Was Ansel Adams blathering?
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Was Ansel Adams blathering? Expand / Collapse
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Posted 4/21/2008 12:20:25 PM
lion

lion

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Last Login: 6/7/2008 2:49:31 PM
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Well, it seems that now an LCD on a digital camera replaces visualization and judgment. Now, am I alone? HOw many here think about their shot, why they are taking it, and can "see" the finished print even before they press the shutter? I know I am not special, there is just no way I am the only who does this and by doing so obtains exactly what he wants in the final print.
Post #1020
Posted 4/21/2008 1:13:22 PM


pachyderm

pachyderm

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Oh yes, this works just a well in color, although in my case the final pallete is the transparency itself. When I look at a scene I may take multiple meter readings of the subject before me. That helps me to determine if I need to use a split neutral density filter, and where to place the transition. Then I determine whether I need any filtration, this is done by experience (based upon past images) and by what I am trying to achieve in the image. Next comes the actual focusing process, where I determine where I want the focal point to be, and how much I want I want to be in focus.

This measured approach puts me more in touch with the image I am trying to make, and provides both a physical and emotional connection to the subject. I find that the in the end, my work is about more than the image itself, but also about my connection to the subject. This is probably the main reason I'm a landscape photographer, rather than a advertising photographer. I need that connection.

I'm glad you brought this up, the subject of creativity has been on my mind for sometime, and for me this all fits into having a "creative" attitude.

Robert M. Teague

---------------------------------------------
Website: www.visionlandscapes.com
Blog: visionlandscapes.spaces.live.com

"Fujifilm remains true to its heritage and to the acknowledged superior image quality delivered by professional photographic film products." -- Fuji Press Release

Post #1022
Posted 4/21/2008 2:31:11 PM
lion

lion

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Last Login: 6/7/2008 2:49:31 PM
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I think it goes beyond creativity, it also includes learning from the action of taking photographs. Many times I have envisoned a finished print, tried to do all that I thought was necessary to get the desired results and have not gotten what I wanted. This forced me to learn, ask questions, ask "how do you...." I don't see the point of replicating what is displayed in a LCD screen, what do you learn? In fact, HOW CAN YOU LEARN?

When I first started with LF, I would get all exited about the image in GG, and I would forget to "think" about the image, obviously resulting in less than optimal results. It took me years to be able to "see" the print before I even pressed the shutter, but I am glad I took the effort to do it. The image "sunrise" that I posted here was one such print. Before I even pressed the shutter I knew how I was going to print it, and that I was going to display it upside down, now I am told by the digiheads that I am blathering, that a LCD screen is the ture measure of seeing a picture.....
Post #1023
Posted 4/21/2008 3:49:40 PM


lion

lion

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Last Login: 8/30/2008 8:24:16 PM
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It's so fun watching the digi boys "chimp" after each shot. Anyway back to your original question. I too pre-visualize the finished print prior to tripping the shutter. Oh course that doesn't limit me to only making that "print" when I am in the darkroom. Sometimes while in the darkroom the neg speaks to me in mysterious ways and I must follow these tangents LOL. In all fairness to the digi crowd I think the better practitioners of this genre also go through much the same thing.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Eric Rose

Website:www.ericrose.com
Post #1025
Posted 4/21/2008 4:09:39 PM
lion

lion

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Last Login: 6/7/2008 2:49:31 PM
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I think you are right, but those who do were the ones who used to have a discipline in film and then moved. I don't see this happening with people who start with digital, everything is photoshop this, photoshop that, everything seems to be done after the fact.
Post #1026
Posted 4/22/2008 6:28:51 AM