Date Joined: 8 August 2002 Hello My name is Daniel O'Byrne, ÂÂ
The belief that a good photograph is the result of a good camera places the importance upon the equipment rather than upon the photographer. It emphasizes the machine rather than the man, the tool rather than the artist, the technology rather than the artistic intent. It is as if Monet had been told that the reason why his paintings were so beautiful was because he had such good paintbrushes. Or as if Paul Bocuse’s culinary excellence was explained away by his use of superlative pots and pans. Or again if Yo-Yo Ma had been informed that his Stradivarius was solely responsible for the stunning quality of his music.ÂÂ
One can be inspired and have an idea, be very creative in making this idea into a work of art, have developed the required level of craftsmanship, without the outcome of one’s efforts being motivated by the desire to follow a vision for one’s entire body of work. Vision is an overriding envelope that encompasses both inspiration and creativity. It is a blanket that covers the entire artist’s work, a blanket that often comes later in the life of an artist, after one has perfected one’s art and moved beyond the commonplace outcome that most artists have to go through. For this reason I placed vision as the third step of this process. I placed it there not because it comes necessarily at the end of the process but because in life it is often something that artists discover later on.
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Certainly, a master needs a masterful instrument, be it a camera, paintbrushes, pots and pans or a violin, as in my examples, or other tool, since this list can be expanded to include many other professions. But to say that the quality of the art is caused solely by the quality of the instrument is to miss the point altogether about the importance of the artist. It is missing the point about the human factor, about the man or the woman that actually made use of this instrument. After all, art is made by artists and not by tools. Tools are inanimate objects that need someone to set them in motion. And to set a tool in motion so that art is created through the use of this tool, an artist is needed.
I am now retired from working as a Mental Health professional having worked in the Royal Air Force and National Health Service, giving me more time to persue my photography and artwork. I am a Semi Professional Photoghrapher. Here you will find a collection of my photographs and a selection of Digital Art, Traditional Painting and Sketches that I have also used the digital medium to enhance. Please feel free to pass on any comments. My Camera Gear
http://www.renderosity.com/news.php?viewStory=13527 Here you can find my personal website: DIGITALARTZONE Contact me: E-Mail Artwork for sale: My work Tips and tricks: Nature and wildlife Photography Tips and tricks: Bird Photography
Comments (29)
YohannR
Beautifull bird...!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope people and governements will start taking pollution and general environmental problems more seriously... and take more EFFICIENT mesures to correct those problems... our survival depend on the survival of all other life forms on our planet and it is time we all realise how true it is...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GiMi53
the wire netting (and the colored background) makes this image very special... Outstanding capture, Danny ! And indeed I share your fear for the decline of the sparrows ! :~)
CDBrugg
sweety little - we have plenty around here!
marybelgium
adorable ! Bravo !
creanum
Great capture.....
Biffowitz
Sounds like they need all the help we can give them. Oddly enough, I couldn't help but notice lots of sparrows where I live this year. Very intriguing shot, that net gives me the impression of impending doom, maybe that's just a suggestion of your text??? but it's all awareness though.....right!!!
iaacf
So this is probably a sparrow living in Heerlen then ? Well, I very well know what you are talking about. When I was young, the sparrow was the most common bird around. Nowadays, I do not see them every year. Until last year every year a group of sparrows would nest in (not under) my roof. This year I saw none. Why is this so ? I don't know.. you see, I had a nesting site and they left it..there must be something else happening to them.. I wish I knew what it was so I could possibly help those little birds a little bit more.
vlaaitje
such a sad look this bird has......so far I can remember you took it here in Holland, not sure but I guess so....I like the net and the colours....great title as well.....very well done
1010
So precious, you take the best photos of birds. How about a beautiful goldfinch!!!!!
kenwas
We have many here (Virginia) and they do well. Sorry to hear of the problems there.
nathalie06
A so cute little bird. And a powerful shot and message... If everybody could understand that we are all responsable about the extinction of so many animals, birds, vegetation. It's time to begin a new way of life, and to try to do something for our little planet, each one could do little things for the environnement, and little things, put together, made big things..... You're right, we must take care of our world if we want to save him, and let to the future generation all the marvels we have.... Thank you for that Danny. Hugs
Cosme..D..Churruca
Fabulous capture Danny... total perfection !
BorisB
Very impressive presentation!!
MrsLubner
I'm thrilled by this. It is crisp, clear, clean and behind the mess even! Excellent capture of a tiny creature that nearly never is still. Great job.
Flannelman
Wise words and fine capture ;-)
CavalierLady
Lovely!
Margana
Lovely capture,Danny...I had no idea about their plight.I thought they were fairly commonplace.But if could happen there,it could happen here,too...Thanks for the warning and words of wisdom.
nongo
Such a sad story!!! I'm a believer in amazing comebacks, so here's to that!!!!!!!
nattarious
What a story Daniel!! Lovely capture and it just excellent. Thank you and have a very nice day JOE
sharky_
Hope they survive this earth. Excellent. Aloha
romanceworks
To me it has always been a comfort to see the little sparrows flying about, so much a part of nature and life. To learn they are disappearing is very alarming and disturbing. The precious sparrow behind the fence seems particularly poignant. CC
Gor111
Fascinating bird portrait! He looks really cute this little guy! Thanks for posting it! Bravo!!!
Mondwin
Soooooooooooo lovely!!!!bravo!V:DDD.Hugsxx
erlandpil
Very nice bird portrait,good capture picture erland
Sekadhar
Super shot!!!
Valerie-Ducom
Is a fantastic capture Dan!!! And yes, I'm sure it is the pollution to make a wrong life for this birds... We need to protect the world now, before it's too later... Good day and hugs :D
RodolfoCiminelli
Splendid shot and beautiful soft background.......!!!!!
Punaguy
How is it that such a common bird here can be on the verge of extinction there..? If you need some, we got them by the thousands here...Nice shot~ Aloha~
borsy
Excellent shot!!!