FYI - one of life's little photo lessons
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 at 09:12AM I have always been amused, bemused and occasionally annoyed throughout my life in photography by the equipment geeks. Seems like they can never get enough about pixels, photosites, arrays, edge sharpness, noise, startup times, lens comparisons, and on and on and on and ...
Good for them. If they enjoy that kind of stuff, I say, have at it with all the gusto you can manage.
For the educated and experienced, it's all rather harmless. However, for the neophyte and inexperienced it can be ... well ... if not actually harmful, confusing, distracting and quite beside the point of learning how to make good pictures.
Case in point - Aaron, of recent exponentially expanding Cinemascape fame, who definitely qualifies as a neophyte. He purchased his first camera and began picturing in earnest about 6-8 months ago.
After an exceedingly quick and short tour around the photography-style block, he has settled into his Cinemascape MO. His most recent cinemascape is not only made in a cinema, but also features a cinema person, Steve Buscemi. How Aaron was able to pull this off is another story and not germane to this story.
Aaron made this picture within a day or two of our conversation about his desire for a new camera. He had done some internet photo forum/tech review searches and arrived at the conclusion that his current camera wasn't good enough (for a variety of equipment geek reasons). He was seeking my advice on a solution. My advice was to keep taking pictures and get on with it - advice that he wasn't all that eager to heed.
Fast forward to a small private dinner with Steve Buscemi where Aaron cornered him and presented a few of his Cinemascapes for the purpose of luring him into doing one. Obviously, the mission was accomplished.
His mini-portfolio also attracted the attention of the other guests and the result was; an intro to a LA rep who handles 'hot' new shooters, a request from another cinema person, James Tolkan (the principal from Back to the Future, the cigar-chomping admiral from Top Gun, and an occasional golfing companion for me), to have a cinemascape done of himself and a request from a wealthy entrepreneur to stay in touch because he likes to support young artists. Not bad for an evening's fun.
The other result, which I really like, was a stroke of unintended marketing genius/luck. After the closing party at which Aaron had a Buscemi cinemascape print to show around, he was feeling in a celebratory mode. He adjourned to a local watering hole, aptly name The Waterhole, were he again showed the print around. Before you know it, patrons (complete strangers) were going out to an ATM to get cash to purchase prints. One individual purchased 5 prints which he said would be sealed and conserved until the day Aaron was famous.
So, all of that said, here's the point. Not one person in any of the aforementioned activities mentioned a single thing about resolution, pixel count, noise, etc., etc. - they just liked/loved the pictures.
I think Aaron learned something. Me, I'm going out tonight to a bar and see if I can sell some prints.
Reader Comments (3)
I certainly don't get hung up on equipment. I am still using my Sigma SD9 with the first generation Foveon sensor. It even has a broken door where the card goes and I have to hold it closed for it to take a photo! I have 4 lenses for it and most of the time I only use the 24-70mm that came with it. I think I've done fine within the limitations of this camera and am still pleased with my results. Sure, I'd like the new Sigma SD14, simply because they've changed a few things that are limitations on the SD9 as well as the fact that it doesn't have a broken door on it. (I'd send the SD9 in for repairs, but I can't imagine being without a camera). I certainly don't follow all those reviews and such and get caught up in the gadget wars as I like to call them. I am happy as long as my current camera still takes photos.
Great news on Aaron's gig. I wish the best for him. I wish I'd gotten to meet Steve. He is one of my favorite actors!
What are the chances he'll use the money from the print sales to fund a new camera? And the Buscemi portrait is superb!
- JR
He's a real talent and a visual inspiration. My opinion is that the deserves all the attention. Creatively, he's heads and shoulders above chumps like me. :D