tbcass
Forum Pro
And of course strictly following compositional guidelines will result in unoriginal photography.
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How to Win a Photography Argument on DPReview
- Thread starter MarshallG
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tbcass
Forum Pro
:-D;-)
Yes...in my case, it's all about my opinion because I'm the customer for my photography. I don't seek to sell my images commercially so no one else's opinion matters to me.
You're assuming my goal is pretty pictures. Usually, it's not.
I rarely look at other people's images.
TRIODEROB
Senior Member
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that's a huge mistake
you would be well served to open your mind a little about subjects related to photography - sometimes folks are so in love with their own viewpoints that they really miss out
Why? I've done it before and rarely get much out of it.
If my goal is to document my life and those of my family members, what good does looking at other people's eye-candy do for my goal?
Tuonov2
Senior Member
Problem with that attitude is art is subjective not quantitative, what's good to you may not be to someone else and vice versa. Sometimes I show my wife(non photographer) a photo that someone has posted online which I think is fantastic and she's completely at odds with me.
Personally I 'don't get' street photography, I see photo's that everyone praises and I just see a snap of people on the street, to me it's not a 'good photograph' but to others it could be brilliant.
tbcass
Forum Pro
Depends on what you are arguing about. If you are discussing the artistic value of a photograph it might be nice to know how good their photos are. If you arguing about what makes a good camera then it doesn't matter if they are a good photographer. It matters how technologically versed about cameras and optics they are.
tbcass
Forum Pro
Excellent points.
I don't get street photography either so I don't feel qualified to comment on them.
SmilerGrogan
Senior Member
I'm saying, based on my own experience that you should learn the techniques of visual expression as quickly and thoroughly as you can because you'll be faster in the field and will be able to more easily create any photo your brain dreams up.
Visual principles are not rules meant to tie your hands. They're solutions to problems and they were created by artists and photographers that came before you. There's no artistic Politburo trying to make you conform to some orthodoxy.
The people who write these principles down in books or on websites are just trying to remind you that you don't have to reinvent the wheel—they have pages and pages of wheel designs ready for you to try. You want to photograph a group of three people? Here's how other people have done it. You want to shoot a river? Here are two ways that it can be accomplished. Solutions. They're solutions, suggestions, not rules.
Think of it this way, when you're dancing, you don't use every step you ever learned. But it's nice to learn a few different styles because then you can hit the dance floor with confidence knowing that whatever genre of music gets played you'll be able to boogie down with style.
Visual principles are not rules meant to tie your hands. They're solutions to problems and they were created by artists and photographers that came before you. There's no artistic Politburo trying to make you conform to some orthodoxy.
The people who write these principles down in books or on websites are just trying to remind you that you don't have to reinvent the wheel—they have pages and pages of wheel designs ready for you to try. You want to photograph a group of three people? Here's how other people have done it. You want to shoot a river? Here are two ways that it can be accomplished. Solutions. They're solutions, suggestions, not rules.
Think of it this way, when you're dancing, you don't use every step you ever learned. But it's nice to learn a few different styles because then you can hit the dance floor with confidence knowing that whatever genre of music gets played you'll be able to boogie down with style.
I don't "create" photos.
Using them would almost entirely defeat the point of the hobby for me. The photography is about documenting my life, the hobby is about figuring out how to do it.
I don't dance.
And I don't know why anyone, anywhere, would care about that.
New Day Rising
Veteran Member
So you simply photograph whatever happens to be in front of you that captures your interest? You never change position or choose a different focal length to alter the composition to make it pleasing?
That is not surprising.
Because it brings some people pleasure.
SmilerGrogan
Senior Member
To you sir, I say fiddlesticks. Judging by the work you've posted during this discussion you are an excellent photographer with a refined understanding of cameras, composition, and color. Whether you choose to acknowledge your innate talent or not, it's there.
Gifted people like you are a problem because you are just doing what you do and don't understand the endless hours of hard work that the rest of us have to put in just to be adequate.
Gifted people like you are a problem because you are just doing what you do and don't understand the endless hours of hard work that the rest of us have to put in just to be adequate.
I would disagree with you on the free will thing. Not from any religious position, just that the premise is shaky. But that is a discussion for a different forum.
I disagree. Artists make art. Nothing else is required.
Doesn't change the value judgement on what he photographs. And Hamilton is dead, so shooting him won't matter much.
As in, "Wow, that is a beautiful piece of child porn?" No. There are some things that matter and the artistry doesn't change that.
But what most people think are the characteristics is rubbish. Very few people can reliably discern the qualities of a wine.
I'd agree that the subjectivity is the same.
Yes.
I do that, but I don't go out and look for things to shoot, nor do I create scenes in a studio to shoot.
I'll bet you have no idea why, though.
Why would being considered to have "style" by others bring anyone pleasure?
And that is rubbish. It meets every criterion. You don;t view it that way and that is your prerogative. You are still categorically incorrect.
Okay, whatever, I've been shooting for over 40 years, and I still think I have almost no artistic talent. I'm a good technician, but that's all.
Such as?
Well, no. There is pretty much no way of photographing anything that has not been done. The originality isn't in breaking the rules, but in how approaches the subject.
Honestly, originality is nearly impossible. And over-rated.
Original ≠ good. Formula ≠ bad. It is more complex than that.
Yes, I would like people to see my work and not think of anyone else' work, but nearly everything has been done.
Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts (artworks), expressing the author's imaginative, conceptual ideas, or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power.
That you cannot see this does not mean everyone else is so impaired.
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