Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/07/31

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Street photography
From: John Brownlow <john@pinkheadedbug.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 11:02:53 -0400

on 31/7/00 10:32 am, John Collier at jbcollier@home.com wrote:

> Just a quick note to say that I do not believe the Kennedy family would
> agree. :-) Perhaps not really "street photography" by a traditional
> definition but photography on the streets none the less.

Pardon my language, and note that in what follows I address the argument not
the poster, of whom I know less than nothing, but that's the kind of lo-cal
fibre free bullshit barstool argument that does no-one any favours. Equating
gross press intrusion for commercial purposes (selling to Nat. Enquirer or
whatever) with what is essentially a non-profit (ask any street
photographer) artistic endeavor is purposefully confusing two entirely
separate issues. Most SPs have a pretty well worked out internal moral code
about what they do. Very few will continue to shoot an ordinary member of
the public (ie who does not have bodyguards and millions in the bank) who
has expressed the wish NOT to be photographed: to do so is stupid and rude
and dangerous and has nothing to do with what SP is all about.

Anyone who photographed as an SP ... moving among people in the streets...
in the way that the press photographed the Kennedys would have their nose
broken within the first hour. And they would deserve it.

Sheesh.


- -- 
Johnny Deadman

http://www.pinkheadedbug.com