James,
Of course I'm being ironic, but I do wonder whether we shouldn't be using the cinema paradigm of separating production, direction, photography/light and postprod and crediting every member of the team. Which would give exactly the right amount of (deserved) credit to those people who can pull things together and also to their associates. This would also encourage people to stay with what they are best at.
Edmund
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Edmund you break my brain, because though I find you interesting, I'm not really clear on what you do.
But to get back to your quote.
Yes, in a lot of instances, (mine and others) still shoots begin to resemble a small cinema production and when the vehicle warrants I give credit where credit is due.
[a href=\"http://www.russellrutherford.com/paris_prod2.mov]http://www.russellrutherford.com/paris_prod2.mov[/url]
Then again, the still business is way different than the moving picture business. For one we have no unions, gauranteed starting wages, health care and insurance for crew or even for the photographer so we are in a much different business model.
Also on a cinema shoot the director is not required to hold a camera, craft the light, even direct the light, so even though every director comes with a different skill set and can work differently, their is no slight or shame in being a director that can't load an Arriflex.
Still photography is based on a different tradition where the photographer does multiple duties and works as the director, the DP, the camera operator and usually the lighting director.
So, most of us would probably never think about Hitchcock loading a Maxwell, we would also never think about Weston turning to some student from Art Center (if there was an Art Center then) and saying "I don't know what to do, so just make it like this spread that Man Ray shot.
In all the photographic world, fashion gets the worst rap (probably deservedly) because a lot of fashion photographers know more about a blow drier than a Mamiya, but just because that is one business model that works, it doesn't mean it should be everyone's way of doing business.
But to take this back to the original thought which is what camera to buy? Buy what you want but remember that the difference between an 18mpx back and a 31 mpx back means nothing to 99.99999999999% of all the clients in the world.
The ability to frame to fit a layout, make a color that is unique, deliver on deadline, process with ease, shoot without breakdowns and issues are a lot more important than just boasting about megapixels and/or trying to save $3,000.
Trust me on this the wrong camera purchase will cost any photographer a lot more than $3,000 and I stand by my buy an RZ. Actualy I would say buy anything that allows you to use different lenses, not just the manufacturer supplied half dozen or so.
This was shot withh that Russian Tilt shift and I would have a hard time doing this with any other lens.
JR
