Is this a stupid idea for Hidden Earth?

[JRL]

I'm not a cave photographer but I do like photographs of caves and caving. Digital cameras are fantastic and allow anybody who fancies having a go to take pictures underground with great results. The photoshop type packages also allow further tweaking and altering of the images after they have been captured, often improving them.

This is just an idea for the HE photo salon;

1. Any photographer interested in the project gets a cheap disposable camera (of a pre specified brand).
2. Take photographs in caves until the film runs out using as many or as few flashbulbs, slaves, helpers, slaves (human type) etc as they want.
3. Send the untampered with camera to somebody (an impartial person) to have them developed.
4. Each set of pictures are displayed at HE.

I've not thought about it being competitive or prize worthy or anything like that it's just a thought. As the snject title says, is this a stupid idea for Hidden Earth?

JRL

 

[Les W]

It sounds like a fine idea. Are you volunteering to organise it?

 

[JRL]

Bloody Hell Les!

If there's enough interest I'll let you volunteer me!

Johnny

 

[Cave_Troll]

there's still chances to "cheat"
use a digi camera to set the shot up, get the flashes in the right places etc.

there are also problems with the lack of options of exposure and aperture.

 

[AndyF]

Just my thoughts but  I don't think its a great idea....

The photographic comps at hidden earth offer a showcase for people who put a lot of effort in to show off their work a bit and get some recognition for the hours of time and effort that cave photography takes. People into this side of caving do their level best to produce quality results in an amateur game.

Having a "disposable camera" type comp would, I fear, be a bit "crappy" and devalue the whole ethos of the competitions. I doubt any really respectable results would come from it.

 

[JRL]

As I put in the original post, the idea isn't for a competition or award. I also don't want to devalue anybodies hard won photographic efforts.

Perhaps it could just be a bit of fun? (I can hear the fun police's sirens as I type)

 

[AndyF]

Fair enough, just not sure why you'd send them to someone to be developed then. Why would you not just develop them yourself?

 

[Cave_Troll]

to make sure you don't cheat and adjust the development?
I think the idea is to cut down on the post processing, although i think it'd be difficult to take any decent pics with a disposable.

 

[Andrew W]

Not sure I like the idea that photoshopping a picture is somehow cheating. There is a world of difference between changing whole elements of a photograph and simply adjusting contrast, brightness and colour balance (using whatever your tool of choice is).

In the old days of film, all of this could be achieved in a dark room using variable exposure times on the print, filters on the enlarger, selective dodging and burning etc. To my mind the ability to optimise a picture is simply part of the photographer's art. Photoshop optimsation techniques are little different in principle to old fashioned dark room techniques - they are simply available to a wider audience.

 

[mrodoc]

More fun would be a caving version of BSOUP's (British Society of Underwater Photographers)annual splash in where everybody turns up at the same location on the day (for HE it would have to be the Friday or possibly do this at a completely different time).  Then everybody goes underground, takes their pictures, sorts out the best one and, at the end of the day, they are projected and judged by their peers. You can introduce various categories eg fun, action, formation etc. That would get a load of photographers together sharing ideas with a competitive element. And no I am not currently volunteering to organise it but you never know about the future. It's a spur of the moment idea inspired by the original post.

 

[Les W]

And no I am not currently volunteering to organise it

 

[littletitan]

I'm not a cave photographer but I do like photographs of caves and caving. Digital cameras are fantastic and allow anybody who fancies having a go to take pictures underground with great results. The photoshop type packages also allow further tweaking and altering of the images after they have been captured, often improving them.

This is just an idea for the HE photo salon;

1. Any photographer interested in the project gets a cheap disposable camera (of a pre specified brand).
2. Take photographs in caves until the film runs out using as many or as few flashbulbs, slaves, helpers, slaves (human type) etc as they want.
3. Send the untampered with camera to somebody (an impartial person) to have them developed.
4. Each set of pictures are displayed at HE.

I've not thought about it being competitive or prize worthy or anything like that it's just a thought. As the snject title says, is this a stupid idea for Hidden Earth?

JRL

That's a brilliant idea JRL!!! 


Robbie Shone

 

[shinwell]

Sounds like a great idea to me as well

- Mark Shinwell