U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: R.I.P. HDR

Re: R.I.P. HDR



Well, google yes, but knowing that it was by Ruskin concerning one of
Whistler's nocturnes.  Ruskin was an insightful commentator on a range of
topics including art and artists.  It is a pity he went mad (his intemperate
language concerning Whistler was perhaps a symptom of what was developing).
Interestingly Ruskin may not have been the author of the quote commonly
attributed to him:   "There is hardly anything in the world that someone
cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who
consider price alone are that person's lawful prey."

On the topic of HDR, I understand its purpose is simply to depict local
contrast throughout an image where the medium otherwise could not reproduce
it.  Like handwork on a Mortensen negative, it may either be well done or
poorly done depending on the talent of the practitioner.

Don Sweet

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Judy Seigel" <jseigel@panix.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 9:47 AM
Subject: Re: R.I.P. HDR


>
> Thanks a million Don -- Actually the name "Ruskin" came to mind, but I
> rejected it as being all I could think of and his book is.... still among
> the missing.
>
> But how did you get that.... ? (Please don't tell me Google... sob.)
>
> One thing I do remember from the book was that the lawsuit bankrupted
> Whistler... A "pyrrhic victory", but I bet he was glad anyway. (I also
> thought that today the artist might send out a press release with the
> Ruskin quote, or put it on Facebook.)
>
> meanwhile.
>
> bravo... & again thanks,
>
> J.
>
>   On Mon, 21 Sep 2009,
> Don Sweet wrote:
>
> > Hi Judy
> >
> > John Ruskin wrote of James Whistler's painting Nocturn in Black and
Gold:
> > The Falling Rocket
> >
> > "For Mr. Whistler's own sake, no less than for the protection of the
> > purchaser, Sir Coutts Lindsay ought not to have admitted works into the
> > gallery in which the ill-educated conceit of the artist so nearly
approached
> > the aspect of willful imposture. I have seen, and heard, much of cockney
> > impudence before now; but never expected a coxcomb to ask two hundred
> > guineas for flinging a pot of paint in the public's face"
> >
> > Whistler sued for libel and one damages of one farthing
> >
> > Don Sweet