No public content anymore:
I have enough. If Henry Cartier-Bresson would have lived today, he would probably have himself seen forced to do the same.
People are just not worth it. ‘nuf said.
Update:
Ok, I know this is unfair. And some people deserve an explanation. So here it is:
– Today I was forced to remove a picture made at one of Zuleikha’s birthdays, showing her with some friends. And although the focus was clearly on our own daughter, the argument was: “You didn’t ask”.
This isn’t – and wasn’t – the first time.
So I’ve decided that enough is enough. If people want to die without anyone even remembering how they looked, it’s their choice. If they force me to remove a perfectly fine picture of our daughter so that she cannot show it anymore after she grows up, it’s another thing. Yes, I could have placed black bars across people’s eyes – but that would have ruined the shot as well.
People are just overly anal these days about having their pictures displayed, and yet at the same time they take millions of crappy phone photos themselves and post them on public (so-called “social”) networks. All well and good and their choice entirely. But I get really mad when someone forces me to take away pictures where the focus wasn’t even on their kid, and where no names were displayed, and so on and so forth. That’s why I wrote that even HCB wouldn’t have had a chance today to become the hero he clearly is.
I do have some photos of people where I also have written model releases. But these are not my strong ones; I’ve made all of them while still learning, so keeping only these wouldn’t have any merit for those models, and also not for me.
Landscapes? Our cat? Flowers and bees? All not my strong points, with maybe the exception of the cat.
So I have to think, a lot, long and hard. But what I know already is that I’ll never again show people pictures. Except of course when I have a written contract (model release) with them (or their parents), and when I also consider the photo to be worth it. So chances are that you’ll never see people pictures from me again.
Hope that explains it.
Thanks for reading.
I’ve learned a lot from you. My earnest thanks to you for the generosity you’ve shown in your posts and photos.
Thank you for a lot of nice pics. Whether it’s nature, cats, people or tech (us techies LOVE looking at pictures of hardware ;))
Your website has been in my RSS reader for a long time, and it will stay there. Just in case you decide to post something in the future.
Greetings from Holland!
I will truly miss your postings and your photographs. I don’t like cats that much, but I like Tuna! I hope all goes well for you and your wonderful family.
ugh. that day is probably coming for me, too, but not yet…
It was so much I have learned from you…. thank you!
Dear Wolfgang,
your last post has really shocked me, I was on the way to change from compact cameras to olympus m43, among others because of your website and all the beautiful, loving and benign portraits you showed us using some of these wonderful lenses. But now ? Thanks a lot for all the inspiration you gave to me, I dooooo hope your blog will continue … Best wishes,
Helmut.
Hey Wolfgang,
really sorry to read your decision.
Maybe you’re right, to be strict in this circumstances,
but many will miss your posts and so will I.
Hope you will change your mind after a while and
continue showing your pictures .
Markus
Ok, I understand you, but why you deleted all that beautiful photos? If you ever make me a picture, show in public without asking! 😀 If I would be there with someone from your family, I will be glad and proud, because it means that meeting was importnat.
And in fact even if someone has “problem” with publication of their kid or themselves I am not sure they have right to removal images if person isn’t in center of subject. Of course, they can be mad, but not always its a good reason.