Photographing for historical purposes

[P3D Jamie Drouin <jdrouin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

George wrote:

>I agree.  That's why I protest when someone tells me what subjects I should
>be photographing (like old buildings before destruction) or what film I
>should be using in my photography (like Kodachrome or black and white film)
>for reasons other than photographic.  I never told anyone that they should
>be photographing flowers with Velvia.

       Perhaps I missed a couple of P3D digests, but I do not remember
anyone actually saying that you should leave behind all of your current
photographic interests in favour of historical photography.  In fact, I
think such a statement would be ridiculous.  We all have our reasons for
photographing what we do, and this plays a great part (I believe) in the
success of the imagery.  If I cannot make an interesting and successfull
photograph of something I will rarely click the shutter, even if I'd
already spent an hour composing the picture!

>Also, someone please explain why a record in 3d (or stereo if you prefer)
>of a building taken from far away (essentially flat  and typical of stereo
>views I have seen) is more valuable historically compared to the same
>building photographed in 2d.

        I guess I'm looking at a different selection of stereoviews.  The
best ones show that building in the context of a scene, perhaps with other
monuments or people, etc...  Seeing a building in situ also gives the
viewer a better sense of the part it played in the environment/landscape.
Now, as to why a 3D photograph or 2D of the same building would be any
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better with the above thoughts in mind, I think the answer is obvious.

        Also, you have commented before on slides you have taken that
contain little depth, but are still impressive when seen through the
stereoscope.  There is also the belief that a 2D image can imply more
effective detail through a stereoscope then when viewed in mono.


>Do you people (concerned with historical preservation) differentiate
>between historical value and collectible value?

        I make pictures first and foremost for my own interests.  I do not
consciously guide my picture-taking based on the success of the images as
collectors items.  Of course, by making good photographs, hopefully others
will like them as well, and by extension the images will be desirable.

                                                     :-)jamie.

Jamie Drouin Photography
http://www.islandnet.com/~jdrouin

'the means...exceed the measure of the imaginable'
 Hans Kessler, 16 April, 1933



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