Dalle viscere della terra?

excellent

Out of focus image of pile of rocks in foreground with out of focus picture of tractor partially obscured by same pile of rocks. This image is mediocre and I have decided to buy a throwaway camera this weekend to show that better images can be taken with little effort... OK Maria, now let's do the personal slur bit in another language....

Looking forward to your pre-announced masterpiece.

So am I, should I buy the throwaway Kodak or the Fuji? I have already tried a used water resistant Kodak Explorer, but these images were all no good. (shutter is off) But I have a choice of my Old Olympus point and shoot as well. Or should I get out my old Minolta X-700, since "Artist have to use the manual focus" Since I don't aspire to be an artist, but can spot BS way off in the distance I didn't want to enter that arena and was thusly thinking of the "No Focus" point and shoot to show how "Bad Focus" can be worse than "no focus", all of this done with some humor of course...Italian slurs notwithstanding he, he. The real big question will be the TITLE of the image and I will spend some time on this tonite.......Perhaps, to speed things up I might look thru my picture files tonite and post some older "artistic stuff" :))

here: as a warmup teaser to what might be coming...http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?topic_id=1481&msg_id=009WL6&photo_id=2707470&photo_sel_index=0

John what's the point of being so unpleasant?

Good shot. Perhaps it could have been a bit larger and the tractor not in the center.

The image suffers from poor depth of field, poor focus, loss of detail due to these faults, possible camera shake due to hand holding. The exposure is poor with a large part of the central area of interest obscured by featureless white dust. This area would be much more pleasing to the eye about 2 values lower with detail visible in the dust cloud and the other highlight values, now without detail, then visible.

The out of focus foreground is distracting and annoying. This kind of image demands detail in the high texture area, missing here due to lack of DOF and possible camera shake. Loss of image quality may also be due to scanning or printing - no way to know by looking at the screen image.

Usually, the issue of manual focus wouldn't bear commentary, but this photographer has wrapped her self up in a "true-believer" affectation with manual focus, as though her use of that method imparts some special extra quality to the photographic experience. It doesn't and it's a shame she doesn't let the AF (very robust on this camera - far better then most photographers) do the job allowing her to pay attention to the other problems (exposure, composition, quality of light) that are repeated constantly in her work.

The true-believer attitude seems to permeate as though using the technical achievements of the camera-maker somehow denigrate the photographic process. One may as well demand that the photographer also manually hold the film flat in the film gate, bypassing the machine-ground guides that do this so well for us. After all, that would get the photographer much "closer" to the photographic experience.

It's a pity that some amateurs get caught up in this sort of Luddite thinking. Working pros welcome every technical advance there is to help them get the image. The silly objection to AF is a throwback to the early days of the technnology when it appeared first in consumer-level cameras. Pros rejected it then. But not for long. Once Nikon and Canon got it right, no pro in his or her right mind was without it. But the silly objection continues, as though boasting, "I only use manual focus," somehow aligns one with those hardy photographers - pros Maria, pros! (The typical neighborhood "hot rod" who drives a stick shift and thinks that real race car drivers only drive manual-shift cars is amazed when he learns that Formula One machines and Indy cars all have automatic transmissions).

John, your assertion that you can better this photographer's work is out of place and completely inappropriate. It's demeaning and proves nothing. The purpose of critque is not to boast that one can do better than the photographer. The purpose is to help the photographer with constuctive suggestions, (whether they sound negative or positive). There's nothing wrong with using an image of your own to illustrate a specific point (maybe about technique, focus, exposure, composition, etc). but to boast that you can show up the photographer is just plain mean. I certainly understand your frustration with the silly mate rating, and bad manners this photographer has demonstrated, but your challenge will achieve nothing.

VL

Bella! Belli i colori ed il contrasto di luci.Sembra che da un momento all'altro il trattore possa uscire dalla foto e venirti incontro!

Nice rugged scene! Good work!

thanks for your POEM. Dante Alighieri is nothig in rispect of you!!!! A masterpiece of leterature.

Venica: please note that the very technical details you are commenting on, namely the incorrect use of the camera and the incorrect use of the filters were finally peeled out by yours truly and in previous postings I noted them accurately without meanness of any kind, even noting accurately the camera settings which Maria apparently does not know about or doesn't want to know about. My accurate observations which could help her post better, or at least different, images resulted in personal slurs, which you and others have experienced as well. Too bad that NONE of the praise posters bothered to check the camera and equipment which she honestly listed. I myself should have done that earlier, only after I noted some consistent features in the images. The intent of the slurs appears to be to chase off real critique, which she is NOT receiving except for very few postings that WE make the effort to do....As a matter of fact, I find it unfortunate that virtually ALL of the photographic experts who spend time in the forums discussing their intellectual rethorical skills appear to evaporate when some folks could use some REAL help with constructive critique. Singling me out because I'm virtually the only party commenting on the images strikes me as being a bit off. I have no intent of mean-ness here, but have noted her slurring, which is offensive and immature, but the party that is posting the images (Maria) as you personnaly noted in another posting is insular. I could care less about the mate rating. The serious problem here is with the false praise and VERY little critique, a serious disservice is being done to Maria. In some cases the sycophants also pursue posters of constructive critique, but in most of the cases, check themselves and the postings are quickly deleted. Please note the numerous other images on which I make the effort to critique and not just skim over and rate. More critique is URGENTLY needed on photo.net. The topic I raised on the snapshot and the throwaway camera is actually serious. I think that MANY photogs here might have fun and learn using a crude camera that is only in a fixed mode. In such cases they have to work with what is in front of them. I find the assumptions that Maria is working under as you noted accurately a clear case for saying "Stop" you are doing it wrong. Buy a throwaway, take some pictures and see what needs to change. The fact that we continue to post critique and have simply not given up and gone to do something else clearly shows that meanness or bullying is NOT the issue here, as I consider that as bad as the false praise. Should I come accross as mean...it is not the intent.

you and Venicia have nothig to teach to others people, exept uneducation!!!!

Off to munch some pizza and a good cold beer......Venica, let's just toss in the towel. Both you and I have offered Maria input for some 2+ months now. All we get in return are offensive remarks. Since we are virtually the ONLY parties left that had any constructive interest in her images, let's just leave her by the side of the road of photography and off to enjoyment. I know a great place in town with good food.....(Sound of Mint Fiat 1500 Sedan driving off in a big hurry) :)

I cant believe! You really think to be a paladin! Oh my God! This is really tragic! For you. YOU NEAD HELP! Do you really think to be a good photographer? Oh my God!!!!

John,

"Mint Fiat 1500."

I've had an 850 and a 124. Both fine cars, but consigned to the dark recesses of memory when I got a Mazda RX2 in 1975 (more power than any tiny car should have), and then a 450SL

The situation with Maria and her obsequious flatterers is quite hopeless. Sad. Fiercely determined mediocrity is hard to budge.

We have a single, tiny Italian restaurant in upcountry Maui. They make pizza to die for. Best in the islands. Beer and pizza, the universal antidote for frustration.

VL

I had an RX2 with a broken exhaust. When letting off the gas a sheet of flame would come out from underneath the passenger door and briefly come up the side of the car. Spectacular, but harmless. Plenty of good pizza in Tucson. But one of the best places is the NONNA MARIA PIZZERIA tucked away in Oracle..even serves Italian Beer...Complete with a little art gallery. I really have thrown in the towel here and am off to better images, or the potential thereof. My Epson 1280 needs some serious exercise. I hope that kids interested in photography are smart enough to see thru postings with excessive praise and no tech comments. All I can say is I love my old Nikon and would do the same with my N80, but it is now scratching film....If Maria (my last advice) would follow our instructions she would find that the Camera would do most of the fixing on her behalf....hope somebody finds her by the side of the road....

You have made your point and Maria does not seem to accept it. Quite frankly, I don't see why you keep to systematically waste your time with such a bad student. When I enter a shop and find out that I don't like the products I just don't buy anything, walk out as quickly as possible and try the next shop, or, I return home and try to motivate my own clients.

 

Maria, by the way, I am a friend and the photograph seems to be out of focus, can you make a good price for me? (7/7)

Well done. The feeling of several layers held together by the tractor is very nice.

I like that Tractor! Perfect!