A naive thread. Very naive...

Joris1632 wrote:

Roger wrote:

Joris1632 wrote:

Roger wrote:

otumay wrote:

Hi,

I'm an amateur, a hobbyist if you will, with very limited talent but dedication and energy to match. I learn by shooting and viewing other peoples' output. This has been going on since 2003, when I bought my Nikon D100.

We're all amateur's, if someone tells you their a "Pro" ask them what a "Pro" is? Dedication and energy to match are the talents of a "Pro". Yes, the D100 was and still is great camera, but wouldn't meter with the AI lenses.

I was hooked by the Foveon magic in 2008, and started to use my Sigma SD14 more and more often, until 2013 when I bought my SD1M and never shot with any other brand since.

It's very easy to get hooked on the Foveon. If you mastered the SD14 your doing very well, it was a bear to come to terms with. The SD1M isn't always easy to shoot either, but rewarding when it all comes together.

The discussions and debates on this forum are indispensable to me, though a considerable portion is way above my technical grasp.

You'll learn fast, and that's part of the reward, leaning to solve the problems that come up when shooting.

So, in all my naivety I dare to point out something that has been baffling me ever since I joined this forum: Isn't photography about shooting beautiful and captivating photos?

No not always. Sometimes it's about junk, crap, garbage before you get to the good stuff. It's the process and fun of getting there. Even the Leica forum isn't as good as it was.

The photos I see here are mostly uninteresting, though I understand most of them are technically flawless.

Very true very very true. It's mostly trees, flowers, insects and and.......................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz OH!!! I'm sorry what were we talking about?????

......... about beautiful and captivating images; don't confuse subject with artistic or photographic intent.

Each to their own. Although there are people here that do excellent work. All types of work.

I'm not so sure that they're technically flawless, but there again what is flawless?? That's subjective as is what is boring??????? Although I agree with you. Even Sigma's USA website is a bore. 90% of the photo's are crap.

Can you show an example of a crap photo on the website you mention?

Ya, just look at the flower shot, maybe not crap but boring it's subjective.

..... an unusual view ... what is in your opinion NOT boring or crap? What do you shoot professionally or from choice? I'm interested as someone who earned his living for 45 years by making visual images in various media...

I also made a lot of money in the medical field, and teaching college as well as the News Media, world events, sports, models/studio work, rodeo's, round up's, high mountains sports, high mountain people, high mountain sports. Quarterly and Annually Reports, with owners, workers, factories, ranchers, growers, ect. They're fun people, they laugh and joke as do photojournalist, they're a fun crowd. Newspapers and more. See I got to a point where I did have to make money at my photography, I did it because I loved doing it and had a great time (FUN) I'm sad now that it's over, I miss the people and the good times we had. Being 67............................................... It's still fun but not the same type of fun.

Congratulations, but apart from having fun and becoming rich, I still have no idea at all as to what you consider non-crap ?

You know, the more you pin me down on it I believe the word crap is a subjective term. I don't enjoy some work so it's crap to me, cell phone images convey a message but are crap because I don't like the medium,.... I do believe.

There are very talented people here, you can learn a lot from them, when they're here, Steve Chong, Lea, are just 2, but there are other's, although most of them are photographers and are out shooting instead of wasting their time on these forums. So with that comment I'll leave as I have a assignment to shoot. As boring as it may be I still have to shoot it. If it were a fun assignment I wouldn't be here, now would I ???

Another baffling opinion. As a professional your only concern is surely to do the very best you can for your client? You must be serious; where does "fun" come into it?

I always did the best for my clients, if they didn't like my work I re-shoot for free till we got it right. Fun was the job!!! If you didn't have fun why do work the job ???

Fun is satisfaction of a job well done and prompt payment.

My payments were never late, I required 60% up front that covered my payment the rest was extra, gravy.

Well ........ I've worked for some biggish clients , never had cash upfront and in some cases (Coca Cola) there was even a penalty cash clause for late delivery.

I always required a percent of a payment up front, big clients (Practor and Gamble, Gold Gym, American Airlines, (Foveon, they were different) ) No one was ever late.

It makes me wonder about your claims to professionalism.

Wonder all you want. I lived it not you. I didn't buy my professionalism, you know like some of the "Pros" now days. If you want professional service from companies now days you pay a annual fee and they send you "your professional kit with a neck strap saying your a pro. Do you have the Silver or Gold card??? The way we had to do it was by having and interview and showing out portfolio.

Yes, that's how it starts, till you realise it's cheaper to pay an agent 20% than trudge around with a portfolio. But that was then .......

No, No agent I was selling me. I loved going out and taking with people. Yes that was then. Sigh

No, fun is having a great time while your doing your job and getting paid for it. It makes the work better and easier if your in a "Hot Zone" as the military would call it. It makes it easier to look beyond the death and carriage all round you. If your in the studio it puts people at ease. I told all my clients that fun would be part of the service, I never lost a client and we had a lot of fun. My studio had 3 large bedrooms with bathroom upstairs, large kitchen down stairs living room a fire pole to slide down a basketball hoop, a cove and rear door to push vehicles through.

Cool!

I lived there, Loved every minute of it. The dinning table was 2 foot by 8 foot 4 foot high with captains chair and the center was a light table with Oak edges.

Unless you've lived the life you have no point of reference to draw from. SAD

I kinda think I've lived the life ...

Good for you. It's was great.

Have Fun it isn't to late

.... and am having more fun than ever well into my seventies.

That great to hear

I post images regularly here, I would be most interested to see samples of your recent, non-crap, interesting work.

I don't know it I have anything right now. Peter Turnley does great work.

I don't post much because my work is "crap/boring" right now LOL

-
Joris1632

Have fun

Roger J.