Why this forum is unique

[Digital Finger]

It may not seem like the biggest thing in the world but it was this forum and previous iterations of it under the guidance mostly of Martin that taught me a simple truth I just had not yet grokked yet with mono: viz that you could previsualise, capture accordingly, and edit to bring out that visualisation (i.e. even if the literal shot didn't do it)

This was super important for me because frankly my mono sucked. I was brilliant at colour but just hadn't got my mono legs/eyes. My mono was clichéd, clunky, unsubtle and unsatisfying.

Slowly, over years, I learned how to recognise what it was I wanted from a scene -*while there*- being able to see the potential, to understand the medium, to know the potential and limits, to translate what I felt into the final image.(i.e. previsualised). This meant more than imagining a graphic or technique, it meant listening to and recognising my own quiet impressions. It meant not listening so much to my head [which makes. a lot of noise!] and more to my heart (if iI can put it that way). It meant appreciating the quiet poetry of a moment, of fleeting impressions that make no logical sense and responding without thinking about it.

I can't always do it, I still struggle sometimes (usually because I start thinking too much about it) but the satisfaction I get now when I succeed is huge. Thanks to Martin's teaching and to this forum (thanks Ian) and all the critique from you lot, I now feel that most of the time I can actually previsualise, capture and edit to translate that into something that communicates to others what I felt.

It might not seem much, it is simple after all in principle, but to me it it is a fantastic skill I have learned. Thanks to you all.


E.G. here are originals desaturated only of THIS THREAD
(includes other recents)

 

[stevenz]

I remember when you joined this forum, Simon. And I have to say, since then, your monochrome editing skills have improved exponentially

 

[Toby Webster]

Me too. I owe everything to the forum, and to Martin & Ian's efforts. Mind you, I've been able to do so little photography this year that I think I might have to start all over again!

 

[Alan Jones]

Me to Simon, I think it is unique also. I came from a background of commercial and product photography which was more technical in terms of accuracy with colours etc, hence i would use Kodak transparency film and always use large/medium format with polaroid test shots (No PS in those days)
It took me a couple of years of perseverance to understand the basics and lots and lots of mistakes. Now i can appreciate a good mono image, thanks to Martin and Ian's teachings and efforts with the forum...

 

[Digital Finger]

I remember when you joined this forum, Simon. And I have to say, since then, your monochrome editing skills have improved exponentially

Thanks Steven.

There are so many photo forums but none that actually teach mono and where people give their time and expertise for free in a true spirit of sharing for the love of the art.

No shortage either of experts flogging their courses (streams of them on my Facebook) but none I can see that would likely have got me to the understanding i gained from being here.

 

[Elines]

Come to this a bit late

Yes, my photography has also improved enormously since I joined the forum a couple of iterations ago.

The technical advice and support is excellent but as important is the emphasis on training and improvement.

 

[K mann]

I was along with SteveZ one of the early members when the forum was created. I had no idea about editing at all back then....and as some have experienced.....photography and editing skills are dramatically improved. I myself since starting printing have changed my views again.

 

[John King]

I think I was pretty much the same now but when I started out in the early 60's all I did was B&W and everything I saw and photographed, to me was in B&W and shades of grey in my mind. (I had perfect colour vision then and still do.) I used colour slide film of course but they didn't have the same appeal as printing possibly because I was unable to do them my self, The processes E2 and E4 were far more complicated and unstable than E6 ever was.

I now have almost gone the opposite way and with being able to print colour, more often than not my camera contains colour negative film. If I want B&W I simply scan, convert to B&W with PS and print digitally. It is not the same and does not have the same enjoyment!

 

[John King]

No shortage either of experts flogging their courses (streams of them on my Facebook) but none I can see that would likely have got me to the understanding i gained from being here.

Possibly not as good as learning by your mistakes either. By being 'taught' you get a basic knowledge and not a lot of it sticks, but it is only when you are 'flying solo' do you see where you are going and with the little bit of knowledge that has blended into the grey cells do you work out what is available.
I never had any formal instruction but speaking to people at the club I belonged to in the early days I gradually learned and hopefully improved upon it.

I sometimes despair when I see posts on Photrio by people (usually American) about people wanting to deviate from tried and tested formulas and then wonder why it all goes belly up. To me they are only playing around at the edges with a chemistry set to see what happens - that to me is not photography.