Thanks, I found that a valuable read - and I think it's quite to the point as well, even though we're talking hobbies here instead of defunct societies.
Thanks, I found that a valuable read - and I think it's quite to the point as well, even though we're talking hobbies here instead of defunct societies.Here’s a really nice essay I read the other day. Many good points to think over.
I feel like I'm being judged on whether or not I am serious, and I feel like someone else is trying to dictate what criteria I have to meet to earn the badge of being serious.
I believe it is possible to be perfectly serious about photography and yet ignore all the traditional "rules". You're just serious about it in a different way. Some painters wanted to accurately capture landscape scenes and portraits of kings. Others wanted to create moods and were far less interested in accuracy reflecting the real world. Both are "right".
I know people who take their funky films and light leaks very seriously - to the point of documenting the light leaks in each imperfect camera so as to better get the effects they want each time.
I'm saying you should perhaps not think that. When someone says "If you're serious about X, you should A, B, and C" there is a good chance they're not only outlining what they think is right and proper but possibly what they consider to be the only way to be "serious" about X and not engaging in judgment of you at all. The judgment is of "serious X".
A lot of people went to school to learn photography and had to establish what they considered best practices for reliably getting good exposures and printable negatives. That was something you had to do when you paid for every single exposure and had no second chance at the photo. It engenders a different (i.e., less strict) mentality about the whole thing when you have a little screen on the back of the camera to show you what you just did.
If someone says to me, "You're not serious about photography unless you use a spot meter and use the zone system" I'll just accept that I'm not serious about photography in their estimation - because I don't care about the zone system and I hardly ever use any kind of meter. I can accept that they think that way, though, and not see it as having much of anything to do with me.
So if I follow the points made here, one of the main reasons to shoot analog film rather than digital is the hope of recording abnormalities and defects in the name of creativity.
You need to keep in mind that this forum has a lot of people who are serious about photography and tend to see certain methods and practices as frivolous and somewhat pointless.
That doesn't make their points any more valid, or their arrogance and gatekeeping more tolerable.
I don't share your view because I think that this person is creating a hostile environment and is gate-keeping, but I do see your perspective here.
nobody worth his salt would say something like you have to use the Zone System to be a good photographer
The whole point of the gatekeeping was to ensure that the "club", be it an actual club or an online space, remained for the people who followed certain methods.
You don't need to pay attention to "random hobbyists, dabblers and mostly blowhards" (as Milpool calls us all).
But if you think someone is insulting you because he says you aren't doing it right, consider that he may not be trying to insult you. He may be trying to help you. It may not be helpful to you. But he may think it is.
Anyway, you guys can continue to find reasons to hate other people. I'll continue to assume that most people are not motivated by malice.
Anyway, you guys can continue to find reasons to hate other people. I'll continue to assume that most people are not motivated by malice.
L'enfer, c'est les autres.
I think that depends on the person and the film. I occasionally use Portra and expect reliable, predictable and repeatable results.Maybe we can agree that many people like to use colour film because of the somewhat unpredictable results - or the mere idea that results could be unpredictable?
Well, it's a literal quote from 'Huis clos', so he really did write it, literally. That it's misunderstood much of the time is something else.The most famous thing Sartre never said? But whether he said it or not, it's a great quote.
Maybe we can agree that many people like to use colour film because of the somewhat unpredictable results - or the mere idea that results could be unpredictable?
Maybe we can agree that many people like to use colour film because of the somewhat unpredictable results - or the mere idea that results could be unpredictable?
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