Almost anything can be made to be rocket science. There are times its perfectly justified. If it increases the understanding of a given subject, it might be worth it. I completely agree we often forget basic math. I wasn't even allowed to use a calculator in school for many things. Then again I am old enough that they didn't exist when I was learning basic math and as Jethro Bodine says my gozintas. I actually learned to do basic math on a slide rule if that tells you anything. My experience is most of the best problem solving is done with KISS (keep it simple stupid) as a guide.
Interesting you pulled the air to air analogy. I used to do aerial photography, (though not in a very long time) but turned down air to air without hesitation. Too many people made it too easy to end up 6 feet down. Yes someone wrote the chart, but the chart might have been developed by trial and error and proven later by math. Id be curious to know. Yes he could follow the chart, or maybe they developed the chart, but technology has a way of making things obsolete in a practical sense. In fact is either practically important with 2 minutes and the photoshop blur tool??? Does that make the math more or less important??
In my college days we spent hours and hours listening to baroque music. Professors played drop the needle on records and we had to identify piece, composer and where in the piece it happened to fall. Now understanding the impact of baroque music on music development is definitely important. Knowing whether a 30 second bit of sound is Handel or JS Bach for the vast majority of music majors isn't. Now I am far more likely to listen to PDQ Bach. Google him and enjoy. Yet the time spent to be able to know you can deal with drop the needle on a 6 inch thick stack of 33 1/3 albums was time I could have used better.
Now like most things in life, balance is the key. I have seen people that went to colleges that were not much more than high priced vocational schools, and I have seen people that attended schools that were so involved in theory that when put in the real world they could find their backside with both hands.
Now Andy be thankful they give you the opportunity to make the judgement. Many fields finding a book that's any good is tough. Andy you have a unique set of skills and I'll end this with one piece of advise.
Write the book yourself and sell it. You might be surprised at how valuable the resource could be.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: f number adjustment to increase light level
From: ADavidhazy <andpph@xxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, January 21, 2011 1:42 pm
To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students
<photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
I will admit that probably none of the students in my class will ever
need to figure out what the f number should be for an X factor increase
or decrease in illumination on a scene. Doing this little exercise is
one way to emphasize that solutions to seemingly insurmountable
questions are often possible and not everything is "rocket science". I
am fortunate that I don't have to teach "to the book". It would be great
if they could "write the book"!
OTOH not all answers are readily available. Interestingly whenever we
have a simple photo math problem or question the first thing they reach
for is a calculator. That is OK. But should they need a calculator to
add 17 and 14?? Education, especially university education, should open
the mind to dealing with unforeseen problems and situations. IMHO.
This reminds me of a situation where I was dealing with some government
air-to-air photographers and "explaining" how one would determine the
exposure time required to "stop" motion in certain situations. When I
was done, so to speak, one bloke piped up and said: "You know, all this
is fine but on the back of my camera I have pasted a chart that tells me
what shutter speed to use for a given air-to-air situation. I set my
shutter there and my photos always come out just right." To which I
replied that he was totally correct and I would do exactly what he had
done. In the heat of the moment it is not the time to start to fiddle
with numbers - use the chart, man!.
But who wrote the chart? Where did the numbers come from? It will be the
mark of an educated person the one who is not dependent on charts push
come to shove and is able to figure out answers on their own if needed.
So I do not disagree with you - there is room for all views I am sure.
Andy
mark@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> It maybe a part of the technical knowledge required of a photo student, but I have a question. Why???
>
> It's one thing colleges seem to forget. Yes it might win you a beer on a bar bet, but how does that knowledge make one better in any function of photography? How does knowing the math make one better at their craft? College is expensive and college time is precious. So to quote Thomas Jefferson, we should "question with boldness" why something is in the coursework, and if it can't be justified it should be eliminated.
>
> Is that obscure use that might never come to the vast majority of the students, worth the time when only maybe one or two students will ever find themselves needing the information? Is there other information that would better suit a students needs?
>
> You may or may not feel such math is justified. I knew a lot of college professors that taught material because that's what they had to teach. It was part of the system and if you got them away from school they would admit better things could have been done with the time. If they wanted tenure, they better teach the expected material. Frankly Id rather see photo students learn about enlargers and light meters, but then again its just my view and everyone is entitled to their own.
