DQE1.0 wrote:
I agree with your perspective, and have been a fan of Thomas since my earliest days of trying to learn something about macro photography.
Below is an excerpt from his recent interview that raises another issue - many, perhaps most macro bug shooters take photos of bugs not only for aesthetic purposes, but also to document and share our enjoyment of bug appearances and behavior as well as to (photographically) capture an occasional rare species. One of the reasons, in my personal opinion, for Tom's invitation to the TV show is related to peoples' fascination with bugs, if presented as Tom does. Take a look at Tom's interview and the excerpt below. I don't share this opinion entirely but I think I understand what Tom is getting at, especially re bug photography.
"What is one impression you hope the viewer takes away from your photographs?"
"That they benefit and learn from them. I don’t consider photography art. I’m not creating beauty, I’m just recording and translating what is beautiful. Much of my photography is of details and subjects not visible to the human eye. I want to express and reveal to others the abundant, amazing world of arthropods and science."
Another related and perhaps even more important issue - aesthetic preferences are VERY personal, and VERY subjective, by definition. One of us may prefer French Impressionist art, while another person may prefer an old master from a medieval art school of thought. One of us may prefer close-up high-mag bug faces, while another may prefer a smaller image of the whole bug in a
In view of the multiple purposes and the subjectivity of when a photo has proper color, composition, lighting, how does it make sense for any of us (including dalantech, of course) to try and impose their position on the rest of us?
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, for most macro photographers, macro photography is simply an enjoyable hobby for a tiny minority of people, and this and other photo sharing forums only work if we share our efforts in peace, only making (constructive) criticisms when requested or when appropriate. Criticisms that mostly attempt to impose one's personal aesthetics, techniques, or motivations on others are usually perceived as bad manners and are not welcome, especially if expressed in what appears to be an unfriendly or repetitive manner.
Just my two cents. I hope my comments are of interest and helpful.
And, most of all, congratulations to Tom Shahan! ...Show more →
