Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/12/22

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Happy-Snaps
From: Jeffrey Hausner <Buzz@marianmanor.org>
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 12:43:35 -0500

Jim,

	Your comment implies that you take pictures which are art and that
the millions of people who take pictures of "people and stuff" do not.
While I agree that the vast majority of photographs taken by the general
population are not "art" and weren't intended as "art,"  I respectfully
disagree with this distinction.  I have taken pictures which some people
consider artistic in the least likely places; my kids' birthday parties, for
instance.  I think that the "happy-snaps" distinction is spurious and too
often used with derogatory intent.

	Regards,

	Buzz

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Jim Brick [SMTP:jim@brick.org]
> Sent:	Tuesday, December 22, 1998 12:27 PM
> To:	leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject:	[Leica] Happy-Snaps
> 
> The connotation you hold in your mind is what you make of it. It is not
> everyone else's view. I make fine art photographs and publish books which
> are of my photography. These clearly are not "Happy-Snaps", But when I
> carried my M6 to our Christmas party (last week), 35/1.4 ASPH, 800 film,
> and took pictures of people and stuff... these are indeed "Happy-Snaps."
> My
> wife only takes "Happy-Snaps." As do millions of other people. So you can
> hold a derogatory image of "Happy-Snaps" in your mind if you wish. I
> don't.
> And I will continue to use the term since, as coined by Ted, "Happy-Snaps"
> means exactly what it says.
> 
> Jim
>