New article: Confessions of a recovering magic bullet chaser

[Michael J. Kravit]

Tried Pyro, gave it up! Buy a Holga and enjoy.

[David Karp]

Very enjoyable article, very true as well. It seems we have all been there.

Interesting, I find that my desire for the equipment goodies increases during times when other committments (family, work) combine to reduce my photography time close to zero. The closer to zero it gets, the more I start day dreaming about a new lens (gotta love that glass), some other piece of equipment, or whether a different developer might wring something interesting out of the silver halides that my present developer cannot. The more time I spend photographing or in the darkroom, the less those thoughts enter my mind!

[William Blunt]

Years ago I read an article by I believe the late Fred Picker which goes right along with this thinking. No matter what combination of camera, lens, film, dev. paper, etc. that you are using somewhere out there are people using the exact same materials and producing work that would knock your socks off.

[bill everett]

I'm new to large format. I'm a proffessional musician, and I really appreciated this article. There are magic bullets in music, too, as I'm sure there are in all art forms. I tend to call the chasers of these bullets equipment geeks.

I think it boils down to one thing: technique is supposed to serve the artistic vision. Technique is important. We need technique to achieve the artistic vision we have in our head. But when the technique has become more important than the vision itself, that's when a line has been crossed.

[Graeme Hird]

I was considering this article while I was out walking between shots over the weekend. It struck me that everything I'm using now would have fallen into the "magic bullet" category ten years ago. A tripod, a large format camera, a spot/incedent meter, several lenses, Velvia film and scanner were all magic bullets when I bought them, though I now consider them to be integral to the way I work.

When does the "magic bullet" become the "indispensable tool"? I suppose when it really does improve the images we end up with.

Cheers, Graeme

[Steve Singleton]

Wish I had a dollar for every time someone asks, "Does that camera take good pictures?" I usually respond, "Depends where I'm pointing it," or, if the person asking is a friend, "Does your computer write good reports?" Never hurts to remind ourselves that we photographers often have feet of clay too. Great essay.

[Edward (Halifax,NS)]

I would be a magic bullet chaser if I had enough money. I would gladly have the latest wonder lens over my $40 Ebay special. That said, I agree that having someone show you how to make a good/great image with your equipment would help alot. That would eliminate much second guessing. Adams and Weston didn't have near the quality equipment that most of the posters here have. What they did have was that dumpster with tens of thousands of prints in it. I have maybe taken a thousand lousy pictures and only 30 or so have been with LF equipment. I have a long way to go.

[otzi]

Reminds me a bit of the time when as a 4 Wheel Drive instructor I was constantly asked 'what are the best tyes to get?' They would notice my car, a 110 Landrover, with road tyres and wonder. My reply that tyres were a lot less important that driving skill didn't always gell. I would ask if their car came with tyres and the affirmative reply let me to suggest that they be the tyres they continue to use untill experience itself would indicate a suitable replacement. Further doubt led me to offer a challenge that if they were to get stuck before me on the practical training day, they may wish to buy me the supper grippers. A challenge that was never taken on. The practical day soon proved the issue and there was invariably a noticable cessation of tyre talk.

I wonder if the same holds true here. Oh boy, I'm tempted at times but again experience, this time against myself proves invariably the wisdomlessness of impetuous decisions.

[David Brommer]

Wonderfull article. For ages I have sold gear from the worst (olden camera) to the best (B&H) camera stores across the states. Many a customer was shot by the Magic Bullet from my sales pad. Yes, I too fell just as prey when behind me was all the various calibres the bullet is made of. Such a delightfull firing squad to be facing, M6's to Horseman to Blad-o-matics to Minox to screw mount to RF to Zeiss and to the everpresent "used" cabinets promissing instant execution of wallet and heart.

The bullet of lens and darkroom are present, but what of the bullet of studio light technique? Pyro becomes simple chemistry when compared to designing a lighting set.

We as photographers must learn to sometimes take the bullet for sake of learning its message of passage.

Againe, wonderfull article.

[Steve Arnott]

I've just rekindled my interest in photography after being away from it for about twenty years. What's all this hype about pyro??? Ain't that the stuff that turns your fingernails brown?

I agree with most of the points in the article, but the biggest waste of time is spending countless hours printing and reprinting a piece of junk negative that never should have made it past the contact sheet. Many people become enamored of the tools and the process, but sadly, have nothing to say, and therefore, nothing worth printing.

I read the other day of the passing of Fred Picker, just over two years ago. Sad news, indeed. Picker's approach to photography was a good approach to life in general. I've thought of him often over the years that I didn't touch a camera. I'm saddened to think he's no longer with us.