Eastern Europeans do more with less

[wayne_campbell]

<p>I've noticed many times that many of the highlighted gallery pictures on Photo.net are from Eastern Europe (Roumania, Poland, Russia, The Czech Republic, Hungary) and most of the time they use what posters in this forum would consider low end Canon (Digital Rebels, etc). They aren't spending $3000-$5000 and photographing brick walls or resolution charts. They turn out some stunning stuff. Check out the work of this photographer and guess what he uses? The Canon 400D (Digital Rebel XTI to us). Does this mean good photographs start 12 inches behind the camera ?</p>

<p><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=880120">http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=880120</a></p>

<p> </p>

[michael j hoffman]

<p>Yes.</p>

<p>Michael J Hoffman</p>

[robert_dale]

<p>Good food for thought.</p>

[kevin_b.2]

<p>Thats because they have more beautiful girls to impressive.</p>

[mpolfer]

<p>Couldn't agree more. I have seen some AMAZING pictures done with a point and shoot camera. </p>

 

[daniel flather]

<p>Maybe there are no brick walls or resolution charts in Eastern Europe.</p>

[gabriel_l1]

<p>Commuting back and forth I've been using the amount of gear I have—and its resulting lack of portability—as an excuse not to bring my camera with me. The result? No pictures, obviously! So this week I said to hell with it and threw my Rebel XS with 18-55 IS kit lens in my everyday bag with no other gear or accessories. The result? I'm making photos again, and they're just fine.</p>

<p>The secret to photography is showing up. F/8 and be there. Etc.</p>

[PuppyDigs]

<p>Europeans are fascinated with art fart stuff. Look at their damn countries. Friggen ruined with artsy fartsy museums, 1000 year old architecture, stuck up music, funny tight clothing, etc. So it's not surprising they twist and pervert their gear into producing the before mentioned galleries.</p>

<p>We yanks know what's important: new gear and more of it. I'll take more AF points, more FPS and a larger Direct Print button (preferably lit with a warmly glowingLED) any day of the week over a damn artsy fartsy image. Nevertheless we shoot more than brick walls and charts: ugly babies, retarded cats , fat rover in the kitchen and the back of lens caps are our true fortes.</p>

[doug_landrum]

<p>Speak for yourself Puppy. I like using the Confederate flag as a test chart. And then I like to take my Canon to find an ugly model from Providence, Rhode Island to shoot her arm hairs with a macro lens. Do you want to see my photos of the unwashed children from the stinking Lost Block in Iasi, Romania?</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Hey, one of my favorite rock bands is Kino with Viktor Tsoi (live performance <a href="

). Like some of the former East bloc pictures you like, it is sort of an acquired taste that nullifies broader generalizations. :)</p>

<p>But yes to the few cms <em>behind</em> the camera being decisive.</p>

[mbkissel]

<p>By the same token, I'm sure a pro golfer could take my mediocre clubs and still turn in a pretty good 18 holes.</p>

<p>It's obvious this photographer has vision and skills. Nice portfolio.</p>

[tudorciobanu]

<p>Dear all,<br>

I'm from Romania (SE Europe) and I would like to show you two of our best photographers:<br>

1. <a href="http://www.rpfoto.ro/">http://www.rpfoto.ro/</a>, Mr. Roberto Palu<br>

2. <a href="../photodb/user?user_id=2407094">http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=2407094</a>, Mrs. Alexandra Sandu<br>

I want you to see the work of Mr. Roberto Palu who is using a Nikon D200, 28-200mm, but it doesn't stop him in any way to produce one of the best pictures. <br>

I don't now what kind of camera Mrs. Alexandra Sandu used, but I now that she works in a really nice studio and she produce as well great pictures. I don’t know how many of you are lucky to have such a studio at your disposal.<br>

So we have, as every where else in the world, photographers with good equipment and photographers with not such latest high end cameras, BUT they are having what all photographer’s need: a good eye.<br>

To conclude: better equipment, all around the world, helps the photographer to obtain more easer what he sees. That’s all.<br>

Thank you,</p>

[jakobl]

<p>The link provided at the beginning might not be the best example, because the photographer surely has some nice equipment as well: http://www.photo.net/photo/6049481<br>

:)<br>

Jakob</p>

[bill_from_new_york_city]

<p>If you believe that the photographer Matusciac Alex, the one that shot the photographer you used as an example, is producing excellent work like Fall because has anything to do with the camera I think you are wrong.<br>

<br>

What I see in the photography is a creative hair style, excellent makeup, a model that can model and plenty of pre-planning work with concept, a vision and studio lighting from the photographer to "create" this excellent photograph.<br>

<br>

Franking the easy part I would think was pressing the shutter button, because all the hard work done before it was pressed!<br>

<br>

This style of photography that Matusciac is shooting has nothing to do with the camera. On the other hand for example shooting wildlife and motor sports the camera I would say does influence the ability to shoot. You want a faster camera, larger memory buffer and weather proofing.<br>

<br>

Bill</p>

 

[otanslatco]

<p>Ok, so should I get the 300mm F4 and use the 1.4 tc or get the 400mm F5.6 ? Which one is sharper ? 5Dmk2 or should I get the 7D ? Thanks !</p>

[markonestudios]

It's so odd that this post came up when it did :) I've been musing over that for a long time now. Nice to see that I'm not alone :) I too think that there is some really amazing work out there, much of which has largely been underneath the radar. But thanks to the ubiquitous internet, some of that great work is now emerging. I also think that language could be a possible barrier. Some of the best work I've seen I've simply stumbled upon on a foreign-language website...

<p>Just stumbled across this link :) http://www.wonderfulmachine.com/countries

[wayne_campbell]

<p>Good one, Otan. Now you're thinking like a true American !</p>

[hjoseph7]

I agree, I think they just work harder. MUCH harder...

[seragram]

<p>Yes but can they shoot a cat as good as us? LOL</p>

[charles_wood]

<p>Virtually any DSLR available today can provide a capable photographer with the ability to create stunning work in almost all categories of photography. The quality of the glass is also of some importance but even kit lenses can perform wonderfully well in the hands of a competent artist. There has been far too much marketing emphasis placed on hardware, creating a caste system whereby photographers are made to feel they will be inadequate without the best F2.8 glass or a minimum of 5-6 fps, and bodies that give you the equivalent to a gym workout if you carry them around for a day.</p>

[OPK]

<p>nowadays all cameras are very similar in terms functions and possibilities...besides sensor and chip differences there's another one - form factor. if would companys do's every camera in same form factor but differ in functions........no one's would ever buy expensive one because higher MPix, frame rate, focuc points etc.</p>

<p>for a good picture all you need is 4-8Mpix, aperture, shutter speed and exp compensation. but many of us buy more profi camera just because it feels properly in hand (not like a toy).</p>

<p>....and authorities in camera companys already know that.</p>

[john_tran14]

<blockquote>

<p>Does this mean good photographs start 12 inches behind the camera ?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>No, this means it starts 5 feet in front of the camera.</p>

<p>That's the problem of many of us who have to shoot a chart, or a garbage dumpster in front of our apartment. But take time and look at our shots. There is some kind of art there too. Of course, there are great photographs taken with very slow lens on b/w film of very low quality and iso too</p>