What Makes a Photographer

alice22 · Jun 14, 2012

Essentially it is a person's inner eye. The ability to see the picture that you are going to take. The tools are just tools.

micky21 · Jun 18, 2012

A person who is more passionate about taking photos can only be a good photographer. He only can bring out the beauty in his photographs.

Bitter Jeweler · Jun 18, 2012

micky21 said:
A person who is more passionate about taking photos can only be a good photographer. He only can bring out the beauty in his photographs.

Lies.

The_Traveler · Jun 18, 2012

Bitter Jeweler said:
micky21 said:

A person who is more passionate about taking photos can only be a good photographer. He only can bring out the beauty in his photographs.

Click to expand...

Lies.

I agree that he is wrong but not that it is a lie, which is a knowing falsehood.

Bitter Jeweler · Jun 18, 2012

What's your point?

The_Traveler · Jun 18, 2012

Bitter Jeweler said:
What's your point?

My point is that that is his opinion and so cannot be a lie.

He may be wrong, misguided, or whatever but saying he is a liar is inaccurate.

That's my point.

NE-KID · Jun 18, 2012

What makes a photographer is the person who takes the photograph! It takes time, paitence to make the photographer. To me only to me there is no such thing is a photographer no one is better than the other person as a photographer we all the same person no matter who you are and what photographs you have taken.

tirediron · Jun 18, 2012

Eh, strictly speaking, Micky21 stated his "opinion" as fact, and not as opinion, so I don't really see any issue with Bitter responding in kind. I think most here have sufficient grasp of the English language to understand that not everything which is stated as fact is intended to be taken that way, and that an understanding that it is actually opinion should be assumed.

unpopular · Jun 18, 2012

How does one state an opinion as fact; a disclaimer that something is in his or her own opinion?

People are so touchy feeling about this. If one cannot separate opinion from fact, how is that the opinionated person's problem?

tirediron · Jun 18, 2012

unpopular said:
How does one state an opinion as fact; a disclaimer that something is in his or her own opinion?

"You must have passion to be a good photographer." The formation of the sentence presents it as a fact, however the reality is that the sentence should really be: "I believe that you must have passion to be a good photographer."

unpopular said:
People are so touchy feeling about this. If one cannot separate opinion from fact, how is that the opinionated person's problem?

I'll play your game... how is it?

unpopular · Jun 18, 2012

The problem with the assertion that one must have "passion" to be a "good" photographer as fact is that what is "passion" or a "good" cannot be objectively measured, and therefor cannot be a fact.

This isn't like saying "the world is flat" or "statistically, humans perceive blue at a peak wavelength of 454nm". True or not, these assertions are measurable and confirmable through observations.

Of course, it is arguable that within the world view of the "passionate good photographer" theory proponents, it is fact, but only extending to it's supporters.

I don't think we need to be apologetic for our viewpoints. If we didn't believe what we do as fact, then there is no sense if belief. But this does not excuse pigheadedness, or assertions that other's opinions are invalid for the sake of differing - and this goes for dissenters just as much as it does for advocates of any given position. "That's just your opinion" is a backhanded way of discrediting opposition. That is, in my opinion it is

Bitter Jeweler · Jun 18, 2012

The_Traveler said:
Bitter Jeweler said:

What's your point?

Click to expand...

My point is that that is his opinion and so cannot be a lie.

He may be wrong, misguided, or whatever but saying he is a liar is inaccurate.

That's my point.

Oh, dear god. :roll:

PixelRabbit · Jun 18, 2012

I apologize profusely for my contribution to the derailment of this thread.

*grabs the popcorn*

terri · Jun 18, 2012

Before this derails any further, let's agree in advance to let others state their own thoughts - even if we privately believe a particular poster may be misguided. "Lies" does come across as a bit harsh, so perhaps toning down our assessments of another's statement would help keep the thread more civil in tone. We can state our belief that a person's statement is misguided, and perhaps back up that belief by expanding on our thoughts in a conversational way.

Okay?

Thanks, all!

Solarflare · Jun 19, 2012

alice22 said:
Essentially it is a person's inner eye. The ability to see the picture that you are going to take. The tools are just … tools.

Actually professionals tell me thats the newbies idea of a photographer. The professional knows they have to "work the shot" most of the time - change position again and again and try to improve what they already got until they actually got something. So the condition that you already know what exactly you want to photograph is actually quite rare. Most of the time you have to experiment.