Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/09/25

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Subject: [Leica] That's it, I'm throwing my cameras in the river
From: bdcolen at mit.edu (B. D. Colen)
Date: Sat Sep 25 19:20:28 2004
References: <BCEKKGNGDPMOIPMEJONBKEEFEIAA.phong@doan-ltd.com><opr66rrts4ubp1d4@mail.earthlink.net><013a01c42d6a$8b6e9540$4649c33e@symkeehx5nw8g8> <opr66t6pkhubp1d4@mail.earthlink.net> <001801c42d72$7060f2e0$4649c33e@symkeehx5nw8g8>

Excuse me, Simon, but WHAT precisely is your problem?


On Thu, 29 Apr 2004 00:43:13 +0200, animal <s.jessurun95@chello.nl> wrote:

> sorry for interrupting your conversation I wont do it again
> simon
>
> | What is this supposed to mean, and what does it supposedly have to do
> with
> | people taking photos simply because they will be terrific photos?
> |
> |
> | On Wed, 28 Apr 2004 23:48:29 +0200, animal <s.jessurun95@chello.nl>
> wrote:
> |
> | > Beasts want to be on top of every hill , king of the world .
> | > There is no harm in that is there?
> | > We all want to say look mammy what i have done occasionally don,t
> we?
> | > Rule the world with a magic feather?
> | > simon
> | >
> | >
> | >
> | > | No, it doesn't explain why someone takes a snap of Skipper and
> Sissy,
> | > but
> | > | theoretically people on this list think of themselves as
> | > "photographers."
> | > |
> | > | And, no, I would not flunk her because she had one, or even
> several,
> | > | photos in her project that weren't good picks.
> | > | But she showed the photo in question independently, as her PAW for
> the
> | > | past week - students are required to produce one photo a week that
> can
> | > be
> | > | viewed as telling a story - and that one does. In terms of her
> | > project, it
> | > | is one of several showing that one of the 'clients' at the center
> was
> | > | upset, and several  people, including his 'girlfriend,' whose hand
> was
> | > in
> | > | the photo, was one of those people...
> | > |
> | > | But the point I was trying to make, is that I think she hit the
> | > proverbial
> | > | nail on the head in terms of why "photographers" take photos -
> they
> | > take
> | > | them for the same reason that mountain climbers give for climbing
> | > | mountains - because they're there!
> | > | :-)
> | > |
> | > |
> | > |
> | > | On Wed, 28 Apr 2004 16:33:14 -0400, Phong <phong@doan-ltd.com>
> wrote:
> | > |
> | > | > B.D.,
> | > | >
> | > | > That is only partially true, and I suppose
> | > | > more so for "photographers".  The majority
> | > | > of the people who take photos are not
> | > | > photographers.  They just want a snapshot
> | > | > of someone, or something that interest
> | > | > them.  Even I do this sometimes, though
> | > | > I would never show the result to another
> | > | > photographer, especially on the LUG.  :-)
> | > | >
> | > | > Anyway, your story raises and answers
> | > | > the question of why your student takes
> | > | > that photo.  It does not address why
> | > | > she chose that photo to show.  Clearly,
> | > | > if it does not fit her project, or the story
> | > | > she wants to tell, it would not be included,
> | > | > no matter how great the photo is.  Otherwise
> | > | > you would flunk her, wouldn't you ?   :-)
> | > | >
> | > | > - Phong
> | > | >
> | > | >
> | > | >
> | > | > B. D. Colen wrote:
> | > | >>
> | > | >> About 'our' motivation to photograph.
> | > | >>
> | > | >> This past Saturday, my students were showing roughs of their
> | > semester
> | > | >> projects. One young woman has been shooting at a center for the
> | > | >> developmentally disabled - aw, hell, the retarded - focusing on
> an
> | > art
> | > | >> program they have. She showed an image that was a close up of
> two
> | > | >> people's hands awkwardly touching - a striking image - and my
> TA
> | > noted
> | > | >> that this image was a good one for us to think about in terms
> of
> | > | >> addressing the question 'when is photo journalism/documentary
> | > | >> photography, voyeurism?' So we talked about it for a while and
> then
> | > I
> | > | >> asked the student, 'why did you take this photo?' Her response:
> | > | >>
> | > | >> "I thought it would be a great photo!" No bullshit. No 'I want
> to
> | > help
> | > | >> people.' No BS about 'understanding.' Just the bottom line -
> she's
> | > a
> | > | >> photographer, and the image leapt out at her. And that, in my
> | > humble
> | > | >> opinion, is what IT really is all about.
> | > | >>
> | > | >> We may take photos for various economic, personal, political,
> | > | >> journalistic reasons. But if we really are the beast called
> | > | >> photographers, it call comes down to "I thought it would be a
> great
> | > | >> photo!"
> | > | >
> | > | > _______________________________________________
> | > | > Leica Users Group.
> | > | > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more
> information
> | > |
> | > |
> | > |
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> | >
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> |
> |
> |
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Replies: Reply from s.jessurun95 at chello.nl (animal) ([Leica] That's it, I'm throwing my cameras in the river)
In reply to: Message from phong at doan-ltd.com (Phong) ([Leica] That's it, I'm throwing my cameras in the river)
Message from bdcolen at mit.edu (B. D. Colen) ([Leica] That's it, I'm throwing my cameras in the river)
Message from s.jessurun95 at chello.nl (animal) ([Leica] That's it, I'm throwing my cameras in the river)
Message from bdcolen at mit.edu (B. D. Colen) ([Leica] That's it, I'm throwing my cameras in the river)
Message from s.jessurun95 at chello.nl (animal) ([Leica] That's it, I'm throwing my cameras in the river)