The Good The Bad & The Ugly - What makes a photograph?

[fimgirl]

^

Quote ....Fimgirl

"It would be a shame to see it disappear out of sight under the current tsunami of yesterday's snapshots".

Thank you that's an extremely insulting remark... there are many of use who don't agree...

Quite your I am better than though remarks.... You don't even show your snapshots.... get a life and don't be so continually insulting ....

I am unaware of your imagery but hats off for identifying your role on the forum.

[villagefarang]

I think there is room enough for everyone in photography.

It is all very subjective of course but I have noticed vast improvement as individuals are exposed to more photographs in as kinder, gentler environment. Encouragement and self evaluation, sometimes work better than criticism and putdowns.

I don’t see the goal as perfection, more that we incrementally improve by taking more pictures and sharing them with others, who encourage us to do more.

[sunshine51]

@ Goshawk & reeray...

I agree that this thread should be pinned...it's the best thread save for a

few photos on the other threads in the Photog section.

Dali would most likely have taken the banana and kept it green with some red

splotches on it, unpeeled and melting either in a bowl or plate. Warhol may

depict the banana in electric yellow on a purple plate & old Pablo P would

most likely have painted a banana unlike any banana we have ever seen!

Just my view based on their works I have had the pleasure to see a bit of.

Yes...all approximately 7 billion of us know what a banana looks like however,

it is the few creative types in this 7 billion that are ready to play around with

the humble banana regardless of what/how society labels bananas must

look like. Altered states?...Sure...why not. If sonebody can take a bunch

of old AK-47's and make a usable dining table & 8 chairs outta them and

call it art then why not a flourescent, melted, fat round banana composition!

Fimgirl...I'm kinda the same way you are when I head out to do some

photography...feeling blue I shoot kinda blue stuff, dark & mysterious

is heavy on the shadows & about a stop & a half underexposed. Happy

moods I shoot a lotta warm bright colours. With a hangover everything

has a soft focus to it...ref to my line "What the Hell was I thinking..."

For me a fine example of perception came at a Khmer refugee camp

back in 84..the S3 camp if memory holds valid today. Nancy Reagan

was touring these wretched places and while at S3 the press corps

was corraled at one spot by the "authorities". My idea was to break

away from that corral and get Mrs. Reagan a bit further up the path

where there was a massive amount of kids playing in the mud oblivious

to her presence. Mrs. Reagan got to around 50 meters from me & the

kids, was about to turn back and a fellow photog with me yelled out

something akin to "Have a look here Mizz Reagan"...she walked up

& we got our shots...she was mobbed by the kids. We were the only

two photogs that managed to get some decent shots of her.

That was mainly luck although the perception of Mrs. Reagan in front

of the press gang bang & officials, mobbed by the kids told a different

and we like to think a better story. Mind you nothing much ever came

about positively concerning the people in those camps.

When mentioning the 7 billion perceptions I just wanted to toss out that

possibility we humans all see the same basic stuff but very few can or

want to interpret what is seen by all into something "special" to us.

In Cambodia during the late 80's & early 90's I used to focus mainly on what

one finds within a deprived society...not just the bog standard depravity.

There was a lotta joy and amazement out there...if one just cared to go

go have a look with a camera or two..instead of the usual crap of death

& destitution.

On a humorous note...one of the worst party scenarios I can think of is to

get a bunch of accomplished photogs together and...well...need I hack

more dribble? Mix some alcohol....some illicit substances....hah! If

somebody really wants to know a few outcomes...PM me and send a 6

pack down the wires.

NB...edit to insert "people in those".

g

Edited October 28, 2013 by sunshine51

[sunshine51]

I think there is room enough for everyone in photography.

It is all very subjective of course but I have noticed vast improvement as individuals are exposed to more photographs in as kinder, gentler environment. Encouragement and self evaluation, sometimes work better than criticism and putdowns.

I don’t see the goal as perfection, more that we incrementally improve by taking more pictures and sharing them with others, who encourage us to do more.

.....+1000 VF.

[watutsi]

Looks like a banana to me

[Robby nz]

Pinning it will keep it alive and cetainly act as a reference for future review. It might also educate some of the multi uploaders as to what ingredients make a good photograph, an element that clearly is alien to them. The heading of "photography and the arts" is currently very misleading.

I see from your posts Fimgirl that you look on photography as an art form but not all of us posting here think of it this way.

Not all of us, and certainly not me, will spend hours tricking up a photo to look like something different than that which came out of a camera.

In fact that sort of thing in some minds could possibly be construed as a form of cheating and not photography at all but computer graphics.

To denigrate others for doing things there way, as you have done in the above quote could just be a little insulting...don't you think ?

Now to something positive.

My interest mirrors that of Goshawk and I am sure he knows better than I that to get a good photo of birds or other natural subjects requires a fair bit of luck.

There is no way you can compose a photo of a bird, you cant tell it to stand this way or that way, change the light or even in most cases change camera settings.

Even if you can put yourself in a probable position to see what you are looking for and pre set things to suit there is no guarantee that what you see will not turn up in a completely different setting or light conditions.

Often I find that its a matter of 'get it in the viewfinder and click' and if it is still there after that then try to improve. But often that first click is all I get.

Personally I try to do as little as possible with PP and have no idea of how to use Photoshop and really have no inclination to spend the time to learn.

Well that's my way.

I do have to say that following the topics on this site has made me look around more for subjects that fit into the categories to post them for my own and I hope the enjoyment of others.

I do try to look for things that are out of the ordinary and not things I see every day.

I also think that the comments that go with a photo that has been posted add to the interest.

[watutsi]

Looks like a banana to me

Just in case anybody in the entire planet does not know this was the cover for The Velvet Underground ---RIP Lou Reed 1942 - 2013.

Sorry for interrupting, carry on -

[watutsi]

OK i'll continue

Why is it that people are so proud of reveling in their own banality,- accept all the crap,- don't rock the boat? Thank god some people seek for quality otherwise there would be no civilization, let alone the "Photography and the Arts " forum

[villagefarang]

Perhaps someone needs to start a snob thread, sort of an invitation only thing. That way they won’t have to rub shoulders with lesser beings.

[sunshine51]

Looks like a banana to me

Just in case anybody in the entire planet does not know this was the cover for The Velvet Underground ---RIP Lou Reed 1942 - 2013.

Sorry for interrupting, carry on -

Heard of his demise this morning on BBCWS..71...of complications from a liver transplant.

I liked his music a lot...even though I'm originally from San Francisco. RIP Lou...RIP.

[Goshawk]

lets keep it on track & constructive people......it's neither an, 'i'm better than you thread' or a tribute page.

[Goshawk]

My interest mirrors that of Goshawk and I am sure he knows better than I that to get a good photo of birds or other natural subjects requires a fair bit of luck.

oh yes Robby....nail on the head right there.... Luck!

lucky shots vs choreographed.

I imagine there's certainly more 'great photographs' obtained purely by chance rather than the opposite. This is definitely the case in wildlife & bird photography, my main field of interest.

Spontanaity can be faked (even wild bird shots) of course, but it can usually be detected. With birds and some other animals you can control them to a certain degree.... playing audio lures, feeding them etc.. and i'm sure angiud would agree too (with his excellent insect work, especially butterflies) that Luck plays a major role in this field. I could spend a whole day walking through a forest and capture nothing, i could spend an hour walking down a city street and capture a dozen contenders/keepers. You just never really know where the next one is coming from.

[sunshine51]

lets keep it on track & constructive people......it's neither an, 'i'm better than you thread' or a tribute page.

Apols on the tribute...

[watutsi]

Perhaps someone needs to start a snob thread, sort of an invitation only thing. That way they won’t have to rub shoulders with lesser beings.

Exactly what i was talking about - so proud of your supercilious blandness, reducing it to "them and us" instead of looking at ways to make people achieve rather than just fester.

[villagefarang]

Perhaps someone needs to start a snob thread, sort of an invitation only thing. That way they won’t have to rub shoulders with lesser beings.

Exactly what i was talking about - so proud of your supercilious blandness, reducing it to "them and us" instead of looking at ways to make people achieve rather than just fester.

I don’t agree that people here are "festering" and I certainly don’t agree that you can "make" people achieve. Everyone here is making an effort and moving at their own pace. I don’t consider it my place to discourage them by telling them they aren’t good enough.

Edited October 28, 2013 by villagefarang

[FracturedRabbit]

Excellent thread and support that it should be pinned.

My problem is that I love photography; but I am not very good at it. I collect all the gear and can take reasonably technically competent images; but am totally useless at interpreting a scene and producing something with any sort of soul or style.

I have resolved that I need to do something about it, and some of the ideas in this thread are useful.

My son is also keen on photography and a couple of years ago his images lifted in quality, became more artistic and interesting. I asked him what he had done. He had spent several weeks of spare time going back over his own images, selecting those he felt were the best, and then he sat back and considered WHY they they were better (composition, lighting, subject etc). He then worked on his style to focus on the areas where he felt would lead to better images; and they did. I may try that.

I am wary of third parties offering solutions (for money) that purport to make me a better photographer, I feel that this is a journey you mainly have to make on your own. However I have made an exception in the case of Ming Thein. He is a Malaysian photographer who not only takes the most incredible images; but also writes almost daily on a wide variety of photographic subjects. I don't know how he finds the time to contribute as much as he does; but he always a great read and his images are inspiring (http://blog.mingthein.com/). He runs workshops, but also offers videos covering the workshop subjects and I have purchased his Make Outstanding Images series. Watched the first and already have many new ways of thinking about a scene. Maybe he can help me take better images.

I have no problem with being told I am not good enough. Most of us on this forum are rank amateurs and our photos are average. There are a few who really can deliver great photos and I welcome any chance to learn from them.

[watutsi]

Perhaps someone needs to start a snob thread, sort of an invitation only thing. That way they won’t have to rub shoulders with lesser beings.

Exactly what i was talking about - so proud of your supercilious blandness, reducing it to "them and us" instead of looking at ways to make people achieve rather than just fester.

I don’t agree that people here are "festering" and I certainly don’t agree that you can "make" people achieve. Everyone here is making an effort and moving at their own pace. I don’t consider it my place to discourage them by telling them they aren’t good enough.

When did anybody say anything about not being good enough ? Making people achieve and making an effort can amount to the same thing but of late the forum which previously has managed to be an interchange of photographic information between members with various degrees of skill and knowledge has become a twitter or instagram feed of a few folks trivia

This is the meal i ate : this is the turd from the meal i ate : this is the meal i ate after the turd :will post the new turd picture tomorrow.

There is never any interest or time because of the amount of pictures posted to debate the best way to light a turd - flash or reflected daylight or ?

It is this aspect of the forum that seems to be lost in the race to post more pictures than the other guy.It is not about anybody being better it is about everybody being better.

[Tywais]

I'm going to step in here a moment to try and smooth things out a bit and my perspective of the photography forum.

Something to keep in mind and that is this is the Photography forum - not Professional photography forum, not Advanced photography forum but meant for everyone. Don't forget that everyone of us were beginners and every one of us took that first photo. The direction that our photography takes us from that first shot and the skills gained follows many roads. Some are happy to take 'snapshots' for the photo album to remind them of past experiences and show to the family and friends. Who are we to lessen their enjoyment by denigrating their efforts? If they are happy with their endeavors than that is good enough for me.

Some go down that road and look further than the snapshot and find the need for improving each step of the way either by gaining experience (trial and error), studying either formally or self taught, looking at others' photos and thinking how can I do that or joining forums hoping for some constructive criticism of their works?

Personally, I appreciate every photo that is posted here and realize to that member it is his efforts and pleasure to display them. I try not to judge them but think how they could be better and what would I have done to make a better shot.

The photography forum went through a dark period where some of the more professional photographers just would attack every little thing with comments "it's only a snapshot" or "it is dross" without any constructive comments to add to help the member. The pros and advanced photographers should try and support the beginners with suggestions and both positive and negative criticism. It will help to keep this forum alive. Member's just stopped posting their photos due to the prima donna attitudes of some former members and the forum just died. Now due to some great efforts by many members the forum has a new lease on life to it and I would sincerely like to see it stay that way.

[Tywais]

The philosophy of photography or Zen and the Art of Photography. Or 'feel the shot don't think the shot'.

Photography and The Creative Mind

When I first read photographer Minor White’s thoughts about photographic creativity, I realized that they applied to my own photographic experiences. I recognized the experiential truth behind his words.

“The state of mind of the photographer while creating is a blank. I might add that this condition exists only at special times, namely when looking for pictures...For those who would equate ‘blank’ with a kind of static emptiness, I must explain that this is a special kind of blank. It is a very active state of mind really, a very receptive state of mind, ready at an instant to grasp an image, yet with no image pre-formed in it at any time. We should note that the lack of a pre-formed pattern or preconceived idea of how anything ought to look is essential to this blank condition. Such a state of mind is not unlike a sheet of film itself-seemingly inert, yet so sensitive that a fraction of a second’s exposure conceives a life in it. (Not just life, but a life.)

Possibly the creative work of the photographer consists in part of putting himself into this state of mind...The feeling is akin to the mystic and to ecstasy; why deny it? One feels, one sees on the ground glass into a world beyond surfaces. The square of the glass becomes like the words of a prayer or a poem, like fingers or rockets into two infinities-one into the subconscious and the other into the visual-tactile universe.” ( Lyons, 1966, pp. 165-166).

French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson in explaining his philosophy of photography quotes Cezanne: “When I paint and start thinking at the same time, everything’s lost.” ( Berger, 1995, p. 15).

This idea of the blank, receptive, open, active, and sensitized mind of the photographer “when looking for pictures” accorded well with my own experience. And as I looked further, I found more support for Minor White’s ideas. For example, Edward Weston: “I start with no preconceived idea-discovery excites me to focus-then rediscovery through the lens...”(Newhall, 1975, p. 41).

Source - Rowe.pdf

[Tywais]

When you get really into photography, when you’ve mastered your camera and are focusing completely on the creative aspect, there’s a real beauty that comes to play. Being completely absorbed in your activity and thinking of nothing else. In a way, photography is a way of meditation. A way of zen. Your focus is completely on the image and nothing else seems to matter.

Meditation, the practice of self-realization and consciousness, can be related to photography in many ways and, in my opinion, help strengthen your skills as a photographer.
When one meditates they start by focusing on one specific thing, be it ones breathing or an image. This trains the person to clear their mind and have deep, concentrated focus. The same can be applied to photography and used to develop ones senses, particularly ones vision.

When most people look around the world they see things but don’t really “See”. Their mind quickly labels objects, categorizes things, and fails to see the beauty built into everything. ?

Practice Seeing Everything

.

<snip> See link for more

.

Simply observe. Notice the light and how it hits certain objects and is blocked, causing shadows in others. Notice the quality and color of the light. Notice the shapes and lines of the objects and the natural, built in composition of the area. ??Use your other senses as well. Notice the aroma in the air. Feel the wind and listen to the ambient sounds. Become completely absorbed into the location that you are at. Be there and actually be there, not somewhere else in your mind thinking about something very insignificant. ??When you begin a photo shoot this way you come to understand your location much better. People photographers understand the importance of knowing their subjects personalities before shooting. The same holds true for nature photographers, architecture photographers, etc.
When Framing Your Shot…

Never simply point and shoot your camera. Many photographers think they have the right shot and simply shoot, spending at most a few seconds looking through the viewfinder. This is the most important step in photography and should take up much more time. Look through the viewfinder and really “See” everything within the frame. Often times you’ll come up with even better ideas simply by holding off that urge to press the shutter down.

- See more at: http://digital-photography-school.com/zen-and-the-art-of-photography#sthash.xHtFn4Ss.dpuf

[sunshine51]

Great words of inspiration Tywais. Whether pro, enthusiast or rank beginning amateur...

everybody can learn from "pro-creative" assistance. I like that phrase instead of

criticism since the word criticism most often has negative constructs within it. We all

started somewhere...somehow. Anybody remember when National Geographic used

to put the photographs details underneath said photograph? Details like location,

camera make, lensmake-info, f-stop & shutter speed used to get that shot & film

stock used?

If you folks are young...it used to be under EVERY photo in every story in Every issue.

Personally I learned a lot from that info. Even met a few Nat Geo photogs and thanked

them via a simple..."Thank You."...usually receiving a "What For?" in return.

And yes even Nat Geo photogs take the same kind of "happy snaps" as most people

do...and just as often. What better way to capture that instant moment which will

remind you of a situation your brain, without a memory jog...has long forgotten.

Note to beginners...KEEP SHOOTING!!! Note to enthusiasts...do the same...it doesn't

matter what camera you have at the moment...take the shot when YOU see it. Note

to the "pro's" here...help those who desire assistance...don't negatively criticise their

work...you screw up too...everybody screws up...more often than admitted.

To me photography is painting with light. Art? I have no idea...but I do know that

capturing a few bazillion dual state entities (photons), photons are both waves &

particles, isn't as easy as Mr. Canon, Mr. Nikon, Mr. Leica et al...says it is...especially

at f8 on a nice day with numerous distractions all around....or nowhere in sight.

[Kan Win]

Does the image communicate information greater than the two-dimensional? By this I mean, does the photo tell a deeper story?

precisely! at what point does a photograph cease to be a simple snapshot image, before becoming a vibrant living entity?

Have a look at the link below:-

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/321487-evaluate-me-photo/

Win

[Kan Win]

If we wish to capture this entire 'image' digitally then we are limited by our equipment since no camera can capture in a single image all that we processed with our eyes and brain.

Well I got the image I wanted without any PP only to resize for my webpage on Pbase, it during the Kan Sound and Light Festival 2009 that I saw in my mind with an Oly E-3.

and this one

Original photo Kan be found on the link below of this festival:-

http://www.pbase.com/win13/light_and_sound_festival__kanchanaburi__2009

Win

[Goshawk]

Does the image communicate information greater than the two-dimensional? By this I mean, does the photo tell a deeper story?

precisely! at what point does a photograph cease to be a simple snapshot image, before becoming a vibrant living entity?

Have a look at the link below:-

My question was rhetorical, but thanks for the link...another good example of PP and what it can do to alter or bring out detail in an image.

[sunshine51]

@ Kan Win...

Nothing wrong with an Oly E-3...great camera IMO. I owned one once...

Now the missus has latched onto it...hah!

Keep shooting!

[Tywais]

Some tidbits from a couple of good books. 1st book.

Within the Frame
The Journey of Photographic Vision

by David duChemin

Vision is the beginning and end of photography. It’s the thing that moves you to pick up the camera, and it determines what you look at and what you see when you do. It determines how you shoot and why. Without vision, the photographer perishes.

Vision is everything, and the photographic journey is about discovering your vision, allowing it to evolve, change, and find expression through your camera and the print. It is not something you find and come to terms with once and for all; it is something that changes and grows with you. The things that impassion you, that anger you, that stir you—they are part of your unique vision. It is about what you—unique among billions—find beautiful, ugly, right, wrong, or harmonious in this world. And as you experience life, your vision changes. The stories you want to tell, the things that resonate with you—they change and so does your vision. Finding and expressing your vision is a journey, not a destination.

You can spend a lifetime chasing your vision, learning not only to see with more clarity, but to express that vision in stronger and stronger ways. It’s important to remember this because it fights against the discouragement that all artists inevitably face. The feeling that we’re seeing nothing new, have nothing to say, or have created our last good photograph. When that happens it’s helpful to remember that the journey isn’t over yet. As long as we’re alive and interacting with life, the world, and the people around us, we’ll have something to say. And as we learn and practice our craft, we’ll have stronger ways—better ways, even—of expressing it.

Vision can be elusive. We may not always have an immediate conscious reaction to the world around us, may not understand our feelings about the story in front of us. In these times, it is often the case that the camera becomes more than a means to record our vision; it becomes a means to help clarify it. The act of looking through the frame, of excluding other angles and elements, of bringing chaos into order, can bring our vision to the surface. This ability to help us see means, in some way, that the camera is a partner with us in the process, and it is what separates photographers from painters. We have a symbiotic relationship—not with the camera technology but with the frame, which, for all the technological changes photography has been through, remains the constant.

Book Sampler - Within The Frame pdf

[Tywais]

Visual Poetry

A Creative Guide for Making Engaging Digital Photographs

by Chris Orwig

Breathe
“ To photograph is to hold one’s breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It’s at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy.”
—Henri Cartier-Bresson

There is something incredibly invigorating and inspiring about photography. And to inspire literally means to “breathe in.” That breath of air brings new life. It deepens your senses and awakens you to discover new beauty, irony, metaphor, pattern, color, and more. And it is an incredibly exciting time to be interested in photography as more pictures are taken, shared, and printed than ever before. What was once limited to the elite is now accessible. Images are everywhere and photography is easy. All you have to do is push the button! But then you download the photos or look at the prints. And what started as genuine enthusiasm has become a disappointment as you sift through the hundreds and hundreds of mediocre photos. How then can you create better, more compelling, and lasting photographs? What’s the secret?

Effort
Ask anyone who has recently bought a digital camera and they’ll tell you the answer to everything is digital. You can see the results instantly; you can take many photos and delete the ones you don’t want. As a friend recently bragged, “When I was in Australia, I took 700 photos!” Are more photos always better? Does it lead to creating more engaging photographs? Isn’t the point to keep photos rather than to delete them? The technological advances and the affordability of digital cameras have generated an exciting swell of creativity and previously unachievable results.

But the goal isn’t quantity, it’s quality. And if you’re interested in digging deeper and going further, the path you’ll need to take isn’t the effortless one but the more difficult one that will change who you are, how you think, and what you see. That path will remind you that some of the most valuable things in life require the most effort.

Great photographs flow from who we are. And great photographs

are fueled by new ways of thinking, seeing, and living.

Curse or Cry
The secret is effort. It’s brute force, grit your teeth, put your shoulder to the grindstone, push, shove, GO! Or maybe not. Maybe there’s something more. As the author Anne Lamott once said, “You can do brickwork as a laborer or as an artisan.” The task is the same, yet the process and the result vary. The laborer works long days looking forward to it all being over. He sweats and toils and the final results are often average. The artisan works even harder, because it’s a labor of love. He sweats, toils, and is engaged in the process. He loses track of the hours and can’t believe it’s already time to pack up and go. Finally, when the job is done, there is a quality about the essence of the artisan’s brickwork that is intangible, inspiring, warming, and full of pride. And then, imagine if the brickwork was tragically damaged. The laborer would curse, while the artisan would cry. Which one are you?

Visual Poetry Sampler pdf

[MJP]

Visual Poetry

A Creative Guide for Making Engaging Digital Photographs

by Chris Orwig

Breathe

“ To photograph is to hold one’s breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It’s at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy.”

—Henri Cartier-Bresson

There is something incredibly invigorating and inspiring about photography. And to inspire literally means to “breathe in.” That breath of air brings new life. It deepens your senses and awakens you to discover new beauty, irony, metaphor, pattern, color, and more. And it is an incredibly exciting time to be interested in photography as more pictures are taken, shared, and printed than ever before. What was once limited to the elite is now accessible. Images are everywhere and photography is easy. All you have to do is push the button! But then you download the photos or look at the prints. And what started as genuine enthusiasm has become a disappointment as you sift through the hundreds and hundreds of mediocre photos. How then can you create better, more compelling, and lasting photographs? What’s the secret?

Effort

Ask anyone who has recently bought a digital camera and they’ll tell you the answer to everything is digital. You can see the results instantly; you can take many photos and delete the ones you don’t want. As a friend recently bragged, “When I was in Australia, I took 700 photos!” Are more photos always better? Does it lead to creating more engaging photographs? Isn’t the point to keep photos rather than to delete them? The technological advances and the affordability of digital cameras have generated an exciting swell of creativity and previously unachievable results.

But the goal isn’t quantity, it’s quality. And if you’re interested in digging deeper and going further, the path you’ll need to take isn’t the effortless one but the more difficult one that will change who you are, how you think, and what you see. That path will remind you that some of the most valuable things in life require the most effort.

Great photographs flow from who we are. And great photographs

are fueled by new ways of thinking, seeing, and living.

Curse or Cry

The secret is effort. It’s brute force, grit your teeth, put your shoulder to the grindstone, push, shove, GO! Or maybe not. Maybe there’s something more. As the author Anne Lamott once said, “You can do brickwork as a laborer or as an artisan.” The task is the same, yet the process and the result vary. The laborer works long days looking forward to it all being over. He sweats and toils and the final results are often average. The artisan works even harder, because it’s a labor of love. He sweats, toils, and is engaged in the process. He loses track of the hours and can’t believe it’s already time to pack up and go. Finally, when the job is done, there is a quality about the essence of the artisan’s brickwork that is intangible, inspiring, warming, and full of pride. And then, imagine if the brickwork was tragically damaged. The laborer would curse, while the artisan would cry. Which one are you?

Visual Poetry Sampler pdf

Having had long and very, very interesting conversations with Skippybangkok and Ajaydee, in addition to the new K-3 I'm also going to try and find a mint Pentax LX body (got some of the best lenses for it already) and get into using film.

Ajaydee turns out some stunning work as does Skippy. But the thing that convinced me in the end was Skippys comment about using film for underwater diving shots. One of the aims is to swim upside down and point the lens towards the sun and catch the rays coming through the water. You can't do that with digital. I think digital fails in many ways where film feels so much more natural and certainly more attractive. Digital is prone to these big white blotches where good light should be and ghastly blown out highlights.

Going to give it a go in 2014.

[Dancealot]

Looks like a banana to me

R.I.P. Lou Reed.

[Dancealot]

As a newbie and enthousaist, I would like to add every single one of you who posted here have shown me a new world, I couldn't possibly have discovered by myself.

Thank you.