Feb. Portraits

[dazedgonebye]

No, just saying some things, as someone who has followed this forum for about six years, that really need to be said. I know that it won't be popular. I also know that a lot of serious photographers who used to participate here have taken a walk. There are a few left, but the forum is increasingly a hangout for amateurs who are mostly interested in running a mutual admiration society.

I have almost zero portrait experience. If ever I post something here, I hope it will draw constructive criticism.
In the mean time, can you suggest a source for more serious portraiture...so I can tell the difference?

[frank hoerauf]

Being a New Yorker I cant just sit by without adding my 2 cents. First I would like to say I enjoy all Gallis posts, I find his work interesting and helpful. To Mr R.E , I also find the work of Richard Avedon to be amazing, he really stood out in a industry of people trying to stand out. I had the pleasure of seeing his work at MOMA years back and ity was really impressive. However , how can you compare people to him and his work, he was on the top of the heap looking down thats for sure. For his Western portrait series , he shot over 17,000 sheets of film. Assuming that was all 8x10 , thats alot of bread. Consider out of those 17,000 images created over a six year period only 123 were chosen to be in the exhibit. Add to that he had several assistants helping out and setting up, developing, printing. Who here on this site has access to those kind of resources........?? I sure dont . I love photography, everyone here loves photography , that is the common thread here!! I have a portrait of my son on APUG, it may not be the best but it is one of my favorites. I would enjoy seeing portraits by R.E , positive critisism is always welcomed here, negative critisism is not productive and just creates a bad atmosphere that most of us dont appreciate.

[Oren Grad]

The problem isn't the long forgotten lenses. The problem is that they are an excuse for work that isn't going anywhere. Like almost everything that gets posted in these portrait threads.

It's hard to believe that people don't see the difference in quality between serious portraiture and what is posted in these threads. Maybe it's me, maybe there is some artistic quality to what people post month after month that I am missing. Honestly, to me almost all of it comes off as really bad work that should be recognised by the people who make it as bad work, and that isn't made better by the fact that it was done with a large format camera and/or a 100 year old lens instead of a cell phone.

Mencken comes to mind:

"Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy."

[Paul Metcalf]

Steve,

Fine. I'll follow Pellegrin and Avedon and Strand and Newman, you follow the gear and info on lens technology.

Now don't we ALL "follow gear and info on lens technology" every now and then ??? http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ad.php?t=26119

[jb7]

Anyone have any idea what the hypocritical distance of a 10" Wollensak Veritar is?

[Steve M Hostetter]

lol

[Mick Noordewier]

Cheefully and unwittingly contributing my self-evaluated gear-obsessed amateur junk.

GVII/150mm Sironar-N/HP5+/HC110

[EdWorkman]

Trolls abound
Yes I too lament that fact this isn't a site for stultifying ramblecrap, but a place where folks actually enjoy taking pictures, sharing enthusiasm. Gosh there just MUST be a place where one can go to suck on sugar cubes and talk without moving their lower jaw and make up longwinded , er, ramblecrap, about the REAAALLLLY meaning of a photo that if one can't "see' the hidden madeup meaning then one is unworthy of , well, life as a cool person- wait now I remember something about a suit . Yes, r.e.- what is it about not using a real name- knows where to go and what to do upon arrival for what he she it is looking for and it's obviously not here, so why whine about it here?
Stay cheerful.

[Mark Sawyer]

Galli, has it ever occurred to you that you have never posted anything that isn't about a lens? Have you noticed that there is never, ever any discussion about your stuff as portraiture, as distinct from "there's a trick that I can do"? Seriously, and it isn't just you.

Well, Jim, if it's any consolation, we were looking at some of your portraits in my class a while back, and these made a few kids cry. I remember a pretty poignant thread about it somewhere here on the forum...

http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Do...ortaiture.html

"Never posted anything that isn't about a lens" my arse...

[Pete Watkins]

Mick,
You've just made r.e. look a total pratt (this is a quaint old English phrase often used to describe contemptable nerds who express opinions beneath comptempt). We allknow what it means over here.
Jim it's time for a few more postings.
Pete.