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Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 20:24:39 -0800
To: 
From: Carl Cook 
Subject: Re: Things I've Learned
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I'm glad someone decided to comment on some of these. I recommend getting 
the magazine for the full list. I'll just comment on a couple of your 
comments and leave room for others --


>  Cl> 4. No amount of darkroom work can make up for a badly exposed or
>  Cl> composed negative. (This includes Photoshop work. ed)
>
>  Dunno on that one Carl.  New rule is expose for the highlights, let
>  PhotoShop handle the shadows. Even with a scanned negative, you find
>  things in there you can't handle in the darkroom.
>
My own comment here is that I think this statement applies equally to the 
digital darkroom. Your final image will only be as good as what went into 
the original. A piece of junk photo will still be garbage after all the 
special effects and "correction' is applied. If it had nothing going in, it 
won't have any coming out -- or as the old saying goes, "Garbage in, 
garbage out." A good image starts "up here," not in the
camera or in the 
computer.



>  The most important thing one can get from a workshop is additional
>  friends with whom to discuss your common interest.

I agree here. Last night, the local newspaper sponsored their first Photo 
Night. As one of their shooters is the NPPA regional director, he invited 
the new Photographer of the Year from the region (Oregon, Washington, 
Alaska, British Columbia) who dazzled us, and I do mean dazzled with his 
slide presentation. An AP photographer from Seattle brought the latest 
award winners from their competition, and a couple of former interns showed 
their latest work. Invited guests included not only editorial shooters, but 
a couple of commercial photographers and some members of the local camera 
club. In other words it was open to all. What a great night it was. 
Everyone came out feeling good about what they heard and saw -- and felt 
most definitely inspired by the Photographer of the Year winner, whom I can 
truly say will go on my list as  one of those rare moments in my life (we 
all have hopefully a few) when I had a chance to meet and talk at length 
with someone who is truly great at what they do -- one of the monsters). 
Look him up, Drew Perine from the Tacoma News Tribune. They are hoping this 
gathering becomes a monthly event to take place at a newspaper or other 
suitable location somewhere here in the Northwest.


>  Cl> 9. The process of photography is more important then the product.
>
>  I disagree on this one.  The process being the mechanics of creating
>  an image for viewing by others.  Those folks who are wrapped up in the
>  process are the other end of the scale from the camera collector folks.
>  The folks who love the process are more than likely the same ones who
>  will spend hours adjusting their lawnmowers to idle at the slowest
>  possible speed, instead of just cutting the grass. For them the process
>  is the product. To most though, the product of the process is the photo
>  to be seen and hopefully enjoyed by others. To proudly say, look at the
>  great tonal range and fine grain I achieved with Pan-X shot at a ten
>  percent greater than rated ASA then developed in Microdol at a ten
>  degrees warmer temperature, when the picture itself has all the
>  interest of a taco burp, is missing the basic reason for photography.

I'll disagree here. I like the statement. To put it simply, If the process 
isn't more important, then the product won't be very good. Not talking 
about the nitpickers you mention above. Often their product doesn't equal 
their effort because process is why they are in the game. Has nothing to do 
with the statement -- just as collecting cameras (and not using them) has 
nothing to do with photography.

The statement can also be analogous to taking a road trip. The folks who 
will get the most out of the trip, who will become enriched by it, will 
carry the trip with them for the rest of their lives are the ones who 
travel for the journey and only worry about the destination when they get 
there.


>  Cl> 11. If your work looks like someone else's, ask yourself why and don't
>  Cl> answer right away. Think about this deeply. If you do, your work will
>  Cl> become better almost immediately.
>
>  Or even more like the person's who you are emulating.  To copy another
>  is the sincerest form of flattery.

It also shows a lack of imagination, and originality. -- unfortunately the 
condition of far, far too many picture takers.  For me, the greatest form 
of flattery would be if  someone were to tell me they felt inspired to go 
out and do their own thing -- and to get really good at it. But like it 
says, think about it deeply.

Remember, a mediocre teacher merely shows fact,figures and technique, a 
great teacher inspires one to find their own answers.




>  Cl> 12. It is easy to make a picture of someone and call it a portrait.
>  Cl> The  difficulty lies in making a picture that makes the viewer care
>  Cl> about a  stranger. (Paul Strand)
>
>  True, but then we are more often called upon to produce a picture of
>  someone than we are to produce a portrait.  To me a portrait is a
>  picture that speaks something about the personality of the person
>  pictured.  Something that is worthy of a 16 x 20 properly matted and
>  mounted in a heavy 20 x 24 frame.
>
>  Maybe we might start trying to make more portraits when the new
>  Epson 4000 printer at $1795 is available after the first of the year.
>  Printing 16 x 20 on the many different papers including real canvas,
>  with a 80 to 100 year lifetime is enough for me to change. Inkjet
>  printing with greater permanence than Cibichrome or even dye transfer.
>  Eight colors in 110 or 220 ml individual tanks for 70 (110ml) or 130
>  (220ml) bucks each is a great price for refills. If your metric is a
>  bit sloppy that's around 7 1/2 ounces or close to a half pint of ink at
>  220ml.  Looks like something in this room will have to go to make space
>  for a 3 x 5 foot printer.

But that big fancy schamncy printer won't make a "picture" into a 
"portrait." :)

>  Cl> 14. The scarier it is to make a photograph, the more likely to are to
>  Cl> learn.
>
>  I'm afraid that one goes right over my head.  Expand on it for me will
>  you?

Like everything else in life, if we confront our fears, we are better for 
it. For many photographers, the mere idea of going up to a stranger and 
asking it they can take a picture is like -- well, they would rather put 
their hand in a jar of black widow spiders, yet photojournalists, for 
example, do this on a daily basis. Many of them will tell you they had the 
same fear, and some still do. They have to tell themselves, OK, just go 
and, as Nike says, "Do it!"

Later, you feel much better, you've gotten the shot you wanted, maybe made 
a friend, and you will have -- yes, learned a whole lot. For myself, the 
years in broadcasting with countless on location remotes where you have to 
stop strangers for interviews was a terrific way to overcome the fear. 
Today, I can walk up to just about anyone and take their picture (or ask 
first depending on the situation), or just chew the fat with them. As easy 
as it seems, I still often have to stop first and think about it for a 
second -- but I know (and have had to) if need be  just jump in and do 
whatever needs to be done.


Inviting more to comment as I just sit back and watch -- :)   And learn.

Carl
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