Re: [Leica] Re: Lenswork Magazine

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca>]

James A. Gatlin wrote:
> I think the basic "point of departure" is......
>
> If you happen to disagree or dislike the agenda behind a story, it is
> "propaganda".
>
> If you happen to agree with, or share the agenda behind a story, it is
> "documentary".
>
> Everyone who sets out to 'tell a story', or 'make a difference' as it
> where... sets out an agenda, or, is trying to accomplish some goal. Even
the
> people who hire Tina to do her wonderful work in South America has an
> agenda. Same for Salgado, Smith and every other person who ventured into
> 'documentary' (or propaganda) photography.<<<<

Hi Jim and others,
 As someone who's shot documentary, photo essays & stories, the way of life
of all kinds of people across this vast land  for close to 50 years from
when I shot the first, I never thought of it as anything more than
"documenting the way of life, work, lifestyle or any other aspect of the way
we are on this planet."

I never had any esoteric message to "save the people, the whales or
anything!" Other than shooting every damn thing that motivated me while
shooting the material I was assigned to cover. I shot the good, the bad, the
ugly as true as I found it within my viewfinder. I never considered it as
any form of propaganda, but merely a documentary recording as photogenically
as I could, of how people lived, worked, manufactured, dug mines, built
planes, went to school, did things overseas, demonstrated, went to church
and practiced their religion and politics.

I suppose there are those who have an agenda to shoot the bad, the good or
whatever "the message is" they are assigned, or set for their own doing. So
be it. But a true photojournalist shoots it all without thought of nothing
more than recording the motivating scenes with the truth of being motivated
by a moment in time.

Even when shooting the Prime Minister I never pulled on what I saw and
recorded that might be found damaging? offence? make him look bad? I shot it
all, must say it made one of them cringe at times, but even those pictures
are in the National Archives of Canada for all to see in the National Photo
Collection housing the Ted Grant Collection. However, I will say some of it
is locked down... my request, until the personality has pasted on. Why?

Well the demeanor of those involved in politics and preparing political
campaigns during elections these days and their rip the opposition at all
cost tactics, that's the reason, as I didn't take them to be used for dumb
ass political use... good, bad or ugly!

I suppose some might say that's shooting with an agenda, their call. But
that isn't what the material was shot for, as it was to record a time of
this person during their tenure as Prime Minister for future generations and
the history of this country or any other country I shot for similar reasons.

I just thought you might find this a different point of view as a documentor
of our way of life on Planet Earth without a message nor agenda.
ted
















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