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Author Topic: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly  (Read 32834 times)

Fips

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #20 on: September 26, 2012, 02:29:04 pm »

Here's my 2 cents: Photographers tend to be focused too much on photography. Look at all kinds of visual art and figure out what inspires you. Many great artists we call 'photographers' wouldn't use that term to describe themselves. Take the Bechers and Gursky as an example.

EDIT: typo
« Last Edit: September 26, 2012, 04:17:59 pm by Fips »
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RSL

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #21 on: September 26, 2012, 03:31:35 pm »

Yes, and Gursky would be right. He'd also be right if he didn't call himself an artist.
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kencameron

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #22 on: September 26, 2012, 05:39:38 pm »

Yes, and Gursky would be right. He'd also be right if he didn't call himself an artist.

Mmmm. I rather like, for example, this. It is pleasing at first glance, and it draws me in and keeps my attention for longer than most photographs. I think there is talent there, even if over-sauced with art-world performance.
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Ken Cameron

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #23 on: September 26, 2012, 05:48:01 pm »

I agree, Ken. That's a cute one. Problem is, the guy takes himself so seriously that. . . well. . .
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WalterEG

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #24 on: September 26, 2012, 06:03:35 pm »

Problem is, the guy takes himself so seriously that. . . well. . .

Goodness me, if ever there was a touch of the pot calling the kettle black — well, as I see it anyway.

The expression that i often see in Artist Statements, Letterheads and promo material is "artist working in the medium of photography"

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RSL

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #25 on: September 26, 2012, 06:13:18 pm »

Easy, Walter. It's clear you weren't here for the Dale Thorn saga.
« Last Edit: September 26, 2012, 06:15:43 pm by RSL »
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Fips

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #26 on: September 26, 2012, 06:17:38 pm »

I agree, Ken. That's a cute one. Problem is, the guy takes himself so seriously that. . . well. . .

From all I've watched and read, I never had that impression.
But let's not start a debate about him here. My point was that too many photographers never think outside the box - which is their camera.
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WalterEG

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #27 on: September 26, 2012, 07:00:55 pm »

Easy, Walter. It's clear you weren't here for the Dale Thorn saga.

Please enlighten me.
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pjtn

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #28 on: September 26, 2012, 07:47:49 pm »

Fips I have to agree on that, and I know I suffer from looking too closely at only photography. My sister has a degree in art and I've been trying to learn about what she does and the people she admires.

Right now there is a stack of her University notes and books on my desk, if I study them hard enough it might be like having a poor mans art degree..
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kencameron

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #29 on: September 26, 2012, 08:06:49 pm »

Problem is, the guy takes himself so seriously that. . . well. . .

What I have come to think recently is that there is no correlation - negative or positive - between the bullshit and the talent. All of the combinations occur with about equal frequency (no bullshit/talent, bullshit/talent, no talent/no bullshit and bullshit/no talent). I used to think number two a contradiction in terms (which could be read as the implication of the line I have quoted from your post), but I am not so sure of that now. A variation on the notion that there is no correlation - negative or positive - between artistic ability and moral virtue. Enough. I could go on at length, but will spare you.
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Ken Cameron

Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #30 on: September 26, 2012, 08:26:43 pm »

... Enough. I could go on at length, but will spare you.

Thank you!  ;D

WalterEG

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #31 on: September 26, 2012, 08:52:24 pm »

All of the combinations occur with about equal frequency (no bullshit/talent, bullshit/talent, no talent/no bullshit and bullshit/no talent).

I agree wholeheartedly Ken, but I feel there is also a whole other balance based on the arena where the weight would swing in favour of the last option.

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RSL

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #32 on: September 26, 2012, 09:04:11 pm »

Please enlighten me.

I'll let Rob do that.
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Russ Lewis  www.russ-lewis.com.

RSL

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kencameron

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #34 on: September 26, 2012, 09:31:58 pm »

+1
You are very welcome, guys. I do try to set an example to the senior members.  
« Last Edit: September 26, 2012, 10:03:05 pm by kencameron »
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Ken Cameron

graeme

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #35 on: September 29, 2012, 06:25:14 am »

Here's my 2 cents: Photographers tend to be focused too much on photography. Look at all kinds of visual art and figure out what inspires you.

+1

And the pixel peeping and emphasis on 'image quality' can probably be negative too. In most other forms of art or design I've been involved in ( drawing, stained glass design / restoration, digital art ) it's been really helpful to stand well back from the piece, squint and half close my eyes. An over emphasis on detail isn't going to help your composition and may cause you to miss some serious aesthetic shortcomings in your work. Been there done that.

Graeme

PS There have been some great links on this thread and I think it's been a discussion worth having.
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Rob C

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #36 on: September 29, 2012, 09:53:42 am »

I'll let Rob do that.

Who was Dale Thorn? The only chap I recall getting the axe was the spiders shooter and martial arts aficionado from Florida, but I think his name was Jack. Actually, I don't think he had much wrong with him other than an unusually short fuse, which could be about the martial arts thing - rapid reactions training? I simply don't now.

I do miss Toke, though, and Dark Penguin had some great one-liners, but they simply seem to have pulled anchor and gone off into that deceptive sunset. Shame, really.

Rob C

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #37 on: September 29, 2012, 11:08:34 am »

Come on, Rob, you're not that old. You don't remember "dalethorn," the guy who was always telling people not to "drink the koolaid?" I remember when you cautioned me to go easy when I got on his case. He's one of only two people I've seen kicked off of LuLa by blowing his top with insulting comments.
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Rob C

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #38 on: September 30, 2012, 04:44:10 am »

Come on, Rob, you're not that old. You don't remember "dalethorn," the guy who was always telling people not to "drink the koolaid?" I remember when you cautioned me to go easy when I got on his case. He's one of only two people I've seen kicked off of LuLa by blowing his top with insulting comments.


Sorry for the delay - I tried to answer yesterday but since the 'phone company upgraded my system to a free router and additional Spanish tv channels some months ago - supposedly for less than I was paying already - my Internet connection has become very temperamental.

But to the point: I don't remember anything at all about 'dalethorn' and the koolaid confounds me further! Strange, because I'm normally one of those who, whilst able to forgive can seldom forget, worst luck! Must have been a very traumatic series of events!

Rob C

kencameron

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Re: Beautiful but shallow / Full of meaning but ugly
« Reply #39 on: September 30, 2012, 06:51:26 am »

I don't remember anything at all about 'dalethorn'
I searched for this person on the site, hoping for a cheap thrill, but didn't have the patience to trawl through the eight pages of hits as the first half dozen posts I read seemed to be about small birds, or fungi, or equally harmless subjects. I also searched for "koolaid" but none of the posts were by or about "dalethorn". I guess the juicy bits have been removed.
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Ken Cameron
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