"Picasso's Elephant"--Leica PAW, December 8th, 2001

[alfie wang]

<a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/464201">"Picasso's Elephant"--Leica PAW, December 8th, 2001</a>

[karl_georg_wolf]

ALFIE, please try to become sober again and don´t steal our tiime

here.

 

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You might risk somebody is sending the doctor to you soon ...

 

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Nevertheless,

best wishes

[jeremy_thomas]

Does anyone have a link for an abstract photo interpretation of

 

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"Picasso Rolling in his Grave"?

[bobtodrick]

Pointless. C'mon Alfie, if you're going to subject us to this stuff,

at least have the pride in your work to get rid of the dust

spots.......

[dh]

What's wrong with this guy? Can't he get a hint? Does he really think

that this garbled piece of wall is art? Why oh why, I ask! It

actually hurts to imagine what must go through this fellow's mind

when he puts stuff like this up ... does he expect us to say "Wow,

man, cool, beautiful ..."?

[ron_buchanan2]

I agree about the dust spots and I think Alfie should show a little

more restraint in sharing his experiments, however I think Alfie's

showing a little creativity (more than most). If the picture had

worked without the title, I would have been truly impressed.

[jackflesher]

If you are wanting a critique here, I have seen this shot done much

better. You see, I am an insurance agent, and I see about 20 or 30 of

these shots every year. They come in when folks are submitting

insurance claims because their washing machine connection hose

(always the HOT) burst and damaged their walls and floors. Usually,

there is much better use of line and color than I see here. Shape and

form come into play as most also have a water stain to add interest.

 

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That being said, I must admit I've probably seen worse too, I just

don't remeber them.

 

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To improve on this shot, I would suggest you position the camera

slightly left, and back up a bit to give the subject a better

setting. ALso, use a fine grain film such as Velvia -- whatever you

used is way too grainy. Take several shots from slightly different

angles. Experiment with placing different fruits and vegetables into

the image in varying positions -- perhaps under the hose or stuck

onto the bibs. Have your new bride act as your assistant and direct

her to point a light at varying angles to the subject. Select your

best shot from the above examples, and re-post it (only one, please)

so we may furhter critique your technique and comment on your

progress and improvement as a photogrpher.

 

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Cool beans,

[gerald_widen]

This is the internet age. Everyone has an equal opportunity to post.

OTOH everyone has an equal opportunity not to look. I think it's

interesting how the same people who ask Alfie not to post or at least

have some restraint are the people who cannot control themselves and

keep looking and posting in reaction to his posts. I have less respect

for those who keep looking then complain, then look again than

complain again, then look again and keep complaining. IF YOU HAVE A

PROBLEM DON'T LOOK. I'ts simple. Alfie if you want keep posting. Like

most of the other posts some of yours are interesting some not.

[andy_piper2]

Alfie:

 

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Before I critique the picture, a plea. PLEASE don't post pictures so

LARGE!! For Web viewing, unless you have a specific sharpness issue

that needs fine detail, stick to a picture size of about 8" by 5-1/2"

(or smaller!) at 72 dpi . It will take much less time to upload - and

much less time for us to view. 30 seconds of staring at a section of

yellow wall waiting for the rest of the picture to appear is enough to

make anyone hate your work!!

 

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Even if you are showing a focus problem (as in the questionable

'princess' shot you asked about last time - CROP the picture to show

the problem area, but keep the blown-up section small enough to fit on

the average (15") monitor all at once.

 

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As to the picture itself - well, IF you were in photo school this would

be 2nd semester work from a slightly above-average student. You're

SEEING things - you just aren't seeing them well yet.

 

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Jsut to keep you in good spirits, I went through 9 years of photo

education. But MOST of what I learned beyond basic film processing and

a few bits of trivia here and there (Zone system techniques, photo

history) was self-taught simultaneously, by studying established work.

You can learn a lot on your own by picking a photographer and working

really hard to duplicate their vision (just like some painters start by

copying masters.) Once you get the techniques under control THEN you

have the tools to pursue your own vision. Even Picasso painted

'classically' until he knew what he was doing, and then took off from

that base to reinvent painting and art for the 20th century.

[alfie wang]

Thanks for the advice about posting a smaller photographs. Typically

I use the largest scan from the CBOP CD-ROM (I don't scan my own

photographs because I don't have any room in my apartment) because I

would like to have the Leica optics showing its maximum resolution at

about 12 inches by 18 inches total.

 

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Of course, I keep on forgetting that most people don't have a cable

or T3 connection so I promise to post a medium sized photo instead.

 

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About the photograph's background, this photo was influenced by a

sculpture by Picasso where he used a toy car and embedded it into the

head of a man and made the head of the figurine a monkey shape

retouched with a brass color. It was a most emotional sculpture in my

childhood and I decided to use the photograph from the springboard of

cubist inspiration.

 

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Of course, my artistic sense is drawn mostly towards pop art such as

Lichtenstein. He is definitely one of my favorite painters along with

Vermeer and Andy Warhol.

 

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sincerely,

Alfie

[alfie wang]

Actually that reminds me, perhaps if I have any interest in pop art

photography to "duplicate" Lichtenstein's artwork, I could try to

experiment with Ilford Delta 3200. Good grain and noticeable which I

like :)

 

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Alfie

[dh2]

Please, I beg of you, stop ... and see a therapist. You sound

completely wacko ...

[hugh_jass1]

Alfie you are a genius! you have provided me with some of the most

entertaining posts I have ever read.

 

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Cool beans!

[geddert]

I used to wonder why people didn't want the government supporting

artists through grants... i no longer wonder.

[andy_piper2]

Here�s a summary of the 20 posts with the most recent responses (as of

12/4, 4pm MST USA)

 

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Is this photo here a problematic picture? (51 new answers, last on

December 04, 2001)

Appreciation of your advice... and my photography philosophy. (36 new

answers, last on December 04, 2001)

Next Lens Advice (21 new answers, last on December 04, 2001)

Delta 4OO@8OO asa, problem (14 new answers, last on December 04, 2001)

Your expriences with 24/2.8 M lens (12 new answers, last on December

04, 2001)

framelines in the m6 (12 new answers, last on December 04, 2001)

"Picasso's Elephant"--Leica PAW, December 8th, 2001 (12 new answers,

last on December 04, 2001)

Favorite M lenses for architecture; Collapsible 50 Elmar 2.8 (12 new

answers, last on December 04, 2001)

Paucity of Leica FS in Newspaper Ads (11 new answers, last on December

04, 2001)

Another Leica forum ? (11 new answers, last on December 04, 2001)

leica m loading (11 new answers, last on December 04, 2001)

Just tried new portraBW & M6 (10 new answers, last on December 04,

2001)

Comparison of some R medium teles (9 new answers, last on December 04,

2001)

Protecting M Top And Baseplate (8 new answers, last on December 04,

2001)

scanner for b&w (6 new answers, last on December 04, 2001)

Is there a Leica M review web site? (5 new answers, last on December

04, 2001)

Any tips on focusing a R4 without the split-screen view screen? (4 new

answers, last on December 04, 2001)

scanners re-visited (4 new answers, last on December 04, 2001)

Metz 54MZ-3 (3 new answers, last on December 04, 2001)

Opinions of Voigtlander Nokton 1.5/50mm lens? (2 new answers, last on

December 04, 2001)

 

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Alfie Wang has collected 103 responses to a total of 141 for everyone

else.

 

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Remember your John Ciardi - �A man is what he does with his attention.�

 

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Or in other words, if you dislike Alfie�s posts so much, why are you

spending so much time and energy here??

[max_wall]

I say again, as I did before my thread was removed, "Alfie's winning."

[jasper]

Alfie is the best show in town bar none,net forum wise anyway.

Compulsive viewing.

I think i will stop giving good nature advice as it's unlikely to be

heeded.

 

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jasper

[tony_rowlett2]

Max, Alfie is talking about photography, and you're talking about

"winning" as if some kind of contest was occuring here. Did you by

any chance happen to notice the name of this forum? Did you happen to

notice that Alfie posted a link to a "photograph"? Did you happen

to notice that Alfie is actually talking about photography? Did you

happen to

notice that Alfie uses "Leica" cameras?<p>

What guidelines in my <a

href="http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/policy.tcl?topic=Leica%20Photogr

aphy">About</a> section are not being followed by Alfie?

What specific guidelines are you actually following in my <a

href="http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/policy.tcl?topic=Leica%20Photogr

aphy">About</a> section when you write about "winning"? Where in my

<a

href="http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/policy.tcl?topic=Leica%20Photogr

aphy">About</a> section does it mention that you have to like

everything Bob or Sue or Joe or Billy or Alfie posts to this forum?

Where in the <a

href="http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/policy.tcl?topic=Leica%20Photogr

aphy">About</a> section does it say that you have to read and enjoy

every post? Am I making sense, or am I hallucinating? Somebody,

please wake me up!<p>

[fergus_hammond]

I love Alfie's posts! They're like having a scab and being unable to

resist picking it or like switching channels during an ad,

seeing "When Good Pets Go Bad III" on Fox and not being able to

change back to PBS.

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I'm obsessively checking his posts to read the replies and -

ohmygod! - I'm replying, too.

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I love it!

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Fergus

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P.S. No spite intended to Alfie here; it appears that he has a

wonderfully thick skin anyway.

[jackflesher]

Tony:

 

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You are not halucinating, but Max is right. You should be deleting

80% of the responses to Alfie's posts if your rules dictate allowing

only on-topic responses to on-topic posts. Sorry to be the bearer of

bad news, but YOU have let Alfie's banal diatribes ruin this forum,

IMO. So in that sense, I agree with Max, Alfie has won. Goodbye.

 

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With all sincerity,

[tony_rowlett2]

Deleting posts takes some work and time and I don't like doing it.

I've never had to delete much. I never said I was against off-topic

responses, just that I think it's screwy that most of the off-topic

ones are attacks upon Alfie's on-topic ones.<p>

To Alfie: Alfie, my friend, can you please be more succinct and a

bit less "wordy" with your posts? Sometimes you tend to ramble, and

that can be irritating to some. I think this would greatly reduce

some people's anger toward you, and make my life a bit easier.

[max_wall]

Tony:

You are not hallucinating. You just misunderstood my post. I never said

ANYTHING about not liking Alfie's posts, nor have I EVER been critical of him in

ANY way. In fact, I defended him a couple of weeks ago when a very unkind

post was directed toward him. My post was simply an observation of human

behavior. Only Alfie knows for sure whether he is sincere, or is only just

having a little fun with us. If he is sincere, then he is not deserving of the

criticism directed his way, for he, like a lot of us, is just trying to learn a little

something about photography. If he is playing a game, then I still maintain. . .

he is winning.

[kirktuck]

Alfie Dearest,

I've reviewed your posted work and have a suggestion for you. Stop trying to re-invent 20th century modern art and use your Leicas to photograph

your wife nude. Or naked. Unless you chose horribly it might make for more interesting photographs to critique. And, if she is really delightful you may

even get some rave reviews from some of the curmuegeons. When confronted by a beautiful body, well photographed some may even overlook the

dust spots.............

 

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Kirk

[kirktuck]

I did not look far enough back in the posts before sending my previous post. I have now reviewed "Sarah with Cat" and wish to withdraw my previous

suggestion. Perhaps Weston-esque landscapes would suit you better. Perhaps with the 21mm Super Angulon for the R System. I can hardly wait.

 

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Kirk

[pat_dunsworth]

Alfie, they're all jealous. Secretly, each wants to scan and copy

your "Picasso's Elephant" full-size, then frame it and hang it on the

wall. Some night, if he's lucky, he'll meet some lady at a bar and

invite her up to his apartment to see his "oversized Wang":) You'll

be famous, just like Warhol or Rembrandt. Keep the snapshots coming.