www.dennismook.com
I must first ask why is there so much emphasis on trying to achieve the perfect image? Perfect, of course, is subjective and I'll let you interpret that for yourself. But, the relentless pursuit to create images that are "sharp as a tack," which resolves amoeba sitting on tables at 10 ft. by the light of a waning gibbous moon on a cloudy night really puzzles me.
I closely and extensively pay attention to what is written, recorded on video, reviewed and commented upon in the photographic mainstream, both on the web and in print. I do that because I am interested in all things photographic. I have come to the obvious conclusion that there are a large number of photographers out there, many more than there were years ago, who obsess over perfection in their images. I say obsess because that is what they write, say or do. They only buy the most sophisticated cameras, buy only lenses that have the highest resolving power and widest apertures as well as look at their images at 1:1 or life size to minutely examine every aspect of it for focus, detail in the highlights and shadows, and electronic noise. If it is not perfect, for these individuals, the image is no good and they continue their pursuit. Only better cameras and lenses will suffice to meet their standards.
I have been actively involved with photography, just about everyday, since the spring of 1970. I have attended dozens of exhibits of the photographers we all know by name because of their historical relevance, their trailblazing art or their innovative use of the medium. Have you looked at actual silver prints of some of the most important photographs ever taken? I have. Many are not sharp, the tonal range does not extend from pure white to pure black, with subtle detail in the highlights and shadows and they have grain? What gives? How could they be any good?
It is the content, my friend. The content is much more important than technical perfection. That message seems to have been lost on too many photographers today. Just about all of the digital cameras produced today are better than 96% of the photographers who use them. Many seem to be missing the point of photography. They probably shouldn't even call themselves photographers but photo-technophiles. That seems to be what really interests them. They seem to be interested in the equipment and which equipment can produce the technically perfect image rather than making photographs. Most probably hardly use their gear and would rather obsess over it than get out and make images. That is okay. There is room for everyone in the photographic world. I just hate to see the technophiles dominate the media. One has to dig rather deep to find good information and critique of photographs and why they are good and what their meaning is.
When reviewers write about a new digital camera and complain that there is noise seen in the image file at ISO 6400 and above when viewed at 1:1, who is he or she talking to? Not me. Not the vast majority of real photographers out there. Noise really doesn't matter. It is the content of the image that matters. When reviewers write about a lens not resolving 200 line pairs/millimeter, who are they talking to? Not me. Not to the vast majority of photographers who are interested in creativity and art. Is 100 line pairs not acceptable? You bet it is, but there seems to be an emphasis that last year's models of cameras and lenses are not good because they don't do things that the reviewer seems to think matters this year. Get real. How in the world did David Douglas Duncan make those 35mm war photographs which are superb when he didn't have a modern day digital SLR?
I would urge those photographers that think that they cannot make a wonderfully important and good photograph to go look at some by Cartier-Bresson. Look how many of his photographs are not crisply focused. Look at the content of his images. Maybe you will understand. It is not the camera or lens that is important, it is the vision of the photographer.
Thanks for looking.
Enjoy!
Dennis Mook
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