Next time you work hard at getting pictures of landmarks

[limr]

Brief hijack: This thread has become annoyingly on-topic. If you want I can move to to Discussions, Lew. Or not.

/hijack

Sure, you can move it if you think it would matter in any way.

re:hijacks - I have been obstinately unpleasant to those who jump in and yell, 'me, me, pay attention to me.'

It's rude and disrespectful of those who are actually participating and I don't like it.

Yes, I'm a stuffy, jerk.

But you're OUR stuffy jerk :mrgreen:

 

[The_Traveler]

OOOOOhh.
Discussing.
That's impressive.

 

[usayit]

"Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don't bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: "It's not where you take things from - it's where you take them to." - Jim Jarmusch



For anything we do, most likely, someone has already done it. You should not let it prevent you from attempting to make your own authentic contribution to your own enjoyment.

 

[pgriz]

Well, every generation discovers sex for the first time. Every artist discovers the cliches for the first time. Every parent discovers the wonders of children the first time. The wheel turns. With a bit of distance from the moment of discovery, we find out, that it's a road well traveled. But that should not diminish the excitement of discovery if it is YOUR first time (as I think USAYIT says in his last sentence above).

 

[HughGuessWho]

There's no problem - for others - I march to a different kettle of fish.

Me too, to a great extent. That's where my viewpoint comes from. I do what I do, for ME, regardless of what others think is a waste of time.

 

[Steve5D]

I think it's entirely possible to really over-think some things...

 

[bc_steve]

Overdone, yes, but if I ever find myself at the Statue of Liberty I'm probably going to take a picture of it. I'm not really concerned that I won't be the first or the best, it's just something I enjoy doing.

 

[bentcountershaft]

I don't know. If I'm standing in "the" spot at Horseshoe Bend I'm probably taking a shot as well. I wouldn't go there specifically to take it but there's no way I'm walking that trail without a camera, I can tell you that much. Of course I'd probably put some naked people in the foreground to make it interesting.

 

[pgriz]

When we go places, my wife buys a set of postcards from the places we visit, and I'm off the hook as far as needing to show the key places. In any case, the light is usually not right, there are too many people, you don't have the right gear, etc. So I feel free to shoot whatever catches our fancy. If we end up duplicating some of the postcard scenes, so be it. There are also times when seeing everything through the little viewfinder is limiting and constraining.

Sometimes the best way to travel is to do it slowly, by foot or by bicycle, with frequent stops to ask for directions (even when you don't need them), and check out the local bakery, charcuterie, wine stall or farmer's market. These experiences are recorded at the end of the day in a journal, where impressions, smells, sights, sounds and the various people you come across end up in little sketches of words and scribbles. The camera is there as well, but it tends to record with too much fidelity, and with too much accuracy.

My wife and I spent some time in NY this summer, avoiding the parking lots that Lew highlighted by taking in the train and then walking all over, interspersed with subway jaunts here and there. I ended up with a few photographs, but more memorable was a dinner I shared by some cousins, a set of sandals she bought on a whim, and our walks across a number of urban parks. During our walks, I passed more than once photographers with full body harnesses carrying two or more cameras with additional supplies on their back,s and looking very determined, and trailed by a child or spouse (and in one case, a whole family entourage). I'm sure they got some photographs, but I'm not so sure the overall experience was wonderfully positive for all concerned.

I like having postcards. They're pretty cheap, show the standards in much better light than I could manage, and allow us to say we've been there.

 

[Bulb]

I don't really have a problem with the fact that nearly everything has already been photographed.

I will take pictures of whatever I want to take pictures of. If I'm happy with the result then I've gotten what I came for.

 

[JTPhotography]

I assume that most or at least some the photographers who took those photos are good photographers who have other photographic interests and take some good photos of things other than landmarks. I also assume that they have families to feed and that their equipment is expensive.

 

[usayit]

Overdone, yes, but if I ever find myself at the Statue of Liberty I'm probably going to take a picture of it. I'm not really concerned that I won't be the first or the best, it's just something I enjoy doing.

Beat yah to it... j/k