Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
I only know how to sell, I have no idea what is good picture for some or for many. I only was in sales for multi million dollars contracts.
Sending portfolio for review process is good for future work with potential student, but it also good reason to demand much higher price. The story about gifted surgeon is classic example of smart marketing. The good marketing story is spread, you are repeating it as valid one, but obviously it doesn't matter if surgeon has bad or good photos in real. Because 99.99% surgeons are not eager to become photographers (insecure income). Telling surgeon what his pictures are good is 99.99% save, it doesn't matter if it is true or not.
I also happen to teach internationally adult students. You are wrong. It is much more easier, profitable and fun to teach dozen of pre-qualified students at higher price, than not really teaching, but giving lectures for hundreds of unknown students at low priced course.
krötenblender
Well-known
I had Epson R-D1 pictures (overwhelming 6.1mpixels...) printed to 80x80cm (cropped to square format, so more like 4mpixels...) for an exhibition and they were my favourite prints in that collection. So, sure, happy to have them. But the same picture with what a GFX can do...? Easy decision.
PKR
Veteran
Nowhereman; As you see.. this becomes about cameras and tech stuff and not about any value in being able to SEE. It's a constant here with just a handful of us who think otherwise. I keep track of those who know the difference. Thanks again for the post, pkr
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Last time I was told what selling of anything as private course, including act of teaching it was in USSR before it collapsed. Guy is selling his workshop. Just like anybody else. What is so ignorant about this?
If I could see the difference on 4x6 prints between iPhone and other cameras, why do you think I wouldn't be able to see the difference on larger prints? I'll tell you why I wouldn't. Only if prints and images are technically not good.
Sorry if my IMHO is offending.
PKR
Veteran
I've worked on many ad campaigns. I can tell you that marketing people (different from copywriters and art) will use any ploy to hawk their wares. Look at the stupid Red cameras (my opinion) that Nikon is making. Do you think that came from their design/engineering staff? Marketing people in action. I've seen them fudge the specs without telling the owners of the product, to compete with a better product.
So yeah, they will create a race if one doesn't exist. Or, give away free pizza with every thousand images posted on FB citing the use of their latest phone camera. What ever it takes to sell the product.
I'm just guessing here, I only had a couple of Psych classes in school.. but I think the camera fetish is beyond any phone fetish. I know Apple, through Jobs, created a cult. But that's about the phone not the camera. Pictures posted on social media don't require good files. So, the only people who will care are pixel nuts or people who print.. and not many print from any digital device.
I bet you might see some higher end phone cameras sold used, being used for photos without being initialized for communications. I would do that if I felt it an advantage as in Harvey's case for type of imagery he makes.
PKR - Live and learn. I posted the same OP on LUF and the reaction was better, without the imputation of motives. But this, and "constant" you speak of is what makes this board often boring.
The funny thing is that, in my view, the photos on this board are generally better than on LUF. In the LUF thread someone who took a DAH workshop in NYC last year wrote that DAH is "simply saying put your vision ahead of the gear. The right gear will fall into place once you know what kind of photographer you are, want to be, and the message you want to send. Everything else is just details."
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Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine
I get his point and agree, because camera choice is a personal decision. That said, I'd rather use a regular dedicated camera for my photography than an iPhone. I guess I just prefer the haptics and ergonomics of a traditional small format camera. Of course great work can be done on any camera. BUT... will it be right for you? Only you can decide that. The iPhone certainly is the right tool for some people. That cannot be denied.
I can tell you this, certain circumstances and where I live have made me rethink using high end gear. I will certainly use cheaper cameras in the future.
I can tell you this, certain circumstances and where I live have made me rethink using high end gear. I will certainly use cheaper cameras in the future.
I don't. It's his career and he has already achieved a lot. He has a style and makes great (GREAT) photographs. His point is that if you are starting out, focus more on learning how to make great photos than on great cameras.
This is where I do disagree with him... the ratio tells the tale technically speaking. However, I understand he meant from an impact point of view.
PKR
Veteran
I couldn't agree more with DAH on the camera thing. But, if you can see, any camera will do in a pinch. I once heard a chef friend answer a question about her choice of knives. She, who owns some fancy Japanese steel replied, her favorite knife was the one that was the closest to her hand when needed, regardless of brand.
Photography in its refinement of tools is dictated by the photographer's work method. Simple as that. I couldn't do much of what I do, with a view camera. But, have used them a lot.
For those who haven't seen it, here is a four-minute video of a flip-through of the Rio book that DAH referred to.
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Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine
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Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Yes, I have seen it. Not my cup of tea. To me it feels like those 3D foldable books for kiddies. And as in kiddies books sometimes, too much color by all means. I'm Fred Herzog and Saul Leiter kind of guy.
As for vision thing. How about have it different? To me Ned (who used to be here) is much more talented photographer for this kid of shots. I'm not fun of this kind of photography at all, but Ned is the King. IMO.
As for vision thing. How about have it different? To me Ned (who used to be here) is much more talented photographer for this kid of shots. I'm not fun of this kind of photography at all, but Ned is the King. IMO.
Huss
Veteran
I firmly believe in the old maxim.. the best camera is..
the one that Steve Huff tells you to buy via a link on his website.
the one that Steve Huff tells you to buy via a link on his website.
SaveKodak
Well-known
...a Rolleiflex.
ferider
Veteran
With the next iPhone likely to come in at > US 1100 (?), way more expensive than my 25 MPixel, still great DSLR, all the above discussion is kind of point-less.
Plus nobody ever talks about the fun in photography when discussing which tool is (in)adequate. Does liking and knowing a tool have an impact on what you do with it ? I think so.
Roland.
Plus nobody ever talks about the fun in photography when discussing which tool is (in)adequate. Does liking and knowing a tool have an impact on what you do with it ? I think so.
Roland.
Pioneer
Veteran
Given the choice, would they prefer crappy 8bit per color phone jpegs or high dynamic 14bpc high res raws, that you can enjoy on display technologies available in 20 years...?
It depends on which ones are compelling images. I'd rather look at poor res but great photos than crap photos in high res.
So, you prefer nostalgic color more than modern color?
Pioneer
Veteran
The problem between me and a SmartPhone camera is that I have no idea how to use it. By the time I do learn how to use it well enough to make good photographs, it will be obsolete and I will have to upgrade again!
My Leica III is as easy to carry as my SmartPhone, I have known how to use it for a very long time, it is so obsolete it is now "cute", and nobody tries to call me on it and sell me something.
EDIT - I may be a closet Luddite after all
My Leica III is as easy to carry as my SmartPhone, I have known how to use it for a very long time, it is so obsolete it is now "cute", and nobody tries to call me on it and sell me something.
EDIT - I may be a closet Luddite after all
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PKR
Veteran
Let me tell you about an old friend. We'll call her Meg, because some would figure out who she is.
In my early film days, I did as much busness as possible with a local camera store, who's co-owner was a friend. They were always struggling to stay afloat. When I bought Kodachrome, I would buy it in 100+ roll batches, after testing available emulsions. The store had a Kodak contract, but often didn't have the money to order big batches. So, I paid in advance. They had rental darkrooms that were used by local art photo students. My friend was a grad of the local art school. So, you have a picture of the environment.
In talking to my friend, he asked me to look at the work a women was printing in the rental lab. I met her one afternoon and saw a couple of B&W pictures she was trying to print. This women had almost no technical skill. The darkroom assistant, Danny, was trying to help her but was frustrated. Danny, another grad of the local art school, and I were friends.
I told her that my friend, the store owner, asked me to look at her work. She showed me a couple of prints- poorly printed; but I knew at once, she was very talented, though knew little about photography.
This women was very high strung and very difficult to teach. She had it in her mind that this photography stuff was difficult. Danny took one of the negatives and with her watching made an acceptable print at first try. She wanted to be able to do that. 5 prints later her mouth was hanging open at what could be done with her negative.
Meg was an attractive women. It turns out that she earned her living by taking her cloths off at a local high end strip club. With the money she made working, she put herself through the nearby top ten university, and earned an MFA.
She wanted to document the lives of her coworkers, and had started the project months before we met. She had a simple film camera, A Nikkormat and one lens, as I recall. She learned how to operate the camera and was comfortable with it. Keep things simple and she was okay.
My work schedule kept me from visits to the camera store, but Danny, also recognizing her talent, taught her how to make acceptable prints. Fast forward about a year, and she has a stack of prints for her project. In short, it became a book in no time.
A few months pass and she is offered a job shooting small fashion assignments for Macy's. With Danny's printing help and a lot of encouragement from her photo friends, she made quick work of these simple assignments. A few of these pictures were run as half or full page adds in a big (no name) newspaper. She couldn't believe her minor success. She kept taking these small assignments for about a year. One of the Macy's art directors offered her a contract.. to make the photographs for the daily run half page ad in the big newspaper. She was afraid. She wanted it but, it came with some extremely heavy requirements. The images had to be made with a 2 1/4, or larger camera, and she had to use studio flash when it was called for.
By this time she was making good money from Macy's and no longer took her cloths off in front of a bunch of men in the evening. At the camera store owners suggestion, she bought a Hasselblad with an 80 and rented some studio flash gear.
I didn't know about all of this because of out of town travel, but one day I got a panic call from my camera store friend. Meg has a Hasselblad and needs to learn how to load film into the back. Danny is on his way to her studio, can you help? Meg's new studio was a block away from mine. I knocked on the door and was greeted by a women who was in need of serious Psychological help. I'm not good with crazy women. She had this new camera she knew nothing about, and some lights that were from outer space and a Macy's deadline. Danny showed up. We loaded the single back she had and set up her lights. We told Meg we would stick around until her assignment was ready for processing. She could now afford the expensive B&W printer in our neighborhood. He could print circles around her and made her stuff look great.
Fast forward again... and every week day, when I opened the big paper, I would see her work. At worst, it was good, at best, it was wonderful. Meg did this 5 day photo thing for Macy's for several years. I rarely saw her but heard stories of various fashion groups sending her to Egypt, and other exotic places to photograph their products.
I was visiting with my store owner friend one day and he says, did you hear about Meg? I said no.. he says, I got a letter from her. She met some famous film director in Europe and got married. She closed her studio and now helps with his film work and makes art with her camera.. and lived happily ever after!
It's about being able to see.
Edit: I was curious, as I hadn't beard much about my old friend in a long time. She has an unusual name, so I'm sure it's her: IMDb has her credited as writer for 5 films, Director for 2 and producer and editor for 1 each.