Rambling with Resnick

Rambling with Resnick

Dumb and Dumber
What does it say about a country's self-image when the best selling book series is called ---- for Dummies? Plus, a little surprise announcement.

By Mason Resnick

It seems America is getting dumber. We're so dumb, we think what our politicians do in their personal lives is related to their leadership abilities (oddly enough though, we don't inquire into our surgeons' sex lives before choosing them to perform life-saving surgery, we just look at their qualifications.)

Americas' biggest selling book series is called "(Insert almost any activity here) for Dummies". It is with mixed emotions that I can announce that "Photography for Dummies is on the way.

Actually, the Dummies series is generally well-written and tackles some technical issues in clear, consice language. That's not dumbing down, it's just good clear writing. In the case of the upcoming Photography for Dummies, the editor, Russell Hart, is anything but dumb. (By the way, one chapter, on Web sources for photographers, was penned by yours truly, and yes, it will be available through the B&W World bookstore. Couldn't resist that plug now, could I?)

But the publishers of the series have hit a formula that plays on a nation whose self esteem has hit an alltime low. Our preoccupation with possible Presidential pecadillos (at the expense of truly important news, like the still tenuous fate of Social Security, the quiet erosion of student financial aid benefits and the effect of the Asian financial collapse) is just one such indication.

In photography, cameras have been made "smarter" and are so advanced you need not know anything about metering, exposure, or the intereaction of light, emulsion and processing to form a technically acceptable image. But the smartest camera won't help you make a better compositoin (yet), won't tell you how to capture that nuance of expression that turns a snapshot into a portrait and won't show you how to anticipate a decisive moment.

So with cameras made for dummies (thanks, Asian manufacturers), we still need to be taught photo smarts. That's what Photography for Dummies will do. And that's actually rather smart.

Me, I'm still awaiting the publication of "Self Esteem for Stoopid Idiots."

A Little Something On The Side

PDN Online will soon have a new Webmaster. Mike Berger, their first Webmaster, will be leaving and moving to Europe. Their replacement? Yours truly. It became official on March 25th.

Starting May 1, my time will be split between webmastering BSMG Worldwide's web site, PDN-PIX Online and Black & White World. I'm looking forward to my tenure with PDN, an organization I've worked with in the past and feel quite comfortable with. Some five years ago I was managing editor of a sister publication of PDN, called Photo Business. Photo Business folded, PDN expanded into Photo Business's office space, and I went my merry way. As it turns out, I'll be sitting in the same desk I had when I worked for Photo Business.

About the author: Mason Resnick is the editor and publisher of Black & White World, webmaster of BSMG Worldwide's website and Webmaster-elect of PDN, and would be happy to get advice on how to survive on 3 hours of sleep a day. He can be emailed at bwworld@mindspring.com.