Elson, don't for a minute consider yourself ignorant or a failure
because you don't see much in Weston's peppers. I have been involved in
photography as a livelihood and and a personal compulsion for over 50
years and I never saw much in those photos either except as an exercise
in lighting. The only thing in this thread that amazes me is that so
many intelligent, experienced photographers seem to be reluctant to
admit that there are many different kinds of photography besides what
drives them and many different preferences in visual {and other) forms.
Too many here make the assumption that art drives the photo bus, or
scenics, or science, or self exploration. The truth, and you all know
it, is that there are many equally valid uses and applications for any
form of human endeavor. Get your heads out of your respective body
parts and read what people are saying and take a little time to think
before you leap screaming into the fray. My friends and I often
recommend movies, plays, books or music to each other and then ask what
the other person thought. If they don't share our enthusiasm, that's
okay. They are not me; I am not them. It would be a hell of a boring
world if we all liked the same things and thought alike. But that's my
viewpoint. You are not me. If you prefer to scream and shout and run
about, feel free. I just get tired of seeing ill considered opinions
and misinterpretations blown into tirades about photographic heresies.
This seems to be becoming an increasingly contentious age so perhaps we
are all victims of the times. Sad thought.
Don Roberts
Elson T. Elizaga wrote:
Forgive my ignorance and my failure to see. I'm astonished about my
comment myself. Sometimes I share with other photographers the same or
similar reaction to an admired photograph -- such as "Afghan Girl" by
Steve McCurry -- sometimes I don't. In my place, I sometimes find
myself watching a movie, such as "Mystic River" (and recently
"Beautiful Boxer"), and discovered only less than people with me. But
I love these films. I've just been watching "Seven Samurai" and
"Hidden Fortress" by Akira Kurosawa (who else?), but I'm not moved --
perhaps, not yet -- by Weston's "Pepper".
I've read some articles about the photograph. But then, it's a
photograph, it's supposed to strike us by its being a photograph, not
by the volumes of text about it, right?
lookaround360@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Elson,
I am astonished by your comment. If you are seriously interested in
photography look at a lot of it and read what is being said about it. I
just saw a magnificent Weston exhibit and even after decades of seeing
his prints (the real prints) I was deeply moved by there clarity of
intent and perfection. Perhaps because he is one of the most imitated
photographers along with Adams his work may not seem special to you.
I am not bashing Elson,
AZ
Build a Lookaround!
The Lookaround Book, 4Th ed.
Now an E-book.
http://www.panoramacamera.us
--
On the whole, human beings want to be good, but not too good, and not quite all the time.
George Orwell
