| Philosophy of Photography Taking pics is one thing, but understanding why we take them, what they mean, what they are best used for, how they effect our reality -- all of these and more are important issues of the Philosophy of Photography. One of the best authors on the subject is Susan Sontag in her book "On Photography." |
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interesting observation... |
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09-26-2012
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#1
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ɹoʇɐɹǝpoɯ moderator
back alley is offline
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: canada
Age: 62
Posts: 34,667
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interesting observation...
sitting in my 'computer' room...at the computer...surrounded by gear of all sorts...batteries and chargers, headphones, iphone, flashlights, knives, speakers, cameras, lenses, bags...
on the wall in front of me are 4 photographs, in frames and hanging...when i get tired i put my head back and just stare...sometimes at the 4 images...they are rejects from the 'good' walls where my 'better' images hang for my world to view.
they aren't bad per say but they are special to me.
to my right is a shot in black and white of the handball park in nyc that i used to hang out at...as a kid. i took it years later as a young adult visiting my home town.
further right is a colour shot of 2 kids throwing a frisbee...it's a good action type shot, caught a good moment...to the left of my direct view is a shot of a knife embedded into a wood table, a coffee cup and a magazine, shot while camping many, many eyars ago...far right a steamed up window with a smudged space that looks like a gun shape.
these 4 shots represent different times and aspects of my life...city, country, places i've lived or loved...in short they represent some very precious memories...
funny thing...i never think about the gear that was used to shoot them.
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09-26-2012
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#2
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Registered User
bugmenot is offline
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 356
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What I shoot my images with, or have done so for years only matter at the time of shooting (or before it) ... afterwards, it is a moment captured in time ... preserved. It is only what was captured and what it meant to me that matters ... not the gear it was captured with.
Of course, that doesn't dissuade me from lusting over gear and discussing it all the time for some reason :/
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09-27-2012
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#3
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Stewart McBride
Sparrow is offline
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The passage of time adds perspective I always think ... one no longer cares as much about the technical details of photos from the 70's, and they didn't matter that much anyway at f8
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Regards Stewart
Stewart McBride
My  ... mostly the chaff ... these are a bit better ... 
You’re only young once, but one can always be immature.
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09-27-2012
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#4
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eclipse
robklurfield is offline
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: New Jersey, USA
Age: 53
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Simply reading this post made me feel good.
Also, I did not realize that you're a NYC expat. (Do you miss it?)
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09-27-2012
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#5
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Antti Sivén
Rogrund is online now
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Lund, Sweden
Age: 45
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Thanks for sharing these thoughts. Great post!
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09-27-2012
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#6
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Registered User
paulfish4570 is offline
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nice, joe, very nice ...
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Paul
i seek to photograph the things not seen.
" ... faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11-1
"One eye sees. The other eye feels." - Paul Klee
"... For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." - apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians, 4:18
"Film will only become art when it's materials are as inexpensive as pencil and paper." - Jean Cocteau
http://blackcreekjournal.blogspot.com/
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09-27-2012
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#7
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Registered User
Stelios is offline
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Location: Greece.
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Can't see said photos (on said wall) *hint hint*  |
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09-27-2012
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#8
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Registered User
Gumby is offline
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,533
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I totally understand and can relate to this one!
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With kind regards, ed.
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09-27-2012
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#9
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Registered User
oftheherd is offline
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,294
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I don't obsess over gear used to take a photo, but like above, am ready to discuss it at the drop of a hat.
There have been times when I thought of a photo I wanted to take with certain gear; ultra-wide lens, or 6x7 or 4x5.
No matter the above, I am a bit of a hoarder, but that I guess is a separate part of my brain. I don't much associate a photo with the gear unless I 'saw' the photo with certain gear such as wide angle.
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09-27-2012
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#10
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Registered User
dasuess is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by back alley
funny thing...i never think about the gear that was used to shoot them.
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Amen, brother...
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"You can't count on others to think or see for you." David Vestal, The Craft of Photography
David A. Suess
EM-5: 12/f2, 17/f1.8, 45/f1.8
EP-2: 17/f2.8
Nikon F: 35/f2, 55/f3.5 Micro, 85/f1.8
http://DavidSuessImages.com
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09-27-2012
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#11
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Registered User
johnwolf is offline
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 196
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A beautiful sentiment, nicely expressed. Thanks.
John
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09-27-2012
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#12
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Moderator
jsrockit is offline
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: NYC
Age: 39
Posts: 11,722
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Quote:
Originally Posted by back alley
funny thing...i never think about the gear that was used to shoot them.
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Yes, this is true. Never thougth of it that way. On purpose I do not keep track of which camera / lens made which photos. Once you are dealing with the photo, it no longer matters (to me at least). However, when I'm out photographing... I'm a stickler for ergonomics and am very picky. It's funny how images can work on so many different levels. There are times when I use a "bad" photo because it works. 
The funny thing about GAS is that I have it always, but am not interested in trying many things these days... so I keep looking around, thinking I want something, but then ultimately talking myself out of buying (due to my track record of buying and selling). |
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09-27-2012
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#13
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Social Documentary
kxl is offline
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Sunny SoCal
Posts: 1,414
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Nice post - made me think of the "The Times of your Life" Kodak TV commercials from the 70's.
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Keith
My website
"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”
― Ansel Adams
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09-27-2012
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#14
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ɹoʇɐɹǝpoɯ moderator
back alley is offline
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Location: canada
Age: 62
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thanks for the kind comments...i sometimes have to live with melancholia for brief periods and it makes me much more reflective...i used to be embarrassed about having/showing a softer side but age removes such things, for me at least.
__________________
heart soul and a camera
flickr
x-pro1...x-e1...8...14...18...27...35...60
rx100
"learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist"
pablo picasso
...it is very simple to be happy, but it is very difficult to be simple...
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09-27-2012
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#15
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eclipse
robklurfield is offline
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: New Jersey, USA
Age: 53
Posts: 14,950
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age, the greater burnisher and polisher of patina. you wear yours well.
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09-27-2012
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#16
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ɹoʇɐɹǝpoɯ moderator
back alley is offline
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: canada
Age: 62
Posts: 34,667
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robklurfield
Simply reading this post made me feel good.
Also, I did not realize that you're a NYC expat. (Do you miss it?)
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i do miss it...but i am likely missing a city that would be harder to recognize than the one i left.
i go back for visits occasionally.
__________________
heart soul and a camera
flickr
x-pro1...x-e1...8...14...18...27...35...60
rx100
"learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist"
pablo picasso
...it is very simple to be happy, but it is very difficult to be simple...
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09-27-2012
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#17
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Registered User
grantb is offline
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Olympia, Washington USA
Posts: 70
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only when a photo is printed
it becomes a thing on its own
independent of gear
achieving a state of finality
of full existence
before that
it is inside a negative
or computer
a part of the gear
beholden to gear
the potential of an image
waiting inside a tool
to shed its exif
to become its positive self
to be full born
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