That's odd. When America saved England from being a German speaking country I don't recall the English having any trouble with American language skills.Originally Posted by Steve Smith
That's odd. When America saved England from being a German speaking country I don't recall the English having any trouble with American language skills.
Brian Ellis
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
I'm not English either....
By your logic we should all be speaking Russian right now.
As a cellist, I know what long hours of practice mean to me. It's thinking technically and musically at the same time. The technique is the means to actuate expression, and it takes very deliberate control of bow and fingers to accomplish what one decides to do creatively. It's rarely mindless because one must listen critically and attentively to what one is doing and adjust technically as necessary. I agree with Eugene that one cello suite, practiced in that way, is quite exhausting and enough of Bach for one day.
With my photographs the practice involves continuing to examine them and, over time, reevaluating their success or lack thereof. I have no qualms about reprinting a negative with significant changes over time if I believe the idea was a good one, and just needs to be better realized. It's an evolution that is similar to the way one considers a piece of music and makes new discoveries with continued examination.
The experience gained informs new photographs, and new music as well.
Last edited by John Voss; 23-Jun-2011 at 14:50.
From Paul Taylor, founder and artistic director of the Paul Taylor Dance Company on inspiration:
“I don't believe in it. People think some muse comes down and strikes. Well, making a dance is just plain work like anything else. The inspiration is the deadline.”
Work at the craft and develop a mindset to keep improveing. This applies to photography as much as any other art form.
Wally Brooks
Everything is Analog!
Any Fool Can Shoot Digital!
Any Coward can shoot a zoom! Use primes and get closer.
Bruce,
It seems you read no better than you write. I never wrote that I don't practice, I simply objected to the absolute either/ or terms of your characterization of what practice is for photographers. Practice need not be limited to either mechanical aspects, or artistic ones; there's a whole world of technical, though not particularly mechanical, or artistic aspects of the photographic process, which also can be mastered with practice. We agree that practice is important, but that's the limit of our agreement. I disagree with your premise that photographers don't feel the need to practice, and with your other broad generalizations and assumptions about photographers, and with your claims about how photographers should and do practice. That's a lot of disagreement. You were never interested in an honest discussion, but only in presenting your poorly considered "insights" about how practicing photography should be more like practicing cello, or piano, or painting, even if your "insights" are completely devoid of any consideration of the differences in these varied media. You seem to share a common fallacy that photographers might be more artistic if they more closely mimicked the practices of arts with older traditions. You simply couldn't be more wrong.
One of the reasons I post here so rarely is that I simply can't stand the bickering that seems to arise so often. When is the last time anyone witnessed somebody actually change their mind, or apologize and recant. Who cares if you're disagreed with? It's all so petty and stupid. And please, if you don't agree with me, say so happily. I will absolutely let it ride. I really don't give a rat's rump, because I know you don't either.
Intelligent, civil conversations do not proceed as this one has for too large a part.
I also studied Music in the past not really succesfull, started much to late to really workout every day;--)))
But I know quite a few stars in the music business which did practice every day during there studys around 7-8 hours a day, till they where the best on the instruments!
By name Branimir Slokar Trombone
Lang Lang Piano
Maurice André Trumpet
and many more of course!
There I know from a written interview with Maurice André he got asked have you been more talented then others?
He sayed no not really I think 95% is and has always be hard work and only 5% is talent. But I tell you in times at the music conservatorium in Paris when my study friends talked about talent etc. I just went home for exercising on my trumpet!
To exercise is and will never be a bad idea!
My two cts. Armin
John,
I do apologize, and recant, if I feel I've unintentionally offended someone or have crossed a line of civility (and I've done so recently). I don't apologize every time I disagree with someone, or every time I offend someone, or I'd do little else. Some people are easily offended, but I assume someone who posts a thread titled, "Another article to irritate people", is thicker-skinned than most, and can take what he doesn't mind dishing out.
As for my original criticism of the thread's premise, it seems to be borne out by the posters here, all of whom do feel the need to practice, by whatever method they choose. It's a silly, insubstantial article, in my opinion, but worse, it's offensive to photographers in its claims about our discipline and expectations. Others who feel compelled to praise the article, or its author must do so with the belief they are not the photographers characterized in the article, but exceptions, like the author himself. At best, the author is preaching to the choir, but more to the point, he misses his own by creating a fictional photographer audience to persuade, and by failing to think through the very issues he pretends to have pondered.
Bruce,
I'd like to credit you and re-print this on the blog I am using for my photography classes I'm teaching this summer.
Photo at UVU, Summer 2011
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