Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/09/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I am not going to set myself up as Arbus' apologist -- others have done that much better than I can -- but the criticism of her that I have seen on this list is banal and superficial in the extreme. It is one thing to say you don't get off on her photographs -- that's your right - -- but if you go further than that then you owe it to yourself to do more than do the critical equivalent of sniffing your own armpit and reporting on how it smells to you. Of course if what you demand of your photography is Rembrandt lighting and the eyes nicely in focus and a warm gooey feeling (or possible an uncomfortable but somehow reassuring feeling of suburban guilt at the plight of others who are respectfully rendered in BW with outstanding bokeh) then you will want to look elsewhere. Of course, if you want a triple-espresso dose of moral outrage of the kind generated by Arbus I strongly suggest you look at Boris Mikhailov's extraordinary CASE HISTORY http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/3908247098 Guaranteed 100% bokeh-free. - -- John Brownlow pictures: http://www.pinkheadedbug.com warblog: http://www.unintended-consequences.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html