Soapbox: A sad day for photographers and Marc Adamus

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Peoples jealousy today has taken on a whole new meaning for me. Sure in the past I have been the recipient of peoples snide comments and emails giving me a spray about my work and faking colour etc. The usual !!

Why just two weeks ago someone sent me a fake email pretending to be Ken Duncan giving me a serve about my work.

Don’t these people have anything better to do… all I (we) do is take photos and sell them… why the hostility ?

I’m sure a lot of you know American Landscape Photographer Marc Adamus. If not you can check out his work here www.marcadamus.com. He has some amazing landscape work, wish my digital stuff looked like this.

Now some clown has gone out and created a web site with the soul intention to try and rip him to shreds www.marcadamuslies.com (now I hate posting this link as it only promotes this kind of crap) but it is interesting to see the extent some people go to. One can only assume jealousy is this guys (peoples) motivation along with missing the odd psychologist visit as well.

Have a look at the depth and research invested in this site… would have taken months if not longer to put together. He even gives it to other photographers who have made supporting comments about Marc’s work, along with screen captures of posted comments they made and his own opinions about their work as well.

It is so crazy that it seams like a joke… is it April the 1st already and no one told me ?

Of course like all sledges and fake emails they never post their real name. I guess in this case if they did it will make Marc’s lawyers job too easy.

30 thoughts on “Soapbox: A sad day for photographers and Marc Adamus

  1. yeah I had a look and thought man this guy has a problem. I don’t give a shit how someone comes up with an image, as long as it looks good. If Marc Adamus has an ego he has it for a reason, his work is unbelievable. If he denies much PP that is ok as we know that is bullshit. You can’t capture what he has in a almost raw image! It is only the people that aren’t experienced that can’t see through a statement like “I don’t use much photoshop”

  2. Yeah, me too Merv (bandwidth exceeded) , this will give you the heads up.
    http://www.webaperture.com/gallery/gallery.php3?act=mb&mid=wild
    Some amazing images, his work is good, PS has been used, but a website to bring him down? Where are this guy’s images, lots of fanfare, no content? To bring a well respected photographer, Galen Rowell, into his argument is insulting to his widow and family. I used to suck at PS so I got some help, here in fact (thanks Matt), and I’m seeing a lot of improvement. But I think this guy needs some serious help, maybe psychiatric?

  3. My husband and I have traveled with Marc Adamus on a photo workshop. He’s a talented photographer who is also a gifted teacher. I saw the website mentioned above. Why would someone do this? I feel for March. He’s a great guy.

  4. Who gives a crap about how any image is made…. you either like soemthing or you dont. I personally dont like art like Van Gough and such, and I am sure even those guys tweaked their paintings a little bit, would never have ever just got out the brush and just went BAM… there it is first go, no fixing anything they thought was wrong or changing things a little bit…

    Whoever made the other side is the one with the issues, obviously a little jealous huh

  5. I came across this site a few days ago…

    I don’t think they are complaining about how his work is processed, but rather how he denies that he uses photoshop, but still this person/people have taken it a bit far… I really don’t understand why anyone would go to that extent to slander someone elses work.

  6. Doesn’t the guy realise just how much promotion he is giving Marc Adamus. Must be something personal if you ask me, just makes no sense otherwise.

    I’ve never heard of Marc Adamus before but he sure has some stunning images.

    Obviously PS has been utilised and I will never understand why people are so adamant that no post processing has been used, but he is in the good old USA so he can do and say whatever he likes to sell his images.

    Some people just need to grow up, open their eyes and realise that Photography is an art and therefore there are no rules, and neither should there be.

  7. It happens all the time. A while ago I discovered an interesting article about Peter Lik works: http://www.lostateminor.com/2006/10/15/peter-lik/
    The article was written in Oct 2006, but it still alive – the recent post is from March 2009. Our Mark Gray and Sam Burns are also participating in the discussion. It’s a long thread but it’s worth to read it.

    Personally I think that in the real word the words “I don’t use photoshop” mean nothing now. Even if someone is using film then photos will be “photoshopped” in some way. And people who are saying that they are not photoshopping their photos are… hmmmm… inaccurate (you know what I mean).

    And I agree with Merv – there is no such thing as bad publicity. The guy will be in top listings now.

  8. A photo is the camera’s interpretation of what the seen looks like, and the settings are manipulated by man, same with adding a little photoshop. There is no right or wrong in this game.

    The concerning thing is with population growth, there is a bigger problem, more nutta’s on the loose.

    I went to have a look at Marc’s website before and he has exceeded his Bandwidth, therefore the site won’t open.
    This nutta has probably done Marc more good than harm. His more famous now than a few months back. Sales might escalate, plus the defamation of character case will be a nice bonus.

  9. As Dave said there has to be some other motivation behind a site like this other than jealousy.

    Ilya I have seen that thread and I posted on it when it first started a few times and then I dropped following it because if you read on it goes around and around in circles and there is more evidence of people really giving it to other photographers who add their comments as well.

  10. Wow, Marc’s photography has finally shown me that digital can compare to film. His work is truly stunning. Haven’t seen any digital work even come close in Australia yet…

    It’s funny how many people out there have nothing better to do than put other successful photographer’s work to shame.

    I agree with you Matt, I guess it all simply stems from jealousy.

  11. Marc Adamus is a artist!!! he ha the most amazing stuff, i wish i could be as good as him.
    and this bloke should go do something unnatural with himself

  12. I think most have already said what I think, I’ll just add that the world is full of folks that look at a glass half full.

    Maybe they should spend what limited time we have to get outside and SHOOT rather than spend their time ripping so others apart.

    I read through that whole site and never in one place could they say his images are bad, because they are not. It was only about the man himself and what he may or may not be doing…

    When I buy a print I could not give two shakes what the person is like behind the image, I just gotta like the image.

    Now if I plug Christians image number 28 do I get a discount or freebie, that image just ROCKS and I want it.

  13. That website is pretty funny, maybe marc did it himself for some tongue in cheek publicity…… smart guy if so

    Everyone uses photoshop even us archaic film guys, normal e6 is rated for daylight so it does crazy things with colour casts that the human eye filters out and you really need to alter before printing. So what. Ansel Adams “worked” his darkroom and would do the same today on his mac if he had a 1D in his hand.

  14. Matt,
    Thanks for posting this. It is such a bizarre thing for someone to have done. I guess we will continue to see how the digital revolution changes the way people think about art and so-called ‘pure photography’. I can only echo what Michael said above… that Ansel was a master of the whole process – the process of image MANIPULATION. If there wasn’t a refining process we would all have images that look relatively similar. (well ok, not ALL of us). I would give my left arm to know how he does his PS work. It is phenomenal.

    Anyway. I’m a big fan of yours, Matt, so keep up the great work.

  15. Mike… lets hope if Ansel was still around today he would have himself a 5D Mark II and not an old 1ds 🙂

    Thanks Bob… and thanks for posting on the blog. So many people out there think Photoshop is an ugly word and when they look at a photo that’s all they see. They dont see the dedication in waiting for the right light or the skill in the composition and the refinement in the exposure.

  16. Absolutely insane. Maybe this guy feels slighted by Marc for something. Marc probably gave him some tips or hosted a workshop and this guy couldn’t capture the same results, so now he’s ranting.

  17. Wow, just found this matt. I don’t even know what to say.

    Marc’s work is awesome, simply brilliant.

    If people are going to start doing this, I’m going to get in first with an anseladamslies website 😉

  18. Marc Adamus is in my top 3 fav photogs, this guys website is a joke! why doesnt he take a look at some of the things Ansel adams said and did to his photographs, I was wondering why I couldnt go onto his website the other day when it said the bandwidth was exceeded.

  19. I emailed the people behind this website yesterday. Here is my original message to them, followed by their reply. I think you’ll agree that it says a lot about them and their ‘work’! ;-))

    ——– Original Message ——–
    Subject: Marc Adamus
    From: Cliff
    Date: Fri, April 17, 2009 9:43 am
    To:
    Cc: , ,
    , ,

    Hello

    I am aware of some of Marc Adamus’ work, and have also seen your website.

    Where can I see some examples of your own work? I would like to see it in order to make a comparison with Marc Adamus’ work (and other similar work), so I can form an opinion on it’s relative merits.

    I consider all styles of work to be valid as long as there is honesty regarding the production method.

    Regards
    Cliff

    ———-Reply:——————-

    Hello, and thank you for contacting MarcAdamusLIES.com.

    Regarding your request, we are sorry that it is not possible to display the work of our in-house photographers. Our project is about Marc Adamus, not our own photography. Our anonymity is important to our mission. Be assured that our in-house photographers’ work has been published multiple times, and we have a large stock portfolio.

    Thank you for contacting MarcAdamusLIES.com

    Sam Forman
    Executive Editor
    MarcAdamusLIES.com

  20. Certainly drawn my attention to how good the guy is, what a gun. Forget the photography for sec, begrudging someone usually smacks of jealosy and in this case, has come back to bite the instigator firmly on the arse – he’s now a whole lot more popular.

  21. Well said, Andrew! These pillocks are doing his marketing for him! I love his work, and I can’t understand the mentality of the sort of people who just gripe and snipe. I can only assume that they are not as talented. More power to Marc I say.

  22. This whole notion that using photoshop is EVIL and altering photos somehow diminishes the art is ridiculous. Before photoshop, the greats like Ansel Adams were tweaking chemical mixes, paper and film types, development times and temperatures, dodging and burning, using filters, all to capture what their MIND’S eye saw, not simply to record a scene. So, we do that on a computer today. What’s the difference? We’re trying to make art, and art is largely interpretation, not “just the facts”.

  23. I think the only explanation for marcadamuslies.com is that that Marc Adamus has created it. It’s great publicity and certainly seems to serve as better publicity for Marc than anything positive he could ever create. It seems to galvanize his fanbase and make his photography into something more than just really amazing pictures of the woods.

  24. Jesse Estes of Troutdale, Oregon is the guy behind the Marc Adamus Lies website!!

    If you don’t believe me argue with him on one his social networking sites and you’ll become a thug or instant Marc Adamus fan even if you are not.

  25. Sam Foreman? ‘Im assuming that’s short for Samantha? ha Cause only a petty hurt women would go through all this trouble to try and slander someones name just for fun. You FN COWARD! I met this Marc, went on a little photo adventure with him, he ‘s smart enough and talented enough to eventually become one of the most inspirational and well know photographers. He labels his work “photographic art” what ever happened to “to each their own”?
    what did this talented, ambitious smoking hot photographer ever do to you? More recognition? is he better at what he does than you? I just hope you realize how fuckin stupid and immature this makes you look. ohh and I think you upped the traffic of his site, and everyone who sees his work will automatically know you’re just jealous and or you just have a personal vendetta against him. Sooo uhh the jokes kind of on you Slick! (and if I may add, it’s a little concerning, your obsession with gay sex and these three men” Im thinking you have a little a crush on him, I mean he is gorgeous”

    Before taking into consideration what THIS SITE says…… check out this guys work! He’s is amazing! I went on a day tour with him and he know everything about photography! I learned so much! and Still appreciate the time he gave cause I know he’s a busy dude! Thanks Marc! No ones slander will ever make it through true fans! http://www.marcadamus.com

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