Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/10/21

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Subject: [Leica] James Nachtwey and the purpose of modern PJ
From: "Dan S" <dstate1@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2000 20:20:34 GMT

It makes you wonder if that particular stone would get launched if the 
cameras were not there...I'm trying to imagine myself as a really ticked off 
protestor of...whatever.  Why would I get SO close to a bunch of  gawking 
photographers?  Because I know that the stone doesn't do a damned thing, but 
my image and the countless other "angry guy throwing stones at guys with 
guns and tanks etc." shot never fails to make the news.

(amazing after all these years of the same.  Note to news agencies, I have a 
pretty good idea what stone throwing looks like, try something new)


As an aside, it is notable that the BEST photojournalism...the stuff that 
has tranceded time (Smith, Capa, Mark, Salgado etc.) is far more personal in 
it's rendering of subjects.  They showed more than just anger. Thirty years 
on I'll bet most of us know the background on the shot of a mother washing 
her daughter in the Minamata essay by Eugene Smith.  It made you FEEL pain. 
It was powerful because it was so close to our own reality. Can someone say 
that the deluge of blown off limbs and bloated corpses we have seen has 
given more than a visceral (horrified) response?  Have they made us NEED to 
look?


My two cents...
Dan States
Madison WI


>Here's the real problem here.....This is THE photo that most accurately 
>conveys the reality of the moment, NOT the photo the various shooters - 
>including Nachtwey - are making.
>
>Susan Sontag, where are you?;-)
>
>B. D.
>
>Douglas Herr wrote:
>
> > On Sat, 21 October 2000, Tina Manley wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > At 08:19 AM 10/21/00 -0400, you wrote:
> > >
> > > >When someone like James Nachtwey is out in some god-forsaken part of 
>the
> > > >world, photographing things which I am just barely able to muster the
> > > >strength to look at, do you think he notices the silken feel of the 
>brass
> > > >gears of his cameras?  Perhaps he is thankful that they are steel, 
>and that
> > > >the cameras are the last things he need worry about should things go
> > > >terribly wrong.
> > > >
> > > >Dan C.
> > >
> > >
> > > Speaking of James Nachtwey - this photograph is being discussed over 
>on the
> > > LEG.  The photojournalist in the middle in the white shirt is James 
>Nactwey:
> > >
> > > 
>http://www.msnbc.com/modules/slideshow/TWIP_2000_1020_/slideshow.asp?fmt=&s=1&v=28
> > >
> > > Click on photo #2.  What do you think?
> > >
> > >
> > > Tina Manley, ASMP
> > > http://www.tinamanley.com
> >
> > It looks like a media event to me.
> >
> > Doug Herr
> > Birdman of Sacramento
> > http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/telyt
> > --------------------------------------------------
> > Stay in touch with Northwestern and the world.  Click 
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>

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