Give me a moment while I adjust my frequency …
[RANT MODE ON]
Okay. I seldom do this but I thought maybe I could bitch about some things that kinda irritate me here. Often I’ll go around photography forums viewing photos taken by others … no … not for inspiration because that will make me a ‘photocopier’ … but just to sit back and enjoy (and sometimes not) the photos.
I came across this pretty clean and nice landscape photo that someone took during sunset (or was it sunrise?) at a reservoir. I said to myself … ‘oh this is pretty neat’. Next … I scrolled down to find someone leaving a comment saying that the photo doesn’t really tell a story. Story? This is where I mumbled … ‘WTF? Dumbass!’. Yeah … it’s rude I know but …
Does every photo need to tell a story? How do you expect a photo of a nice landscape to ‘tell a story’? Maybe there are some out there who are misguided. Or am I the misguided one? I don’t believe every photo has to tell a story. I believe photos are meant to capture what we see and that’s about all. If I take a photo of a brick wall … then the photo is a photo of a brick wall. No story. Nothing. That’s it. Period. Why would one wanna try ‘decipher’ what’s the story behind the photo? Do I need to contact the construction company that erected this brick wall and ask them who was involved in the construction of the wall? Do I need to find out what cement was used? Do I need to find out all these to let the viewer know the story? Nah.
Maybe this is the reason why I still prefer toy (alternative?) camera photography etc. Why? Because I’ve yet to see such weird nonsense from the toy/Lomo cam community. Well you can correct me if I’m wrong. So far the community I know are more into having fun snapping away, having fun and sharing. Don’t get me wrong … I’m still much into digital photography but I sometimes find people in digital photography forums getting crazier by the day. Argue about which cam is better? Argue about some rumoured camera specs? Argue about which brand is better? Bitching about getting lousy photos because he/she doesn’t own expensive lense? Duh!
I’ll end this ranting entry with some old photos of mine and share with you the story behind them …
Story : The guy in the middle has a hairy ass
Story : I was damn shit drunk when I took this
Story : There were two dragonflies fighting near one of the yellow flowers. What do you mean you can’t see it?
Story : I looked up and saw a strange light. Soon came two weird looking characters and asked me where was the nearest pub. Who says I don’t believe in UFOs and aliens?
[/RANT MODE OFF]
I like the hairy ass pic best…it oooze of story 😀
@Kristine : I don’t wanna really know what will ooze outta that hairy ass. Eeew!
Your “stories” are hilarious.
@ndroo but pple at noise expects it 🙂 everytime i submit a picture they ask me pls share with us your inspiration behind this pic or something like tht like if it was a spur of the moment how?? :((
@Tom : Glad you like em 😀
@.ecalos : Hahaha. Well … if you have no choice then maybe go cook up some ‘story’ to accompany the photos. I’ve seen how some photo that look ‘oh-so-normal’ being posted in forums and then the guy who took the shot cooked up some ‘hope-you-buy-it’ story that’s so lame. Honestly, I’d rather have a ‘storyless’ photo than one that’s tagged to some bullshit-cooked-up-just-because-you-need-a-story thingie. 😀 Yes … I have an attitiude problem. 😀
I believe some people are more like “conceptual artist” when comes to photography, they are reading and seeing more beyond the simple visual. I still remember the time when I was in school doing some photography theory classes, bullshitting about some photos and I got “A” for the semester….Haha! When people disagree, we will just blame art for being subjective.
@Ndroo: Wow…nice photos! How about starting a photo story competition?
@Jer : You must be one very talented bullshitter … ooops … I meant … photographer. Hahaha. 😛 Photo story competition? You wanna sponsor a prize? I’d be glad to do it. 😀
Haha….It is just some salesman talk to give some value to the photos, all advertising advertises advertising!
Prize = 1 pen & a stack of paper for more story writing?
Thanks for the stories
🙂
ahhahahaa, love the stories behind the pics ::P
hahahahahhaahahahhahahahah
OH JESUS CHRIST THE NEW E-P2 has crossprocess functions!! AND TILTSHIFT MINITURE FAKES@!!!! OH MAN.. IMM TURN INTO A BAGGER!
The kind of people who come up with “tell a story” are the kind of people who TALK about art instead of doing it.
They have a place in the world too, but it’s different.
And shouldn’t be mistaken for the artist’s POV.
Sometimes, a photo is just a photo. It really works both ways, a nice caption can tie the whole work/works together. But on the other had it may also limit the whole experience by the photographer already “preassigning” a meaning and limiting what he wants the viewer to take out of it.
I’ve listened to some Film Wasters photography podcasts and the interviewees mentioned that the activity they “dislike” most is to caption their photo when submitting to galleries. And most of these photographers are professional print makers/hybrid artists/photographers!
On a separate note, the “story” i got out of the first photo isn’t “The guy in the middle has a hairy ass”, my perceived story is…….. “UP YOURS!”
=P
Hahahaha.
@mijonju : Come down from the ceiling! You are way too high! Hahahaha. I read about the specs. Luckily none of the new features excite me except maybe the better LCD. Phew. I’ll save up for the next one then. 😉 So are you getting the EP2? Don’t forget to give us a review.
@Erik : Spot on!
@Mike : Thanks for sharing your thoughts. As for the story of my first photo … LOL!
im sure the craze will wear of.. like now.. i don’t really care about the x1 anymore 😀
\
hey i tried the camear! the finder is real!! WHOOHOO!!!
@Mijonju : Hahaha! So now no more X1 … what’s next? Did you buy the EP2? 😀
im going for the nikon digital sp series.. oops i think i leaked some secret 😀
@mijonju : Hahaha. Yeah. I’ll be saving up for one of those … just maybe. Hahaha!
Hahahahaha the first ‘story’ really got me 😀
Love the fighting dragon fly shot!
“If every photo need a story then every photographer needs a blowup doll…….”- Anonymous
@Zig : Do you need a large print of it for your wall? 😀
@doublechin : I am sure you are much into beautiful landscape stuffs 😀 Let’s all buy blowup dolls!
To me, the beauty of a good photo is that you don’t need any words to express or explain it. If its street shooting with docu style then maybe, just maybe you need some words to describe the picture.
PS. I like your caption on the dragonflies in the flowers though.. I think I see them on the top right hand corner 😛
@leejing : I am sure you can see the big grasshopper beside them too.
a good alternative read. 😀
digital world are losing it souls..