"You obviously missed the point in my post. Choosing a first digital camera
based on 10fps (E-100RS) vs. image quality (E-10/20) was my point. It's that
blast as many frames as possible and "produce photographs" on the light
box/editing table mentality that draws people to the wunderbricks." (Mike
Veglia)
Well, that's what I was thinking, but not what I said, as I perceived this
gentleman as one of the less craft oriented photographers.
Our hobby/profession has inexorably moved toward quantity since the
introduction of roll film. That's not necessarily bad, but it does have some
bad effects. In any sports photography, a certain amount of quantity is
necessary to get the job done, but in this day of wonderbricks, the point
and shoot mentality is getting out of hand. As I have pointed out
repeatedly, autofocus, autoexposure, and motor drives are not essential for
fine photographs, in situations like sports and war. Simply look at the
results of photographers in older times. Plenty of good sports photos were
shot in the fifties with Rolleis and Pentax spotmatics. Look at the stuff
from Viet Nam, shot with Nikon F's and SP's. Look at the stuff from WWII,
shot with even larger format cameras.
There is the common thought that, by letting the photographer concern
him/herself with composition and defining the "Decisive moment" (there's
another subject for debate), and letting the camera do the technical stuff,
better art will prevail. That's simply a load of crap. Certainly, there are
fine photographs, where the composition/subject/situation transcends poor
technique, but any artist needs to be well versed in the techniques of his
medium. You simply cannot give over the technical basis of your art to an
engineer or a machine. Can you imagine a painter not understanding the
basics of how to paint? I assure you that, although I have a degree in
applied music, it is my insufficient dedication to the technique of clarinet
playing that has prevented you from seeing my picture on an album cover, not
my ability to play musically.
I'll bet a roll of film that this guy is a numbers man, fighting a war of
attrition.
Bill Pearce
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