Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Discussions about photography here often become discussions about products, and discussions about products are often dominated by the view that newer is better. That is what CO's analogy was about.

Mike

Bipod

Photojournalism dates back to the 19th century. On July 5, 1853, George N. Barnard photographed the
conflagration at the Ames flour mills in Oswego, NY. Then he covered the Civil War (along with
Mathew Brady) for Edward Anthony's firm. In 1872 Eadweard Muybridge covered the Modoc War
for the US Army. Just to name a few.

Cartier-Bresson was an documenter of the human condition. He co-founded Magnum Photo in 1947--
one of the first international photo agencies. But he didn't need to work for wire service or
newspaper--he was an heir. He took relatively few photographs of celebrities or news-worthy
events -- the stock-in-trade of photojournalists.

Do you have any idea what early pianoforte's sounded like? They would stay in tune about 15 minutes!
Invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori around 1700, and improved by Gottlieb Silbermann. The later demo-ed
one of his instruments for Bach in the 1730s, who thought the treble was lousy. It was. But improvements
were made, and by 1747 Bach was a dealer selling Silbermann's pianos! In fact Bach may have helped
name the piano! His ads describe it as "Instrument: piano et forte genandt".

Bach was extremely innovated both in harmony, and as an early proponent of equal temperament tuning:
"The Well-Tempered Clavier" (BWV 846-894, Book I 1722 and Book II 1742)? The clavier is the predecessor
of the pianoforte--it is not a harpsichord. Being progressive doesn't mean adopting the kazoo, bazooka or
Casio keyboard just because it is new. Each style of music and composer has specific requirements.

The truth may be that sustain--the big feature of Silbermann's pianos--is not much use in dense counterpoint--
which was Bach's usual style for keyboard work. And if he wanted sustain, he had the organ--he was an
organist by profession. And the organ had pedals -- a big help if you wanted to play a basso continuo--
and a massive sound (pipe organ!).

The piano didn't stay in tune, or have the powerful, bright sound until it got a cast iron frame
in the 1800s. This permitted higher string tensions and more strings. It increased from five octave range
today's seven octave range, and three strings per note (two on the bass notes). Today's grand piano is a
massive-sounding instrument-- nothing like the piano of Mozart's day, let alone of J. S. Bach's day.

Cartier-Bresson had what he needed to do what he did. That's the whole point of art!
You don't have to do everything, you only have to do what you do very well.

And in that endevor, it really helps to have simple, understandable, controlable tools:
brushes, not robotic paint stations. You want the best tool for the job, not a do-everything
tool. Very few professional wood carvers use a Swiss Army knife.

Ansel Adams needed a zoom lens like a fish needs a bicycle.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Well said.

Mike