Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/

No Heart

  • 27-01-2007 03:38PM
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 55 ✭✭


    After reading over the kit thread I came to the conclusion that people on here don't seem to care about the art of photography, rather they are obsessed with the technology.
    There are constant claims that only the newest body will do.
    New lenses are being bought as soon as some spare cash comes up.
    Only top of the scale equipment will do.
    Is it just a case of keeing up with the Jones'?
    Do people ever make any money from their investments?
    Do you find yourself using you gear so much, that you require 20 different lenses to fully caputre the ideal picture you are after?
    I just don't understand why people are spending so much money.
    The greatest photos I've seen are from old 35mm with a 50mm lense.
    Honestly, unless you are a professional that demands instant results, I don't see the point of spending ~€2000-€300 on a lense/lenses/body you might use once a week.


«13

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,332 ✭✭✭311


    Good for you ,why buy a lottery ticket if your never going to win.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,504 ✭✭✭Roen


    I like gear porn.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,764 ✭✭✭Valentia


    The greatest photos I've seen are from old 35mm with a 50mm lense.

    Yeah Leicas with Zeiss lenses FFS.

    Jeez talk of penis envy. Every lens I have has been used in situations where no other lens could have done. A puffin at 400 meters comes out very small on a 12mm lens, likewise it's very difficult to capture a wide panorama of the ballroom in Charleville Castle with a 400mm.

    I agree though that there s little point in filling a bag with gear that you don't know how to use but for some reason your post seems a little less tolerant and understanding and more verging on jealously and lack of knowledge (ignorance is the word but it seems a little harsh)

    Have you used Canon L lenses. I have got a few recently and the quality is just amazing compared to most other lenses. There is nothing wrong with wanting the best tools for the job. How many plumbers have you seen using Black and Decker??

    As for making money, what the hell has that got to do with anything????? We do care about "our art" so making money doesn't come into it. Read your first sentence again and please try to be a little bit more consistent with your arguement!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,319 ✭✭✭sineadw


    I have a POS 35 film with POS lenses, all of which have cost me a grand total of 200 quid so far, and I do love. I've never felt I had to keep up with anyone here, and all I've ever seen here are people who love to take photos and help others out. If I had to money to buy that 24 grand Hasselblad I bloody-well would though. And why not? Everyone has their thing.

    Gear porn - lol :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,764 ✭✭✭Valentia


    Oh and another thing. If you feel that I , or anyone else here, has no heart please have a look at our galleries on Flickr or wherever and come back and say that. You wont, because you'll find that that is not the case.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,966 ✭✭✭elven


    Ok, why don't you read over the 'why I take pictures' thread now and see if you still feel the same way.... it's a thread about gear! Duh! People are going to buy what they can because it's their hobby, something they love doing, and buying lenses that will enable them to do stuff they otherwise couldn't is fun! Sheesh. You think I'd not take a 70-200 2.8 L lens instead of my 70-200 might-as-well-just paint-the-glass-black zoom,if I got the chance - because it would allow me to take a lot of pictures that I'm currently physically not able to... no of course not, THAT would just be silly.

    Now go troll somewhere else and don't come back until you have something useful/thoughtful/relevant to say.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,735 ✭✭✭mikeanywhere


    I just like collecting lenses myself :eek: :D:D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 771 ✭✭✭Rojo


    After reading over the kit thread I came to the conclusion that people on here don't seem to care about the art of photography, rather they are obsessed with the technology.
    There are constant claims that only the newest body will do.
    New lenses are being bought as soon as some spare cash comes up.
    Only top of the scale equipment will do.
    Is it just a case of keeing up with the Jones'?
    Do people ever make any money from their investments?
    Do you find yourself using you gear so much, that you require 20 different lenses to fully caputre the ideal picture you are after?
    I just don't understand why people are spending so much money.
    The greatest photos I've seen are from old 35mm with a 50mm lense.
    Honestly, unless you are a professional that demands instant results, I don't see the point of spending ~€2000-€300 on a lense/lenses/body you might use once a week.


    complete and utter bollox...


    the spending is justified through the fruits of the labour, in my opinion. Such a stupid statement...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,504 ✭✭✭Roen


    Well you have a point H_O_S, I'm a little guilty of spending a lot and not using my gear as much as the initial expense would warrant.
    It's not a simple matter though, I don't use it a lot simply because I have a lot of hobbies. I love to travel, walk, climb and camp (I adore the outdoors). I love going to the gym, playing squash, going to the cinema*. I am a bit of a tech head as well and can while away hours surfing the net. Add in all the usual stuff like reading and so on and I am kept pretty busy.

    I don't think that I lack heart at all, if anything I try to spread myself too much over too many hobbies. There just isn't the hours in the week.

















    *girls take note


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,458 ✭✭✭✭gandalf


    Very poor troll, 2/10 try harder next time :)


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 494 ✭✭paudie


    I hate photography I just figure its the quickest professional route to early retirement


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 94 ✭✭kuroino


    > I don't see the point of spending ~€2000-€3000 on a lense/lenses/body

    Budget amateur digital SLR body - 700 euro, very basic even non-native flash unit - 200 euro, main budget lense - 300 euro, fixed bright lense (e.g. 50/1.8) - 100 euro, very cheap telephoto - 150 euro, UV filters for all of that and one budget polarizer - 50 euro, reasonably inexpensive bag for all of that - 50 euro, inexpensive tripod - 50 euro. Flash cards - 50 euro. 1650 euro in total, not that far from your 2000 euro. And that's the exact minimum of equipment for any amateur digital photographer now, I think.

    Of course I support you on the general point, that there is no reason to spend too much on the equipment. But 2000 euro is simply not too much. It is not much at all in fact.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,624 ✭✭✭✭Fajitas!


    Best gear for the job tbh. And not just for making money. I want to get what I want to see, and I'll get the gear that suits that. I'm studying fine art, and have had a few exhibitions, so it's not exactly a case of no heart.

    And I have to agree with Valentia - The kit with the 35mm film and 50mm lenses...were all 2000 for the camera and 1000 for the lens. Besides, if they're the best you're seeing, you're not looking very far.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,332 ✭✭✭311


    Is it not experience that allows photographers to know , they'll only need one lens for a certain job.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,219 ✭✭✭Calina


    After reading over the kit thread I came to the conclusion that people on here don't seem to care about the art of photography, rather they are obsessed with the technology.
    There are constant claims that only the newest body will do.
    New lenses are being bought as soon as some spare cash comes up.
    Only top of the scale equipment will do.
    Is it just a case of keeing up with the Jones'?
    Do people ever make any money from their investments?
    Do you find yourself using you gear so much, that you require 20 different lenses to fully caputre the ideal picture you are after?
    I just don't understand why people are spending so much money.
    The greatest photos I've seen are from old 35mm with a 50mm lense.
    Honestly, unless you are a professional that demands instant results, I don't see the point of spending ~€2000-€300 on a lense/lenses/body you might use once a week.


    Personally I don't see the point in spending 5.60E on a pint of Guinness since you'll only go the toilet half an hour later. But you'd be surprised the number of people who don't agree with me.

    After reading this I came to the conclusion that you've a simplistic outlook on life.

    The greatest photograph I have ever taken I took with a 350D costing 700E and a Sigma 300mm zoom lens costing 200E. Boohoo. I recently coughed up 1200E for a 500mm zoom lens because - get this - I needed the extra reach. Jesus I don't like needing it; it weighs a tonne; but have you ever tried to take photographs of kitesurfers with a 50mm prime? I have. The results are not exactly over whelming. The second greatest photograph I have taken was taken with the 350D and the 500mm zoom. I couldn't put a converter on the 300mm zoom because a converter won't fit it.

    What is it to you that people use all their spare cash to buy new lenses? I mean - let's face it, it's not your money they are spending - it's their own, it's what they do. Yeah, some of them are gear nerds and that's fine - it is their money. I really don't care apart from the fact that I got to borrow someone's wideangle at an outing once....which was groovy.

    I've spent around two grand on equipment in the last year with a shopping list of around five grand to come at least. It could be worse. I could spend my life gambling the fruits of my labour away in one of those super casinos that are getting built in the UK. Or I could, like just about everyone else according to the Indo a few weeks ago, waste it on cocaine. Or, I could buy a newer and bigger car. Or I could stash it in a bank and have no life whatsoever.

    Ansel Adams is my favourite photographer of all time. Philippe Plisson is my favourite living photographer. I like Peter Lik. I like Vincent Munier. These guys use the very, very best equipment they can get for the job and their photographs are the richer for it. Do you think there's any shame in trying to take the very best photograph you can?

    Heart is not a quantifiable commodity when it comes to photographs. AlisonB, whom I haven't seen for a while, takes superb fashion shots. I can see how technically great they are. But they don't talk to my heart because my own interest is so different - you could equally say where's the heart in watersports photography? What it boils down to is this: where you may see no heart, it could be because your own heart is closed to it. In the meantime, a lot of people here spend a lot of time and money on photography which can be an expensive or cheap hobby - because they love it, and they don't see it as a waste of money.

    If you look at the kit list I put up you'll see I said I wanted a 30D. Why do I want that? Simple: it has a bigger fps. It's not a big thing - but get this - I spent as much money as I could afford on a body at the time I bought a 350D. Would I prefer to have the money?

    No. You mightn't see the value in some of my photographs - but I can. I got benefits out of taking those photographs - even the bad ones - in terms of the human return I get from people I photograph.

    I know a lot of people who have a load of photographic equipment and no money but they have lives - rich lives and they see beauty all around them. I know people who don't bother with spending money on anything. I don't envy them. They have money but they have very little else.

    We have interests. We follow them. And we strive to do the best, and get the best we can get. Me, I'd have a pile of L lenses in the morning if I could afford it and it wouldn't be just to impress rymus.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,624 ✭✭✭✭Fajitas!


    Calina puts it very well :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,219 ✭✭✭Calina


    Roen wrote:
    .... going to the cinema*.











    *girls take note

    you trying to get hooked up here, Roen?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,504 ✭✭✭Roen


    Always trying....never succeeding :p


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,219 ✭✭✭Calina


    I was just wondering if we should organise boards.ie/photography speed dating or something that's all, maybe at the end of the next meet. make the photographic results a photo challenge or something.

    maybe yez should have tried it at Charleville Castle...although I missed that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 771 ✭✭✭Rojo


    Calina wrote:
    I was just wondering if we should organise boards.ie/photography speed dating or something that's all, maybe at the end of the next meet. make the photographic results a photo challenge or something.

    maybe yez should have tried it at Charleville Castle...although I missed that.



    I think if we did that, it'd be 10% hetero couples and the rest homo.. :P


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,219 ✭✭✭Calina


    Rojo wrote:
    I think if we did that, it'd be 10% hetero couples and the rest homo.. :P

    I'm trying to do the maths and I know that the weekend of the trip to the Donadea there were a load of good looking men plus elven, trilo and me with our pick...was it that disproportionate in Charleville as well?

    damn...roen you're finished then. we women have our pick by the sounds of things...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,504 ✭✭✭Roen


    Ahhh I'll struggle on.....


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,624 ✭✭✭✭Fajitas!


    440hz kind of counts as a girl...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,219 ✭✭✭Calina


    Kind of? I would have said there was no doubt about it the last time I met her which was down at the Kerry shoot where the only who travelled from Dublin was me...

    (nice intimate one that was, me 440Hz, Fionn and Rymus. 50:50 split).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,624 ✭✭✭✭Fajitas!


    Ah I dunno now.

    I have my doubts :p


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,219 ✭✭✭Calina


    Ah Fajitas, you're just spoiling for fistycuffs now.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,624 ✭✭✭✭Fajitas!


    Only men resort to fistycuffs... :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,219 ✭✭✭Calina


    Obviously. But you're a man...just because I don't resort to fistycuffs doesn't mean I don't notice when you do...


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 53,642 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    i must say, that if what HOS said was off the mark, he did seem to touch a raw nerve.
    that said, i have seen comments on here (not that common) where people will say "why bother with such a filter/photographic technique when i can just photoshop it".
    comments like that make my teeth itch.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,764 ✭✭✭Valentia


    i must say, that if what HOS said was off the mark, he did seem to touch a raw nerve.
    that said, i have seen comments on here (not that common) where people will say "why bother with such a filter/photographic technique when i can just photoshop it".
    comments like that make my teeth itch.

    Holy sweet jazus we have another one. Trolls are breeding folks, watch out. Raw nerve me ar$e. Get a life FFS. Do you know the first thing about photography????????????????

    It's crap like this that makes me wish I was a Mod here! Itch away, you should be busy for awhile.


Advertisement