Mark Metternich

"a photograph is an illusion, a representation, and not literal truth or reality" "all art is illusion…and a photograph as much as a painting is a two-dimensional exercise in triggering perceptual responses, not a two-dimensional version of the real world." Excellent article! 

Hi Richard.  Excellent artical, thanks for posting it.   Mark

I just read this article for the first time today. I LOVED it! I can not believe I had not read it earlier. It inspired the heck out of me as I am entering a time in my life where the wild is really calling me out much more than ever before.  I gained a similar type of inspiration that I derive from Bear Grylls and his life (read his bio!). Thank you very much Marc for sharing your story with us. It is valuable. I will echo what Mike Anderson said: "People see your beautiful photographs, but they often have very little concept of the time, energy, expense a

Interesting article. On a forum like this I assume (and maybe wrongly so) that most here are photographers. I have always loved the stories behind the shots. Some years ago, I remember hanging out with Ken Duncan (AU) in his home as he was working on another landscape photography coffee table book and I told him how I LOVED his stories behind the shots, when they were published in the book next to the image. He said something to the extent of "most don't." I was very surprised, but then realized most people who buy his books are not photographers. So, I agree that the marke

Although I agree in some respects to the article, this is viewed through the eyes of a photographer. I think people should do whatever draws them and attracts them and not be influenced or intimidated (even in the slightest) by our opinions based on our seeing way too much photography. Many of the things disdained here I love. I love soft water. I love the surreal. I love the exploding waves. I sometimes like the impressionism and star trails... This is art and it is, and should remain, free. Let folks do what they love, without thinking it should be done a certain way.

Well as a teacher of photography thinking back on some of the very best materials and advice I got (and have thus given) as I was developing, the advice to mimic other peoples work until you slowly and eventually develop your own style, was one of the very best tips I ever got. I loved Tim Fitzharris' work and went out and went to all the same locations and went crazy on those reflection shots. Next, I loved those overly long water exposure shots I saw from someone else's work I liked and went crazy on that. And so on and so forth. So, maybe as a counterbalance to the info here, I w