Is Majoli shooting with a Holga now?

Okay, allow me to throw off the cloak of humility just a bit: I like to think that some of my work is an attempt, sometimes a bit more clumsily than other times, to reach towards Art. But there's good art and bad art, IMO. Where my work falls I leave to others, but I'm trying to make an effort at something (some of the time, anyway), and to say otherwise, IMO, smacks of pretension of yet another kind.


- Barrett
 
I get excited by looking at photos that say something to me, or there is an indication that the photographers is trying to say something.

So, my dream is to be able to say something with my photos.
 
Keith said:
I can't always disagreee with what you say NH3 but your abrasive approach certainly is gaining you some recognition. A few before you reached their peaks in this particular arena just before they were banned! :p
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In the words of Friedrich Nietzsche,

"...the secret for harvesting from existence the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment is - to live dangerously."


 
Nh3 said:
I get excited by looking at photos that say something to me, or there is an indication that the photographers is trying to say something.

So, my dream is to be able to say something with my photos.
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Bingo. So, where's the problem here?


- Barrett
 
I reviewed a large % of the photos in the OP link. It was like watching a remake of an old movie. Not bad but uninspiring and I wondered why they bothered. Going into harm's way to take the same pictures of war that have been taken time and again going back to Brady. Going into inner cities to take pictures of wounded in hospitals that could be in Chicago or a NY ghetto. Maybe we, at least me, are saturated with the same thing. If you want to do photo art, stay home and take photos of the cat or the flower pot.
Just my sour opinion.
While I'm at it, I hate these threads where opinions are offered, shot down, criticized, insulted and belittled. Feel free to do the same to mine, I guess.
 
amateriat said:
Bingo. So, where's the problem here?


- Barrett
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I mentioned in my previous posts that I consider photography to be a craft rather than an art.

IMO a photographer, especially a photojournalist's main responsibility is to "say something" with his photos, and say it as simply and clearly as possible.
 
Ducky: Believe it or not, I think these exchanges do serve a purpose, in the service of expanding, debating, and exploring topics like these, which either sharpen or challenge one's POV. It's not always stirring the pot for the hell of it (thought that happens here as well). I like to think there's been a healthy (and vigorous) back-and-forth in this thread, and I've been eager to hear all points of view here. It can get out of hand at times, but ultimately, it's the only way to move forward.


- Barrett
 
I checked out the link before I read all these posts. There are a lot of great photos in that series, some really wonderful photos, a lot of them "spoke" to me. Then I came back to this thread and couldn't believe the discussion going on. I feel like we are in the thirties and discussing if HCB's work is really art or just a childish play with a new gadget made by Leica, which can't produce real photos anyway.

And about this pretentious artists: every time someone is consciously composing a shot he/she is being "artistic".
 
Nh3 said:
I get excited by looking at photos that say something to me, or there is an indication that the photographers is trying to say something.

So, my dream is to be able to say something with my photos.
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That, to me, is the essence of photography; I applaud this.

When I started out, my craft sucked (obviously), and I really had very little direction to my work. One day my tutor saw a photo I had made and he was really struck ... he asked me to look at it again and think about the symbolism. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, and I was transported. Not that it was a great photograph, but that it had a level of meaning that I hadn't really thought about. But someone else saw it right away. When he pointed it out and it clicked, that was my epiphany.

The lesson was that the craft and technique are the tools, the object (for me) is to react with my gut and heart, not just my head. It is a meditative type of exercise. Just my opinion.
 
Nh3 said:
I mentioned in my previous posts that I consider photography to be a craft rather than an art.

IMO a photographer, especially a photojournalist's main responsibility is to "say something" with his photos, and say it as simply and clearly as possible.
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You can't say something with craft alone.
 
Ray Nalley said:
The problem with having a "name" is that people seem to become non-critical of your stuff.

<shrug> We all have different tastes.
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YUP... when it comes to these types of photos, the most appropriate 4-letter acronym seems to be IMHO.
 
Ray Nalley said:
"And the issue with the flare, are you serious?"

Yes, I'm serious. The flair seems deliberate. He's a Magnum photographer. He can afford a camera with lenses that don't flare out the photos in those situations.
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I have a hard time deciphering the intention behind your comment- I want to believe you are joking but I have a terrible, catastrophic feeling that you are serious.

This thread sums up the state of photography rather nicely: A group of caveman shooting rangefinders in the dark of a cave while 'people with holgas' discuss new ideas in the warmth of a fire outside.

New ideas- what a novel concept.

The world changes and photography responds. These photos by Majoli demonstrate that perfectly.

Next you'll tell me the snapshot aesthetic is just a fad that came about for no explainable reason whatsoever.
 
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