Someone should not have allowed me to have a camera that day

[Bill Burk]

Have you ever looked over some of your work and thought that?

While scrounging the boxes looking for an 8mm movie clip to show Mustafa, I am finding lots of treasures. I am also finding mud.

Cousin's wedding. Yeah I have one or two GREAT photo's of my dad. But I burned through about a dozen rolls of 120 and most of the shots are out of focus, badly composed and poorly executed.

I remember having GREAT FUN that day! But no, I did not do a good job taking pictures. I was clearly off-duty.

 

[clayne]

Can't have good without bad. Contrast is necessary.

 

[lxdude]

Maybe a leeetle too much time at the open bar that day?

 

[Bill Burk]

Mojitos as I recall...

 

[blansky]

The thing about photography that most people don't really understand is that it is not about now. Capturing now is only relevant in the context of the future.

Sticking your tripod in Ansel Adams tripod holes capturing mountains and rocky shores is pretty irrelevant because he already did it and his stuff is better than yours. The scene didn't really change and it probably won't. All people are doing is showing their inadequacy. Make your own tripod holes.

Also shooting dozens of rolls and only realizing a couple of gems is great. It's perfect. Before you did it there were no gems at all. Now there are a couple.

And digging out boxes or old negs and prints is really what this whole exercise is for. Photographs of people only have any use when they no longer look like that.

Street scenes only really matter when the people are gone and the streets have changed.

So you should always have your camera with you. Because no matter what you shoot, in a few years it will be absolutely unique.

No one else on the planet will have that picture.

Cameras are the only instrument ever created that can stop time. And save it for future observers.

We are the curators of history. And the time you spent reading this, the world has forever changed and you missed it.

 

[Two23]

1. The thing about photography that most people don't really understand is that it is not about now. Capturing now is only relevant in the context of the future.


2. Also shooting dozens of rolls and only realizing a couple of gems is great. It's perfect. Before you did it there were no gems at all. Now there are a couple.



3. Street scenes only really matter when the people are gone and the streets have changed.


4. We are the curators of history. And the time you spent reading this, the world has forever changed and you missed it.

1. Until recently, I would largely agree with that. However, things have changed with Facebook etc. Now, photos are mostly taken to show others the moment. There is no thought to permanency, and I have doubts how long a Facebook photo is going to exist anyway.

2. My own "keeper" rate is about 5%. This hasn't changed in the past 10 years.

3. I disagree in that a well composed photo will always have interest. Many of mine are abstract, and thus transcend time to begin with.

4. True, but not all of us are trying to document "things," but rather emotions/feelings. As I mentioned, many of my own shots are abstracts.


Kent in SD

 

[blansky]

1. Until recently, I would largely agree with that. However, things have changed with Facebook etc. Now, photos are mostly taken to show others the moment. There is no thought to permanency, and I have doubts how long a Facebook photo is going to exist anyway.

2. My own "keeper" rate is about 5%. This hasn't changed in the past 10 years.

3. I disagree in that a well composed photo will always have interest. Many of mine are abstract, and thus transcend time to begin with.

4. True, but not all of us are trying to document "things," but rather emotions/feelings. As I mentioned, many of my own shots are abstracts.


Kent in SD

1. Facebook and camera phones are only one aspect of photography. The are millions of cameras floating around.

2. A 5% keeper rate is fine. It's 100% more than if you hadn't taken any.

3. I didn't say that although it may be true.

4. I agree I don't try to document things much either, although a lot of people on this site do. But documenting emotions is probably more important and fleeting.

Have a good one.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

The thing about photography that most people don't really understand is that it is not about now. Capturing now is only relevant in the context of the future.

Sticking your tripod in Ansel Adams tripod holes capturing mountains and rocky shores is pretty irrelevant because he already did it and his stuff is better than yours. The scene didn't really change and it probably won't. All people are doing is showing their inadequacy. Make your own tripod holes.

Also shooting dozens of rolls and only realizing a couple of gems is great. It's perfect. Before you did it there were no gems at all. Now there are a couple.

And digging out boxes or old negs and prints is really what this whole exercise is for. Photographs of people only have any use when they no longer look like that.

Street scenes only really matter when the people are gone and the streets have changed.

So you should always have your camera with you. Because no matter what you shoot, in a few years it will be absolutely unique.

No one else on the planet will have that picture.

Cameras are the only instrument ever created that can stop time. And save it for future observers.

We are the curators of history. And the time you spent reading this, the world has forever changed and you missed it.

Very good.

 

[tron_]

The thing about photography that most people don't really understand is that it is not about now. Capturing now is only relevant in the context of the future.

Sticking your tripod in Ansel Adams tripod holes capturing mountains and rocky shores is pretty irrelevant because he already did it and his stuff is better than yours. The scene didn't really change and it probably won't. All people are doing is showing their inadequacy. Make your own tripod holes.

Also shooting dozens of rolls and only realizing a couple of gems is great. It's perfect. Before you did it there were no gems at all. Now there are a couple.

And digging out boxes or old negs and prints is really what this whole exercise is for. Photographs of people only have any use when they no longer look like that.

Street scenes only really matter when the people are gone and the streets have changed.

So you should always have your camera with you. Because no matter what you shoot, in a few years it will be absolutely unique.

No one else on the planet will have that picture.

Cameras are the only instrument ever created that can stop time. And save it for future observers.

We are the curators of history. And the time you spent reading this, the world has forever changed and you missed it.

I completely agree with your post minus the bolded section. Part of the appeal of photography is creating something for yourself and not just for others. When you shoot a photograph, it becomes "yours" and that connection to a photo is a really important part of the artistic process in my opinion.

Sure people have been taking photographs of sunsets for generations but that doesn't mean nobody else should shoot sunsets because "it has already been done." What makes your (my) sunset photo is that it is YOUR (or my) sunset photo.

The same thing goes for anything else really. Hundreds of thousands of people have probably photographed the Eiffel Tower but just because they might not be as technically proficient as a master photographer doesn't mean that it doesn't hold a very important emotional and philosophical importance in their lives.

 

[blansky]

I completely agree with your post minus the bolded section. Part of the appeal of photography is creating something for yourself and not just for others. When you shoot a photograph, it becomes "yours" and that connection to a photo is a really important part of the artistic process in my opinion.

Sure people have been taking photographs of sunsets for generations but that doesn't mean nobody else should shoot sunsets because "it has already been done." What makes your (my) sunset photo is that it is YOUR (or my) sunset photo.

The same thing goes for anything else really. Hundreds of thousands of people have probably photographed the Eiffel Tower but just because they might not be as technically proficient as a master photographer doesn't mean that it doesn't hold a very important emotional and philosophical importance in their lives.

I agree. But my reference with the tripod holes meaning trying to get the exact same shot.

A great teacher I once had stated, "try to take the most common thing, in the most uncommon manner. Then you will have impact".

There are lots and lots or sunset shot needed to be taken and still lots of angles left to be taken of the Eiffel Tower.

The trick is to make them YOUR angles.

 

[markbarendt]

I remember having GREAT FUN that day! But no, I did not do a good job taking pictures. I was clearly off-duty.

This is one reason I love my F5 & F100 when I'm in a situation where I might not be paying full attention. A small passably focused negative beats a big poorly focused negative most times.