rileyuk.co.uk

Sue and I are very much into our photography, so why not check out some of our favourite sites:

http://www.adaps.org.uk
http://www.pentaxuser.co.uk
http://www.ephotozine.co.uk

On ePHOTOzine there are reader galleries, mine is johnriley1uk (how modest) and Sue's is sueriley. Mike's is Melshimber (surprise, surprise!). Let us know what you think!

Also check out Arwensgrace. Very LoTR.

The adaps site is most impressive, a pleasant surprise. I'd forgotten how damn good you all were. Incidentally, what exactly is "progresssive" photography?

"progressive" has to mean cutting edge or innovative, I guess.

For the individual, I would suggest progressive just means continual improvement and the lifting of one's standards of technique and vision.

to make progress - to further one's abilities - to improve upon - to consider other methods. Need I go on?

I don't see what progression has to do with being "cutting edge".

"I don't see what progression has to do with being "cutting edge"."


You don't?

No, I don't.

Surely it just has to be an improvement of something, for it to be progressive. Besides "cutting edge" is a term easily thrown about. At least with most things, in this case photography, nothing is really "cutting edge", as it is soon replaced by a newer version.

And if your implying "cutting edge" to be brilliant new technology, then this definately isn't the case, as after all theres no such thing as a new camera, considering how they all use certain similar components.

I was referring to cutting edge in terms of thinking, not in terms of hardware. Yes, there will always be a new bit of technology and it will be part of an older bit no doubt.

If anyone wants to progress as a photographer it means opening the mind to new ideas and stretching beyond the usual "comfort zone" of warm and familiar things. I suppose that could be applied to more than photography.

"Cutting edge" in this sense meant being at the frontier of photographic thinking and pushing the boundaries beyond, to test what was there to be discovered. Quite a liberating thought....

A fair point,john.

For the most part I agree, but how exactly do you define the frontier of photogrpahic thinking? As I particularly don't consider this something so easily labelled, as a general rule. If you mean it as personal exploration of ideas, and development of such, then I would agree.

Yes I do mean a personal exploration, because photography is an means of expressing a personal view on things. I don't think creative art can be anything but a personal view.

That's fine of course for creative photography, but there is also commercial photography, which is a different matter altogether. There you can indeed have creativity, but it is fettered and shackled to the requirements of the job. And an uncreative shot that fits the brief will win over a creative one that diesn't fulfill the client's requirements.

Amateur photographers have it made in this context, as they have no constraints to their vision and imagination other than whatever they find within themselves.

Yeah, like all great artists. A commerical photographer will do anything for money.

I think you can be creative and commercial, particularly in the sense that you could market your own images. Setting up a web-site or shop somewhere to sell your own pictures, would still be classed as commercial in my book.

However since I think you refer to commercial, as in working in the marketing industry, there is very little room for creative photography. I think the creative side is more invloved when it comes to the production of the campaing. I.e adverts or televised commercials. Creativity is part of the assembly of aspects. Bringing the imagery with text and other images to create the final piece.

Slightly off topic but what does Melshimber mean? Wheres it come from?

TAOWBST wrote:Slightly off topic but what does Melshimber mean? Wheres it come from?

Sorry about the late reply to this post. I did notice it but could not reply just after I had seen it. Luckilly my dad reminded me about it the other day.

Melshimber comes from a character I really like in AD&D, he has transmogrified (word of the day?) into Oswald, who's stats are listed in the Games section of the website. Melshimber is now, embarrasingly, a deity in the Dragonstone Campaign setting. I just want to point out that he was only a mere mortal when I chose the username.