Charming people

[nico]

I was reading a movie review the other day, and suddenly I realized that the author was not a movie star. So I threw away the newspaper, he is not qualified to write about movies. I was going to make some dinner, but I realized that the cookbook I was using was not written by a famous chef, so clearly this woman didn't know what she was talking about, so I tossed that out too.

Then I turned on the TV and there were people talking about NFL football and some of them were former (crappy) players and some had never even played the game! Clearly, they didn't know what they were talking about either. So I turned off the TV.

Then I opened the latest issue of Shutterbug to read through it, and I realized that all the articles are by the same people, month after month, and most of them are famous for their articles ABOUT photography, not because they themselves are great photographers. So I tossed that issue out.

So I took a drive down to the museum, where they are offering a great exhibit on Norman Rockwell, a famous painter. Well, the tour guide seemed to know what she was talking about, but I asked her what famous paintings she had painted, and she said she had never even painted a painting. Oh my God! I yelled obscenities at her for being such a cheat and a fraud. How dare she try to tell people about Norman Rockwell when she had never so much as lifted a brush! I stomped out of there as mad as I could be.

Later, I went grocery shopping, and some people were collecting money for 'The Troops Overseas'. Well, I asked them how many of them were veterans, and only a couple were. Well, I'm a veteran, and that made me really mad. How dare they presume to speak for veterans, they have never worn the uniform or gone in harm's way like I have! I knocked over their stand and screamed obscenities at them.

I got home, and surfed to RFF, and here I find that Roger is not a famous photographer! How dare he write books about photography! How dare he offer his advice! How dare he converse with anyone on RFF! How dare ANY OF YOU make any comments on RFF at all, if you're NOT famous photographers! In fact, I will never post here again, because I am not a famous photographer, so clearly I have nothing valid to say either! Only famous photographers may speak, so the rest of you (and me), you must shut up and go live in a hole in the ground now!

Oh wait. That's all BS. I forgot, people can have opinions about a whole range of things that they are not famous for.

And yet when it comes to photography - if you haven't been lauded as a famous artiste, you should not be speaking. I see. Funny, seem to be seeing that a lot lately.

Person A: I posit X.
Person B: I posit Y.
Person A: Well, let's see your gallery, if you think you're so smart.
Person B: Here it is (link).
Person A: Well, your pictures suck, so you obviously have nothing interesting or valid to say about photography. I hereby refuse to speak to you.

Now, tell me. Is it Person A or Person B who is smearing the contents of their diapers on the halls of RFF?

😀 I agree.
In a shorter way, in Italy we say "you don't have to be a chicken to know if an egg is good or gone off"!
Cheers

 

[Sonnar Brian]

It's the Internet. It's "sour grapes" from a Wannabe and Neverwas.

Yoda is the Jedi Master in Star Wars. He does not use a light meter, uses zone focus, and always Panatomic-X in Microdol diluted 1:3.

 

[mhv]

Well, Roger, I'm not a fan of your photography, given that I never bought prints from you, nor have I ever spent days with one of your shot stuck in my mind. But do you really care? After all, you're not a fan of mine either, by that definition!

Somehow that's irrelevant, as I've spent a bit of time reading your writings, in print and electron form, chatting with you on this and other forums, and there's something you managed to pass on to me in the form of practical knowledge. Who cares about the rest?

Conversely, I am enthralled by Bill Eggleston, but there's only one single paragraph of text from him that matters to me. Not that he wrote much, to begin with...

 

[mwooten]

Why do folks waste so much energy in being rude to others? To spend all that time typing such rot.

--michael

 

[Todd.Hanz]

Hey Roger...

WHAT THE F*CK?!?!

someone had to do it, 😉

I think some of us know the culprit, same dude stirs the bucket from time to time. Ignore him and he'll go away, worked for me 😉


Todd

 

[crawdiddy]

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery. But very little confirms your significance more than the vitriolic diatribe you shared with us.

And Roger, I find your comments insightful, and your demeanor charming.

The best to you and Frances. Keep the posts coming. Even the occasional photograph!

 

[Trius]

It's the Internet. It's "sour grapes" from a Wannabe and Neverwas.

Yoda is the Jedi Master in Star Wars. He does not use a light meter, uses zone focus, and always Panatomic-X in Microdol diluted 1:3.

Nah. Real masters use Harvey's 777 and the Zen system.

 

[John Robertson]

Ah the joy of the Internet, it allows disturbed minds to air their opinions, with no one around to tell them to "belt up." This individual, in a pub or some other public place, would not say "boo" to a goose, just boil with jealousy inside then go home and kick the cat or some other poor defenceless creature who cannot answer him back.
My sincere advice for your "secret admirer" would be to urgently seek psyciatric help, he needs it before his attitude destroys him, as untreated it most surely will.

 

[chippy]

lovely fan mail! its a shame, no one should have to put up with it...

seemed awfully long winded just to say 'WTF', 'you suck' and 'dude' over and over, if you dont take it personally though the line about blathering like a Tibetan yoda was kinda funny and about the most creative part in the letter..it gave me a mental picture that i thought was hilarious...maybe Roger sits on the Kangrinboqe peak with his laptop and has turned a little green from the cold.....jk roger

now i am wondering if Star Wars came with Tibetan subtitles!

if he has such distain for microstock (presumably 35mm) its curious why he reads so much RFF or Rogers stuff..🙄

 

[momus1]

Take it as a compliment. At least you had an effect on someone, wingnut though they may be. It's a public forum and these things happen w/ the public. On to the next wingnut. Life goes on.

I did ask myself how I would feel if someone had sent me something like that. I'd probably be a little spooked at first. There's a fair amount of crazies out there. But I suspect my second feeling would be of the complete cosmic absurdity of it all. Just a ridiculous event in the flow and ebb.

 

[Drewus]

The internet is serious business.....

 

[antiquark]

This is explained by the Grand Unified Theory of the Internet:

http://encyclopediadramatica.com/Internet_Fu%63kwad_Theory

 

[David Murphy]

Roger, just a note of support here. Your book "Rangefinder: Equipment, History, Techniques" greatly influenced me and a lot of others here I'm sure. I'm certain it was a big factor in the "rangefinder revolution". I appreciate your witty, relaxed writing style and I enjoy your photos as well (just ignore the psychos).

 

[hans voralberg]

I have to admit I find it funny how someone could write so many swear words into a single letter without any significant meaning or opinion 😛

 

[Keith]

I have to admit I find it funny how someone could write so many swear words into a single letter without any significant meaning or opinion 😛

I think the excessive repetition of the 'F' word was a deliberate attempt to mask a personality or identity that may have been a little more obvious if they had used their normal delivery. There was a huge over compensation apparent there to me!

Realistically it would have been much more damaging personally if the individual had said ...

Dear Roger,

I'm a working photographer and regard myself as reasonably successful ... and I need to tell you that I think your outpt is absolutely uninspiring dross and you need to consider a career alternative!

Regards etc etc!

 

[J J Kapsberger]

OK, so was it then? Some of you feel you know. I'm now curious.

 

[lmd91343]

Roger,

Ignore that person's email. There are some crazy people in this world. You are a high profile person by virtue of your photographs, websites, and frequent posts here. That will attract the crazy people. The anonymity of the web allows such behavior. Too bad he did not identify himself so you could "ignore" him.

 

[aizan]

who could this anonymous crank be? it sure would lend some credibility to his ranting if he didn't suck himself.

 

[thomasw_]

Hey Roger,

Most of the chaps here value your photography, your experienced advice and your writing style. But there's no accounting for the jackass factor; they seem to show up wherever oxygen is. Like a fire the jackass requires oxygen to thrive; so, too, like a jackass a fire will die without oxygen attending it. Starve your jackass of any attention, as it is his oxygen.

I enjoy your gear reviews and darkroom/printing articles a lot. I hope Frances is doing better these days?

Good cheer,

Thomas

 

[chippy]

who could this anonymous crank be? it sure would lend some credibility to his ranting if he didn't suck himself.

no doubt he must be a photographer with great flexibility 😛