[LRflex] Re: Wintry beach

Hi Ted,

Thank you so much for your well received advices and comments.

First of all, and as you already noticed, my english isn't so good... I'm 
sorry... it's more than probable I lose some nuances in your words, and I'm 
sure the captions I wrote aren't the best possible...
I'm understanding it's better not to restrict possible readings of a 
photograph, because of a caption.

"... I want to make my in-out decision on the content and what I see in the 
photograph. Not what the words say it's supposed to mean..."
I like this "maxim", and shall try to take attention to it, writing captions 
more neutral.

Even so, here in Spain, on the Mediterranean coast and just in front of 
Balearic islands, it's winter right now !
This kind of weather is the closest to winter we can see... and my wife didn't 
go out in the last two days ;-)

Amitiés and my best wishes from Castellon,
Your sincere and grateful
Marc



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ted Grant 
  To: leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 9:31 PM
  Subject: [LRflex] Re: Wintry beach


  Marc Dufour showed:

  Subject: [LRflex] Wintry beach

  >>Just a lonely segull  in a wintry beach:

  http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Marc/Seascapes/Lonely+seagull+flying.jpg.html

   

  Hi Marc,

  A very interesting photo as it's certainly moody looking.

  However, what I found even more interesting in this particular scene was one 
word in your caption that changed how a viewer re-acts to the photograph. 

   

  When you first look the reaction is. "hey neat photograph!" Then one reads 
the caption.

  " Just a lonely seagull in a wintry beach"  It becomes "Oh jeeesh look at the 
"COLD WINTER SCENE!"  It's still a neat photo, but with an imaginary chill 
through ones body. J

  But if you were to change, "wintry" to, "a moody summer surf with lonely 
seagull!" The whole image changes in meaning.

  Something I learned from an old time City Editor many years ago while 
learning how to write cut lines for my photos. How to change the meaning of a 
photograph from the truth to what's perceived when looking at the picture 
itself! A completely different time of year and many other situations fall into 
.. "A camera never lies!"  It can be made to with words. 

  That's something I fight against, as do many others who judge photos for 
competition. I want to make my in-out decision on the content and what I see in 
the photograph. Not what the words say it's supposed to mean. 

  Quite often judges do ask for the words if there's confusion in the subject 
to clarify the validity of the content and how well the photograph actually 
displays what is supposed to be happening.

  This of course can make the difference whether a photo stays in the 
competition or is out. 

   

  For whatever this is worth today.

  It's still a damn fine image and I'd vote it in! J

  Cheers,

  ted

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