediocrity to the level of a prank.

 

[PNA]

Or lower.....

 

[mysteryscribe]

As i was told when I suggested that a crop was way out of proportion, "Hey man thats just my style." Rofl.

reminds me of the scene from rocky he is walking with the teenaged girl and he says put the cigarette out . It'll give you garbage can mouth.

She says, "Maybe I like garbage can mouth." Garbage can mouth was obviously her style to.

 

[PNA]

Maybe there's hope............nite!

 

[JamesD]

Okay, rewrite #5.

Those of us present at the moment understand this, but I'll state it plainly for any visitors who might not know: these are my opinions, and I'm not passing them off as fact. They reflect my outlook, my philosophy, and if you disagree, great! If you agree, also great! It's all about individual taste and preference, as I'll reiterate shortly.

If someone intends a specific effect, and achieves it through volation of the generally-accepted guidelines we may or may not call "rules," then so be it. If the message they inted to convey is in fact conveyed, then they are successful. Whether or not we find it aesthetically pleasing is an entirely different issue--with the exception of a hired job, such as a wedding or whatever, where the photog is expected to produce work in accordance with customer specifications.

"It's just my style." If someone understands what he is doing well enough to consciously control what he's doing, and does indeed exercise that conscious control, then he's justified in making this statement. If he doesn't, then he's not. If he says that "it's just my style," then in the former case, the statement is valid; but in the latter, it's invalid, merely a thinly-veiled excuse for uncertainty of purpose--or worse, justification for incompetence. However, it's not up to us to decide this. We can form our opinions, but ultimately it's on his own integrity.

Any image that conveys the photographer's intentions, whether we like it or not, is a successful photograph. Robert Maplethorp is my favorite example. I despise most of his work--at least, what I've seen of it. It is intensely unappealing to me. However, it clearly conveyes his intent, and his work is therefore successful. That's all I'm trying to get at.

As for snapshots... they're a special case. They aren't intended as art, they're intended as a record of an event or scene which the photog thought worth recording as a memory-aid. Perhaps he'll share them, perhaps not. Perhaps they'll be "properly" composed and exposed, perhaps not. In either case, they're usually successful, in that they evoke the memory they were intended to evoke.

That's why, for instance, the snapshots from my last birthday party aren't hanging in a museum somewhere. They aren't art. They were only ever intended to bring to mind the events of that day, and nothing else.

That, and because I burned them as incriminating evidence.

Okay, I think I'm done, now.

 

[JamesD]

In case anyone is wondering....

The reason I rarely post is partly because I have little time to get around to shooting, processing, and scanning, but also because I know (or believe) that my own photogaphy is either A) aesthetically unappealing; B) intent unconveying (or perhaps merely unintentional?); or C) all of the above. Many of the few things I do post, I post primarily because they illustrate some technical point I've been working with.

Just thought I'd throw that in there.

 

[mysteryscribe]

OKay let me give that some thought.

 

[mysteryscribe]

I decided to post these random responses as I think of them. Rather than one rambling comment since I can't organize my thoughts that well at the moment. So number one.

"It's my style man." my response to that ran about a thousand words so let me just say this instead

"Whatever man" Taken from the response posted here in the gallery by the photographer

 

[PNA]

You gotta love the brevity of the explination.....

 

[mysteryscribe]

well its right up there with "hey it's just my style man."

 

[journeyman]

I first must say that I've found the sweet crowd of the forum in this thread.

You have all basically expersions my opinion on photography I have had for a long time now. I'm so excited all I can really think of liittle excerpts of thought I've had in the past that apply.

"If I wanted to make money I'd shoot digital I shoot film cause it's a hobby"

It was said before that these days anyone can pick up a digital camera and take a good picture. I say where is the fun and challenge in that. Film provides me with a challenge that I get to work with.

"You have to know the rules before you can break them"

again if you are going to say "it's just my style" you have to understand the basic rules of composition and break them in a way that produces a descent picture.

These people are not contributed to the photography community. It sucks that when I went to the local photo shop the guy treated me like crap cause he thought I was another stupid college student who he said " didn't know an f-stop from a bus stop" (I love that one) It was like I had to prove my knowledge and competence before he became a really sweet guy.
Anyways this wasn't very thought out just a jumbled rambling but It was good to finally get the feelings out there.

Another little pet preeve since when did everyone start using ISO instead of ASA. Do we need to be international?

 

[terri]

Welcome to TPF, journeyman.

All opinions are welcome, as long as everyone's tone remains civil. (And that's not directed at you, but to all who may post in this thread.)

Everyone comes to a photo forum with different experiences, levels of knowledge, and expectations as to what their love of photography will ultimately bring them. We know nothing about these differences unless we respectfully choose to find out.

Having said all that....

Carry on!

 

[JamesD]

I decided to post these random responses as I think of them. Rather than one rambling comment since I can't organize my thoughts that well at the moment. So number one.

"It's my style man." my response to that ran about a thousand words so let me just say this instead

"Whatever man" Taken from the response posted here in the gallery by the photographer

Yeah, that's pretty much what I was saying, as well. If it's his style, and I don't like it, then "whatever, man."

If it's just his excuse for producing crap, and I don't like it, then "Whatever, man."

In any case, if I don't like it, "Whatever, man." I won't lose any sleep over it.

 

[mysteryscribe]

Just want to say this one time.... he/she/it aint foolin' nobody some of you are just more polite ..... lol