Ok, I actually have a question... how do you guys view images that are shot in a zoo? This was taken through bars at the umgeni Bird Sanctuary. It was shot specifically for stock potential. Is this a valid image...or do i need to go to costa Rica to photograph birds to be a 'valid' image? Thought?Emil
5 comments:
Ahhh... What a can of worms, we ask!
"Valid image" Of course.
Off to Costa rica? Sure. If you like. (I'll come!)But you don't need to go there just to get a Toucan. Let us never forget that photography is primarily art and, because it rests, at the VERY least upon a subjective choice of framing, cannot be truely objective. In my opinion, anything and everything is fair game to the voyeuristic camera gaze. This is not to say that accountability goes out the window. I think photographers must and should always acknowledge their own accountability and part played. The problem then rests on the individual. You say you took this image specifically for stock. That is great. Should you try and pass this image off as one taken in the wilds of Costa Rica, then there is a problem. For someone wanting/liking/buying this image where and how it was taken is probably going to be irrelevant. (picture a capitalist bloodsucking journo/publisher etc giving a damn! - " No no I think we should run with this other crappy picture of a Toucan 'cos it is 'authentic'" I struggle to see it.
And in addition.... Whoooooah!..... Bugger! My soap box just caved in!
Paul
Soap box rants rock! The problem is I'm really happy with the photograph. I doubt I could have shot this in the wild (80-200 2.8 with 20mm extension = being about 50cm away from the bird - try doing that swaying in the tree tops). But a part of me still wonders about the validity of selling the image...possibly the same part of me that screams in agony every time I clone out a branch (it's the capitalist that wins sadly). I'd never try and pass this off as a shot from the wild, but still squirm with embarrassment when I admit that it was caged (maybe it would have been better if I were also in the cage). Anywhoo, thanks for the response Paul...methinks you are definitely the academic photog amongst us :)
Emil
If it is good enough for Frans Lanting - recall his "classic" black panther in the jungle ... er ... sorry, I mean zoo, shot!
Ideally we would all love to jump on a plane to Costa Rica and shoot it 'for real' as it were. That is only likely to happen when income matches imagination. And that will only come with more cash, which comes partly from stock sales ... see where this is leading?
Above post from Neil!
Actually, I also recall that Nick Nichols did that shoot for National Geographic on zoos...sort of built his name in NGS from what i can recall (I think this before his famous tiger article)... So for the photographer it's obviously an accepted form of 'art'...what about for Joe blog on the street, who incidentally is the first person to ask...did you digitally enhance this photograph Ms/Ms Photographer?
E
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