Sharpness Is Overrated
Jun 10, 2022 20:48:16 #
JD750 wrote:
Hubble was a scientific instrument intended to resolve celestial objects at great distances. Points of light must appear as points to do that. The Hubble mirror error has has absolutely nothing to do with the art of photography discussion.
But there are a lot of backyard astrophotographers who try to emulate Hubble. And lots of beautiful images of nebulae and galaxies are produced. This has to be an art too.
Jun 10, 2022 21:05:08 #
JUST MY OPINION
As with almost everything, the appreciation of out of focus photos/art depends on the viewer; there are those that like it and those that don't. If everyone liked strictly in focus then out of focus/blurred would be relegated to the trash bin. It's better to judge each photo/piece of art individually for its story and appeal than to dismiss the entire genre as unacceptable. Blur is sometimes needed to convey important points to the viewer as in Bresson's blurred bicycle. Out of focus asks you to think and interpret.
That said, I didn't care for quite a few of the examples but did find some that were appealing. My mother was an artist and her paintings were of landscapes and still life. Abstract art makes me work a little harder to view as art while I take the individual piece at its own merit. I still prefer a nice scene or still life to out of focus lights or a bunch of color on canvas but I try to open my mind to other people's interpretation of art.
Dodie
As with almost everything, the appreciation of out of focus photos/art depends on the viewer; there are those that like it and those that don't. If everyone liked strictly in focus then out of focus/blurred would be relegated to the trash bin. It's better to judge each photo/piece of art individually for its story and appeal than to dismiss the entire genre as unacceptable. Blur is sometimes needed to convey important points to the viewer as in Bresson's blurred bicycle. Out of focus asks you to think and interpret.
That said, I didn't care for quite a few of the examples but did find some that were appealing. My mother was an artist and her paintings were of landscapes and still life. Abstract art makes me work a little harder to view as art while I take the individual piece at its own merit. I still prefer a nice scene or still life to out of focus lights or a bunch of color on canvas but I try to open my mind to other people's interpretation of art.
Dodie
Jun 10, 2022 21:25:04 #
Mac wrote:
https://erickimphotography.com/blog/2018/03/23/sharpness-is-overrated-30-tips-to-shoot-blurry-and-out-of-focus-photos/
Mac, thanks for sharing this interesting article.....OK, like most, I've also experienced some (more than a few) OOF images that I liked, but eliminated. I didn't realize these mistakes could be "creatively acceptable". But, let's not start a movement for on this style.....IMHO sharpness is still king
Jun 10, 2022 21:50:45 #
RonDavis wrote:
Mac, thanks for sharing this interesting article.....OK, like most, I've also experienced some (more than a few) OOF images that I liked, but eliminated. I didn't realize these mistakes could be "creatively acceptable". But, let's not start a movement for on this style.....IMHO sharpness is still king
There is a difference between accidental blur (mistakes) and intentional blur.
It is a happy thing that no one tried to block the impressionist and post impressionist painting styles.
Jun 10, 2022 22:04:38 #
Jun 10, 2022 23:03:20 #
User ID wrote:
.
Do these pictures have something to do with this thread?
…Cam
Jun 11, 2022 05:14:49 #
Yes, sharpness is frequently overrated, but as others have pointed out, sharpness is key in several different genres. And just because some people focus on sharpness to an impractical degree, that doesn't mean that we should all make a point of swinging to the other extreme.
Having said that, whenever we have an extreme being manifest, it usually helps if there's something to restore the balance, so we should all be glad of the deliberately soft photos that we see - especially the ones that are expertly done (softness on its own doesn't guarantee a good outcome in every situation). But I wouldn't want every photo I see to be soft.
In the end it's up to us to maintain a balanced perspective and to keep our expectations realistic.
Having said that, whenever we have an extreme being manifest, it usually helps if there's something to restore the balance, so we should all be glad of the deliberately soft photos that we see - especially the ones that are expertly done (softness on its own doesn't guarantee a good outcome in every situation). But I wouldn't want every photo I see to be soft.
In the end it's up to us to maintain a balanced perspective and to keep our expectations realistic.
Jun 11, 2022 07:21:05 #
"I don't know that I buy into everything said or that I like every example image in the article, but I do think a lot of folks could be more photographically expressive if they were less enslaved to the cult of sharpness."
You have taken words from my mouth and I agree entirely with your statement. Not all images attract me although I admit there were some very interesting images in the article. We have grown in a culture of sharpness and there is a tendency to buy expensive and very sharp professional lenses as if those were the only lenses capable of good results.
Freeman Patterson, the Canadian photographers shoots images that he calls surrealistic. One of his technique is similar to what MDI Mainer shows in his beautiful photograph. He selects vertical subjects and moves the camera during shooting up and down to get those effects.
Street photography and many portraits yield very good results using this technique. I have never seen anyone using the technique for landscapes. I think the majority of landscape photographers prefer sharpness in landscapes from foreground to background.
In photography there is a place for everything. Just use your imagination.
You have taken words from my mouth and I agree entirely with your statement. Not all images attract me although I admit there were some very interesting images in the article. We have grown in a culture of sharpness and there is a tendency to buy expensive and very sharp professional lenses as if those were the only lenses capable of good results.
Freeman Patterson, the Canadian photographers shoots images that he calls surrealistic. One of his technique is similar to what MDI Mainer shows in his beautiful photograph. He selects vertical subjects and moves the camera during shooting up and down to get those effects.
Street photography and many portraits yield very good results using this technique. I have never seen anyone using the technique for landscapes. I think the majority of landscape photographers prefer sharpness in landscapes from foreground to background.
In photography there is a place for everything. Just use your imagination.
Jun 11, 2022 07:45:07 #
RayE
Loc: New Jersey
I can’t afford the best cameras and lenses. If I did, I’d probably be unhappy with the results of my current equipment. But I don’t, and my expectation align perfectly with my results. My biggest downfall tends to be me!
Jun 11, 2022 09:39:48 #
The article makes a good point or two, but in general I could not agree less.
Jun 11, 2022 10:11:07 #
All I need to do is to shoot in manual mode and process without my glasses.
Jun 11, 2022 10:16:50 #
JimH123 wrote:
But there are a lot of backyard astrophotographers who try to emulate Hubble. And lots of beautiful images of nebulae and galaxies are produced. This has to be an art too.
The equipment available today and the photographs that are produced by astrophotogrpahers, are nothing short of amazing. It can most definitely be art and one in which visual acuity is (generally) a desired feature.
As for emulating the space telescopes, there is one big difference between terrestrial and space borne, that cannot be eliminated, and that is the earths atmosphere.
However I completely agree with the theme of this discussion. Sharpness has it's place but it is one of many aspects of a photo and it is generally overrated.
Jun 11, 2022 10:20:24 #
CHG_CANON wrote:
Said by any True Photographer: lower your expectations to match your results.
That's true not just for photography - look at education, especially recently!!!
Loren - in Beautiful Baguio City
Jun 11, 2022 11:29:21 #
Mac wrote:
https://erickimphotography.com/blog/2018/03/23/sharpness-is-overrated-30-tips-to-shoot-blurry-and-out-of-focus-photos/
IMHO, his idea is overrated.
Blurring for a reason is shooting properly, accepting accidents & mistakes is not.
Never cared for Van Gogh either. I believe his works are overrated too. Just good business (that the artist gained nothing from), not good art.
Jun 11, 2022 13:54:24 #
Sometimes, out of focus can add to a photograph, but not every single one. ICM was mentioned and I have seen some very interesting and impressive photos using that technique. I also recently used intentional blur/ICM in a photo of autumn colors. I used a slightly longer shutter setting for a photo of autumn leaves as my wife drove our car past trees. The affect was blurred orange and green colors streaked across the frame and it has been well received by numerous others, photographers and non-photographers.
Generally I prefer my photos to be sharp and clear, but in some instances, blurring can add a lot to a photo.
Generally I prefer my photos to be sharp and clear, but in some instances, blurring can add a lot to a photo.
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