Re: [APML] (It doesn't have to be) Goodbye

[Paul Howell <paul@howell-ltd.com>]

Stunned silence. If we were talking that would be my reaction after reading
some of the recent posts about folks leaving this list because they were
"converting" (is film a religion?) to CCD.

I am a professional commercial photographer. My business is to produce
compelling images. I am also an avid amateur astronomer. Almost two years
ago I started imaging for the first time. I chose to start with a CCD
camera. It seemed that was the way to go but never mind that. It is true
that I am interested in science, but that isn't what I am trying to do with
my camera (if it is in fact a camera after all). I'm trying to make great
photographs. I don't know if I've gotten there yet, but I'm trying. I select
objects and choose techniques and focal lengths based solely on whether I
think the combination will make a good, strong image.

I've learned a lot along the way about technique and I was thinking I might
join the dialog on this list - an astrophotography list.  Never did I
imagine that astrophotography with a CCD is somehow not astrophotography.
Blissfully unaware have I been that my painstaking work to romance the
contrast of the quarter tones just *so* was not in fact, an aesthetic
pursuit. 

I am new to this list (and evidently not long for it either), but there
seems to be some outright vitriol towards CCD's. Why in God's name? At first
I thought it was a joke. Then I thought it was funny. I would laugh to
myself "huh - he's getting mad at a piece of *silicon*". Now I don't know
what to think. Can anyone possibly explain why a piece of silicon could make
someone mad? 

When I talk about composition, local and global contrast, detail, filtering,
skyglow, light pollution and other such things related to astrophotography
are there really two categories - yours and mine? Wow.

Gee, sorry I couldn't stay longer, you folks seem like an interesting lot
but I gotta go.

-Paul



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