for those who are interested in viewing, I believe in more action and less talking..;)

It's My Pool

Dedicated to Charles.

-- Travis (teckyy@hotmail.com), April 03, 2002

Answers

highlights are washed out.

-- Dexter Legaspi (dalegaspi@hotmail.com), April 03, 2002.

well so is the water.

-- Travis (teckyy@hotmail.com), April 03, 2002.

as a color slide user, what does washed out mean for B&W.

and she looks cuter than a button!!!

-- john molloy (ballyscanlon@hotmail.com), April 03, 2002.

Maybe not the perfect exposure, but I'm willing to bet that doesn't matter to you too much...cute pic and the decisive moment. : )

-- James (snodoggydogg@hotmail.com), April 03, 2002.

Travis,

Thanks for the dedication. One thing I notice in answers to photo postings is people look at their screen images as if they were fine prints. I am sure this negative could be printed with just the right tone in the highlights, and your scan could also show that. But on the web, I am mainly looking for those elusive things (like moment, or some juxtaposition, humor, etc.) that make a photograph worth the time to look at it. Of course, and ugly scan is an ugly scan, but this one is well within my parameters of good.

Yesterday you asked about what gear I use. My answer is "too much." I have many photographer friends, whose work I greatly admire, who work with very simple equipment. Maybe one body and lens. I envy them at times, because I am stuck with that darned left brain appreciation of the photo objects, as well as what they can do (someone wrote about this yesterday). I have used Leicas, and many other cameras (Nikons, Hassy, Wistas, Deardorffs, Pentax 6x7s, and more), for many years. And one of the things I enjoy is how my eye searches differently given the pallet of the camera I am using. For instance, if I am roaming with a Polaroid SX-70, I am looking for very different things than if I am shooting Tri-X in my M. But the problem is dilution of effort and results.

Ted Orland, who is a wonderful photographer (and if you haven't read his little book, "Art and Fear," you should), is also a multi-approach shooter. He recommends getting a portfolio box for each "approach" you have, then add an image her and an image there to each appropriate box until one is full. Then you have a small show worth of work in that style. Good idea.

During the side track of the debate yesterday, I may have gotten off point of one of the ideas Christopher was trying to get across--and it is a good point. It matters not what gear a photograph is shot with, if the gear is in the hands of someone with a real eye. Good images are made with cheap and expensive cameras. I have photographs I like made with Dianas and Holgas, as well as with $3,000 lenses. Each does different things, and it is in how the artist responds to the gear and the subject that the magic happens, if it happens.

I am enjoying seeing your photos, and think you should keep it up. At the same time, be critical of your own work. Put up photos you are actually proud of. And keep at it--and following another of Christopher's suggestions--look at excellent work wherever/whenever you can (I spend more than what a new 35mm1.4 lens would cost me each year in photo books (library up here not so current in that section) and it is money well-spent in inspiring me to better work).

I don't know what you experience is, but if you are somewhat knew to all this, you'll have a blast as your work grows and grows. And while it is fun to get on this forum and talk about what lens is best, remember that in the end all that techy stuff is about making photos, as you are doing. Put your energies there and your work will improve greatly.

Whew, sorry for the long-winded-ness. Nice moment in this shot.

Charles

-- Charles (c.mason@uaf.edu), April 03, 2002.

Really nice post, Charles, and really nice pic, Travis! Keep them coming.

-- Lutz Konermann (lutz@konermann.net), April 03, 2002.

if people are referring to overexposure, i would say "good". In my eyes the exposure is spot in, whether it is over or not. A definate keeper Travis. Throw this one out and I'll never speak to you again!!! WOOOOOHOO!

-- Kristian (leicashot@hotmail.com), April 03, 2002.

Yesterday you asked about what gear I use. My answer is "too much." I have many photographer friends, whose work I greatly admire, who work with very simple equipment. Maybe one body and lens. I envy them at times

Well,so many cameras,so many formats...such little time.

-- Allen Herbert (allen1@btinternet.com), April 03, 2002.

Nicely captured expression of youthful carefree joy.

-- Peter B. Goldstein (peter.goldstein@us.cgeyc.com), April 03, 2002.

Thx ALL!

Charles, thx for the detail info..appreciate.

-- Travis (teckyy@hotmail.com), April 04, 2002.