[rollei_list] Re: Rolleisflex for Artists
- From: Laurence Cuffe <cuffe@xxxxxxx>
- To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:24:43 -0400
An interesting thread.
I find myself often surprised at how may artists delegate the technical aspects
of their work. This is true of great photographers too who often have some one
else who does their darkroom work. However one of my favorite quotes is from
Lissette Moddel "they think my prints are bad? Darling, they should see my
negatives." Clearly, by her own admission she did not have a total technical
command of the process.
We like to think that better technique or more and better gear will make us
into better photographers, and so we work assiduously on getting both, but I
don't think that this is always true.
All the best
Laurence Cuffe
On Tuesday, October 07, 2008, at 08:28PM, "Marvin Wallace"
<Marvin0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>Hi Neil,
>Let me clarify, I don't think that one could be a poor technician and be a
>good artist-though mine is not the only view. I do think that one could
>bypass technique altogether and focus on the concept, this may take the form
>of displaying a pile of bricks in a gallery-in which case you wouldn't be a
>good technician.
>
>However, photography technique is inexorably linked to the photographic
>process, where each process contributes to the quality of the end result.
>
>It is possible that one could have a haphazard approach to any of the
>processes involved in the chain, but would they arrive consistently at "good
>results"; I think that it would be impossible to do so.
>
>If anybody is able to provide examples of haphazard photography technique
>that is viewed as art, or widely recognized as good photography I would be
>happy to take a look.
>
>If the aim of the photography is to collect and test cameras then so be it.
>A photographer who has commercial interests will most likely have much more
>experience in that area and have a set of concerns which focus on
>reliability and good results (taking the market into account). Photographer
>as artist is another genre where the highest quality usually at a snail
>space is the norm.
>
>Replying to an earlier post in which someone said artists need good computer
>skills, I would posit that what the digital revolution has done is
>democratized the poor image, no longer does one have to be a good
>photographer to get a break, one can get by with being a great computer
>technician, and yet have little of no compositional sense etc, so there are
>in my opinion two sides to being a "artist".
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: rollei_list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>[mailto:rollei_list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Neil Gould
>Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 11:14 PM
>To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [rollei_list] Re: Rolleisflex for Artists
>
>Hi Marvin,
>
>> From: "Marvin Wallace" <Marvin0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2008 10:13:15 +0800
>>
>> I was considering the content of previous posts, and think
>it obvious
>> that photography at least with film, is not like being an
>artist,"
>> painter", since the artist can be solely conceptual. The
>photographer
>> on the other hand must at least be a great technician. He
>or She is
>> forced to master the technique, whereas the artist can
>dispense with
>> technique. This mastery of technique is what makes the
>photographer
>> an artist within the discipline. This high technique lends
>itself to a
>> quality camera such as the Rolleiflex.
>>
>>
>> Examples of such photographer technicians are Cartier
>Bresson, Ansel
>> Adams, Joel Peter Witkin, Andre Serrano, Cindy Sherman and
>so on.
>>
>> Marvin.
>>
>I disagree with a couple of your notions. First, the person
>that doesn't master the medium is unlikely to rise to the
>level of "artist". The painter that has no idea of whether
>the paint will adhere to the substrate, or how the two will
>interact is unlikely to produce work that will endure,
>regardless of whether their knowledge of art history and
>purpose puts them in a position to paint something
>"art-worthy". The sculptor that doesn't understand the
>qualities of the material being carved is unlikely to
>achieve a work of art. Once competent in a medium, an artist
>must be able to communicate through that medium. Those that
>"dispense with technique" may or may not produce work that
>communicates in some way, but the artist that is cognizant
>of of technique is more likely to do so. In these regards,
>photography is no different, there is simply a different
>medium to master and different techniques to grasp in the
>pursuit of communication. That may at least partially
>explain why well-exposed and printed snapshots are seldom
>found in art galleries. ;-)
>
>Best,
>
>Neil
>
>
>
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