What is the correct way to express aperture and focal length?

[Steve Smith]

Rick "whose language skills are largely driven by what sounds right" Denney

That's the French method!


Steve.

[jcoldslabs]

So what about making the term "still life" plural? I assume "still lifes" is correct, but it sounds odd.

Jonathan

[rdenney]

So what about making the term "still life" plural? I assume "still lifes" is correct, but it sounds odd.

Jonathan

Adopting my usual "sounds right" standard, I would not use it as a plural noun. Instead, I'd turn it into an adjective and make the noun it modifies the plural, such as "still life photographs" or "still life paintings".

Rick "only partly successful at weeding out stilted language" Denney

[jcoldslabs]

"The still life photographs of Edward Weston," or, "Edward Weston's still lifes."

I can't decide which sounds less cumbersome. (Rick, I'm not disagreeing with you, just trying to put theory into practice.)

Jonathan

[Ian David]

Fowler is pretty emphatic that still lifes is correct I also think it sounds fine in this particular context.
Luckily the octopus doesn't come up that often in photography...

[rdenney]

"The still life photographs of Edward Weston," or, "Edward Weston's still lifes."

I can't decide which sounds less cumbersome. (Rick, I'm not disagreeing with you, just trying to put theory into practice.)

Jonathan

Or, "Edward Weston's still life photographs."

But, of course, the problem with the "sound right" standard is that everyone's ears have received different training.

Rick "glad Weston's name doesn't end in 's'" Denney