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Author Topic: In pursuit of excellence,  (Read 4711 times)

aboudd

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In pursuit of excellence,
« on: May 04, 2012, 03:31:02 pm »

From my blog -

Given our druthers I think most of us would like to have the best of anything. For some it is a status symbol, for others it is the appreciation of something exquisitely built. For those of us in arts or music it could be the ultimate tool, Eric Clapton's 1939 Martin Guitar or Leica glass. What strikes me, particularly in surfing the photo forums, is that the path to to the most artful image has given way to the quest for the newest gear with the slickest technology; the megapixel arms race being the most "important" discussion going on at the moment.

As someone who has been at this for over 50 years I have to wonder if all of this chit-chat about whether the Nikon D800 is a medium format category killer does or should mean anything to those pursuing the ultimate image.

The rest of my rant, er, article is posted at www.everything-foto.blogspot.com
« Last Edit: May 04, 2012, 03:33:17 pm by aboudd »
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Ellis Vener

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Re: In pursuit of excellence,
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2012, 05:35:30 pm »

A) There is no such thing as "the ultimate image".

B) You left out a third category of personality types, those who are neither status seekers or "appreciators of exquiste things", but  simply want the best tool at the a decent price.

C) Surfing photo forums is hardly a guide to discovering "the most artful" photographs.

D) The best camera ( and the best lens, tripod, lighting instrument,  etc.) to make an outstandingly great photograph at any instant is the one you have at hand. Whether you are capable of making that photograph is another question entirely but the short answer to that question involves your ability to get out of your own way so you can make the best photograph you are capable of making at that moment

E) Given the above flaws in your argument I'm not inclined to up the hit count of your blog
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PeterAit

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Re: In pursuit of excellence,
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2012, 08:12:28 pm »

Perhaps it's just my perception, but this site seems to be more and more about gear, computers, and pixel-peeping and less and less about art, aesthetics, composition, lighting, and the other things that are really interesting about photography. Imagine a bunch of painters having a forum to talk about brushes and canvas and turpentine!
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Ellis Vener

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Re: In pursuit of excellence,
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2012, 08:23:09 pm »

Painters talk a lot about process and tools, musicians are fanatics about it, it's hard to find the words to talk about art unless  selling art and artists is your job, but if you are a maker it's hard. Maybe because if you could talk or write about what you want to express you'd just do that.
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Schewe

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Re: In pursuit of excellence,
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2012, 11:09:12 pm »

As someone who has been at this for over 50 years I have to wonder if all of this chit-chat about whether the Nikon D800 is a medium format category killer does or should mean anything to those pursuing the ultimate image.

Huh?

That sentence doesn't really make sense...you saying the "chit-chat" does or doesn't matter for somebody who is in pursuit of the "ultimate image" (whatever that means)...

Maybe you are just trying to drive traffic you your site so you can sell your Pentax 645D and Lumix GH2
(what, did you fall out of love with your gear so quickly?)
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Schewe

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Re: In pursuit of excellence,
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2012, 11:13:08 pm »

Perhaps it's just my perception, but this site seems to be more and more about gear, computers, and pixel-peeping and less and less about art, aesthetics, composition, lighting, and the other things that are really interesting about photography.

Not for nothing, but you are posting (and presumably reading) the "Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear", exactly what did you expect? BTW, I rarely read this forum for the reason that it's all about gear...had nothing to do so I though I would stop by and see if there was anything interesting...not so much. Just this thread about In pursuit of excellence...

:~)
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Rob C

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Re: In pursuit of excellence,
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2012, 04:40:34 am »

Schewe

To be fair, I think the PeterAit post to which you replied was not suggesting quite the dramatic point of view that you chose to give it. Also, if one has to take it literally, the man's reasonably accurate in what he writes, as you have more or less admitted yourself. I visit and probably write here every day, and the overwhelming impression that I get is that equipment is indeed the principal interest of the majority. I don't knock that - it's the majority's choice and does me no harm whatsoever, but I do find most personal interest to lie within the last section/group where pictures are shown and general opinion is expressed rather than fanboyism and pixelmania, which interests me not a lot.

The 'technical' sections are also very useful when advice is needed, and I have personally learned more about digital photography and its techniques from the Internet (mainly LuLa) than any other medium. But that's when help is sought, and it puts that 'technical' part of LuLa into another catategory which isn't about entertainment or creativity, the two main reasons I seek this place out in the first place.

Rob C

Justinr

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Re: In pursuit of excellence,
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2012, 08:57:52 am »

Camera owners wanting the latest gear and holding the greatest bragging rights is precisely what is of interest to the manufacturers and they spend vast sums via their marketing budgets to ensure that such a situation continues.

Take heart though, it's not just photography that is afflicted for the world of cars, laptops, mobiles etc etc all suffer and even motorbikes don't escape the curse. If you are not riding a 1200cc, 140bhp, 150mph, cross continental, (£,€,$)20,000 behemoth kitted out with half an acre of warehouse type panniers, Blu-tooth, sat-nav, electronically adjustable suspension, selectable engine mapping etc etc  then OMG you are so backward!!
« Last Edit: May 05, 2012, 09:03:41 am by Justinr »
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Herb19

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Re: In pursuit of excellence,
« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2012, 09:45:51 am »

From my blog -

Given our druthers I think most of us would like to have the best of anything. For some it is a status symbol, for others it is the appreciation of something exquisitely built. For those of us in arts or music it could be the ultimate tool, Eric Clapton's 1939 Martin Guitar or Leica glass. What strikes me, particularly in surfing the photo forums, is that the path to to the most artful image has given way to the quest for the newest gear with the slickest technology; the megapixel arms race being the most "important" discussion going on at the moment.

As someone who has been at this for over 50 years I have to wonder if all of this chit-chat about whether the Nikon D800 is a medium format category killer does or should mean anything to those pursuing the ultimate image.

The rest of my rant, er, article is posted at www.everything-foto.blogspot.com

So you have just bought an S2...at last king of the road...and you want us to shut up now...about the D800...because it might be even better than your very expensive S2? Man become boys again.
Just kidding. You might have a point somewhere. Perhaps because most of us are driven by consumption. I guess the only way out for us is to concentrate on making images and share them. This could be boring because nobody might be interested in our images. I apologize that I am also fond of the chit-chat now and then. It is for fun and enjoyment after everyone has gone and said that my image was beautiful. Now I am going to enjoy a fine piece of art in a museum. There is plenty about this on the net as well, but do not Google for cameras, lenses and shooting gear.
Herb
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scooby70

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Re: In pursuit of excellence,
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2012, 11:29:21 am »

There's a lot of gear related stuff on internet forums but there's also a lot of image related stuff too. Delve into any of the various landscape, portrait, wildlife etc forums and you'll see plenty of posts which aren't related to gear in itself.

I can afford any "thing" that I want but my conscience limits me to what I think is reasonable plus I accept that the very newest and shiniest kit won't improve my photography.
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Rob C

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Re: In pursuit of excellence,
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2012, 12:55:31 pm »

There's a lot of gear related stuff on internet forums but there's also a lot of image related stuff too. Delve into any of the various landscape, portrait, wildlife etc forums and you'll see plenty of posts which aren't related to gear in itself.

I can afford any "thing" that I want but my conscience limits me to what I think is reasonable plus I accept that the very newest and shiniest kit won't improve my photography.



That's a  vey sensible attitude to life; I share it to the extent that I could walk out and buy a very nice car, best of cameras etc., but have long realised that there is more to life than making dealers richer than I ever was. The other sobering agent is the economy: when your bank no longer gives any interest, it becomes a one-way drag on your possibilities and, as a retired person, how to replace what bankers lost you becomes an unfortunate mathemetical sum resulting in zero. Pension? Oh, it pays for part of my lunch.

Rob C

Rob C

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Re: In pursuit of excellence,
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2012, 12:59:56 pm »

Camera owners wanting the latest gear and holding the greatest bragging rights is precisely what is of interest to the manufacturers and they spend vast sums via their marketing budgets to ensure that such a situation continues.

Take heart though, it's not just photography that is afflicted for the world of cars, laptops, mobiles etc etc all suffer and even motorbikes don't escape the curse. If you are not riding a 1200cc, 140bhp, 150mph, cross continental, (£,€,$)20,000 behemoth kitted out with half an acre of warehouse type panniers, Blu-tooth, sat-nav, electronically adjustable suspension, selectable engine mapping etc etc  then OMG you are so backward!!




True, Justin, but there's also the argument that those who can spend on these things feed those in the factories producing them. And no, those folks wouldn't be better occupied making something else: were 'something else' wanted, someone would already be producing it, so no new or alternative jobs there, I'm afraid.

Rob C
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