Re: All-ternm-debate

Russell Cothren ( rcothren@comp.uark.edu)
Mon, 13 January 1997 11:57 AM

I was taught that "classical" meant something that still has
meaning or can still be interperted to this day although produced during
another century or era. Paintings, writings, renderings, etc. I know the
dictonary says it a bit differently. Names and terms (to me) seem to be a
way to title something for the primary benefit of the consumer. Silver
geletin prints are easier to sell than plain-o-black and white pictures. I
live in walmart country so I cant help it.:-) Sam Walton was right you.
Screw the little guy untill they sell out. If they are smart they will take
their money and purchase Walmart stock and still retire quite comfortably.
Titles? Music is a fine example. We all know and collect music of
artists that will never be sold on a broad market simply because tha
company cannot find a "term" that will apply to the artist. Yet we enjoy
their music just the same. I have learned to shop with alt. music
publishers.
Sometimes terms are just as important to the one with the title. We
all know of people with great titles and still seem to do little except get
in the way of others with lesser titles.

We all have one thing in common. We pass light through some sort of
an apeture to create a latent image until processed through some type of
conventionl or non-conventional (based on geographic location and time of
your exsistence) method.
When I do this I dont care what the process is called. It is mine
and mine alone at this point. I will have to eventually give it a title
because someone will question it's exsistance. Now if I am in the marketing
mood I may work a bit harder on the title of the process. ;-)
Classical is nice and romantic and a bit foo, foo for me. Interior
decoraters will love it to use with their clients. I do enjoy and the
music though. Historical is a good term. You may even get a better price
for it from the collectors. Alternative isnt very alternative any more.
Maybe if you had a body peircing or tatoo while making the image it would
be a little more alt.
How about "non-corporate, non-conglamo sponsered photography"? Is it still
photography or is it now called "light capturing"? It is so hard to keep
up with all of these terms. The day the big "K" or Agfa and the others cant
turn a profit on siver it will become very alt. too. They will ween the
public off of silver until the only thig you can get is computer based.
Imagine a point and shoot that you can plug in and get your prints back in
a matter of moments. For an extra fee it saves the images on a zip style
disk and you get your camera (light capturer) back and ready to go again.
If they, the public (who are they and how come they only speak to
you) dont like it, rename it and label it something new. Every government
and every corporation in the world knows that. Let's turn this over to a
PR. firm or stratigic marketing group or whatever they want to call
themselves this month and lets go do what we enjoy doing...making images .
As a current popular conglamo of high advertising budgets would say. "Just
Do IT".
I am not trying to upset anyone here. Just sharing my humor about
titles. Dont get to serious about this untill the contracts are to be drawn
up;-)

Russell Cothren
Photo Editor
University Relations
University of Arkansas
501-575-3970

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