Being ignorant is good (photography)

[ahwing84]

Bro pchmj, your essay gave me an impression that you have quite a good knowledge of photography. But I am telling you that if you show some of your images to others, you will also get lots of praises from friends and also some dudes who may think that they know more than you about photography and they think that your images suck big. :dunno:
This is life.

Knowledge is for one to appreciate life as it is, but not to show off that you know more than others.

Quality is not measured by just the wrong ISO, Focus, cams, etc... Quality is always in the eyes of the beholder, and for the brain to interpret via of your ability to apply with the knowledge that you have. :think:

Couldn't agree with you more.

A child who drew a picture, will get praises for the drawing.
Can you imagine Picasso telling everyone that the drawing is so bad because the colours are wrong, strokes are not consistent, and people are not made of sticks.

To the TS : Spare a thought for others, what may seem technically bad to you, may mean much more to others. Photos are not just about technicalities man....

 

[ahbian]

A technically good photo, unless it connects with the viewer, is simply a technically good photo.

 

[pchmj]

I don't understand why the comments of me being sour grapes. :think:

Can I put it this way:
The photos I saw can be better, technical wise.

We have a first impression about a photo or a person, there will be something that catch our attention at the very first sight. The terrible noise gets to me before anything else, I don't think sour grape got anything to do here...

 

[mynameisgreg]

i think its cuz you sound like you're jealous that other peoples photos are getting good comments but not yours. thats why youre complaining.

To me technicalities are technicalities. photography is photography. What makes a good photograph has little to do with the technical aspects, and yet it does help you to take better photographs. What irks you may not so to another person. I totally agree with you that you start to get picky and become a stickler with all the rules of photography when you delve into this world. But these rules do not define photography, rather theyre just there to help you. So i think you should start looking into what makes a good photograph and move on from how to take a good photograph.

 

[night86mare]

i think its cuz you sound like you're jealous that other peoples photos are getting good comments but not yours. thats why youre complaining.

yes, like this:

"people like their photos but their photos so horrible compared to mine. mine is so good but no one comment on my photos being good." :cry::cry::cry:

just trying to convey the first impression i got when i read the first part.

 

[allenleonhart]

the most important question is: what are you shooting for?

if you are shooting for yourself, and you post up your photos, happy happy... and then when people comment on your photos and you not happy, then you are lying to yourself. obviously you are shooting for others.

and there is nothing wrong with that. i think it's just very important to be clear on what you want out of this hobby. when it becomes a profession then there are other things you have to look out for, because it also turns into a means to an end.

there are a lot of unconventional photographers, but i think what the TS is talking about is "laymen". well, i take my parents' (and friends') comments very seriously because they will be honest with me. i won't dismiss it and scoff it off as "i know better", because everyone's opinion, if done with a good intention (positively) is worth something to me.

someone i know once told me that she didn't feel comfortable commenting on my photos when i asked for comments, because she didn't know much about photography. i asked her if she had a mind, if she had an opinion when she saw a photograph, if she had feelings. she said "yes, i do", and i told her that was enough for me.

yep. for me i shoot for my memories. unless i need critiques, i'll post it on the critique section. for me its a hobby, and not a profession.

its quite different, cause as a hobby, what u shoot is what u intend, as compared to a profession for wad u shoot is what other ppl intend.

whether nice or not, its subjective. even in competitions too. same for food, i think durian nice, u think it stinks. just take it as it is.

i'll take the opinions whether they are nice or not. at least they spend 5 mins trying to give a reply:/

dun think so much. just shoot.

 

[allenleonhart]

A technically good photo, unless it connects with the viewer, is simply a technically good photo.

and i like this:thumbsup:

 

[pchmj]

I think some misunderstood me here, maybe I can't express myself well.

I'm not saying a photo must be technically correct to be considered good. What I want to say is when I know more about something (photography), I seem to enjoy less and demand more.

Obvious technical problems draws my attention first <- sorry for repeating.

 

[allenleonhart]

I think some misunderstood me here, maybe I can't express myself well.

I'm not saying a photo must be technically correct to be considered good. What I want to say is when I know more about something (photography), I seem to enjoy less and demand more.

Obvious technical problems draws my attention first <- sorry for repeating.

i think thats a good thing. if its applied to urself, u will improve. just dun try to apply ur standards on others.

 

[ed9119]

i imagine people like Eugene Smith, Robert Capa or Alexander Gardner would have given an arm and a leg for a modern-day $600 PnS Digital camera

 

[zero o]

A technically good photo can still draw a bland or negative comment. "Scientifically, a photo may be perfect, horizon straight, WB perfect, composition perfect etc etc" but artistically it fails because it does not "wow" the audience. Just like LOMO or film, they connect with their audience in ways that a DSLR image cannot.

You are not wrong to judge a photo by its technical merits, but that does not mean that everyone holds the same viewpoint as you. A lot of people connect to photos in ways that is not scientific but rather the artistic.

 

[Muckafutha]

can i just say that if someone likes their pictures so much that they print and put in an album to share with colleagues, means they probably like the pics. Or the main intention is to share the places they have been to. So i guess we should be sensitive and look at the content of the pictures, rather than the other aspects of the picture.

 

[digitalpimp]

In some way, I agreed with ts....many time in life, the lesser you know, the happier you are. But after you gain knowledge of something, is about how you going to manage yourself and think outside of what you know.

I had see many people with passion in photography and trying to improve themselves, but thur their journey, they are blinded with power and praises, eventually they had lost their way and their technically ok photo have no life at all, and sad to said, they only shoot for others, they will not able to understand the joy of photography as a form of expression.....

They just record the moment, not capturing the emotion.

Said 30years later, which photo will touch your heart, a award winning macro/landscape/portrait that you spend hours setting up to shoot, or a noisy and blurry photo you taken while having a simple dinner with your family and friends.

Those in my facebook will know that I will cherish my photo taken with my love one more than all my other works.

Photography just like any form of art, is a form of self-expression, losing it, you are just a good technician, and never be a good artist. Good technical skill will enable your to express you feeling in the better way.

Wow.. Very well said.:thumbsup:

 

[Foxshade]

...

Photography just like any form of art, is a form of self-expression, losing it, you are just a good technician, and never be a good artist...

This is a sad fact, Leong. Very true, but sad.

 

[Yutaka Go]

Ignorance is bliss because if you don't know something, it can't hurt you :bsmilie:

People who nit pick about irrelevant small detail will fail to see the big picture :bsmilie:

I can't remember the names of the people who said these words but I feel that they are relevant to your thread :bsmilie:

 

[NMSS_2]

you have not learn the pinnacle on the art of photography..... that is to keep your big mouth shut.

 

[archlover]

beauty is in the eye of the beholder

 

[coke x]

Recently, my cousin had his pre-wedding shot done by some photographer out there who charge him real cheap. IIRC, his $500 package include a whole day shooting with a 12R coffeetable album and CD. The day when i saw his album, i got a shock not because its out of focus, white balance out or terrible composure, the picture itself (bride & groom) is slightly pixelised after being blow up to the album size. To me, its definitely a no no to showcase to anyone but he is happily showing to all my relatives. To him, its an event of his lifetime and he's happy with the result and the good deal he got. I did not comment much about the album and wished him blissful marriage.

I quote this example because I share TS sentiment when i see some photos that can be improved, technically that is. However, I choose to shut the big gap on my face in this instance because these pictures are priceless memories to him and i respect that. While I don't think its sour grape for TS, neither will I comment on the pictures if the subject/owner is happy with the result.

Lastly TS, just learn to demand more from ourself instead of other. This is the only way we will improve.

*Bro Night86mare, I like your example about the fashion thingy... Classic... Lol:bsmilie:

 

[pchmj]

you have not learn the pinnacle on the art of photography..... that is to keep your big mouth shut.

I will comment in this case, since she is buying a DSLR for the seek of getting better photo, she should at least know some basic. She thought night shots should use highest possible ISO.

So I should just keep quiet and let her keep repeating this mistake?

I won't say out if she takes using a pns. Different purpose of getting camera.

 

[pchmj]

...

Lastly TS, just learn to demand more from ourself instead of other. This is the only way we will improve.

I've very high demand for myself, as I said, none of my photos are ok to me. I feel inferior when I see good pics from others, especially pics from night86mare. :cry: