jeffrey_prokopowicz

<p>I'm also wondering if music/ song would/ could be a more powerful way of expressing this subject. I write songs on acoustic guitar and can sing well enough. Maybe songwriting is a more feasible medium to use since this subject is pretty abstract and hard to pin down with say concrete photographic images. Anyway. . . .<br>

I wasn't sure if it was inappropriate to post here, but if so that's where the moderators could help out I assume.<br>

Curt, ironically I was just as angry at the Bush administration as well. It seems we've gone from extreme right to extreme left. I voted for Obama but he campaigned as a centrist and when he got in office he went extreme left. Sure I'm angry.<br>

Thanks for the replies but it seems I'm pretty much on my own which is not a bad thing really. Thanks again!</p>

<p>Kevin, I think it's up to the moderators and not the posters to claim appropriateness or not.</p>

<p>I wasn't preaching but I thought trying to give an idea about where my question sprang from.</p>

<p>I'm also wondering if music/ song would/ could be a more powerful way of expressing this subject. I write songs on acoustic guitar and can sing well enough. Maybe songwriting is a more feasible medium to use since this subject is pretty abstract and hard to pin down with say concrete photographic images. Anyway. . . .</p>

<p>I wasn't sure if it was inappropriate to post here, but if so that's where the moderators could help out I assume.</p>

<p>Curt, ironically I was just as angry at the Bush administration as well. It seems we've gone from extreme right to extreme left. I voted for Obama but he campaigned as a centrist and when he got in office he went extreme left. Sure I'm angry.</p>

<p>Thanks for the replies but it seems I'm pretty much on my own which is not a bad thing really. Thanks again!</p>

<p>I'm also wondering if music/ song would/ could be a more powerful way of expressing this subject. I write songs on acoustic guitar and can sing well enough. Maybe songwriting is a more feasible medium to use since this subject is pretty abstract and hard to pin down with say concrete photographic images. Anyway. . . .</p>

<p>I wasn't sure if it was inappropriate to post here, but if so that's where the moderators could help out I assume.</p>

<p>Curt, ironically I was just as angry at the Bush administration as well. It seems we've gone from extreme right to extreme left. I voted for Obama but he campaigned as a centrist and when he got in office he went extreme left. Sure I'm angry.</p>

<p>Thanks for the replies but it seems I'm pretty much on my own which is not a bad thing really. Thanks again!</p>

<p>I'm also wondering if music/ song would/ could be a more powerful way of expressing this subject. I write songs on acoustic guitar and can sing well enough. Maybe songwriting is a more feasible medium to use since this subject is pretty abstract and hard to pin down with say concrete photographic images. Anyway. . . .</p>

<p>I wasn't sure if it was inappropriate to post here, but if so that's where the moderators could help out I assume.</p>

<p>Curt, ironically I was just as angry at the Bush administration as well. It seems we've gone from extreme right to extreme left. I voted for Obama but he campaigned as a centrist and when he got in office he went extreme left. Sure I'm angry.</p>

<p>Thanks for the replies but it seems I'm pretty much on my own which is not a bad thing really. Thanks again!</p>

<p>BTW, I tried to put this in the "Philosophy, Theory, and Technique" section of the Nikon forum. I hope that's okay.</p>

<p>Typo, should be "too stupid" :).</p>

<p>I was looking for some ideas on how I could use photography to make a statement and maybe a difference about the downfall of our country since the Obama administration took over. I know not everyone will agree with my description of a "downfall," but to me the democratic party, and especially Obama, are contributing to the destruction of wealth and strength of our great nation with a government takeover of the health care system currently being rammed through, Cap and Trade which will greatly harm our economy and destroy more jobs than it creates, the undertone of socialism, creation of a nanny goverment, loss of freedom, redistribution of wealth, the arrogance of not listening to the people and thinking we're to stupid to know what's best for us, and on and on and on. I think you get my point.</p>

<p>The question is how can these realities be portayed through the powerful medium of photography? Thanks.</p>

<p>The salesman should have said something like "if you ever want greater image quality or more detail in your large prints give 4x5 film a shot." But to insult all the great photographers who use formats and mediums other than 4x5 film is just plain silly.</p>

<p>Yes, absolutely! I've been pushing for onboard cupholders too.</p>

<p>Ronald, forgive me, but I think it's amazingly tactful (even for the Diplomatic Corps.) considering that you went off on a long spiel that had nothing to do with what I posted. I was probably even talking about the very type of equipment that you use for your well-researched/ planned photo junkets.</p>

<p>In the end it's no big deal though, I'm grateful you took the time to respond. :-)</p>

<p>Thanks Albin. ;-)</p>

<p>In my little world it's pretty clear that the limiting factor is not my gear but my abilities as a photographer. Since my gear, in my estimation, fits into the "good enough" category, top-shelf lenses or a full frame camera with more megapixels are not factors that are going to elevate my photography. It's everything else except the gear.</p>

<p>Thanks Ray.</p>

<p>This is the first time I've posted a thread here where everyone seems to agree :). I better cherish this moment because I don't think it will ever happen again haha.<br>

<br />Thanks to everyone for the helpful comments: Wouter, Per-Christian, Lil, Nic, Mark, Walt, Brooks, RL, David, Michael, Eric, Kari, Michael Axel, Oscar and Dan. Great Posts! Thankyou all!</p>

<p>Thanks for all the kind responses! I forgot I posted this thread.</p>

<p>Michael, a "crappy lens" is not good enough. I mean equipment that's good enough but not necessarily considered the best.</p>

<p>Eric, yes, good enough is "subjective," but photographers seem to have no problem telling when something isn't good enough, if that makes sense.</p>

<p>Thanks again everyone! </p>

<p>I see photographers who are always looking to acquire the sharpest lenses and the highest spec'd cameras. I see Nikon photographers who are using Zeiss lenses and adapters to mount various top-shelf lenses from other manufacturers. I certainly don't see anything wrong with it but it seems to me that good enough is good enough. I own good gear but nothing super expensive or exotic. I have a Nikon D700, D200, and a D80. I own all Nikon lenses, the usual AF-D primes and a few good zooms for my D200 (12-24, 17-55, and 80-200/2.8). I never find myself looking for greater image quality since it seems to me that the picture succeeds or fails on the subject of the picture. I mean if I capture a great image it's a great image whether the image quality is Leica-like or just Nikon good. If my picture fails, all the sharpness, detail and noiselessness in the world is not going to save it. So my point is that I'm perfectly content with my Nikon gear and feel that the quality is good enough for any reasonable photographer. Good enough is good enough. Am I nuts?</p>

<p>Congrats Luis! I remember how excited I was too. You gotta love the 35/2 AF-D.</p>

<p>Sorry, I don't see the lack of respect angle because of mom's request. It could just be that mom has been struggling to take good pics and just wanted to see what a pro photographer could do with her point 'n' shoot. It depends how you look at it. Forgive me Annie, but you come off as having a chip on your shoulder and being too quick to assume the worst. And what's the big deal in obliging mom anyway? And lastly, why should mom just grant you unconditional respect? Maybe when she looks at the photo album you created and remembers what a down-to-earth person you were for taking a picture with her camera, she will probably feel respectful and gush to her friends, that have daughters, what an amazing photographer you are, and a good sport to boot.</p>

<p>28/3.5 PC, 35/1.4 AIS, 55/2.8 M, 85/1.4 AIS</p>

<p>This thread is hilarious, sadly. Half of the posts are harangues about using capital letters, and then apologies for using those capital letters, and finally apologies for being mean-spirited about Patrick using capital letters. And what was the point of the thread, oh yeah, SHARPENING!</p>

<p>BTW, haha, thanks Patrick!</p>

<p>Also, German workers are some of the highest paid in the world, if not the highest.</p>

<p>Pardon me, but this whole discussion seems pretty silly. Isn't wedding photography, especially, about the pictures and not how the pictures were shot? It seems using film or not is purely a photographer's decision, and if it's cost effective.</p>

<p>I think there's a time and a place for both primes and zooms. I love the option of having both. The myth that "primes are superior" persists from the days when zooms just weren't that good. There are now some fantastic zoom lenses that can compete with the finest prime lenses. It's all good.</p>

<p>A retailer who could be so misleading it wouldn't surprise me if they tried to keep the 5k as "right to buy" and then charged the full 23k when the camera came in. I wasn't born this cynical.</p>

<p>Nice tip Ilkka, I didn't know that. Thanks!</p>

<p>William, I don't want to go on about this since I was tongue-in-cheek in the first place, and someone on here is sure to get offended, but you're 100% correct about not being able to judge a book by its cover. Where the weightlifting thing shines, however, is because people DO judge a book by its cover, and even if a 150 pound dude could kick anyone's butt, human nature says that someone would be more apt to give a little guy crap before giving lip to a muscle-bound ape, and especially in a spontaneous moment if someone's anger flaired. Anger flairs, they see a little guy, they lash out; anger flairs, they see a muscular ape, they back off. :) Human nature. :)</p>

<p>Lens looks real good. Great photos!</p>