Worst Photographic Buzzword

[Kevin Crisp]

"Seeing," as in "There's nothing wrong with your seeing."

This is the opposite, apparently, of: "You don't look too good."

[bigdog]

If a train stops at a train station,
and a bus stops at a bus station,
what happens at a workstation?

photography forums

[John Voss]

"archival" It's used to suggest the thing will last forever, but that's not the actual meaning of the word which has entirely to do with being stored or collected. The piece of paper may be archived, but it may also decay.

I propose "steeljacketedbulletproof" instead!

[Robbie Shymanski]

[QUOTE=John Voss;705604]"archival" It's used to suggest the thing will last forever, but that's not the actual meaning of the word which has entirely to do with being stored or collected. The piece of paper may be archived, but it may also decay.

"Archival" is a good one because it begs the question if the work is worth preserving in the first place. If the work is good, let future generations worry about an ideal state for the piece.

[Robert Brummitt]

"Shoot, Shot, Shooting."

I know, I know it's an old thing. But this last week it really hit home with me.
I work in the Shriners Hospital, Portland Oregon as a photographer. I photograph the patients as they come in for their visits.

I had a mom, grand dad and a little boy come into the studio. The boy was all happy and smiles. he looked at all the studio lights and our blue background while I prepared.
Then he asked his folks, "What's going to happen here?"
"He's going to shoot your photo." replied his mom. And then the boy started to cry and get up set. "What's up, little man?" his grand dad asked. "I don't want to get shot!" was the answer.
I then turned around and showed him the camera and he got better. That and two hot wheels and he was a happy boy again.
It's like at NASA when a rocket takes flight. The count down and it's "Lift off" not Blast off.

[Sirius Glass]

Or maybe its Sirius Gas or even Scurrilous Ass

Gee, kev finally had an original thought!

[rdenney]

In the midst of the kvetching about whether a buzzword can be a legitimate description of something useful, I feel the need to defend my contribution.

Sharpness means something to most of us. But it does not mean anything to most photographers. Yet they use the word to defend why they have spent bazillions of dollars on their fancy lenses.

How many who have posted in other forums statements such as "it's so sharp it will cut you", have never made a photograph using a tripod? How many demonstrate the truth of their statement with a 900-pixel-wide web display?

I know what sharpness means to me, and I know it is well used when someone describes a lens that is sharp enough to meet a stated standard. But that doesn't mean it isn't a buzzword--a word that sounds technical and has become overused.

Rick "my lenses are sharper than yours" Denney

[Robert Skeoch]

I never liked the term "available light". I think what's available depends on how many lights you own, or can rent.
Existing Light makes way more sense. At least that's what Arnold Newman told me, and he used available light all the time.
-Rob

[rdenney]

I never liked the term "available light". I think what's available depends on how many lights you own, or can rent.
Existing Light makes way more sense. At least that's what Arnold Newman told me, and he used available light all the time.
-Rob

Some wedding photography book I read talked about how a young photographer working as a side man sniffed a bit when the old pro described how he kept studio lights and a big flash in his location kit. "I only use available light," said the young'un.

Replied the voice of experience, "If you had flash equipment in the trunk of your car, it would be available."

Rick "whose flash was worth twice his camera during his wedding-shooting days" Denney

[E. von Hoegh]

[QUOTE=Robbie Shymanski;705697]

"archival" It's used to suggest the thing will last forever, but that's not the actual meaning of the word which has entirely to do with being stored or collected. The piece of paper may be archived, but it may also decay.

"Archival" is a good one because it begs the question if the work is worth preserving in the first place. If the work is good, let future generations worry about an ideal state for the piece.

Yep. There's a downside, which is that dreck will be preserved for posterity.

Collodion plates seem pretty long lived, but they were such a bear to make that most were pretty well thought out. I think.