Canyons and deserts - should Velvia be banned?

[mark_gatehouse]

Searching for some other desert work on Google I came across the

following few sites among others

 

http://www.fatali.com/giftstore/posters/pos_port1.php

 

http://www.grahamlyth.com/gallery-antelopecanyon/

 

http://www.nigelturnerphotography.com/PortfolioVI.htm

 

http://www.phyris.com/colslot.html

 

Why is it that there is so much of this over saturated almost

identical looking photography out there of Canyons, Anasazi ruins and

half dome? It seems devoid of imagination, originality, imagination

or spirit (yet I suppose it sells like hotcakes?).

 

There seems to be so much more of this and so little original work

(in which I would include Misrach, Emmet Gowin and Lee Friedlanders

desert work among others) -perhaps a ban by the National Parks on

the use of Velvia at such sites would help? Or maybe a period of

enforced use of Ektachrome EPN or Fuji NPS for such photographers?

(maybe that should have been part of Fatali's court ordered community

service...).

 

Is it possible the Departments of Homeland Security could ban Velvia

and Ektachrome VS from west of the Mississippi?

[clayh]

What is Velvia? Does Kraft make it?

[andy_schwegler]

look at any creative profession. There's always 1000(s) mediocre people for every one great person. Just do your thing and don't worry about others.

[ken_lee11]

<center><img src="http://www.kenleegallery.com/hf.jpg"></center>

 

<br>Even if there weren't thousands of mediocre people, your advice is still well-taken: <i>"Just do your thing and don't worry about the others".</i>

[steve_levine]

Fatali?aint he the guy that defaced a National Monument with presto logs?

[bruce watson]

Nope. It is a National Park. Delicate Arch in Arches NP to be more precise.

 

Nice fog Ken.

[tim obrien]

Ken,

That fog picture has been done millions of times and the damn trees are falling over. Perhaps we should ban B&W film from your camera bag?

 

tim in san jose

[ken_lee11]

First no Velvia - now no B&W ... this is worse than the Atkins diet !

[jamesp]

yeah! it's impossible to take a <i>bad</i> picture in Antelope

Canyon, but extremely easy to make a boring one. If Velvia is

outlawed, only outlaws will use velvia. Border patrols should be

installed that check for warming polarizers, colored grads, and any

slide film other than Kodachrome 64. All photographers wishing to

use color films should be forced to look at the work of Ernst Haas.

<p>Oh yeah and they should ban Tri-X 400 too because <i>so</i> many

people take those boring "street shots" with it.

[seth_hosler]

Those photos may be common, but they are still beautiful.

 

It is an especially American disease to value novelty over actual beauty or quality (and I am an American).

 

Many people see a beautiful & colorful scene, and want nothing more than to record it as a beautiful, colorful scene. I see no harm in this.

 

There are many creative things that can be done with a camera, and people should by all means explore the possibilities, but sometimes the thing that is called for is to just let the scene do the talking (in vivid colors).

 

Would you criticize B.B. King's guitar playing just because "that Blues thing had been done before"?

[Sandeha Lynch]

...if BB King had been a photographer, would he have used Velvia? (And if Ansel Adams had been a musician, would he have played Country and Western?)

[jessica_.]

I value your opinion, but are you saying that people should start to use Fuji NPS for such shots?

[seth_hosler]

Here are some more ideas to ponder:

 

1. Should we insist on shooting colorful scenes only with non-saturated film in the name of "originality"?

 

2. If Velvia had been available, don't you think Ansel Adams would have liked to have tried it?

 

3. Maybe it's the deserts that are tired. Perhaps we should all head of to Antarctica in search of inspiration. (said half-jokingly)

 

4. Once everyone starts shooting colorful scenes with Astia, will we all be back here complaining that lately everyone just seems to be going for that trendy "washed-out" look?

 

Truth is, film is not an impediment to creativity but a tool to be used in pursuit of it.

 

Truth is, most things HAVE been done before. If we stop seeing them as beautiful, it's our own fault for allowing our senses to be dulled.

 

Truth is, cliches become cliches for a reason.

 

Shoot what you like.

[Sandeha Lynch]

Seth, if I were able to be serious for a more than one minute, I would agree with you on each and every point.

<p>

1. We should not insist on anything.

<p>

2. Adams would probably have used Velvia to death, and then stopped for a while.

<p>

3. The deserts ARE tired. Once upon a time no one had seen them. Now they are covered with SUV tracks.

<p>

4. Yes, we will all be back here complaining ... whatever.

<p>

5. Yes.

<p>

6. Yes, and BB King is actually an excellent example of someone who ALWAYS plays the Blues but NEVER plays it the same. (And heck, he's 80-something.)

[julian_bell1]

As I once had to explain to a dear young thing in a tiny red mini skirt who complained of too much attention from the boys, "I only want to look beautifull".

There is a difference between attractive and beautifull.

 

Julian

[steve_hamley]

Sandeha,

 

Ansel Adams was a musician. He started his career intending to be a concert pianist and then made the move to photgraphy. The PBS show on his life is worth a watch if you can catch it.

 

Steve

[Sandeha Lynch]

I was making fun of course, but a classical pianist ... ? That is interesting, curious, but perhaps not so surprising.

[jonathan_bundick]

Every time one of these rants comes along, it makes me look at the works of those like you posted in amazement. The beauty of the finished product is superb. They reflect the size and grandeur of the land, the sounds of environment, and the feel of the place. These are all things that come to mind when I view excellent work.

 

I find it silly/funny/annoying that one with no photographs posted endeavors to criticize the originality of the works of those like you mentioned. Originality? Whose standards would you have officials use to judge originality? Yours? I hope not. I would like to see these great sweeping landscapes produced on EPN. Might you post a few for us to view<div></div>

[dan_fromm2]

If you don't like it, don't use it.

 

And remember, each has his own taste.

 

Cheers,

 

Dan

[tim_atherton9]

Jessica - I think NPS was suggested because it is perhaps the most neutral of negative films available - negative films themselves giving a rather more different look than the contrast of a transparency.

 

Actually I quite like the American West photographs of Thomas Struth. He certainly has given one of the more interesting looks at Half Dome of recent years, among other subjects. I remember it being commented on here in the past with cries of "but it's overexposed - that's unforgivable!" or words to that effect. Since then, having seen some of the western work "in the flesh" as nice large prints I personally found them quite stunning - the subtlety in the prints was what really made them work. And of course, Half Dome being "overexposed" is the whole point.

 

http://www.photoeye.com/templates/mShowDetailsbyCat.cfm?Catalog=sm159

 

After that (okay it's B&W) Lee Friedlanders Desert Seen is certainly original and fascinating.

 

I think my problem with most of the picture postcard and calendar type views if the desert west etc are that they are too "literal" and at it's best, photography isn't really a "literal" medium, it only appears to be one.

[wayne_firth2]

Tim,

 

I think the NPS reference was a joke.

NPS = National Park Service

 

A silly joke for a silly subject.

Not so sure the original post was not meant to be a joke.

[friedemann_pistorius]

Photographers are expected to be a little different, but I don't see

the point in the original post. Should coke be banned?

[douglas_benson1]

. ..and, aside from a paucity of snob appeal, whats wrong with country music ??? I'll take it

any day over Barry Manilow or M&M.

[tim obrien]

There is nothing wrong with Country Western. I LIKE Johnny Cash doing songs about a train. But nothing beats B.B.King doing Velvita commercials. Should we ban them too?

 

tim in san jose

[Sandeha Lynch]

Tim ... I'm going to paste your quote above my computer. :-))