Is There Nothing New?

[TheLostPhotographer]

Or, is just that most are to blind and narrow minded to see it, or far to unimaginative and uncreative to create it?

Personally, few things annoy me more than the 'there is nothing new' quotes bounded about on photography forums. Of course there will be new ideas and new creations. They may well be happening and appearing on the web now, but we've all become far to conditioned to appreciate them.

Just because you can't see, or imagine anything new and original doesn't mean it's not going to happen, or happening now. New stuff usually breaks rules. The majority rely on rules to tell them what's good and what they like.

The World evolves constantly. Few would try and deny that. So, why are people so prepared to state that the human mind and eye isn't evolving also? Photography, image making and art will all continue to evolve also.

There will always be something new.

Anyone prepared to debate the reasons for stagnation?

 

[JerryPH]

Evolution comes with experience.

If the vast majority are at the same level (ie: beginner), of course you won't have evolution... we keep going in small tight circles that rarely expand beyond the same few questions like JPG vs RAW, "what lens should I buy" or the ever popular "what digital camera do I get?".

A few have added links to heir sig, a few have made stickies, yet I see an increase, not a decrease of those very same questions over and over.

What is the answer? For me, it is expanding my personal knowledge, trying things that are new to me and looking to think outside the box creatively speaking. What is the answer for the forum? I have no idea.

 

[Clutch]

Evolution comes with experience.

If the vast majority are at the same level (ie: beginner), of course you won't have evolution... we keep going in small tight circles that rarely expand beyond the same few questions like JPG vs RAW, "what lens should I buy" or the ever popular "what digital camera do I get?".

A few have added links to heir sig, a few have made stickies, yet I see an increase, not a decrease of those very same questions over and over.

What is the answer? For me, it is expanding my personal knowledge, trying things that are new to me and looking to think outside the box creatively speaking. What is the answer for the forum? I have no idea.

Well spoken, Jerry, and I couldn't agree more. The images that most impress me, both mine and the work of others, are the ones that step beyond the boundaries, those that are bold and daring. Great images don't happen on accident.

 

[THORHAMMER]

Good thoughts !

It would be nice if there was more emphasis on inspiration, fine art, and the like. instead we seem to spend a lot of time talking about semantics. Lets try to break some new ground artistically guys. Im speaking TO myself as well.

also, the newbies wont know any better about equipment not making the photographer and its place in importance unless we show by example, that means less signatures that look like shopping lists of the rich and famous and more work that speaks for itself.

I think ill go and start a conversation on inspirarion, or something like that !!

 

[bhop]

My opinion..

As far as basic photography goes, it's all been done by someone at some time. It might be new to me, or you, but it's not new in the overall scheme of things. I still learn new things everyday, but usually it's something that's old news to other people.

I should clarify that when I read the original post, I think of photography style...

 

[christopher walrath]

It is my dream to buy Ansel Adams 400 Photographs, travle and make the EXACT SAME IMAGES HE MADE. I want to recreate his vision. I want to be Ansel. What type of film did he use? Were his pictures made with a F3 or a D40? Did he use Photoshop for all of his work or just Paint in the beginning? Did he know Galen Rowell and Pablo Picasso? Did he ever use a lensababy? Tenba or Lowepro?

New enough for ya?

If I want new, I look at my own photography. If I think that photography is stagnant, it is usually a reflection of my own. And then it's time to take a chance on something new. Jump out of my comfort zone. The reason other people think there's nothing new is that the human brain has an associative memory. A person sees something and looks at it and one of two things happen. Either they have seen something like it or, worse yet, taken a similar picture. The mind fills in the blanks and raises their mediocrity to the status of genius and they say 'I have three different pictures that good, GEEZ!!!!!!' Or else they don't relate and the memory of a potentially powerful image falls by the wayside like that proverbial fart in church.

Make your photography new and you will learn to 'see' things in a completely 'new' and different light.