[LRFlex] beginner and not-so-beginner resources; photographer vs. camera nerd

MessageHi Patrick, I think anyone would like www.kenrockwell.com. He seems like 
such a lucky fellow, you really want to hate him because he is handsome, rich 
and just buys and tries out every possible kind of lens, scanner, etc. and 
posts the results, but he is such a genuinely nice guy- and a very very good 
photographer- that you really end up liking him. He really wants to help people 
learn to be better photographers, not just techno-nuts hung up on arcane lens 
design factoids that never actually use film in the cameras they collect- and 
drive the price up on to where WE can't afford them anymore.

 Besides very detailed reviews of specific equipment and comparisons, etc. he 
has a lot of general photo advice. He takes the tack that- at least in the 
broad sense- the camera does NOT matter... read his articles... it is the 
intent and willingness to shoot, analyze, improve that makes us good 
photographers, not just nerdy boring camera collectors (for which he reserves a 
special place in hell... read his hillarious article on the five kinds of 
'photographers') Aparently a lot of these guys just drive him crazy and he is 
constantly re-iterating that this is about making photos and nothing else, the 
camera is just a means to do it. Certainly it is wonderful to have a Leica 
instead of a Pentax K-1000 but that is because we are - hopefully- at the point 
that we can see the  difference in the photographs we take, not because we 
think it will make us into better photographers automatically. I think his 
points are valid, what do you guys think? 

I can say I agree with him that you can take someone with a truly artistic eye, 
and they will make beautiful photos with minimal training, whereas the most 
accomplished techno type may not after years of memorizing arcane photo 
factoids. My daughter, artist, sculptor, etc. is one of these types.... she 
amazed me with her first roll, and it made me realize that this is how these 
persons see everything around them all the time. She won't eat certain foods 
based on their color, texture, proximity to other stuff on her plate, etc,  
what seem to be bizarre criteria to us , certainly maddening to us as parents,  
but I think I can now understand that people like her that relate to everything 
artistically and is is the equivalent to something screaming in their ear to 
have something not visually pleasing.... I'm glad I don't have to go thru the 
world with that degree of sensitivity, I have a hard enough time not being 
distracted and annoyed by a lot of stuff as it is ....!



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Patrick Werner 
  To: 'LEICA Group' 
  Sent: Monday, October 25, 2004 8:02 AM
  Subject: [LRFlex] Photography


  Can anyone recommend websites for the extreme amateur photographer?

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