Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/03/20
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jeffery, that's really interesting. Your students' reactions are strange, given that it is now typical for a college-age person's Facebook page to feature 800 or more than 1000 photos of him or (more likely) her, most taken by others and posted by others and linked to the owners page without prior consultation. This is a generation that has no concept of privacy whatsoever; they do however have a sense that various institutions are 'against' them, or not out to help or serve them, and their reactions might be a coded way of expressing those suspcicions. On Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 6:04 PM, George Lottermoser <imagist3 at mac.com>wrote: > your observations all ring true enough. > (with the possible exception of what I "LOOK like") > > ;~) > > with all that said > it remains "our time" to photograph > and good, solid documentary still photographers > have to figure out how to do their work in "these times." > > further - defending the right to do the work is part of the work. > > Regards, > George Lottermoser > george at imagist.com > http://www.imagist.com > http://www.imagist.com/blog > http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist > > On Mar 19, 2010, at 4:42 PM, Jeffery Smith wrote: > > George, you LOOK like a photographer, not of the newspaper type or of the >> paparazzi type, but like someone who takes photos for a living. I think >> that >> defuses the situation a bit. If you looked like Mickey Rourke, your >> presence >> might be more cause for concern. >> >> When looking a Winogrand's work from decades ago, I felt that he was >> shooting on the street at a time when very few people were carrying guns >> (legally or illegally), terrorism was not in the dictionary, lawsuits were >> not such common fare, and taking a photo of someone carrying a chimp would >> would not evoke fear that the image would be sent to PETA. We really are >> living in a different time now, and it constrains what we can do however >> good our intentions. The Internet has had a huge influence as well. Very >> few >> starlets have had a wardrobe malfunction that hasn't been plastered all >> over >> the web, making many celebs camera shy. I take informal photos (face >> shots) >> of every one of my students on day one of class so I can quickly learn >> their >> names. Many students (really...many) say "Oh no, you aren't going to post >> this on the web are you?". I sense that people in general are more aware >> of >> how little privacy they have compared to 20 or 30 years ago. HCB and >> Robert >> Capa were shooting >> in the street and one would never dream that a picture of the man on the >> street would be seen anywhere. It would have to be in a book or in a >> gallery. Only if it were newsworthy would it appear in a paper or >> magazine. >> >> Scroll forward to today and literally everyone has a camera. Most are >> cheap little digitals or cell phone cameras. Instead of desensitizing the >> public to having their picture taken, it may be having the opposite >> effect. >> I hate the idea of walking up to someone to ask permission before taking >> their picture. Any spontaneity and realism is immediately lost. So many of >> us shoot first and ask questions later. And not everyone who just got >> their >> picture taken is happy at all with that revelation. >> >> Jeffery >> >> >> On Mar 19, 2010, at 4:24 PM, George Lottermoser wrote: >> >> When I do documentary work, >>> whether on the street or in other venues, >>> I'm always aware of the disconnect >>> between me as a photographer >>> and the subject. >>> >>> As a photographer I'm looking for >>> certain iconic events, light, moments, compositions; >>> which ring true to my subjective view of life; >>> as well as photographic intentions; >>> with not very much concern for >>> how the subject may wish to be "seen" >>> or their subjective view of life in general. >>> (And the subject rarely has any concept of, >>> nor desire to understand, my "photographic intentions") >>> >>> The subject, of course, would like >>> his or her image of themselves maintained; >>> or even enhanced beyond their own self-image. >>> >>> How often have you heard, >>> "that doesn't look like me." >>> or >>> "do I really look like that?" >>> >>> So often these issues of whether or not >>> someone feels okay when a camera lens comes their way >>> has to do with control; >>> not only of how the photograph may be used; >>> but also control over their own image of themselves. >>> Very few people feel comfortable and confident about their "reality." >>> >>> Regards, >>> George Lottermoser >>> george at imagist.com >>> http://www.imagist.com >>> http://www.imagist.com/blog >>> http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >