How a professional Photographer makes a complete idiot of himself trying to trash the writings of another dazzling photographer / writer.
Who they are:
Mr Reichmann
- Mr Rockwell
Michael Reichmann and Ken Rockwell are both established figureheads of the internet. Creating many good writings about photography, but from opposite standpoints.
I love Rockwell’s contrarian style. He gets people to think, although he probably does not believe the stuff he writes. Its great link bait and Reichmann fell for it.
Rockwell continues to annoy readers with his shameless plugs for his affiliates and his fugly photographs. Nevertheless, his contrarian writings earned him a well-deserved place in the internet hierarchy.
Reichmann is a very good photographer and gear head, but with an inflated Ego the size of his Hasselblad.
Rockwell wrote a lengthy, boring piece about cameras and Reichmann wrote a hilariously unprofessional and stupid rebuttal, taking Rockwell too serious for his own good. I was surprised to see this level of unprofessionally from him.
Rockwell’s Article:
Rockwell bases his article on the valid assumption, that a good camera does not guarantee good pictures. He exclaims: ”Cameras don’t take pictures, photographers do”. A statement most photographers will wholeheartedly agree with.
Rockwell goes on to explain that
- Good tools get out of the way of the professional.
- Good tools are more durable.
- More features make the life of photographers easier but do not guarantee great photos.
- Blow your money on Gear if you like, but do not expect the gear to do the job for you.
Style
I guess by now you are convinced that Rockwell is a smart writer. Follow the link and see how he hides all these facts in between countless analogies and examples. How he inflates his articles until even the most determined readers will give up, except for Reichmann who is too offended to stop.
At the start and the end of each article, Rockwell keeps pushing his affiliates:
“I support my growing family through this website. … buy crap from my affiliates …”.
Rockwell should sell some of his fabulous pictures that he took with his $3 crap camera instead of begging his readers to support his breeding frenzy.
Considering that Rockwell is able to turn out masterpieces with his $3 camera, he shouldn’t even be asking for our help.
Reichmann’s Article:
Reichmann’s article already starts on the wrong foot, setting the tone for the rest of this piece of shit.
Demonstrating his age and unprogressive views by cracking an old communist joke, he sets off telling us he just stumbled over Rockwell’s article while surfing. Yeah right!
Either he has too much time, or he is subscribing Rockwell’s RSS feed. My bet is the latter.
Reichmann’s Article:
Reichmann based his article on the valid assumption that excellent photographs require reasonably good cameras.
His view does not even collide with Rockwell’s view (good cameras do not guarantee good pictures).
Rockwell and Reichmann are both approaching the problem (good pictures) from two different angles.
Reichmann completely fails to understand this and turns out this piece of trash article.
Unprofessional tone
Reichmann’s Article is one continuous slur of insults and childish behavior. Reichmann continuous to stun us with his arrogance while he is verbally assaulting Rockwell from any angle:
“It’s about the Equipment – Stupid”
“Horseshit”
“Get the ^%^*$ Over it”
What’s up Reichmann, not man enough to write phuck? You cannot possibly be concerned about your reputation after writing this shit piece?
What he says, or doesn’t say
On his ego trip, Reichmann feels that he needs to impress us with his concentrated technical know how. He redefines what a camera, a lens, and a film are and does not even stop there. After lecturing us about shutters and diaphragms, even the most ignorant readers must be astonished by his excellent know how and humbly ready themselves to accept the moronic article that follows as the truth and nothing but the truth.
Reichmann is so far above all us mere mortals that it does not even matter that he contradicts himself:
“No, painters … debate the merits of one type of brush over another ….. Maybe they do. I can’t be sure”.
What’s up Reichmann? Are you simply too lazy to research it? Obviously, you have enough time to rant about Rockwell and write this lengthy and incredibly dull piece.
“We can not perform our craft without the requirement of certain tools …. Once we agreed upon that …” None agrees, so stop telling us to. The entire article is condescending not only towards Rockwell but also towards his readers. At the very end, Reichmann lets us know that he received a lot of critique about his piece of shit article, and goes on to declare his readers as morons and himself above all suspicion.
I guess Reichmann did not get the point. Rockwell never claimed that a good camera is not required for better photographs, but rather that a good photographer can take better photographs no matter what the tool. Got it Reichmann?
A good camera requires a good photographer behind the viewfinder to turn out world class photographs.
Oh BTW: Homer Simpson coined the phrase “Duhhhh!”. I am sure you could have found a better expression to show your disagreement with all your readers, emails and forum posters renouncing your article.
