Ralph Gibson: Why would you ditch film in your 76th year?

[J.Paul]

so are you seriously suggesting that Gibson is able to be bought out? why didnt he go digital with the M8 or M9?

I doubt Ralph, at his age and with his success, is in a position where he does much of anything he doesn't want to. unless he has a coke addiction I dont know about.

No, I did not say or suggest that. Why he changed his methods is unknown and his reasons are his own. Apart from that it is obvious that both he and Leica took advantage of that situation. He got more exposure and perhaps equipment, and Leica got a high profile personality to extol their B&W flagship to the many fans of Mr. Gibson's work and the photographic world at large. Leica probably got the better of such an arrangement by having a master of B&W photography endorse their product.

 

[newsgrunt]

digital print or wet print? what is the big deal?

^^^ X a million

 

[FrankS]

Jsrocket, I'm saying something really simple and no one seems to get it. I'm saying that the processes are different.

I think digital photographers would like it to be "all just photography" whereas I would like the distinction to be made between digital and traditional, because the processes are significantly DIFFERENT.

 

[FrankS]

I think everyone would be happier if I just moved over to apug.

 

[jsrockit]

Jsrocket, I'm saying something really simple and no one seems to get it. I'm saying that the processes are different.

I think digital photographers would like it to be "all just photography" whereas I would like the distinction to be made between digital and traditional, because the processes are significantly DIFFERENT.

I would guess that we all understand that the processes are different. I've done both and I know that the darkroom is more work (generally speaking). However, I'm a fan of content and framing more than process because without content and framing, you have a polished turd. I feel the process is important to the person doing it, but maybe not as much to the person viewing it. For a lot of us, it is hard to get past that because we are involved in the process so much and are generally married to a certain process that we feel works best for us. We all have our biases, so I hope you don't take the overall debate personally.

For me personally, I think it may be because I am primarily a color photographer... so the differences in process (darkroom vs. digital) for my needs aren't as huge vs. B&W digital / wet.

 

[jsrockit]

I think everyone would be happier if I just moved over to apug.

Don't be like that... it's just a debate between a lot of hard headed individuals. 🙂

 

[Nigel Meaby]

I've understood where you are coming from all the way through this thread, Frank...but have stayed pretty much out of this discussion. All you are saying is "it's different" the same way a vinyl record and a CD or digital download "are different" Both film and vinyl pre-date the invention of computers.
Some may say a CD/ digital download is a compressed format compared to vinyl....and perhaps you could compare dynamic range with film/digital photography in a similar way...but that's a whole different can of worms and I'm not giving an opinion bias either way.

 

[Doug]

I think everyone would be happier if I just moved over to apug.

Surely not everyone, Frank! I for one appreciate your viewpoint while believing "it's all photography", that there's art and craft in all aspects. There are certainly differences between shooting wet-plate and film and digital, and B&W and color, etc. Maybe the color analyzer for my wet darkroom goes over the line, too computer-like for a traditional process... 🙂

Technology marches on, giving us ever more options for self-expression.

 

[Richard G]

Just a reminder: as a a few sober contributors have mentioned, the evidence in so far is that Mr Gibson has a Monochrom. Maybe only one. We've heard nothing about him abandoning film and had no news of his darkroom equipment, loupes and light table going on the market.

 

[Chris101]

Ralph was playing with digital in 2007 when I first met him.

 

[Sparrow]

I think everyone would be happier if I just moved over to apug.

I do hope you know me better than that Frank, I for one would not

 

[FrankS]

No worries.

 

[Chris101]

Jsrocket, I'm saying something really simple and no one seems to get it. I'm saying that the processes are different.

I think digital photographers would like it to be "all just photography" whereas I would like the distinction to be made between digital and traditional, because the processes are significantly DIFFERENT.

Actually I agree with this. The process "informs" the result to such an extent that the result is affected.

 

[daveleo]

I think everyone would be happier if I just moved over to apug.

I personally would be very upset by that.
I often think that there is too much diversity here, but it's a curse and a blessing.
Too much diversity = arguments arguments arguments
Too little diversity = mental and artistic stagnation.

I'll take the lesser evil - the arguments.

Stick around, thank you.

 

[Keith]

No Frank ... just no! 🙂

 

[Michael Markey]

What Keith said. 🙂

 

[FrankS]

Okay, stop.

 

[back alley]

We Love You Frank!!!

 

[taxi38]

There's more to it than just choice....,digital dismisses reality while film literally embraces it.Its the philosophy of your moment against the reflection of somebody else's .

 

[Phil_F_NM]

There's more to it than just choice....,digital dismisses reality while film literally embraces it.Its the philosophy of your moment against the reflection of somebody else's .

This doesn't even make sense.

Phil Forrest