FROM: "Ralph W. Lambrecht" SUBJECT: Re: Why "Shoot"? DATE: Fri, 07 Apr 2000 17:23:03 +0100 ORGANIZATION: BT Internet NEWSGROUPS: rec.photo.equipment.large-format Jerry Gardner wrote: > > Why are the words "shoot" and "shooting" so ubiquitous in this and the > other photo newsgroups? To me, they are not very descriptive of the > photographic process. > > When did these terms come into common usage? I have a large library of > photographic books from the 40's, 50's, and 60's and these terms are > not used often, if at all. > > -- > Jerry Gardner | "Bill Clinton has all the steely resolve > w6uv@hotmail.com | of a kamakaze pilot on his 37th mission." The following text may help to conclude that the speed in which a photograph is taken, in comparison to painting, was refered to as 'shooting'. I was able to find this text in the Groliers Encyclopedia: Perhaps the first important contribution was the series of motion photographs made by Eadweard MUYBRIDGE between 1872 and 1877. Hired by the governor of California, Leland Stanford, to capture on film the movement of a racehorse, Muybridge tied a series of wires across the track and connected each one to the shutter of a still camera. The running horse tripped the wires and exposed a series of still photographs, which Muybridge then mounted on a stroboscopic disk and projected with a magic lantern to reproduce an image of the horse in motion. Muybridge shot hundreds of such studies and went on to lecture in Europe, where his work intrigued the French scientist E. J. MAREY. Marey devised a means of shooting motion photographs with what he called a photographic gun. Or in the American Heritage Dictionary it says: shoot (shát) v. shot (shÄt), shoot0ing, shoots. —tr. 1.a. To hit, wound, or kill with a missile fired from a weapon. b. To remove or destroy by firing or projecting a missile: shot out the window. c. To make (a hole, for example) by firing a weapon. 2. To fire or let fly (a missile) from a weapon. 3.a. To discharge (a weapon). b. To detonate or cause to explode: shot off a firecracker. 4. To inject (a drug, for example) with a hypodermic syringe. 5. To throw out or release (a fishing line, for example). 6.a. To send forth suddenly, intensely, or swiftly: The burning building shot sparks onto the adjacent roof. He shot an angry look at me. b. To emit (a ray or rays of light or another form of energy). c. To utter (sounds or words) forcefully, rapidly, or suddenly: She shot a retort to the insult. d. Slang. To give, send, or hand quickly: Shoot me that stapler. 7. Informal. To spend, use up, or waste: They shot their savings on a new boat. 8. To pass over or through swiftly: shooting the rapids. 9. To cover (country) in hunting for game. 10. To record on film: shot the scene in one take. 11. To cause to project or protrude; extend: shot out her arm to prevent the bottle from falling. 12. To begin to grow or produce; put forth. 13. To pour, empty out, or discharge down or as if down a chute: shot gravel into the hole. 14. Sports & Games. a. To throw or propel (a ball, marble, or other projectile in a game) in a specific direction or toward the objective. b. To accomplish (the objective) of a game involving projectiles; score (a point, basket, stroke, or goal). c. To play (a game involving projectiles or dice, such as golf, craps, or pool). d. To attain (a given score) in golf. e. To throw (the dice or a given score) in craps. 15. To slide (the bolt of a lock) into or out of its fastening. 16. To plane (the edge of a board) straight. 17. To variegate (colored cloth) by interweaving weft threads of a different color. 18. To measure the altitude of with a sextant or other instrument: shot the star. —intr. 1. To discharge a missile from a weapon. 2. To discharge or fire; go off. 3.a. To gush or spurt: Water shot out of the geyser. b. To appear suddenly: The sun shot through a break in the clouds. 4. To move swiftly; dart. 5. To be felt moving or as if moving in the body: Pain shot through my lower leg. 6. To protrude; project: The headland shoots far out into the sea. 7. To engage in hunting or the firing of weapons, especially for sport: is shooting in Scotland during the fall. 8. To put forth new growth; germinate. 9.a. To take pictures. b. To begin filming a scene in a movie. 10. Sports & Games. To propel a ball or other object toward the goal or in a specific direction or manner. 11. Games. To throw dice. 12. Slang. To begin talking. Often used in the imperative: I know you have something to tell me, so shoot! 13. To slide into or out of a fastening. Used of the bolt of a lock. —shoot n. 1. The motion or movement of something that is propelled, driven, or discharged. 2.a. The young growth arising from a germinating seed; a sprout. b. A bud, young leaf, or other new growth on a plant. 3. A narrow, swift, or turbulent section of a stream. 4.a. The act of discharging a weapon or letting fly a missile. b. Informal. The launching of a rocket or similar missile. 5.a. An organized shooting activity, such as a skeet tournament or hunt. b. A round of shots in a contest with firearms. 6.a. A photographic assignment or session. b. A cinematographic session. 7. The distance a shot travels; the range. 8. Nautical. The interval between strokes in rowing. 9. A sharp twinge or spasm of pain. 10. An inclined channel for moving something; a chute. 11. A body of ore in a vein. —shoot interj. Used to express surprise, mild annoyance, or disappointment. —phrasal verbs. shoot down. 1. To bring down (an aircraft, for example) by hitting and damaging with gunfire or a missile. 2. Informal. To ruin the aspirations of; disappoint. 3. Informal. a. To put an end to; defeat: shot down the proposal. b. To expose as false; discredit: shot down his theory. shoot for or shoot at. Informal. To strive or aim for; have as a goal. shoot up. 1. Informal. To grow or get taller rapidly. 2. To increase dramatically in amount. 3. To riddle with bullets. 4. To damage or terrorize (a town, for example) by intense or random gunfire. 5. Slang. To inject a drug with a hypodermic syringe. —idioms. shoot from the hip. Slang. To act or speak on a matter without forethought. shoot off (one's) mouth or shoot off (one's) face. Slang. 1. To speak indiscreetly. 2. To brag; boast. shoot (one's) bolt. Slang. To do all within one's power; exhaust all of one's resources or capabilities. shoot straight. To talk or deal honestly. shoot the bull. Slang. To spend time talking; talk idly. shoot the works. Informal. To expend all of one's efforts or capital. [Middle English shoten, from Old English scTotan. See skeud- below.] —shoot2er n. Ralph W. Lambrecht FROM: "T. L. & J. James" SUBJECT: Re: Why "Shoot"? DATE: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 11:26:30 GMT ORGANIZATION: Sympatico-Subscriber NEWSGROUPS: rec.photo.equipment.large-format Jerry Gardner wrote: > Why are the words "shoot" and "shooting" so ubiquitous in this and the > other photo newsgroups? To me, they are not very descriptive of the > photographic process. > > When did these terms come into common usage? I have a large library of > photographic books from the 40's, 50's, and 60's and these terms are > not used often, if at all. Jerry: My guess would be that "shooting" came into use as photographers moved to smaller cameras where a moving subject could be easily sighted and tracked through the viewfinder. I've never liked the term in reference to photography. My preference is suspended between "making" and "taking" photographs. I think photographers--to be honerst about it--do a bit of both. TJ FROM: remove.david@meiland.com (David Meiland) SUBJECT: Re: Why "Shoot"? DATE: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 14:02:20 GMT ORGANIZATION: MindSpring Enterprises NEWSGROUPS: rec.photo.equipment.large-format Why shoot? You aim the camera and you pull the trigger. The similarities are striking to firing a gun, are they not? --- David Meiland Oakland, CA **Check the reply address before sending mail FROM: "Q.G. de Bakker" SUBJECT: Re: Why "Shoot"? DATE: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 23:29:53 +0200 ORGANIZATION: WorldOnline - The Internet Communication Company NEWSGROUPS: rec.photo.equipment.large-format "David Meiland" wrote... > Why shoot? > > You aim the camera and you pull the trigger. The similarities are > striking to firing a gun, are they not? Where do they put those pullable triggers on cameras nowadays? FROM: "Don Wallace" SUBJECT: Re: Why "Shoot"? DATE: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 10:11:09 -0400 NEWSGROUPS: rec.photo.equipment.large-format Jerry Gardner wrote in message ... > >When did these terms come into common usage? I have a large library of >photographic books from the 40's, 50's, and 60's and these terms are >not used often, if at all. I think that the term "shoot" was used in cinematography before it was used by still photographers. I think that I have seen the phrase "shot on location" used in literature before 1940. Don Wallace FROM: Michael Mutmansky SUBJECT: Re: Why "Shoot"? DATE: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 11:09:47 -0400 ORGANIZATION: MindSpring Enterprises NEWSGROUPS: rec.photo.equipment.large-format Jerry Gardner wrote: > Why are the words "shoot" and "shooting" so ubiquitous in this and the > other photo newsgroups? To me, they are not very descriptive of the > photographic process. > > When did these terms come into common usage? I have a large library of > photographic books from the 40's, 50's, and 60's and these terms are > not used often, if at all. Jerry, The terms 'snapshot' and 'snapshooter' are are actually 19th century gun shooting terms for a person who draws a gun and shoots from the hip, without aiming carefully. This became a term for photography (around the turn of the century I think) to describe a person who took photos 'casually' or without much design or forethought. This evolved with the advent of the Kodak preloaded cameras, and the general availability of cameras and film to the general public. It's just a natural evolution from 'snapshot' to 'shot' or 'to shoot' a picture. I believe the term 'snapshot' and 'snapshooter' was originally somewhat derogatory in it's use for photographs. Practioners of the arts of the day didn't consider photography a legitimate artform, and the term 'snapshot' implies a lack of artistic merit associated with the relative ease of capturing an image, and the possible lack of artistic intent associated with that ease. But, as you would expect, the derision went over the heads of the photographers back then, and the terms were adopted into common usage by the photographers themselves. ---Michael FROM: jsprang@aol.com (Jsprang) SUBJECT: Re: Why "Shoot"? DATE: 10 Apr 2000 15:44:11 GMT ORGANIZATION: AOL http://www.aol.com NEWSGROUPS: rec.photo.equipment.large-format >> Why are the words "shoot" and "shooting" so ubiquitous in this and the >> other photo newsgroups? To me, they are not very descriptive of the >> photographic process. >> >> When did these terms come into common usage? I have a large library of >> photographic books from the 40's, 50's, and 60's and these terms are >> not used often, if at all. >> >> -- >> Jerry Gardner | "Bill Clinton has all the steely resolve >> w6uv@hotmail.com | of a kamakaze pilot on his 37th mission." According to my dictionary, one of the meanings of shot is "any attempt or try at something" Could it be that in the early days of photography (Even today for that matter) we make an attempt or try at geeting a photo; take a shot, and by extension shoot pictures? Of course I agree with most of the other postings about the similarity of photographic equipment to firearms. I was a news photographer for many years, a lot of newspaper slang was similar: stories and photos were "killed" (not used) and old file photos and stories were sored in the "morgue" (editorial department library) Just my 2 cents. -- Jeff "Sure life is hard, but compared to what?" FROM: =David--M= SUBJECT: Re: Why "Shoot"? DATE: 10 Apr 2000 16:41:04 -0500 ORGANIZATION: . NEWSGROUPS: rec.photo.equipment.large-format John Stafford wrote: > > Yes, it has always struck me that Shooting is a strange way to describe > taking (or making) pictures. Not really. I once owned a Zenith Photosniper outfit (This was the official name). This consisted of a Russian Zenith SLR with a 300mm lens mounted on a 'gunstock'. You 'shot' the pictures with a trigger release. Considering the explosive nature of the early flashpowder, I think 'shoot' is quite an apt term, though perhaps less so nowadays.