rodfelici
Newbie
I have a problem about photography. I will try to explain at my best.
I spend a lot of time on photography websites. I read a lot of threads on Flickr, or here, and a lot of websites about equipments (expecially about vintage equipments, rangefinder or not). Obviously I took also a lot of photos, every day of the year.
Besides, it seems to me that we all spend much more time speaking about equipments and techniques than about photography.
I have also a lot of problem to find websites of book speaking about good photography.
Despite all my efforts, I do not find a place where photography is taken seriously, a place where the dialog about photography is still alive and on a good quality level.
This website is the best I found, but it is obvious from the title that is more about equipment than about photography. This forum is the only place I found where about someone ask question about what we are doing.
I would like to find something that could be the 2012 version of Camera Work by Alfred Stieglitz; all I found instead are few good photos on the websites like Flickr, flood below a bunch of photos of kitten, or unuseless snapshot. Magazines are only full of photoshop tutorials and reviews of the latest digital mirrorless camera.
Where is going photography? Where such dialog is still alive?
Where could we show our perfect shot, the shot of our life, just in case we would be so brilliant to recognize it and so lucky to grab it at the right moment?
Where are the photography guru of our time? Where is our Cartier Bresson? Does it exist? Would we be still able to recognize it or their shot would be ignored and lost in a bunch of photos of kitten, sunsets and drunken teenagers?
I would really like spend my time seeing good, qualified photos, maybe black and white, shooted by some good photographer.
One of the artist I prefere is Christopher Phillitz. I have been so lucky to know him some years ago, and I consider him as a good friend, he is a really nice person.
His website is http://www.christopherpillitz.com. I counsider it a joy for my eyes. Sometimes, I flip through their photos just for the pleasure to see something beautiful, so as you could listen a good piece of music from a turntable. But how much similar website do you know?
If you know some, please could you post it?
Thanks a lot,
Rodolfo
I spend a lot of time on photography websites. I read a lot of threads on Flickr, or here, and a lot of websites about equipments (expecially about vintage equipments, rangefinder or not). Obviously I took also a lot of photos, every day of the year.
Besides, it seems to me that we all spend much more time speaking about equipments and techniques than about photography.
I have also a lot of problem to find websites of book speaking about good photography.
Despite all my efforts, I do not find a place where photography is taken seriously, a place where the dialog about photography is still alive and on a good quality level.
This website is the best I found, but it is obvious from the title that is more about equipment than about photography. This forum is the only place I found where about someone ask question about what we are doing.
I would like to find something that could be the 2012 version of Camera Work by Alfred Stieglitz; all I found instead are few good photos on the websites like Flickr, flood below a bunch of photos of kitten, or unuseless snapshot. Magazines are only full of photoshop tutorials and reviews of the latest digital mirrorless camera.
Where is going photography? Where such dialog is still alive?
Where could we show our perfect shot, the shot of our life, just in case we would be so brilliant to recognize it and so lucky to grab it at the right moment?
Where are the photography guru of our time? Where is our Cartier Bresson? Does it exist? Would we be still able to recognize it or their shot would be ignored and lost in a bunch of photos of kitten, sunsets and drunken teenagers?
I would really like spend my time seeing good, qualified photos, maybe black and white, shooted by some good photographer.
One of the artist I prefere is Christopher Phillitz. I have been so lucky to know him some years ago, and I consider him as a good friend, he is a really nice person.
His website is http://www.christopherpillitz.com. I counsider it a joy for my eyes. Sometimes, I flip through their photos just for the pleasure to see something beautiful, so as you could listen a good piece of music from a turntable. But how much similar website do you know?
If you know some, please could you post it?
Thanks a lot,
Rodolfo
Roger Hicks
Veteran
The magic word is 'teleology', the idea that things tend to a planned end. Mostly, they don't.
In other words, we won't know where photography is going until it gets there. As 'there' is merely a step on the road to the next place where photography is 'going', it's a never-ending and substantially meaningless question.
The best places I know to discover 'pure' photography are galleries. There are a few magazines such as FOAM, but all too often, they drown in their own over-analysis. If you REALLY want to see contemporary photography, go to Arles. Here's the free, abridged version of my Arles report for 2011: http://www.rogerandfrances.com/taster/Arles 2011 Taster.pdf Because it's a PDF it takes 30-40 seconds to download. Anyone who's been to Arles, and cares about photography rather than (or as well as) equipment, will encourage you to go there.
Cheers,
R.
In other words, we won't know where photography is going until it gets there. As 'there' is merely a step on the road to the next place where photography is 'going', it's a never-ending and substantially meaningless question.
The best places I know to discover 'pure' photography are galleries. There are a few magazines such as FOAM, but all too often, they drown in their own over-analysis. If you REALLY want to see contemporary photography, go to Arles. Here's the free, abridged version of my Arles report for 2011: http://www.rogerandfrances.com/taster/Arles 2011 Taster.pdf Because it's a PDF it takes 30-40 seconds to download. Anyone who's been to Arles, and cares about photography rather than (or as well as) equipment, will encourage you to go there.
Cheers,
R.
Last edited:
ISO
Established
I did a quick research. Maybe this comes close to Camera Work:
http://www.focusmag.info/ or http://www.aperture.org/magazine
or check this out...
http://photo.tutsplus.com/articles/inspiration/30-photography-magazines-worth-subscribing-to/
a good read is found here...
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44639
http://www.focusmag.info/ or http://www.aperture.org/magazine
or check this out...
http://photo.tutsplus.com/articles/inspiration/30-photography-magazines-worth-subscribing-to/
a good read is found here...
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44639
--s
Well-known
there is no such thing as "photography". this is only an abstract term for the sum of moments captured with photographic tools. so why not just keep on clicking, reading, enjoying, without taking photographic theories too seriously?
gns
Well-known
Best places to find good photography on line are the galleries. They all have websites.
Just click on their "Artists" tab and go from there.
a couple of good ones among many...
http://www.fraenkelgallery.com/
http://www.pacemacgill.com/
Gary
Just click on their "Artists" tab and go from there.
a couple of good ones among many...
http://www.fraenkelgallery.com/
http://www.pacemacgill.com/
Gary
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Rodolfo,
Please consider this in the best intention possible: What you wrote about is not a problem for a lot of people. Photography is photography, an activity that millions if not a billion people participate in.
It is up to you and me to find, start, participate, and encourage good discussion. Sometimes good discussion start and ends with equipment talk. What's wrong with that?
On the other side of the spectrum, I don't like articles and publications where they deliberately avoid talking about equipments, as if by avoiding that, they automatically increase the quality of the content.
Please consider this in the best intention possible: What you wrote about is not a problem for a lot of people. Photography is photography, an activity that millions if not a billion people participate in.
It is up to you and me to find, start, participate, and encourage good discussion. Sometimes good discussion start and ends with equipment talk. What's wrong with that?
On the other side of the spectrum, I don't like articles and publications where they deliberately avoid talking about equipments, as if by avoiding that, they automatically increase the quality of the content.
N
Nikon Bob
Guest
Jack Conrad
Well-known
Swarms of self replicating nano bots will enter our bloodstream and digitize everyone's eyes so that everything we see will be uploaded onto Google to inform the central Mind Complex in Antarctica.
Editing will become the only task remaining on earth and we will be paid a crust of bread for any photo that helps indict a criminal before they commit a crime.
Editing will become the only task remaining on earth and we will be paid a crust of bread for any photo that helps indict a criminal before they commit a crime.
vfrazz
vincent
Rodfilici, this is what I suggest: Google B&W Magazine, which used to cater to photo collectors. Their site claims to have 29,700 photographs in their archive! Go to their back issues section, and purchase two or three back issues--but only issues before 2011. You will find a great selection of photographs--contemporary (mostly) and vintage, book reviews, exhibits, and terrific interviews with photographers. I found all of the features interesting--they are speaking our language, and many of the photographs inspirational to the point of affecting my own work. Vincent
www.vincentfrazzettaphotography.com
www.vincentfrazzettaphotography.com
DSkjaeve
Established
Some people find it hard to discuss photography. I for instance, know I like certain photographers for their humour, juxtapositions, compositions and so on, but I can't say a lot more.
My tip, look at the links people post, go to galleries/exhibitions and go to your library/bookstore and browse books. Studying the work of others will at least help your photography, even if you have no one to discuss it with.
P.S. I would also wish that the focus would be less on equipment, but there isn't much to do besides creating threads and posting in those thay are, as you say, about photographers and photos.
My tip, look at the links people post, go to galleries/exhibitions and go to your library/bookstore and browse books. Studying the work of others will at least help your photography, even if you have no one to discuss it with.
P.S. I would also wish that the focus would be less on equipment, but there isn't much to do besides creating threads and posting in those thay are, as you say, about photographers and photos.
Leigh Youdale
Well-known
I'd strongly recommend you have a look at "Lenswork" magazine. It is by subscription only, contains no advertising, presents some very good work, especially in black & white.
It is available as a hard copy magazine, an "extended" version with more content on a DVD, and now is also available for online download to iPad and similar devices.
<http://www.lenswork.com/>
It is available as a hard copy magazine, an "extended" version with more content on a DVD, and now is also available for online download to iPad and similar devices.
<http://www.lenswork.com/>
Steve M.
Veteran
As much as I agree w/ you, the problem is likely where you're at (wherever that is) When I first became interested in art (painting, printing, etc) I had to go to Chicago, L.A., New York, Santa Fe, etc to see it. Figured it would be helpful to know what the best was supposed to look like.
Now, we live in Daytona, Fl, which has NO art (but does have a beach and warm weather, so we're cool w/ that). Can't grouse too much about not seeing any great art, photography or otherwise. It's out there, you just have to go find it. There's always been tons of banal stuff compared to rare good pieces, no matter what the discipline. Unfortunately, today's interconnectivity just means you get exposed to the crap endlessly.
Now, we live in Daytona, Fl, which has NO art (but does have a beach and warm weather, so we're cool w/ that). Can't grouse too much about not seeing any great art, photography or otherwise. It's out there, you just have to go find it. There's always been tons of banal stuff compared to rare good pieces, no matter what the discipline. Unfortunately, today's interconnectivity just means you get exposed to the crap endlessly.
mdarnton
Well-known
Rodolfo, I think that ANY place you find on the web that's open to everyone with a keyboard is going to be infested by all the layers of knowledge of whatever the topic is, from the worst to the best.
It's not just photography--the other day I was researching something about nutrition and found people posting just horrible garbage on open forums (did you know oxalic acid is "living and organic" until it's cooked, but then becomes "dead and inorganic"? Who could have known!!??). I'm a violin maker and dealer by profession, and about 60+% of what's posted about violin making by amateurs on open forums is distressingly misguided.
The key is to associate only with the best, and don't pay much attention to what the general population says about things, because you really don't need to know what the people who aren't good at something think about it. If you hang around with the bad to mediocre range of any specialty field (and that's, by proportion, what you will find posting on the internet--because that's the proportion in real life), you start to think that field is really that way--bad to mediocre.
In general, I've found the best photos and the best writing to be where experts speak, and the general population is encouraged to shut up and listen, not add their worthless opinions. That said, I've been watching a couple of sites lately that post consistently good stuff that I'm interested in:
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/photobooth
http://www.aphotoeditor.com/
http://lightbox.time.com/
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/
http://www.adammarelliphoto.com/
My thanks to the people above who've posted links to the places they see things they like.
.
It's not just photography--the other day I was researching something about nutrition and found people posting just horrible garbage on open forums (did you know oxalic acid is "living and organic" until it's cooked, but then becomes "dead and inorganic"? Who could have known!!??). I'm a violin maker and dealer by profession, and about 60+% of what's posted about violin making by amateurs on open forums is distressingly misguided.
The key is to associate only with the best, and don't pay much attention to what the general population says about things, because you really don't need to know what the people who aren't good at something think about it. If you hang around with the bad to mediocre range of any specialty field (and that's, by proportion, what you will find posting on the internet--because that's the proportion in real life), you start to think that field is really that way--bad to mediocre.
In general, I've found the best photos and the best writing to be where experts speak, and the general population is encouraged to shut up and listen, not add their worthless opinions. That said, I've been watching a couple of sites lately that post consistently good stuff that I'm interested in:
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/photobooth
http://www.aphotoeditor.com/
http://lightbox.time.com/
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/
http://www.adammarelliphoto.com/
My thanks to the people above who've posted links to the places they see things they like.
.
jslabovitz
Member
You might be interested in reading the work of the photo critic A.D. Coleman. His books are very worthwhile, as is his blog (http://adcoleman.com). You may find some of his recent articles especially interesting, as he bemoans the state of photographic criticism.
Another critic to look into is JM Colberg (http://jmcolberg.com/weblog/).
Have you seen the Philosophy of Photography forum at photo.net? (http://photo.net/philosophy-of-photography-forum/)
And I second the suggestions of checking out LensWork and B&W Magazine (although I think the latter has deteriorated in focus over the years).
Hope these suggestions help.
--John
Another critic to look into is JM Colberg (http://jmcolberg.com/weblog/).
Have you seen the Philosophy of Photography forum at photo.net? (http://photo.net/philosophy-of-photography-forum/)
And I second the suggestions of checking out LensWork and B&W Magazine (although I think the latter has deteriorated in focus over the years).
Hope these suggestions help.
--John
BobYIL
Well-known
Rodolfo,
I visited Christoper Phillitz’s site to have an idea about what sort of photography you were impessed of. I also noted your wish of seeking some photos like “a good piece of music from a turntable”. Yeah, I can understand that today listening to music from tubes, triodes, turntables is not for the masses, however it also is not for the majority of those who could afford them easily. Take a look at Magnum Photo’s site, try to compare the works of the old masters vs. those from the newer members… and derive your own conclusions.
Herewith I would only suggest a couple of good sites from amateur hands away from commercial considerations that impressed me as much as some professional ones.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33398858@N06/tags/m6/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/danskjaeve/with/6831450773/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emmanuel_smague/
I visited Christoper Phillitz’s site to have an idea about what sort of photography you were impessed of. I also noted your wish of seeking some photos like “a good piece of music from a turntable”. Yeah, I can understand that today listening to music from tubes, triodes, turntables is not for the masses, however it also is not for the majority of those who could afford them easily. Take a look at Magnum Photo’s site, try to compare the works of the old masters vs. those from the newer members… and derive your own conclusions.
Herewith I would only suggest a couple of good sites from amateur hands away from commercial considerations that impressed me as much as some professional ones.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33398858@N06/tags/m6/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/danskjaeve/with/6831450773/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emmanuel_smague/
bigeye
Well-known
The most common trait I've discovered with pro photographer friends and acquaintances (fashion, sports, art, journalism, landscape, & wildlife) is that they "don't have time to be on the web."
They occasionally seem to check for new equipment and prices, but I don't think that any of them would have time or patience to be in a professional (e.g. Magnum 'cafe') forum or anything like that (without getting paid). Most seem to put some of their portfolio on the web out of need and with trepidation - just enough to get the next call.
I don't think we're starved for quality - editing, packaging, presentation, yes. There is a tsunami of good, bad and ugly pictures in which to drown.
Flickriver filters better than Flickr and may be a crude but effective way for you to keep better focus on what you like and hold back the bizarre posed doll pictures that "Explore" seems to highly value. www.flickriver.com
- Charlie
They occasionally seem to check for new equipment and prices, but I don't think that any of them would have time or patience to be in a professional (e.g. Magnum 'cafe') forum or anything like that (without getting paid). Most seem to put some of their portfolio on the web out of need and with trepidation - just enough to get the next call.
I don't think we're starved for quality - editing, packaging, presentation, yes. There is a tsunami of good, bad and ugly pictures in which to drown.
Flickriver filters better than Flickr and may be a crude but effective way for you to keep better focus on what you like and hold back the bizarre posed doll pictures that "Explore" seems to highly value. www.flickriver.com
- Charlie
Teuthida
Well-known
Cant belive nobody has mentioned the obvious: APERTURE MAGAZINE. no pedestrian handwringing about gear, or sophmoric how-to articles. Just thoughtful discussion and critique of the photographic arts,
DSkjaeve
Established
BobYIL: Thank you for the compliment. Made my day.
And oh yeah, Aperture is a good mag.
And oh yeah, Aperture is a good mag.
While I'm happy that they are so busy that they cannot go on the internet (though I would imagine they do have the time if they want to), let's not disparage those who choose to go on the internet. The thing that always gets me is that people think you should be photographing 24 hours a day 7 days a week... which is nonsense. Variety is important in life.