good photographer or good subject?

[Sparrow]

some water, a girl, and a white dress....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Weeki_Wachee_spring_10079u.jpg

I mean, sometimes photography is not about the "decisive moment", but rather about "pre-visualizing". Posed pictures. Toni Frissell just knew how to do it well.

So, to the main question, do you call it:
extra-ordinary SUBJECT? (a swimming woman...)
extra-ordinary photographer...of an ordinary subject?

I'll go for the second one.

Please post examples of the other way.

Great post, perspective is everything

respect

 

[RML]

For me, the attraction is in the model's obvious finer points. 🙂 But that's really it. There's nothing else that lures in. Competently done, but boring.

 

[madsolitaire]

personally, i don't think one can draw conclusions about the skill of a photographer (ie whether s/he is good or bad) based on viewing one image alone... nor do i think there's value in doing so... an image should be evaluated on its' own using whatever combination of criteria the viewer chooses to... lighting, the choice of subject, choice of colour vs black and white, etc...

i don't think you can separate the subject from the discussion any more than you can the choice of lighting etc... none of the elements taken on their own or in combination in a single photo can/should be used to drawn conclusions about the abilities of the photographer...

i'm inclined to believe that there are no 'good' or 'bad' photographers... only good or bad photos (high if not completely subjective)... i've produced a handful of images that i'm proud of and like very much... whether or not other like them is quite irrelevant to me... what they think of my photographic abilities and even less of a concern ...

Well said indeed. What makes for 'good' photography and what makes for 'bad' photography?

Every photograph speaks differently to different people. Sometimes, how other people view one's photographs is not a big concern to the photographer (although it is interesting to know how others view one's work). I often see photography as a part of myself, or if you like, as an extension of myself. It is as much about people getting to know me as it is about getting to know myself..... at least that is what i have been experiencing lately......

 

[ruben]

After a talk with my companion, and further thinking, I think I should reddress my former post.

First, art is a very wide spectrum with form on one extreme and contents, or significance, on the other. Much of art is void of contents but pure form, leaving us astonished by the armony or pace or originality, etc. In photography for example there is a celebrated pic by Kertecz of his model with a disarticulated pose over a sofa, which long time ago I dissected from a book and framed. Are there any contents ? I don't think so, but the armony and originality in that disarticulation, plus some gadgets, made this picture a masterpiece for me, bringing me pleasure to look at, over and over. This is a fact, there is art void of contents.

Taking this into consideration, it seems me ruthless to me my previous assertion that you must be a genious to try your skills in form art.

The other point my companion elucidated for me, refers to the nudity of the human body as seen by the ancient Greek sculptors, who believed the human body is the most perfect creation of Nature. Not a bad point at all, and several portfolios of our controversial photographer seem indeed to emulate such viewpoint with original new forms.

Hmmm, refreshing and interesting thread.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[Nog Bluteau]

What I'm curious about is just how in tarnation did the OP find this masterpiece.???!

Was it a Google search, just initiated to "pass the time 'o day"?

"HUGE BREASTS"?

"NUDE GIRLS"?

[SIZE=-1]“Curiouser and curiouser!” Cried Alice [/SIZE]

 

[FrankS]

What I'm curious about is just how in tarnation did the OP find this masterpiece.???!

Was it a Google search, just initiated to "pass the time 'o day"?

"HUGE BREASTS"?

"NUDE GIRLS"?

[SIZE=-1]“Curiouser and curiouser!” Cried Alice [/SIZE]

Just in PNet galleries.

 

[Silva Lining]

All I know is, whilst you lot are here debating on how to rate a photograph, HATAIIIA HATA!!!A (for it is he or she) is somewhere else, taking pictures of beautiful curvy women with fantastic breasts......

Despite the debate, only one person has the right answer 😀