[Leica] Personal portfolios of misery

[Paul Chefurka <Paul_Chefurka@pmc-sierra.com>]

>From: Jim Brick [mailto:jim_brick@agilent.com]

>
>What I don't like, actually detest, is the merging of a 
>terribly troubled
>soul with fine art and/or a personal portfolio.
>
>Neither a personal portfolio nor fine art should be made, 
>based upon the misery of another human being.

I'm not sure I understand you here, Jim.  Where do you draw your line and
say "this is OK, that isn't" in cases like this?  Is Natchwey's "Inferno"
not a personal portfolio, and based on the individual misery of many people?
What about "Minimata" - that essay violates the fine art/misery proscription
pretty handily.

Lots and lots of photo essays have been done of people in desperate physical
or mental misery.  Many of these have raised the awareness of folks like me,
who don't come in contact with such situations very often.  And these have
been done by photographers as personal work, with no medical intent, purely
one of expanding the awareness of viewers.

In a way I'm amazed by the strength of the negative reaction this has
generated.  To me, it's honest work about a difficult subject - one that is
sufficiently important for people to think about that a visual prod like
this is totally appropriate.

So, respectfully, I disagree.

Paul Chefurka