The "Sin" Of Being A RFF Amateur

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I don't criticize RFF in every post. This thread called for opinions on the subject of certain things that are here, and I gave it.

I did say it was a good place to socialize with people who like equipment.
 
M. Valdemar said:
I don't criticize RFF in every post. This thread called for opinions on the subject of certain things that are here, and I gave it.

I did say it was a good place to socialize with people who like equipment.
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Geez, I rarely visit this site - the last time before yesterday was back in the Fall; apparently, just before you joined.

I've now spent a total of about three hours here over the last three days reading the threads and you pop up all the time as an antagonistic PITA.

Sorry to have to say this as a form of "hello" - but you really do project a negative (and very nasty) attitude.

Please don't bother to respond with your usual "in you face" comeback - I won't respond to it anyway.
 
let's all just go streaking then we can compare penis size's too...

everyone should post a picture they've taken with their post in this thread.
Starting...after me.
 
Funny how the ones that complain the most never seem to post any photos anywhere. To read their post in the different forums they seem to know it all. Many of us are just enthusiast that enjoy photography as a hobby & pastime. There is a competition going on every month now in the critique forum called the Magic Roll. Why don't you all submit your work. It's anonymous BTW so you want be recognized.
I'm sure you could stand to win a roll of film.;) Here is the thread to enter.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52153
 
Valdemar,

What exactly is your problem? Your posts over the last few days seem to me to be particularly unpleasant and antagonistic. Your posts in this thread have been dismissive, sneering and patronizing (that's just a big word for 'talks down to') and I really can't see why they should be, or what qualifies you for this elite status?

Maybe I'm just missing your innate brilliance.

I've found Ruben's postings to be balanced and reasonable on the whole, even if his views aren't always my own. Isn't this the whole purpose of a forum?

If you don't like what you see here, you don't need to hang around, surely?

Final point. If you're going to apply fine intellectual and social rigour to all who post here then please look to yourself first. When using Greek then use it accurately. It's 'hoi polloi' (the many, the masses) not 'the hoi polloi' (the the masses).

I feel annoyed that I've had to post this but you really need to give it a rest.

Ernst
 
back alley said:
i'm gonna go watch some tv.

i imagine you all will be involved in some level of fisticuffs by the time i return.
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No, still a couple weeks until the moon is full. I keep the Old Farmer's Almanac next to my computer now a days looking for reasons for the cycles I have recognized.

Now if this was posted on the 22nd!!!!


Like Fred said somewhere, somehow, lets all hang out and have fun.
 
You know the good part? I managed to read this entire thread without feeling even a slight rise in blood pressure! :)

It might be that I went through a phase about 6 months ago, where I came out on the other end knowing that I am a "beginner". There are a lot of things for me to learn, and in the end I will most likely fail in doing so - and die as a "beginner". My photos are decent enough, for their purpose. It's a hobby, and one that finances itself (I did spend a year or so buying and selling gear, and ended up with a few setups for "free") - this has helped a lot. A couple of years back, I bought a lot of gear, but realized that I'd sunk too much money in it. This again caused me to sell it, which led to this viscious circle: Buying - Selling - Missing - Buying. You've been there, I'm sure.

OK, I'm rambling. What matters to *me*? Not this pro/amateur part. I learn something new most days, a lot of my friends don't do that. They go to work, come home, tuck the kids in and watch the TV.


As for measuring success: I came home the other day, after having spent a day with my M6, Heliar 15mm and a few rolls of Adox CMS 20. ISO 20, Norway, winter. About 10% of the photos were sharp, the rest of them were blurry. To me that was a success. I even got a wide angle shot from a hill top nearby, showing the city I live in - in brilliant resolution! My wife saw it and said: "I like that one!". Gotta love a woman like that! So, I do count the small victories as well.
 
My photos are decent enough, for their purpose.
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Explain.

I would say that my photos are decent enough to be a step or so away from being regular snap shots. That I have a style/method in taking photographs which adds to/contributes to the end image. I am knowledgeable of how and what to try to create an image. And I personally enjoy a large enough % of my shots to say I am more than just taking pictures.

It's a hobby, and one that finances itself
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Through the buying and selling of gear, or have you had success selling some photos? That would be cool.
 
Surely we're ALL amateurs, doing photography for the love of it: amo, amas, amat, I love, thou lovest, he loves...

Despite reading the original post three times, I still couldn't make much sense of it; I'm with Pitxu on that one. Let my try my own summary.

Some pros are nice people, some aren't. Some amateurs are nice people, some aren't. There is an inherent level of respect that everyone deserves until they make themselves so unpleasant as to forfeit it, but this is true whether they are good or bad photographers, or not photographers at all.

Or did I miss something?

I was however reminded of something the editor of a photo mag said to me once: "You have to remember that there are people who don't read magazines in order to learn about photography, so they can take better pictures. No: for them, the magazines are a substitute for photography."

I'm sure he's right, and I'm sure the same is true of internet forums. How much does it matter? We all enjoy RFF/find it valuable enough to spend time on it. Surely that's all we need?

Cheers,

R.
 
Rover: For most of the time, I go out shooting with a certain idea of what I want to do. In other words, I have a certain image in my head that I want to get on film (or digital, for that matter). Then I spend a couple of hours trying to find that image, and more times than not, I usually get "something". It rarely is the image I had in my head, but it brings me one step closer. I might have done something wrong with the exposure, didn't bracket, the light is wrong, etc. Now, I could count this as a failure, but I don't. It gives me energy to go out and try again.

The financing bit: I got my personal setup through a few lucky deals. Kept what I wanted, and sold of the rest. In the end - I have a Canon 40D + lenses and a Leica M6 with a couple of lenses. All I need, and pretty much for free. This means that I don't have to think about the money I spent on it, which again means that I feel a certain freedom when it comes to choosing *not* to take photos. I don't feel the need to rush out and shoot to justify the investment.

I have sold a couple of images, and it sure felt great. It also meant that I could get the 50mm Zeiss Planar, and I know that I could never sell that lens.
I am not saying that I'm not serious about this, but it isn't what puts food on the table and a roof over my head. But it is part of what defines me as an individual: Some folks go hiking, I take photographs.
 
To 'hoi oligoi' (the few) who are interested, I think US vernacular has done enough damage to a perfectly good language, without encouraging it further. :) It's actually used wrongly most of the time in English as well.

The point is, it's Greek, not *******ised English and should be treated as such.

See, we can all be elitist when we choose...

Ernst
 
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