photogrl57 Loc: Tennessee

I bow to the master

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

I've read many of your posts and I don't think you are anywhere close to what the original poster is talking about, at least I hope not. To be quite frank I question my decision to jump into this because I really didn't want to get involved in a contrived pi**ing match if you know what I mean. My point is that everyone should feel welcome and feel free to participate without worrying about being ridiculed and again I've never seen you take that approach. I've found you to be very helpful and even more importantly very honest and sincere. Please note that if you found my remarks offensive in any way it was certainly not my intent.

PhotoArtsLA Loc: Boynton Beach

If I were Ansel Adams, I would take more time washing my prints. Friends of mine have printed by Ansel copies of shots like "Moonrise, Hernandez," which cost many thousands of dollars. Yet, you look a bit at the very expensive silver gelatin print and you see the fixer staining from lack of sufficient wash time. Even the great photographers are not always perfect, amplifying the notion every photographer never ceases to learn.

There is nothing wrong with snapshooting, nor in being an amateur. Any photo, regardless of technical or artistic merit, can have an immense depth of meaning for the photographer and their social circle. Conjuring memories of vast detail and depth of emotion, if even from a somewhat blurry image, is all it takes for a photo to be successful. Photography is audience-centric. The snapshooter's audience is his or her circle of friends and family. The fact about amateur photography: there are "happy accidents" when a professional level photograph appears in their work. Seeing success may spur the amateur to get better at the art.

Professional Photographers strive to shoot for the masses, meaning using born with or learned skills to achieve a level of aesthetic quality which bridges the distance between snapshot and photograph. Lighting, camera placement, lens choice, composition, props, posing, flare control, technical mastery, and timing, amongst many other variables, all gained through a lifetime of experience, attempt to create images which sell to a general audience outside of their personal sphere. Professional photography has a commercial element to it, and the professional's audience pays for getting it right.

However, even the most masterful efforts of the best professional photographers pale in every way to a snapshot of a new grandson in the eyes of his grandparents.

Art remains subjective.

MWAC Loc: Somewhere East Of Crazy

Oh Pepper, I hope you didn't think my reply was directed at you because I promise it wasn't 8-)

Threads like this calling out people who have knowledge as snobby because they offer help to newbies get's my knickers in a knot. Just as it does when I see a post calling out newbies for asking to many questions, I mean we all were newbies, I actually still consider myself a newbie, I mean shooting for one year does NOT make me a pro.

I actually don't think I have ever seen anyone be a photography snob here on the UHH. I think some are just over sensative and see people offering advise and not the glowing feedback they think they deserve as being snobs. When in reality they are offering very helpful advise that has taken their time and effort to learn and they are sharing it here FREELY and WILLINGLY.

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

Whew! Thanks for the post MWAC, I feel much better now.

MWAC Loc: Somewhere East Of Crazy

:thumbup:

picturedude Loc: Yosemite natl. park, Ca.

About the only thing I don't like being called is late for a meal.