It's the old adage, those who can, do, and those who can't, teach. It's never been true. Some photographers are oustanding but couldn't teach you beyond being assholes, and some photographers are good but can teach you more about yourself and your photography than you ever thought. And a few can do both. Rare, but a few.
My point? Well, first it's wrong to say on those who can and do are worth anything and those that only teach aren't. We know that's false. Look at all the teachers, educators and instructors in our life. Were they less than great? No, and look what they taught us and did for us, to show us to strive, excel, learn, and do our best.
And what have all the doers in our life taught us? They barely opened the door for us. They will show you what they did, how they did it, and then criticise what you did wrong. But did they and do they teach? No, they don't even inform. They lecture. And how many lectures have we listened through to forget not long afterward?
Teaching photography isn't any different than the old adage, "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and feed him for a lifetime."
Teach someone photography and then let them develop and learn. Guide them when they want or need help, but don't lecture. Ask them so they question themselves or they seek to learn. Teach them to learn and you'll open the door to the world with a camera in their hand. The rest, their work and images, is up to them, with their experience, their talent, their skill, their work, and their heart.
I once watched a photo workshop in Mt. Rainier NP, namely at Longmire. They instructor took them to one of the oldest surviving buildings from the establishment of settlements around Mt. Rainier. He showed them what he wanted and let them loose, like a quiz. They all setup within 20 feet of each other focused on the building. And they all took almost identical photos.
I wondered why the instructor didn't ask the participants to the building, "So, what do you see to photograph?" And then, "How would you compose it?", "How would you frame the light?", and so on, geting them to see photographically than rote to simply copy what the instructor asked. It's why I don't take workshops, and probably why I'm also not really that good either.
But then I've never been a follower. In October 2008 I was photographing along the Paradise Valley road. I was spending several hours setting up the 4x5 for a shot of a small waterfall. I like to play with the digital camera to get a variety of shots to see where the 4x5 would best setup. I kept going back to the van to get another lens or whatever.
When I was finishing I noticed three photographers hiking down the trail to the road. One was Art Wolfe. The other two, probably friends of his. I finished and packed up my stuff and took it back to the van. I was sitting there looking and thinking about other nearby places and shots when I noticed a one to a few people wander down the trail to the van where Art and the others were eating and talking.
Slowly all the participants walked by the my van and you could see their faces. I asked one woman, "So, how's the workshop?" She responded, "It's busy and hectic, but he is Art Wolfe." Another woman said, "It's ok, but overwhleming. And expensive." I've met people who has worked for him and they all have said he goes 90 mph, all energy, focus and talent. And exhausting.
After about 20 minutes the whole group finally assembled at the van. Without any rest, they packed up and headed on, where I saw them stop a few miles down the road (I had travelled down the road past them). It occurred to me to wonder what they folks thought they were getting for the money (roughly about $1,250 not including lodging).
I thought, you know you could buy a lot of film or use a lot of flash cards for that money. And all you needed was a good map and guide, and the interest to explore. Go here, see this, shot that photography seems kinda' overpriced to me. And what did Art actually teach they couldn't have learned with someone who actually teaches than lectures?
But that's me. Some folks like the workshops. They sell and quite a few photographers make a good income from them. But I think years later all those people will say, "I took an workshop from so and so, He was great." But then I'll would like to ask them, "So, how about your images from the workshop?" I wonder if those images are long forgotten and the lessons long faded away.
So why did they take the workshop? Some will get a lot from theirs, but I suspect it's because the photographer was a teacher as well as good photographer. Not because the photographer was famous, but because they shared and taught than showed and lectured. Doing is also teaching if it's done right.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
JMO - And so he spoke
And so the President spoke to the school children and young adults across America today. There was no socialist agenda, no hidden message about whatever people feared, no political words about war, taxes, healthcare, and so on. Just words to school children and young adults. To strive, learn and do their best.
And to all the naysayers, especially educators, school district managers, and especially parents, shame on you if you were against his right to speak and what you thought he would say. Shame on you for misjudging our President Shame on you for showing your children how prejudice and maybe bigoted you are. Just shame on you.
It was a good speech. A heart-felt and open-minded speech. What else did you think he would say? He's inspirational. He's motivating. He's offering hope and change for America and what better place to start than with school children. And you were worried? Nonsense.
And thank you Mr. President. Thank you for caring and thank you for giving.
And to all the naysayers, especially educators, school district managers, and especially parents, shame on you if you were against his right to speak and what you thought he would say. Shame on you for misjudging our President Shame on you for showing your children how prejudice and maybe bigoted you are. Just shame on you.
It was a good speech. A heart-felt and open-minded speech. What else did you think he would say? He's inspirational. He's motivating. He's offering hope and change for America and what better place to start than with school children. And you were worried? Nonsense.
And thank you Mr. President. Thank you for caring and thank you for giving.
Monday, September 7, 2009
JMO - Let the President Speak
To all you parents and school district not broadcasting the President's speech to the schools and school children,
It's the President! He has the right to be there and speak to the children and young people of this nation. You should listen, and you should let your children and teenagers listen. That's what America is about. Listening to the President, and like him or not, it's what he does, speak to America.
You know if he were a Republican, you wouldn't think twice to allow it and accept his word as gospel. And despite what some of you might think, if he were white, you would allow and listen to him. But because he's a Democrat, and one of african descent, you're against it.
What did you call it, socialist indoctrination? Really? Like he can do that? He won't. He wants to talk about learning, eductation, dedication, knowledge, motivation, and whatever else can be said to inspire children and young adults to be better people and better Americans. That's not hard to understand.
So, maybe it's time you got out from underneath the rock you're living and join the group of us who call ourselves Americans and listen to our President. We don't have agree, lord knows I did't with George Bush every time, but I listened to him when he addressed the nation.
It's his right and our responsibility as citizens. His right to speak and our responsibility to listen. And then we can discuss and decide, informed from our own experience, knowledge and understanding and knowing what he said was his xperience, knowledge and understanding and knowing. He speaks from his heart and mind and as President. And we listen as citizens.
That's what America is about. Don't deny your children that lesson and opportunity because you're prejudice, and maybe even a bigot. That's your right but it's not your parental right to indoctrinate your children with such hate. America isn't about hate, it's about our democratic republic and citizens being citizens.
And it's about our future, the children to see, know and hear their President. That's our responsibility and obligation.
It's the President! He has the right to be there and speak to the children and young people of this nation. You should listen, and you should let your children and teenagers listen. That's what America is about. Listening to the President, and like him or not, it's what he does, speak to America.
You know if he were a Republican, you wouldn't think twice to allow it and accept his word as gospel. And despite what some of you might think, if he were white, you would allow and listen to him. But because he's a Democrat, and one of african descent, you're against it.
What did you call it, socialist indoctrination? Really? Like he can do that? He won't. He wants to talk about learning, eductation, dedication, knowledge, motivation, and whatever else can be said to inspire children and young adults to be better people and better Americans. That's not hard to understand.
So, maybe it's time you got out from underneath the rock you're living and join the group of us who call ourselves Americans and listen to our President. We don't have agree, lord knows I did't with George Bush every time, but I listened to him when he addressed the nation.
It's his right and our responsibility as citizens. His right to speak and our responsibility to listen. And then we can discuss and decide, informed from our own experience, knowledge and understanding and knowing what he said was his xperience, knowledge and understanding and knowing. He speaks from his heart and mind and as President. And we listen as citizens.
That's what America is about. Don't deny your children that lesson and opportunity because you're prejudice, and maybe even a bigot. That's your right but it's not your parental right to indoctrinate your children with such hate. America isn't about hate, it's about our democratic republic and citizens being citizens.
And it's about our future, the children to see, know and hear their President. That's our responsibility and obligation.
JMO - Blue Dogs and all
Dear Blue Dog Democrats and almost all the Republicans in Congress,
Get off your stupid collective high horse and become human beings. I'm not sorry to call you a bunch of whining idiots. We need healthcare reform including both health insurance competition reform with oversight, accountability and patient choices and the public option. We can't just reform healthcare for the insurance companies. It's what got us here with your help.
There are several hundred thousand personal bankruptcies every year due to the individual and families medical bills. Premiums have gone up over 300% in the last seven years while insurance company profits have risen 1000% over the same period. Notice profit, not gross or net income, but profit. Sheer profit. And done with your help.
The health insurance companies, the drug companies and the for-profit hospitals and healthcare companies have provided all of you with a lot of money and have lobbied hard to keep you helping them, and not the people, the real people, who elected you. Us, yes us the voter and taxpayer. We elected you to serve and help us.
And you haven't. You have lined your pocket their money to ensure healthcare and health insurance reform doesn't pass and is never enacted. It's known and obvious. You can't lie about it. You can't try to change the argument or the evidence. You can't hide anymore. You're out, lying about healthcare reform to us. We know it's lies and still you persist.
You can't use the deficit as an excuse. You voted for a one trillion dollar war in two countries. You voted for two of Bush's tax cuts for the rich. You voted for enough pork barrel projects in your state or district. You voted for increased Medicare payments to doctors, hospitals, etal. You voted for the prescription drug bill to enrich the drug companies. You voted to raise the debt ceiling so many times you can't remember.
You have prevented the government from negotiating lower drug prices to patients. You have prevented Americans from importing drugs from Canada where it's almost half the price. And then you allowed drug companies to open overseas drug research and production plants to import drugs for higher profits.
While you have prevented us, Americans and taxpayers, from benefitting from lower prices overseas you've allowed the drug companies that same benefit. Talk about where your loyalites lie. Their profit for your campaign. That's your loyalty. And all the while arguing your interests are really for the people. Bullshit.
All of you have good, cheap healthcare, which is a government program by the way. But you know that. So why do you protest against government programs for the rest of us? They work, like Medicare, Social Security, and all the rest of them you already know and know works because you oversee and fund them. You're not stupid, just an idiot about the obvious.
So, it's time you become human like the rest of us. It's time you gave everyone in this country the right to the same healthcare and health insurance you get, like the military gets, like federal employees and retirees get, like Medicare recepients get. What's the problem? You'll lose those campaign contributions? You'll lose the their help? Like that's more important than people?
Oh, is that what's this is really about, yourself, your political ass? We'll, if so, then you are a political ass. And it's showing. You're like the emperor with no clothes, buck naked standing in the crowd.
The President gave you the power to do something good. He asked for a healthcare reform bill with some general ideas. That's what Presidents do, ask and Congress works to do that. For the people. And in this case everyone. Every citizen, immigrant and even illegal immigrants. Everyone. It's within your power and grasp to do that.
And you're hedging your bets against it by lying about it so it fails. For what? Your political ass. So stop, get down, listen to us, and get to work getting a real healthcare reform bill passed with the public option. It's all in your hands, even the public option. You can design it to work and make it debt-free. Not hard, it's all there to see, know and do.
So, what's the problem? Or have you forgotten the American people?
Get off your stupid collective high horse and become human beings. I'm not sorry to call you a bunch of whining idiots. We need healthcare reform including both health insurance competition reform with oversight, accountability and patient choices and the public option. We can't just reform healthcare for the insurance companies. It's what got us here with your help.
There are several hundred thousand personal bankruptcies every year due to the individual and families medical bills. Premiums have gone up over 300% in the last seven years while insurance company profits have risen 1000% over the same period. Notice profit, not gross or net income, but profit. Sheer profit. And done with your help.
The health insurance companies, the drug companies and the for-profit hospitals and healthcare companies have provided all of you with a lot of money and have lobbied hard to keep you helping them, and not the people, the real people, who elected you. Us, yes us the voter and taxpayer. We elected you to serve and help us.
And you haven't. You have lined your pocket their money to ensure healthcare and health insurance reform doesn't pass and is never enacted. It's known and obvious. You can't lie about it. You can't try to change the argument or the evidence. You can't hide anymore. You're out, lying about healthcare reform to us. We know it's lies and still you persist.
You can't use the deficit as an excuse. You voted for a one trillion dollar war in two countries. You voted for two of Bush's tax cuts for the rich. You voted for enough pork barrel projects in your state or district. You voted for increased Medicare payments to doctors, hospitals, etal. You voted for the prescription drug bill to enrich the drug companies. You voted to raise the debt ceiling so many times you can't remember.
You have prevented the government from negotiating lower drug prices to patients. You have prevented Americans from importing drugs from Canada where it's almost half the price. And then you allowed drug companies to open overseas drug research and production plants to import drugs for higher profits.
While you have prevented us, Americans and taxpayers, from benefitting from lower prices overseas you've allowed the drug companies that same benefit. Talk about where your loyalites lie. Their profit for your campaign. That's your loyalty. And all the while arguing your interests are really for the people. Bullshit.
All of you have good, cheap healthcare, which is a government program by the way. But you know that. So why do you protest against government programs for the rest of us? They work, like Medicare, Social Security, and all the rest of them you already know and know works because you oversee and fund them. You're not stupid, just an idiot about the obvious.
So, it's time you become human like the rest of us. It's time you gave everyone in this country the right to the same healthcare and health insurance you get, like the military gets, like federal employees and retirees get, like Medicare recepients get. What's the problem? You'll lose those campaign contributions? You'll lose the their help? Like that's more important than people?
Oh, is that what's this is really about, yourself, your political ass? We'll, if so, then you are a political ass. And it's showing. You're like the emperor with no clothes, buck naked standing in the crowd.
The President gave you the power to do something good. He asked for a healthcare reform bill with some general ideas. That's what Presidents do, ask and Congress works to do that. For the people. And in this case everyone. Every citizen, immigrant and even illegal immigrants. Everyone. It's within your power and grasp to do that.
And you're hedging your bets against it by lying about it so it fails. For what? Your political ass. So stop, get down, listen to us, and get to work getting a real healthcare reform bill passed with the public option. It's all in your hands, even the public option. You can design it to work and make it debt-free. Not hard, it's all there to see, know and do.
So, what's the problem? Or have you forgotten the American people?
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
JMO - Let them smoke
I'm quite late on the debate to ban tobacco and smoking among the military. Timeliness is not one of my good traits. Anyway, to weigh in on the issue, I don't have a problem with servicemen and women smoking. Yes, it's a bad habit and yes it leads to problems later in life, but being the service, the hurry up and wait and the action then boredom hasn't changed.
It's the norm and has been the norm, probably going back to the Revolutionary War, but recently easily since World War II. Cigarettes are a way of life in the service. Even during my basic training, we had breaks and heard the often cited words, "Smoke 'em if you got 'em." I never smoked, so to me it wasn't anything important.
But my brother smoked from his teen years to the day he died at 48. I've written about my brother, Greg, and of his death, parts one and two. I will always miss him, but I will never regret he smoked. It's was a part of him, something to do while working, doing, and living.
I, on the other hand, never smoked. Ok, once for two puffs at 12 and felt I died. I never smoked again. I just don't have the genes to become addicted to cigarettes. And while I smoked cigars for a few years and pipes for another few, by age 30, tobacco was something forgotten. But I'm not one of them about smoking.
I'm not a zealot against tobacco, in any form, or against smoking. I don't mind the smoking ban in confined spaces, but I think it's over done and overblown by the public outcry. Smokers do deserve rights and places, besides outdoors, often in the heat or cold and rain or snow. They're people too. Ok, a bad vice, but who doesn't have vices?
But the military. Let's just leave this issue alone. Let it die quietly and let them keep smoking if they want to. After all, like all veterans like myself, there's worse things in the military and especially war than smoking. Hell, we spend more on bullets than they'll spend on cigarettes. Should we restrict bullets too?
Ok, exageration. But think about. They're fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and wherever else they're stationed where war exists, and the last thing they need is someone saying, "Excuse me soldier, you can't smoke in here. Take it outside." Like where outside, in the war? Think about it, if it were you, or worse, your son or daughter.
So, folks, let's get real. Let them smoke if they got them. No one hurt enough to worry about considering the rest of their world and life. As for their future, let them get home first, alive, well and hopefully whole. That's far more important than banning cigarettes.
It's the norm and has been the norm, probably going back to the Revolutionary War, but recently easily since World War II. Cigarettes are a way of life in the service. Even during my basic training, we had breaks and heard the often cited words, "Smoke 'em if you got 'em." I never smoked, so to me it wasn't anything important.
But my brother smoked from his teen years to the day he died at 48. I've written about my brother, Greg, and of his death, parts one and two. I will always miss him, but I will never regret he smoked. It's was a part of him, something to do while working, doing, and living.
I, on the other hand, never smoked. Ok, once for two puffs at 12 and felt I died. I never smoked again. I just don't have the genes to become addicted to cigarettes. And while I smoked cigars for a few years and pipes for another few, by age 30, tobacco was something forgotten. But I'm not one of them about smoking.
I'm not a zealot against tobacco, in any form, or against smoking. I don't mind the smoking ban in confined spaces, but I think it's over done and overblown by the public outcry. Smokers do deserve rights and places, besides outdoors, often in the heat or cold and rain or snow. They're people too. Ok, a bad vice, but who doesn't have vices?
But the military. Let's just leave this issue alone. Let it die quietly and let them keep smoking if they want to. After all, like all veterans like myself, there's worse things in the military and especially war than smoking. Hell, we spend more on bullets than they'll spend on cigarettes. Should we restrict bullets too?
Ok, exageration. But think about. They're fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and wherever else they're stationed where war exists, and the last thing they need is someone saying, "Excuse me soldier, you can't smoke in here. Take it outside." Like where outside, in the war? Think about it, if it were you, or worse, your son or daughter.
So, folks, let's get real. Let them smoke if they got them. No one hurt enough to worry about considering the rest of their world and life. As for their future, let them get home first, alive, well and hopefully whole. That's far more important than banning cigarettes.
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