Re: What the ???


Steve Shapiro (sgshiya@redshift.com)
Sun, 25 Jul 1999 20:17:39 -0700


Subject: Re: What the ???

> jamiehy wrote:
> > ... If you set up a camera in front of a bunch of photographers, and
they don't
> > know it, you are going to get those questions. If you pull out a bunch
of
> > your prints, then people will explore the question "WHAT KIND OF
> > PHOTOGRAPHER ARE YOU?". You made that choice. ...
> > if you want to talk photography, pull out prints, not a camera,
> > and if you pull out a camera, expect those questions. Jamie
>
> Jamie,
>
> Don't try to console me. REAL photographers don't ask those
> questions. Real photographers are interested in the art of
> photography. As you so eloquently put it, techno-weenies have trouble
> getting past the technical stuff.
>
> The choice I made was to make a photograph, that's all.
>
> And don't give me the "pull out the prints" thing. The same gibberish
> questions abound. I brought some technical prints to APIS to discuss
> some technical points. I also brought some of my work. I'll have you
> know that not one person asked about the ramifications of folding an
> image along a chosen axis. I doubt that all understood what I was
> doing, so why not some questions. I feel a good number of people just
> wanted to enjoy looking and not talking. However, only a couple of
> people bothered to change the position of a screen. Note: the screens
> cannot be understood without folding them.
>
> I also brought some prints on fabric. I fielded several questions on
> coating the fabric. But only one person asked why I printed on fabric.
> Well I guess that's good that at least one person asked.
>
> As I see it, the techno-weenie thing is a sort of double edged sword.
> On one side I have to be annoyed by the dribble. On the other side I
> find it more challenging to find peer discussions, but don't have to
> worry about an overwhelming population of artist.
>
> --
> Jeffrey D. Mathias
> http://home.att.net/~jeffrey.d.mathias/
>

Hey!

I've een photographing for tons of years, and part of the art is the camera.
Even the most pedantic portrait photographers, like plumbers, will ask, "Is
that an Artar?" with a lilt of trying to hide their envy. To them, I'll say
something like, no, it's a converted Mamiya 330, upper half.

Now, who can't laugh at that?

It's fun.

S. Shapiro



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