No offense intended, but...

fishfish Registered Users Posts: 2,950 Major grins
edited January 11, 2004 in Technique
I'm not sure I want my photos to look like Ansel's. I respect his work, own several of his books, and even met him in about 1980 in Golden Gate Park. But really...the last thing I want to do is take photos that look just like Ansel's. I'm familiar with the zone system...spent a couple of semesters in photo class working on it with my dad's twin-lens reflex camera. Does anybody routinely use a handheld spot meter with their digicam these days? Hell, my 10D doesn't even have a spot meter built-in (but my Coolpix 990 does). Zone system shmone system...not applicable for digital, imho. We buy digital because it's fast, efficient, and high tech. The zone system is decidedly slow, inefficient, and low tech.

Ansel is known for his lovely B&W large format prints. I think he took around 3K color photos in his entire career, and most of those were when he was doing test shots for EK in the 40's. I don't shoot large format, I don't shoot B&W anymore, and quite frankly, Ansel's color photos are nothing to write home about (not that I'm as good, but AA's name doesn't usually come up in casual conversation about the most prolific and talented color photographers).

Besides...the dude died a couple of years after the IBM PC was developed. Would he have gone digital? Do a google search and you'll find some amazing bits of conjecture.



Besides (part 2), would you want your epitaph to read "He made photos just like Ansel." feh.


As you were.
"Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson

Comments

  • wxwaxwxwax Registered Users Posts: 15,471 Major grins
    edited January 10, 2004
    clap.gif

    That's a very convincing argument, Fish. Our new forum name suddenly becomes clear.



    Why Aren't Mine Like Gaspard Felix Tournachon's?

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    Sid.
    Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
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  • fishfish Registered Users Posts: 2,950 Major grins
    edited January 10, 2004
    . :eh:
    "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston
    "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
  • Shay StephensShay Stephens Registered Users Posts: 3,165 Major grins
    edited January 11, 2004
    Don't take the title too literally ;-) it's basically just a jumping off point. The gist is, hey my pics don't look too hot, what could I do differently?

    But you're going to boil my blood with your trash talkin' the zone system ;-) hehehe

    fish wrote:
    I'm not sure I want my photos to look like Ansel's. I respect his work, own several of his books, and even met him in about 1980 in Golden Gate Park. But really...the last thing I want to do is take photos that look just like Ansel's. I'm familiar with the zone system...spent a couple of semesters in photo class working on it with my dad's twin-lens reflex camera. Does anybody routinely use a handheld spot meter with their digicam these days? Hell, my 10D doesn't even have a spot meter built-in (but my Coolpix 990 does). Zone system shmone system...not applicable for digital, imho. We buy digital because it's fast, efficient, and high tech. The zone system is decidedly slow, inefficient, and low tech.

    Ansel is known for his lovely B&W large format prints. I think he took around 3K color photos in his entire career, and most of those were when he was doing test shots for EK in the 40's. I don't shoot large format, I don't shoot B&W anymore, and quite frankly, Ansel's color photos are nothing to write home about (not that I'm as good, but AA's name doesn't usually come up in casual conversation about the most prolific and talented color photographers).

    Besides...the dude died a couple of years after the IBM PC was developed. Would he have gone digital? Do a google search and you'll find some amazing bits of conjecture.



    Besides (part 2), would you want your epitaph to read "He made photos just like Ansel." feh.


    As you were.
    Creator of Dgrin's "Last Photographer Standing" contest
    "Failure is feedback. And feedback is the breakfast of champions." - fortune cookie
  • fishfish Registered Users Posts: 2,950 Major grins
    edited January 11, 2004
    But you're going to boil my blood with your trash talkin' the zone system ;-) hehehe

    Shall I go on?


    In his later years, ansel didn't even bother taking the images. He spent most of his time in the darkroom. Funnily, very few of his journeymen went on to become famous "just like ansel" photogs.

    How's that? :D
    "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston
    "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
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