Re: Fun with MF images - Part 3
Dear Members,
I have taken a whole lot of pictures.
Took shots during the Newark riots in 1967, burning buildings, people shot, looting, a person covered with gas and torched.
Took a lot of pictures of family and violin recitals, ballet recitals, and yes, many many hockey games.
In High School, I took pictures of a suicidal classmate who thankfully did not succeed, but I did get it on film.
In college, I took pictures of demonstrations, got a picture of the state police rifle butting a co-ed because he didn't like what she said.
About six years ago I took pictures of my wife, dying of cancer, slowly losing her mental faculties.
I have taken pictures of drug addicts shooting up, of the homeless finding dinner in a trashbin, and of many beautiful places both in the US and abroad, from Moab, to Yucatan, to Alaska, Europe, China, Australia, and Japan.
I have/had thousands of images ranging from the gritty to the ethereal, but all of those pictures I found. Maybe none of them are any good, but that is neither here or there. Occasionally I sold one, never made much, but I didn't care. It was a case of being there and hitting the button.
The past year I have decided to start making pictures instead of taking them.
I started working with lights, models, actors, dancers, families, dogs, horses, buildings, factories, whatever. Now the shots are thought about instead of just happening in front of me. Instead of standing there waiting for the light, I have the light and now wait for the subject.
I am sorry if I offended, there was no intention to do that. They were not quite fully finished images, I was excited about how much worked about them and not necessary how "perfect" they were. Based on the reaction, I see that I have succeeded in fulfilling the commission which drove their creation. Models were engaged and selected to tell a story. When I get the rare commission, I try to satisfy the customer and deliver what is wanted. Although I am not finished with the processing, the buyer is very happy with the contacts and the processing concepts presented.
Would there have been as much negative reaction to a shot of a burning black man covered in gasoline or a shot of a young girl's bleeding wrist or shot of a woman without hair and expression and pulse and breath, waiting for the undertakers to bag her and take her away from me?
How about the thousands of shots of every hockey game ever played by my son?
Nope, nobody cares.
I sat in a classroom last night on glamor retouching. Very interesting class. One forensic photographer (WTF was he doing there?) a couple of wedding shooters, a couple of "fine art" types, a couple of sports shooters, and a guy that specialized in fetish and bondage. (I would shoot this too, but frankly do not know the ropes). I guess that it helped to demonstrate that there is no easy niche one can classsify photography.
So if I offended, there was no intention. Apparently naked girls don't bother many, but flirty clothed ones bother some. Aplogies.
And for those who have pointed out image shortcomings, Thanks.
If the consensus is that I never post images of human interaction, then I think that would be very disappointing, but I will then not.
-bob