Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/07/21

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Photo whores {was Life magazine} vs word herders
From: Donal Philby <donalphilby@earthlink.net>
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1998 10:02:41 +0000

Eric Welch wrote:
> 
> At 04:34 PM 7/20/98 -0500, you wrote:
> 
> >Photographers, used to thinking in terms of  bold action photos captured at
> >crucial moments, are enjoying the luxury of of taking the time to create /
> >or stage attractive photo illustrations for feature sections. They are also
> >being called upon to capture  scenes as visual  backgrounds for
> >informational graphics.
> 
> Though I see this as something that can be useful to providing information
> to the readers, it's also a trend away from real journalism with impact
> (writing and photography). 

> And most photojournalists I know would prefer never to have to stage a
> photo for illustration. Let alone know they'd be fired for staging a news
> photo. It's not a luxury, it's laziness on editor's parts for not giving
> photographers the time to find a good documentary photo of the subject.

Eric, Absolutely right.  I remember an issue of Time magazine last
year--a special edition on the future of journalism--and there wasn't in
the whole magazine a photo of merit that significantly contributed to
understanding anything--they were simple graphic elements to break up
type.  And this a special edition.  Shameful.

Like most everything else in America (and maybe the world),
commercialism rules, and newspapers, magazines and electronic media are
tied closer and closer to advertising and information control.  The
world may have defeated National Socialism in WWII, but frankly the
corporate control of the world economy shows it has risen like a Phoenix
and is alive and well.  Is this a long way from comments on
photojournalism?  Not really.  Increasingly the media's job, it seems,
to is deaden the senses using M-TV style sensory overload so we don't
ask questions, other than directions to the mall.  The popularity of
topics such as Princess Diana and Bill Clinton scandals are the
meaningless drivel we are offered (that requires little thought or
action) instead of insiteful reporting (that might cause citizens to
actually question leaders and consider wrestling power back into their
own hands).  

Leica Ms are great tools to tell the truth, plain and simple and
direct.  The fancy whirligigs of Nikons and Canons are for creating
fantasies that may have little to do with  reality.

donal
(standing in for Oddmund!)    : )

- -- 
Donal Philby
San Diego
http://www.donalphilby.com