With art of any sort, the technical aspects are all secondary to the aesthetic ones. By which I mean: any monkey can learn to paint, photograph, draw. But to do it well? Certainly there are physical limitations and restrictions, but by and large in the arts, the technical skills and knowledge can be acquired by any able-minded person.

To apply the technique well requires a certain inborn talent and exposure to the work of others.

In this vein, I’m starting to cross over and explore other design styles.  Sometimes this means stepping outside of the realm of photography.

I’m reading A Photo Editor’s post from this week, and I’m finding myself a bit split on the main phrase of the post (“HDR needs to go the way of the animated gif and blinking HTML text”).

On the one hand, I agree.  There’s some atrocious HDR work out there.  I would know, I’ve made a lot of it!  But on the other, I’ve seen people take those “overly tone mapped” images and make beautiful art.  I’m not only referring to abstracts, one of the things that HDR will allow you to do is amplify barely-visible objects.  Sundogs, for example, can be brought out better in HDR.  Same goes for some rainbow shots.

So I’m split. But I’m also put off by the… arrogance of some of the comments.  Maybe arrogance isn’t the right word – it’s the refusal to accept or appreciate other people’s tastes in imagery.

And yes, this is a link to a blog that’s linking to another blog.  Somehow the circle must be completed.

I’m not personally that big on photojournalism – that is, telling (human interest) stories with photographs.  It’s not that I don’t like it, I just don’t have the knack for it.  Or maybe I do, but haven’t developed it properly.  You certainly won’t see that side of me on this site.

I’ve been thinking today about what good photojournalism is.  I’m not sure that I have an answer for the masses, but I do for myself: good photojournalism will touch your soul.  That’s it – it may let you see life through someone else’s eyes, or see places you will never go, but in the end it has to touch you.  Otherwise it’s just a series of (maybe interesting) snapshots.

The best photojournalist I know (not personally, just following) is Zoriah.  He’s the real thing – not just his skill (which you can see), but he’s completely freelance.  No company/organization/government sponsors him, only donations from folks.  In his photos, I see the hardships of life that I have never known.  I see the death and damage to U.S. soldiers, that which is sanitized and hidden in the U.S.  I see the starvation, the sickness, the suffering of people who, but for a short boat/car/plane ride, would be in a civilized land with medicine and food for all.

And he does it on peanuts.

Check out his site, it’s worth the visit.  And chuck him a few bucks, if he touches your soul

Author’s Note: I was not paid for this – it’s just something I believe in.

Moose and Baby, earlier this summer

Occasionally when talking with folks who aren’t from Anchorage, they mention things about how “amazing” it is that we have moose in our town.  Wild moose, walking the streets.  Well, yes – it’s cool.  It’s also a nuisance.

You do see some cool things.  Like the photo to right (previously posted, I believe).  You also run into several inconveniences.  Things I’ve had to deal with over the last several years:

• A thoroughly devoured tree, which I had to dig up this year (grrr);
• Countless traffic jams due to dead/injured moose running out into the road in the middle of winter;
• Being chased (!!!) by a moose that decided my jogging was a threat to it (it was 200 yards away);
• Having to go cross-country on skate (racing) skiis to avoid moose that were blocking the trail;
• Getting spooked by bears that come into town for easier meals (as the moose population in town has grown, so has the bear population – moose being part of the reason);

As I look over this I realize: I’ve been up here too long.  I forget what it’s like to live where there are effectively no animals…

I’m not sure that’s problem.

I was reading a post the other day on Beyond Phototips titled “Stop reading this… and take some photographs” and I had to stop and think – is this me?  I mean, I have a virtual 365 project going on.  I carry a camera with me every day and almost daily take or make a photo.  I will be in a few minutes, in fact.

And yet, it rang a bell.  I think it’s bullet #2 – “Some people read too much”.  Almost word-for-word what Moose said to me at one point.

It’s probably also point #5, too.  That’s why I put so much effort into making my pics quickly.

Continuing on with yesterday’s thoughts, which are still occupying parts of my brain that could be better served by applying to photography.  Or better.

The argument that had been made was that photographers were mediocre.  I would argue, myself included, that most photographers have always been mediocre.  There are just many more of us today.

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