Not my business to defend anyone, let alone Jeff Ascough.Maybe, one should regard Jeff's Photo.net thread as part of his marketing campaign. I see it as about Jeff continuing his role play as the celebrity photographer.
No doubt he's a class leading photographer, but what he writes is not what he does. Just note what is hype and what is practical wedding photography. Jeff shoots groups whenever they're wanted by the bride. He won't turn a fee down because a bride wants some formals, nor any other of his "I don't do this......".
He changes his opinions and kit more quickly than anyone I've ever come across. I've read his posts since 2004 on several Forums. Go back into the archives of DWF, or photo.net and you'll quickly find that two years ago Jeff was shooting his Canons on Programme Mode, dual cards, AF, zoom lenses, big kit bags and 1,000 jPeg frames a wedding using auto bracketing, Australians are the only credible B&W printers. Now it's primes, RAW, manual focus, spot meters, printing done by the album maker ....... drivel !
On the photo.net thread, one poster wrote:
"To my knowledge, here's the kit you've (Jeff) gone through in the last 4 years:
3 Leica M7's
2 Canon 1D MkII N's
2 replacement ditto
2 1Ds MkII
2 1Ds MkIII
1 Leica M8
and now ... 2 Canon 5D MkII's
At one time, you swore that all that was needed was two zoom lenses and
a dual card body as the essential tools for all wedding cameras. Now they're not ?
On the software front, it's been iView, Photoshop, Lightroom, Photo
Mechanic, Capture One and now Aperture 2."
I live just 45 miles from him and know from local videographers that work with him that his outward approach is no different from any good wedding photographer - he poses the brides and groups. He just never shares that as it dispels his 'rockstar' Top Ten myth. p.s. the others never refer to their Top Nine ratings.
Who else do we know that continually refer to their style being influenced by every great photographer ? It's as if, say it enough and the greatness will rub off on me. Ever met a bride, or more than one who knew who Erwitt, Salgado, Natchway ....... was, or cared. No, this is marketing to the industry via the user network.
But perhaps you should have bothered to also post Jeff's response where he clearly stated that he does do posed/groups work if requested, but attempts to limit the amount of time devoted to that task. I try to do the same thing with my clients.
Jeff has used various gear over the past 4 years. So what? He's a piker compared to some folks here on this forum ... including me and the owners of the forum. We all are enthusastic about what we're using ... until we change what we're using.
He left film because processing became harder. So did I. Things change. Camera's get better. Obviously he makes enough money to do what he wants.
Shameless self promoter. Perhaps. Again, so what? I should promote myself as well and maybe business would pick up a bit :clap: