Comments on: Photography’s Golden Era 4

By: Interview with David Leland Hyde | Guy Tal Photography Web Journal

Interview with David Leland Hyde | Guy Tal Photography Web Journal — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 01:35:41 +0000

[...] grandfather, Leland Hyde, was a regionally known painter in the San Francisco Bay Area. He attended the famous L’ecole [...]

By: Photography’s Golden Era 10 » Landscape Photography Blogger

Photography’s Golden Era 10 » Landscape Photography Blogger — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:34:28 +0000

[...] influences on Philip Hyde and his father’s wilderness painting, see the blog posts, “Photography’s Golden Era 4,” and “Minor White Letters 1.” For an overview of Philip Hyde’s black and [...]

By: Blog Intro: Hello World! » Landscape Photography Blogger

Blog Intro: Hello World! » Landscape Photography Blogger — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 19:42:47 +0000

[...] trip down the Klamath River with eminent river guide Martin Litton -Philip Hyde on Glen Canyon -The Hyde family goes to Paris for Leland Hyde to attend L’ Ecole De Beau Arts -Fine Art Photography tips from the pros -Wallace Stegner: The Wilderness Idea -Interviews with [...]

By: Photography’s Golden Era 5 » Landscape Photography Blogger

Photography’s Golden Era 5 » Landscape Photography Blogger — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:57:53 +0000

[...] from the blog post, “Photography’s Golden Era 4.”) Cover of Book on Paul Strand by Mark Haworth-Booth, Aperature, [...]

By: Each Wild Idea: Writing, Photography, History | Equipment For Photographers

Each Wild Idea: Writing, Photography, History | Equipment For Photographers — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:58:59 +0000

[...] Photography’s Golden Era 4 » Landscape Photography Blogger [...]

By: David Leland Hyde

David Leland Hyde — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 06:37:13 +0000

Thank you, Richard. My grandfather produced some great paintings, didn’t he? L’Ecole des Beaux Arts was the most prestigious art school in the world at the time and is still, besides being the oldest and possibly the best. L’Ecole’s classical based training, with the latest trends added after the classical techniques are mastered, is the model on which other art programs around the world are based. The Hydes moved from San Francisco to San Rafael in 1925 when Dad was four years old. This made it easier for Leland Hyde to take his kids to explore, while he painted landscapes in places like Point Reyes. San Rafael was the first time Dad connected with nature and realized that he preferred a wild setting to the city. I appreciate your perspectives on teaching. As we have each mentioned before, teaching the history of photography is important too. Though, even if a new outdoor photographer went to art school and learned the history, he or she would not learn it from the slant she likes or study the artists that might most interest her, but she can educate herself with or without going to an expensive school by reading and studying the lives and works of the best.

By: Richard Wong

Richard Wong — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 06:14:51 +0000

Those are some really awesome paintings by your grandfather, David. That Pt. Reyes connection really goes far back in your family!

In regards to Derrick’s comment, I think the reason why some photographers market themselves that way is because it is much easier to impress someone with no photography experience than someone who has some experience but is looking to advance. It’s a numbers game.

Also another thing is that, a great photographer doesn’t necessarily make a great teacher and nor does a great teacher necessarily make for a great photographer.

By: Photography’s Golden Era 3 » Landscape Photography Blogger

Photography’s Golden Era 3 » Landscape Photography Blogger — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:57:20 +0000

[...] (CONTINUED IN BLOG POST, “Photography’s Golden Era 4“) [...]

By: David Leland Hyde

David Leland Hyde — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:14:02 +0000

Thank you Derrick. You have a knack for instigating discussion, and now you are opening a basket of leaping frogs. Without knowing each individual teacher in each situation, taken out of context, it is hard to speculate, but just for fun, I will anyway. There are many possible reasons, most of which are not as dubious as might be expected. From what I have observed, most of the best teachers would much prefer to teach more advanced courses on seeing and philosophy, but they are held back by students who are trying to become masters of the medium without having taken the time to master the tools. You may not relate to this, having been a camera aficionado first. Some say that vision cannot be taught. I had a discussion about that with Richard Wong and others in the comments on the blog post, “The Hidden Brett Weston.” Among other things, in those comments I mention that even the training at CSFA was mainly technique. This probably goes back to the idea that learning the basics and repeating them is most important and all you need, the rest takes care of itself. I’m not implying this is what I believe, just part of my observations. Personally, I might be put out if I signed up for a workshop to learn from a master photographer and he or she talked mainly about Photoshop or even shutter speed, unless that was the advertised purpose of the class. Sometimes, even the best photographers, who also teach, don’t really know how they get the photographs they do. Or even if they are in touch with their process, they don’t know how to articulate it and find it easier to stick to basic techniques that more people can easily understand. My father struggled with putting into words what had taken him a long time to learn, but he was very good at giving constructive feedback on student prints. Which brings us to possibly the best reason: I believe seeing can be taught, but it cannot be taught in a two week workshop. There are probably other reasons, but I will leave it there for now.

By: Derrick

Derrick — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:08:08 +0000

I wonder why so many folks who claim to be great photographers (some of whom teach) never mention that kind of background and are more concerned with f stops and photoshop…. and less concerned with seeing?