“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept”

[Black Pearl]

“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept”

I preach this on a regular basis so when I was out at the beach this morning with the dog and using Live View on the K30 to get a low angle (the back ain't what it used to be) I saw these shapes as I was fiddling with the focus af thought......Oooo!

[Mark von Kanel]

LOL Love it robin, bit of a sweeping statement though

[marlunn]

I think the title joins a well known punk song title - Anger is an Energy - both to be used as and when required but not as a default

oh and nice image Robin, well worth the capture.

[IzzieK]

I love the inclusion of the egg on the left side, Robin.....ahhhhh nice shot. Love it!

[ashcroft]

Excellent shot. Shows creativity - which is definitely not a trait of the bourgeoisie

I agree completely that sharpness is a bourgeois concept. It's a delusional idea that getting every pixel in it's proper place and at the right level of sharpness is the epitome of a good shot. It isn't. It's practitioners are often male post-middle-aged ex-engineers, like me, who reason (quite unreasonably) that all that is required is the right gear and the right technique - which only ex-engineers and gear-heads know!

[marlunn]

Ah well now, umm so really, err I mean to say - Oh blast, its a fair cop, got me bang to rights

[ashcroft]

Ah well now, umm so really, err I mean to say - Oh blast, its a fair cop, got me bang to rights

I couldn't help but notice (because I looked) that you list beer making as an interest. You don't need to be concerned about sharpness, you need to concentrate on bitterness! But then I also see you are an ITist, as I used to be. That puts you firmly back in the group that likes to be in control of things (including sharpness).

Must dash, I have to line up my L lenses (in order of sharpness) on the shelf.

[Mike Buckley]

Very nice abstract! It works well for me except that the digital frame doesn't complement the colors of the image.

[Shadowman]

Nice concept.

[Mark von Kanel]

I couldn't help but notice (because I looked) that you list beer making as an interest. You don't need to be concerned about sharpness, you need to concentrate on bitterness! But then I also see you are an ITist, as I used to be. That puts you firmly back in the group that likes to be in control of things (including sharpness).

Must dash, I have to line up my L lenses (in order of sharpness) on the shelf.

How could any true engineer like a white lens.....AND why are they out of sharpness order anyway?

[kintatsu]

“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept”

Sharpness is important. The problem most have is that sharpness if preferred over focus. Proper focus, whether sharp or soft, is quite a different thing than sharpness.

You demonstrate this quite nicely with your image, which is quite lovely. Your focus is where you want it, without the sharpness you deride.

For most of my work, good focus is sharp focus. Not sharpness itself, but proper focus and detail. Often folks confuse the two.

[Black Pearl]

The most out of focus shot I've taken gets the most comments - there's a lesson in there somewhere

Thanks.

I do prefer to take picture for the enjoyment of it and their feel, I try not to worry about the pixel level sharpness or the technicalities too much. Not to say I don't understand the process I just think I've got to a stage where I'm past thinking in terms of absolutes and simply want to make pictures.

[ashcroft]

.....AND why are they out of sharpness order anyway?

My wife messed the order up when dusting.

[bnnrcn]

Very nice abstract If the image was mine I wouldn't use a frame or I would use a dark blue one .

[marlunn]

My wife messed the order up when dusting.

ha, recon she just wanted to see you twitch

[FootLoose]

Nice image, Robin.

I wouldn't invoke any class prejudices but I agree with your sentiment. I have been obsessing about lens sharpness and sharpening techniques since I bought my camera. But, ironically, the kind of photography I enjoy viewing most is usually blurred either through exposure techniques or processing techniques.

I think for people who are into documentary style photography - faithfully capturing the scene exactly as it is / was, the technicalities of sharpness are important. But for those who have a creative intent, it is the feeling / mood / atmosphere / statement, or whatever that the image produces that is important.

Different people, same tool, different aims.

[Downrigger]

“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept”

I've come to understand this is so, but tend to preface the aphorism with "More than sufficient". And sufficient is less than I used to think.