Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/06/26

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Don't be shy (was wedding newbie)
From: tedgrant@islandnet.com (Ted Grant)
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998 21:30:39 +0100

>> From: Ted Grant
>>
>> "Unobtrusive" is the in thing! As one doesn't want to appear as part of the
>> event, but a quiet recorder for the bride to enjoy images later>>>>>
>------------------------------
Alan Hull wrote:

>Sorry Ted, I must disagree with your statement above.
>
>How can you inject your personality or style into a picture when you
>are unobrusive?  How can you influence the scene by being invisible?

Alan,

I guess I have to ask a few  questions. "What don't you understand in the
work of a photojournalist?" Or the word "unobtrusive?"  Or "working quietly
like a fly on the wall, capturing the "personalities of those you are
observing and recording?"

I don't need to inject "my personallity" it isn't relevant to the scene,
unless I'm shooting a pound of butter for an advertising agency. Then I
don't have to worry about my "personality" either as the A.D. looks after
all the personality required for 12 people! Usually. :)

A good photojournalist keeps his mouth shut, eyes and ears open and his
finger on the shutter release!  We, if we are any good, don't set anything
up!

That's the realm of the commercial photographers, paid to set things in
place. Many wouldn't trade a photjournalist a moments time because we do
things in  "real world time" and don't create the false front of a well
laid out studio. Many commercial guys wouldn't touch a photojournalists
assignment simply because they wouldn't have "any control nor could they
inject there personalities to the scene."

How about this:

Photojournalist has to shoot birthing without flash, no assistants and
captures all the magical feelings of stress, pain and elations of new
mother and father .  Assignment completed efficiently and successfully
without any ""injection of personality or style and completely
unobtrusivily invisible?""

<<<< How can you influence the scene by being invisible? >>>>>

If you're not invisible in the OR or many other locations, where in effect
you are an intruder (even though invited) ..... you are not the intruder
very long!"

Now how about the above in relation to your percieved idea of:

<<inject your personality or style into a picture when you are unobrusive?
How can you influence the scene by being invisible?>>>>>>>

OK same scene via photograher injecting the elments above:

A very visible obtrusive Photographer injecting personality with style: "I
know she's having labour pains, damn it turn her over so I can see her
agony more!":)

Just thought you might like to understand, that some of us who work
invisible, unobtrusively and without controlling anything have survived
quite successfully as recorders of life for many many years. All over the
world and well published! And quite frankly I get asked back to many
functions and situations simply because I work the way I do:  Quietly,
unobtrusive and invisble!

This comment from folks I've had the pleasure and honour of working with
and for: "We never knew you were around. You truly are the "invisible
photographer" compared to most of the assholes who try to get in here!"  :)

Kind says it all! :)


Ted Grant
This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler.
http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant