Rafael
Mandlerian
I want to begin by stating that this post is in no way meant to critique the current efforts to make RFF more centered on photographic images. I applaud these efforts and I really look forward to seeing what develops over the next little while. This is the first time that I have ever posted anything that touches on the politics of RFF. But, for some time now, I have been bothered by the characterisation of the RFF memebrship as a bunch of "gearheads." Actually, to be precise, it is not the characterisation that bother me but rather the implied sub-text of this characterisation and the reactions that some have to it. So here are my thoughts on the subject. Take them for what they are worth.
It seems to me that there are actually several issues all wrapped up in the discussions that pit "gearheads" against "shooters." The perceived worst of the worst, as far as I can tell, is the rich individual who has little or no photographic skill but owns thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of gear. Every now and then, we do get threads around here that begin with a post along the lines of:
"I just took up photography last week and really love it. Now I need some advice. What would be the best body for my new Noctilux. I already bought an MP3 kit. But I hear that it's not automatic. Should I buy a new M7? Also, I want a 75mm lens. What's the difference between a Summicron and a Summilux? Oh, and what is the lever on the back of the camera for? Thanks."
Now, I'll admit to sometimes being a bit irked by these posts. And meeting these types of people in person can be even more trying. I recently shot a job where I was met by a guy who clearly could not figure out what all the buttons and dials were for on his D2Xs with AF-S 500/4 VR that he had mounted on a pile of Gitzo and Arca Swiss gear that must have cost at least $1500 by itself. Of course, this guy wanted to talk gear as I was trying to shoot the event.
Let's call this first type Mr. $$$. I'll call the second type Mr. Collection. This is the individual who owns every camera and lens under the sun but never takes them off of the shelf. Mr. Collection might not even be a photographer.
Now, what do Mr. $$$ and Mr. Collection have in common? The answer, I believe, is that we resent them. We resent Mr. Collection for driving up the price of gear that he will never use. And we resent Mr. $$$ for having what we can only dream of, even if we make our living at photography.
So what do we here at RFF do about this resentment? Many people go out of their way to make it perfectly clear that they are neither a Mr. $$$ or a Mr. Collection. Some preface every discussion of their own gear with a reminder that theirs is a "pro kit" or a "shooter's kit." Others regularly remind us that their 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 thousand dollar camera has more battle scars than Tie Domi (a little Canadian content for you). Alternatively, they scoff at any suggestion that one should take care of expensive camera gear. "Take it out and use it." Hurricanes, lightning storms, white water rafting, sky-diving, the slums of Cape Town, the family reunion - HAH!! - those are the conditions for which these cameras were made.
Why does any of this matter? It matters because our visceral reactions against Mr. $$$ and Mr. Collection, along with our clambering to make clear to all that we are neither of these characters has led, I believe, to the denigration, sometimes explicit, sometimes implied, of a third character who, in my opinion, does not deserve it. The third character is the photographer who likes to try, test, and discuss gear. For this character, the photography is primary. But photography is not exlusively about the final image. It also includes the act of taking photographs. And so, this character is interested in finding, trying, and discussing gear that will help him or her to express him or herself photographically but also that will be pleasing to use. And quite frankly, I think that the vast majority of those who contribute regularly to RFF are described, at least to some extent, by this third character.
Many of us cherish romantic ideals of the fabulously talented individual for whom technology and gear are of no interest. I'm thinking of the author who writes novels long hand with a fountain pen, or the painter who is so inspired that he or she will paint on anything that he or she finds lying around the house, or the photographer who has used the same camera and lens for the past 40 years and who manages to make every frame a masterpiece. But, the fact of the matter is that most of us here are not of this sort.
So what am I asking? Quite simply, I am asking that we all accept what we are and enjoy RFF which, despite its flaws, is a special place in cyber-space. I am certainly not suggesting that the site can't be improved or that it shouldn't change to better reflect the RFF community. But many of us could put a little less effort into elevating ourselves above Mr. $$$ and Mr. Collection. The "mine is a pro shooter's kit" and the "mine is more beat up than a grade one boy named Chris - short for Chrysanthemum" posts unnecessarily denigrate those who enjoy discussing gear and those who take care of their gear. And while we're at it, we might want to re-think our resentment of Mr. $$$ and Mr. Collection. Personally, I'm not much of a wine collector. I prefer to use wine. But that doesn't mean that I have nothing in common with a wine collector or that we have nothing to say to one another. And, with the little effort it takes to get past the resentment, I might find that I even have something to say to Mr. $$$. Or maybe not. But in that case, who cares? This is an internet forum afterall. I can always move on to a different thread.
Let's not allow our desire to elevate ourselves above what are really stereotypes who show up in reality a little less often than we might think to lead us to denigrate a large number of the regular contributors to this site. If others think less of us for how we at RFF enjoy spending our time, then so be it. Really, why should we care?
It seems to me that there are actually several issues all wrapped up in the discussions that pit "gearheads" against "shooters." The perceived worst of the worst, as far as I can tell, is the rich individual who has little or no photographic skill but owns thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of gear. Every now and then, we do get threads around here that begin with a post along the lines of:
"I just took up photography last week and really love it. Now I need some advice. What would be the best body for my new Noctilux. I already bought an MP3 kit. But I hear that it's not automatic. Should I buy a new M7? Also, I want a 75mm lens. What's the difference between a Summicron and a Summilux? Oh, and what is the lever on the back of the camera for? Thanks."
Now, I'll admit to sometimes being a bit irked by these posts. And meeting these types of people in person can be even more trying. I recently shot a job where I was met by a guy who clearly could not figure out what all the buttons and dials were for on his D2Xs with AF-S 500/4 VR that he had mounted on a pile of Gitzo and Arca Swiss gear that must have cost at least $1500 by itself. Of course, this guy wanted to talk gear as I was trying to shoot the event.
Let's call this first type Mr. $$$. I'll call the second type Mr. Collection. This is the individual who owns every camera and lens under the sun but never takes them off of the shelf. Mr. Collection might not even be a photographer.
Now, what do Mr. $$$ and Mr. Collection have in common? The answer, I believe, is that we resent them. We resent Mr. Collection for driving up the price of gear that he will never use. And we resent Mr. $$$ for having what we can only dream of, even if we make our living at photography.
So what do we here at RFF do about this resentment? Many people go out of their way to make it perfectly clear that they are neither a Mr. $$$ or a Mr. Collection. Some preface every discussion of their own gear with a reminder that theirs is a "pro kit" or a "shooter's kit." Others regularly remind us that their 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 thousand dollar camera has more battle scars than Tie Domi (a little Canadian content for you). Alternatively, they scoff at any suggestion that one should take care of expensive camera gear. "Take it out and use it." Hurricanes, lightning storms, white water rafting, sky-diving, the slums of Cape Town, the family reunion - HAH!! - those are the conditions for which these cameras were made.
Why does any of this matter? It matters because our visceral reactions against Mr. $$$ and Mr. Collection, along with our clambering to make clear to all that we are neither of these characters has led, I believe, to the denigration, sometimes explicit, sometimes implied, of a third character who, in my opinion, does not deserve it. The third character is the photographer who likes to try, test, and discuss gear. For this character, the photography is primary. But photography is not exlusively about the final image. It also includes the act of taking photographs. And so, this character is interested in finding, trying, and discussing gear that will help him or her to express him or herself photographically but also that will be pleasing to use. And quite frankly, I think that the vast majority of those who contribute regularly to RFF are described, at least to some extent, by this third character.
Many of us cherish romantic ideals of the fabulously talented individual for whom technology and gear are of no interest. I'm thinking of the author who writes novels long hand with a fountain pen, or the painter who is so inspired that he or she will paint on anything that he or she finds lying around the house, or the photographer who has used the same camera and lens for the past 40 years and who manages to make every frame a masterpiece. But, the fact of the matter is that most of us here are not of this sort.
So what am I asking? Quite simply, I am asking that we all accept what we are and enjoy RFF which, despite its flaws, is a special place in cyber-space. I am certainly not suggesting that the site can't be improved or that it shouldn't change to better reflect the RFF community. But many of us could put a little less effort into elevating ourselves above Mr. $$$ and Mr. Collection. The "mine is a pro shooter's kit" and the "mine is more beat up than a grade one boy named Chris - short for Chrysanthemum" posts unnecessarily denigrate those who enjoy discussing gear and those who take care of their gear. And while we're at it, we might want to re-think our resentment of Mr. $$$ and Mr. Collection. Personally, I'm not much of a wine collector. I prefer to use wine. But that doesn't mean that I have nothing in common with a wine collector or that we have nothing to say to one another. And, with the little effort it takes to get past the resentment, I might find that I even have something to say to Mr. $$$. Or maybe not. But in that case, who cares? This is an internet forum afterall. I can always move on to a different thread.
Let's not allow our desire to elevate ourselves above what are really stereotypes who show up in reality a little less often than we might think to lead us to denigrate a large number of the regular contributors to this site. If others think less of us for how we at RFF enjoy spending our time, then so be it. Really, why should we care?
