NYIP Instructor's critique Unit One
My teacher is Walter Karling, a photojournalist who has been an NYIP Instructor since 1978. With trembling fingers I downloaded the mp3 file and waited until just the right moment. It started, "Hi David. Walter here!" I was expecting all sorts of helpful if intense criticism and technical suggestions. As with most things in life, it was a bit anti climactic. He said my photographs were very nice and that I had addressed the intent of the lesson. The only suggestion he made was that I could have cropped the "Bee and Flower" picture to place the bee more to the right in the photo. I didn't because I was constrained to the left (unseen) side of the photo with another white flower that would have detracted from the subject as you can see in the photo I include here. Cropping closer on the right side would have placed the bee in the center albeit at the top "third line" position. I just didn't like those possibilities, so I didn't use them and went with what I did. Not a biggy, I think, but I learned that cropping choices are always worth considering.
Walter said he enjoyed my photographs immensely, which honestly, left me kind of flat. I'm not trying to take anything away from him; it will take some time for him to get to know me a little. But I guess I have lived with the knock-down-dragouts of academic science too long to accept complements or damning faint praise! That which does not kill you makes you stronger, as the cliche goes. At least he did not say, "Stop taking snapshots, right now. You're offending my sensibilities!" I will enjoy and profit from my interactions with Walter going forward, I am sure. Best not to take myself too seriously, methinks, lol.
Well, there you have it. For those of you awaiting the verdict with bated breath, I am neither condemned nor completely set free. We'll see what the lessons from Unit Two bring. Thank you for travelling with me. By the way, I just purchased two books at the suggestion of Hal Wallace: Light, Science and Magic by Fil Hunter and Tao of Photography by Gross and Shapiro. Hal is a terrific photographer that I met at the Salt Lake City Farmer's Market; you can see some of his work at www.halwallace.zenfolio.com. He is an NYIP graduate, a real encourager, and a fellow traveller. Check out his work!