How big a deal is it?

Busted for what? Thinking out loud?<p>"<i>If photographing the "opposing" party's leaders upsets you so, then stop doing it cause you're not suited for the task.</i>"<p>I posted one photo from that job. It, and others, were adequate to the client's needs. I don't need you to tell me if my work is suitable, or not. But by all means, opine away! :^)... t

<i> Busted for what? Thinking out loud?</i><P>

Busted in the sense that you've revealed yourself as part of the atheistic pinko liberal <b>Art Establishment</b> that's creating the great disconnect between the unwashed masses and the art world. See page 462 of your "Guide to the Thomas Gardner Universe."

"See page 462 of your "Guide to the Thomas Gardner Universe.""

 

Are you still reading that old thing? Although factually correct, it's still the old, outdated version. :)

 

"How important is an appreciation / understanding of the philosophy of photography in the actual making of a photo?"

 

That all depends on if you wish your efforts to be stuck in the past or propelled into the present as you future cast your next image.

 

To answer your question, one must ask the question of themselves; "What is my photography all about?" Sans the question, no answer can be given.

"We don't make a photograph just with a camera; we bring to the act of photography all the books we have read, the movies we have seen, the music we have heard, the people we have loved."

 

-- Ansel Adams

 

To me, there is this Philosophy of Photography.

Me, I'd welcome an opportunity to photograph a continuing bigtime drug addict with twice as many ex wives as he admits, such as Rushbo, or a repellant harpie, such as Hillary.

 

Avedon made great portraits, friendly and frightening, of people he loved and hated. He had strong views but he was stronger as a photographer, so he saw opportunity in Limbaugh-like monsters, such as George Wallace and McCain-like heros such as Eisenhower.

Philosophy comes in 2 parts - conscious and intuitive. IMHO interesting photographs depend <u>entirely</u> on the philosophy of the photographer and people who say they just point and shoot are in fact using their intuitive philosophy to guide them, based on a lifetime of developing thier world-view. <p>The more complex / sophisticated / sympathetic / original this view is, and the more ambitiously and skillfully it is presented in the image, the better the photograph.