Quote:
Originally Posted by HinFrance
For me it's all about the image. Technique is pointless unless you get the picture. The idea, the emotion, the viewers' reaction are what count. Technical ability without vision is an empty chalice. Jazz music is my audio analogue for this - many players are superb technicians but the sounds they make are very far from musical. Just as not all sounds made with a musical instrument are music, then not all images taken with a camera are actually worth a second glance - no matter how well crafted they might be.
You can generally buy technique if by that you mean 'pin' sharp images with accurate colours etc - the more expensive the camera the more it is done for you - but you can't buy imagination or creativity.
Conclusion: I will vote any damned way I please, and I would urge everyone else to do the same. Unless, of course there is a vote that appoints flake as the sole arbiter of excellence.
|
I'm sorry you've taken offence HinFrance, but I don't think you've fully understood what I meant.
You might believe that the sounds Jazz musicians produce is not musical but others disagree, I personally don't like Jazz but can appreciate the technical expertise. However I'd like you to consider the opposite of a beginner murdering a tune you can appreciate. Ideally I'd like a balance someone who chooses a piece which shows technical ability, is entertaining and plays it well. On the other hand I do not want to hear an accomplished musician play an easy piece which presents no challenge at all.
On this basis I think it's reasonable to look critically at an image and assess the difficulty in creating it as well as the artistic content. If we don't do this then it might as well be a snapshot competition!
what ever you might think, it simply isn't possible to buy technique, in fact I go so far as to say that getting good images from a high resolution FF camera is more difficult than from a crop frame, for several reasons. Money will not buy you the knowledge of lighting well, second curtain flash, dragging the shutter etc etc. Nor will it help you to get an image into sharp focus or a 'correct' depth of field, under/over exposure, etc.
No one is trying to 'tell' you how to vote, nor was it ever suggested! and hopefully there will never be a vote to appoint me to be the arbiter of anything either! All I was suggesting was that there was a greater appreciation of why a photo shouild be a winner rather than 'it looks nice'. If that was all the art world considered we'd never have progressed past Constable!
18-12-09, 08:19 PM
Seems there was a really good discussion about the voting. One of the reasons I entered the last two weeks is a, a focus and b, whilst only started photography this year the comments and above and below is really helpful. I don't see myself in a position at the moment to comment/vote on the technically of a photo as am still learning but can appreciate a good shot. Seeing other peoples crit and ideas has really helped in getting some understanding of the issues and feel this will come as I learn more (well i hope anyway)!
