memoriesoftomorrow wrote in post #17681480
I'm always amazed by the resentment within the photography industry to having a non-orthodox shooting method. If I received a dollar for every photographer who had chastised the live view technique I use and harped on about not being able to do that in the film days... and you'll come unstuck... etc I'd be a very, very rich. As with all things in the photography world the proof is in the images produced and nothing else. How you get to that end point doesn't really matter.
On a side note generally speaking those who frown the most are often very mediocre photographers themselves.
I think you mistake a concern for craft with "resentment". The arts, all of them, are filled with artists who have found their way in an unorthodox manner. Some are very gifted and finding their own way is a part of their genius. Sadly, many are just full of themselves in a "misunderstood artist" sense and their determination to do things their way usually stands in the way of their success. Memories, you may well be in the former group and I am glad you have found success.
My opinion on LV: It's as old as photography itself - in fact older because the ground glass of the camera obscura (or projected image depending on it's construction) is a form of LV and it predates the chemical processes that made photography work. Personally, I do not like LV hand held because I find it disorienting - much as I found a waist-level finder on a Hasselblad or Rollei disorienting. The SLR or rangefinder viewfinder is a much more direct, intuitive way of aiming a camera for me. On the other hand, much like a view camera, LV is great on a tripod mounted camera and I use it frequently in that manner. And it has the added advantage of the mirror already being locked up. The most direct comparison with a modern dSLR in this case is an old Crown (or Speed) Graphic. It had a ground glass which was ideal for studied, tripod mounted work, but no press photographer would use the ground glass. They would have used the rangefinder or the wire finder (a bit like iron sights on a rifle if you have never seen one of these cameras).
I spent 35 years teaching music. One year I had a young beginning clarinet player who I found placing with his right hand, rather than the left on the top section of the horn. I told him he was holding it backwards. He chose that moment (after a whole week's experience) to assert his "artistic integrity" and said, "this is how I do it." I told him this was not the place to make his stand. The instrument was constructed for the right hand on the bottom and he would not be able to reach all of the keys if he did it backwards.
There is a place for genius, talent, and finding new ways but there is also a lot to be said for craft and discipline. Memories I'm afraid you are the one who sounds resentful - resentful of those who take a stand for craft and discipline. I hope you have a long and successful career. And I hope technology and changing fashion will never challenge you but they probably will. And you will probably find some younger photographers who think anyone older than they are should just give up and get out of the way.
As to your last sentence - that is nothing but your opinion and, most likely, it is based on your being offended. I like the vision you express in your work very much. That shot in the reflection of an eye is just spectacular. I also see things I DO NOT care for but I will not expect you to do things my way. I hope you won't look at my portfolio and judge my work by your preferences.
Good luck, friend. Have a long and successful career. Don't discourage others from learning craft and don't let the machine think for you.
