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Having a look at this thread about the 5D mk II got me thinking about the obsession we seem to have about quality in the age of digital photography, i.e. the endless discussion about sharpness, lenses, sensor size, noise etc.
I picked up a copy of In England by Don McCulllin at the Borders closing-down sale. Fantastic images that (for me anyway) evoke an emotional response - mostly sadness and anger in the case of the depictions of poverty - but I couldn't help noticing that many of them are technically flawed. Blurred or out-of-focus subjects, camera shake etc. Most of the prints are contrasty and very dark - anyone who obsessses over keeping shadow detail would be horrified, as dark clothing, hair etc. is invariably shown as solid black.
And yet.. these pictures do more for me than any number of technically perfect images that seem to be intended to show off the capabilities of the camera and photographer.
It's a timely reminder for me to concentrate on getting the right picture, and not getting hung up on achieving a perfectly sharp and exposed shot. This is especially important with a camera like the 5D mk II, which is capable of superb quality under the right conditions. One needs to avoid the temptation to use the delete button on anything that isn't technically pristine.
A few examples of DM's work here
A.
I picked up a copy of In England by Don McCulllin at the Borders closing-down sale. Fantastic images that (for me anyway) evoke an emotional response - mostly sadness and anger in the case of the depictions of poverty - but I couldn't help noticing that many of them are technically flawed. Blurred or out-of-focus subjects, camera shake etc. Most of the prints are contrasty and very dark - anyone who obsessses over keeping shadow detail would be horrified, as dark clothing, hair etc. is invariably shown as solid black.
And yet.. these pictures do more for me than any number of technically perfect images that seem to be intended to show off the capabilities of the camera and photographer.
It's a timely reminder for me to concentrate on getting the right picture, and not getting hung up on achieving a perfectly sharp and exposed shot. This is especially important with a camera like the 5D mk II, which is capable of superb quality under the right conditions. One needs to avoid the temptation to use the delete button on anything that isn't technically pristine.
A few examples of DM's work here
A.