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[OM] Re: Jeff Bridges as film Photographer

Subject: [OM] Re: Jeff Bridges as film Photographer
From: W Shumaker <om4t@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 10:18:00 -0400
Yeah, but it just don't sound the same as my vinyl .... whoops, we've
already had that discussion. Better not disturb the sleeping dogs. Not
that people on this list are dogs, I mean, you know... nothing
personal. shhhh back to sleep....

I'm convinced that I can do a lot with my E-1 and am thoroughly
enjoying it. Much more than I thought I would. It handles well, shoots
well, and I even like the viewfinder (which I thought I wouldn't). But
when I'm in the mode of taking pictures I don't think just setting a
curve in the camera to emulate a certain film will work for my brain.
(I don't hypnotize well either). I mostly shoot in raw mode and do what
I want later. I will almost always choose the maximum quality settings,
just bumping up to higher ISO when necessary. The minor amount of post
processing on the computer is not an issue for me. Whatever the camera
settings, it is digital, I can shoot until my memory card is full, off
load, shoot some more and more and more...

On the film front, I shoot mostly slide film because I scan it. I
rarely get prints done the way I like them, usually too much contrast.
But simply putting the film in the camera creates a different
experience that affects my seeing in the moment. And George noted there
is satisfaction in that. Photography is an experiential medium. As
Nubar Alexanian has said, all photos are about the subject, photography
and the photographer. The photographer is an integral part of the
photo. The photos Jeff Bridges take, only he can take. Now that said,
does it make a difference if that macro shot was taken in the midst of
a swarm of mosquitos? and was it satisfying? :-) What was the
experience of the photographer at the moment a photo is taken? Jeff
Bridges mentions the feelings that come back to him when viewing the
proof sheets. Clearly for him then, he is an integral part of the photo
because he is able to capture some of his emotional experience in the
photo. Which of our own photos do we like the most? How do we best
capture the way a subject makes us feel? And can our photo convey that
to others? Perhaps a tope subject - take a photo that conveys the way
we feel, not just convey a feeling, but convey our own feeling.

OK, enough gobbledygook. I'm not posting to the list again until I have
a photo to share. ... OK here are some E-1 shots of one of my favorite
subjects (available for a short time):

http://www.zuik.net/E1/Flash_fl40_7102957.jpg
http://www.zuik.net/E1/f1_7062791.jpg
http://www.zuik.net/E1/f2_7062792.jpg

These would probably be different if take with the OM. But maybe they
were more likely to have been taken because they are digital. These are
shot raw with standard conversion, then down sized. No other adjustments.

Wayne


At 01:40 AM 7/19/2004, you wrote:

>Well. It does depend on the film, doesn't it. If you shoot negatives 
>then in all likelihood you are depending on someone else to finish it 
>up and perfect it. The difference with digital is that you are more 
>likely to be doing it yourself. Why would you feel less of a 
>photographer then? Shooting color reversal film is different because 
>processing is for the most part standardized and you are proving with 
>each shot how well you use the camera with that film. If that is more 
>satisfying I don't see why you cannot set your camera one way and print 
>directly out of the camera. Lots of FujiFilm Pro users do that since 
>their JPEG files are such high quality and the color settings can 
>approximate different film types. At least with a Nikon(I don't know 
>about others) you can load a particular film curve into the camera and 
>shoot just like you are used to and forget about Photoshop except for 
>printing.
>
>
>Winsor
>Long Beach, CA
>USA
>On Jul 18, 2004, at 8:05 AM, ClassicVW@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
>> Wayne, exactly my experience too. I guess, since we have all sorts of
>> computer editing available to get the image "perfect" after the fact; 
>> consciously or unconsciously, we aren't paying as much attention while
>> shooting off  images with our digitals as we do when shooting film.
>> That may be one of the  big reasons shooting digital just doesn't
>> satisfy me like shooting film does. Basically, in 50 words or less
>> - When shooting with the E-10 I feel I'm less of a photographer and
>> more of a computer nerd. When shooting with the OMs, 
>> _I'm_ the one getting it right, (hopefully) not the electronics 
>> inside the computer.
>>
>> George S.


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