Photographers Oath to swear in Basic Photo Students.

[Ric Johnson]

As a photography instructor myself, I start my class with: 1) Since I'm sharing my experience & knowledge, both artistically and technically, to provide you with the skills you need and ask for, I expect you to do the same whether it's with the other students in this class or on the street. 2) I will never critique your work as baseless or ask "why do you photograph stupid crap". 3) Pleasing your eye if the key when taking or printing the subjects you photographed. 4) Don't worry if people don't like the photographs they are viewing. 5) Tell me (and others) your vision.

[paulr]

There are two types of photographers: The ones who relentlessly seek their personal vision and those who only want young women to take their shirts off. Don't be the wrong type!

Attachment 87379

Maybe add that if the young woman takes off her shirt not because you promised her fame as a model, but because your black and white photograph of kelp and driftwood elicited states of ecstacy, then it's ok.

[BrianShaw]

Just mushing something together.......

You may have missed a couple of critical words: do hearby; solemnly; heretofore; hereafter; (swear) or affirm; hearsay; with total disregard for format or film size; crop (the action verb); ... and through the mystical influence of St. Ansel and all of the photographic dieties.

[Robert Langham]

Good catch! Need to add something about not polluting the photosphere with un-artfully arranged pixels of puppies and babies..

RJ: I just tell 'em "what happens in Basic photo, STAYS in Basic Photo.....and that this is vaulable instruction that they PAID USDs to get. So here it comes.

[Robert Langham]

I, _________do solemnly swear,___________ of my own free will and without compulsion, to image to the limits of my imagination, to Nikon and cellphone with abandon, freedom and respect, to download, darkroom, share and question my perceptions and process in a relentless pursuit of two-dimensional excellence and revelation. I further hereafter affirm that I will edit, photoshop, crop and delete so as to strengthen and not pollute the photosphere but clarify the visual ties between all beings of Gaia and beyond, so help me Anne Frank.

Not there yet but going the right way.

[Jac@stafford.net]

[...] I think I may start to administer an oath to all the basic photo students before issuing the first assignment. Any ideas?

Use your own personal code of ethics, if you have one.

[Dan Henderson]

My oath would include three things:

1. "Every picture that I make will be the absolute best that I can do, and I will offer no excuses." While a student in community college photography classes I became so tired of other students beginning a critique by explaining why their pictures were not good. The excuses usually had something to do with a perceived lack of time to do things right.

2. "I will learn and understand a 'rule' before I break it." These same classes caused me to form the opinion that many young photographers think that the act of breaking a "rule" produces something artistic, yet do not care enough to understand why the rule, guideline, or accepted practice exists.

3. "I will call the product of my effort a "photograph" or a "picture," not an "image." I know that the word image is a perfectly acceptable synonym for a photograph, but it just seems like one of those words that has become cool and hip to say. What is wrong with calling something what it actually is? A personal pet peeve, I know, but its my oath and I'm sticking with it!

[Pawlowski6132]

1. Pass it on
2. Only show your best work

[Robert Langham]

Pawlowski has it but it's too short to make a funny video.

[Brian Ellis]

What constitutes 'restricted knowledge' in photography?

I was wondering the same thing. When I taught the basic photography course at a university I used to encourage visitors to attend the critiques. The visitors were always other art students or faculty in the Fine Arts department and they often had something worthwhile to say. Nothing was taught that would qualify as restricted knowledge so that wasn't a problem.