Modern mentors and photographers

[mrca]

"As another pro once told me about his work, he didn't care if they liked it, only if they bought it." Yep, that pretty much sums up photography. The photographer does not determine what the customer thinks is good, because "good" is an individual opinion.

The late songwriter John Denver once commented, how people would find some deep meaning in his songs; even though he had no idea what they were talking about.

It makes little difference to the person doing the buying, how much or how little time a person spends crafting the photograph. They like it and are willing to buy it or they do not.

I enjoy Ansel Adams and I marvel at his ability to look at a scene and visualize, what film in what developer, for how long, printed on a particular type of photo paper with proper techniques, would give him the picture he had in his minds eye. However, many of my non-photographic friend wonder why he wasted his time on black and white photography.

When I was younger I had dozens of thing I wanted to do for a living. However, I was often reminded that, unless you can make a living at it; it is just a hobby. Yes indeed, sometimes my hobbies made enough money to cover my investment in them, however I never quite my day job.

If you love photography and can make a living doing it, you have the best of both worlds.

Ron, actually, one of John Denver's songs, sums up my feelings about photography. Change the word guitar to camera in the song "this old guitar" and he expresses what photography has meant to me. "This old guitar taught me to sing a love song, taught me how to laugh and how to cry(and how to direct and photo it). Introduced me to some friends of mine and lightened up some days, helped me make it through some lonely nights." My approach is a bit different, I sit down with my clients at a consult. We determine the personalities of each of the parties, what they want the images to express. Then when I create something they could never have imagined, they have a deep connection with the photos. Ansel Adams didn't have a choice on black-and-white photography because color did not become prevalent til decades after he was selling his work. Much of my work is still black-and-white and non-photographers need to be educated how eliminating color allows me to capture the soul of the subject while color captures their clothing. I am just finishing volume one of the Ansell Adams guide and starting volume 2. I picked both up used for a total of $15 including shipping on Amazon. It is an amazing insight in training for using film developing and printing it.

 

[Grandpa Ron]

Yes, Ansel's book trilogy was a real eyeopener for me. I knew he was a master of being at the right place at the right time to catch the sun angle, shadows and weather he wanted but his knowledge of what we now call post processing was fantastic. You might say his post processing started before the first photon of light struck the negative. His choice of film, filters, aperture and his excellent sense of composition speaks for itself.

You are indeed correct that understanding what your client wants, is a great benefit and also the subtle power of black and white. To me, unless your intent is to display color, such as flowers, sunsets, rainbows etc. I also find color can be a distraction from the subject.

However, I have also found that given the choice of a color print or black and white print. Most will folks will choose the color version. That is probably why most artist put paint to canvas rather than charcoal.

 

[mrca]

Yes, Ansel's book trilogy was a real eyeopener for me. I knew he was a master of being at the right place at the right time to catch the sun angle, shadows and weather he wanted but his knowledge of what we now call post processing was fantastic. You might say his post processing started before the first photon of light struck the negative. His choice of film, filters, aperture and his excellent sense of composition speaks for itself.

You are indeed correct that understanding what your client wants, is a great benefit and also the subtle power of black and white. To me, unless your intent is to display color, such as flowers, sunsets, rainbows etc. I also find color can be a distraction from the subject.

However, I have also found that given the choice of a color print or black and white print. Most will folks will choose the color version. That is probably why most artist put paint to canvas rather than charcoal.

Black and white does a wonderful job when the photo is about shapes, forms, contrast and color would be a distraction. However, color can be important to an image or even the very subject of the image and those factors should determine which is used. In my personal work, I don't give a damn what people like. However, as Bambi Cantrell said, when you are shooting for a paying client, beauty is in the eyes of the checkbook holder.

 

[The Barbarian]

I have to admit that most of the mentoring I get, is from going online and seeing what other photographers are doing. The comments and images of people on this site, for example, have helped me grow as a photographer.

 

[RAZKY]

Ansel Adams (1984) is a well known photographer and author that has written an iconic trilogy. Another author and one of my favorite photographers is Fan Ho (2016), but both of these masters of the industry were around in times past. Who is the Ansel Adams of today? Who is it that you look up to and enjoy the works of in modern times? This thread may be very opinionated but it would be awesome to recognize the next books and works of present modern day photographers and artist.

I draw my inspiration from the scene before me - the last thing I want to know is what others have done, or would do.. (And I'm well aware that independent thinking is a foreign concept here.)

 

[DelminaNucci]

I can’t say, about a photographer who is the best but I know much about the famous photographers of the past other than the obvious ones. I do really enjoy looking at other photographers' work. I find it both inspiring and educational. But a person who photoshoots their own and is self-employed is best than any other.

 

[emilyblunt1]

Enter Artistry
Alicia Gines
Yousuf Karsh
George Hurrell

 

[John 2]

The best photographers, is an extremely opinionated ideal, because it not only involves the personnel preferences of a type of photography but also the medium of reproduction.

I chuckle when folks distain digital post process and praise the purity of film. My personal hero, Ansel Adams, describes it best in his book trilogy.

When Ansel shot a scene, he was not intending to duplicate what he saw but to present what he was envisioning in his head. Before, he pressed the shutter release, he drew upon his decades of knowledge. He knew what filters and their effect on specific brands of film. He knew how much each of his favorite films could be pushed or pulled by various developers. He knew that grade of photo paper he intended burn and dodge based on his expected negative density. Rare indeed is the individual that has mastered his methods.

As digital replaced film the software gurus found ways to not only simulate these effects but to introduce additional effect not possible with film.

So determining the current masters, it is a little like comparing apples and oranges or Bach and Bluegrass or the best beer. I always suggest looking at all the present photographic art works and study the artist or artists you like.

Good Luck

Well Said. The only point of photography is the final image and it doesn't matter whether it's produced with a pin hole camera or something more high end.......and as you quite rightly point out, it's success or otherwise is in the eye of the beholder.