RE: [Leica] Re: Lenswork Magazine

["bdcolen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

Like any other documentary photographer, Salgado sets out to examine,
and document, a particular human situation. Certainly his politics
direct his selection of subject matter. The question, though, is not
does he set out to record human misery in order to prod us toward doing
something about it, but does he record it as he finds it? Does he give
us an accurate picture of it?

And, btw, while Salgado may record human misery, I would disagree with
the contention that human misery is his subject almost exclusively.
Certainly the poor of the world are his subjects almost exclusively, but
he records many moments of joy, satisfaction, normal human interactions,
and not just misery.

B. D.

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of
DFangon@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, November 09, 2002 8:18 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Lenswork Magazine


In a message dated 11/9/02 3:57:02 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
bdcolen@earthlink.net writes:

<< So we come back to the question of what is or isn't documentary
photography.....I believe that if one sets out to "document" a
situation, be it the lives of failing farmers in the dust bowl and
"okies" on the road, or the daily life of a middle class family, one is
obligated to "document" - preserve - things as one finds them, and not
set up photos to tell the story one had in mind. >>

Where would you classify Salgado's work then, since he seems to seek and

record human misery in his body of work almost exclusively?  It would
appear 
that that is his "point of departure" most of the time.  Would you
consider 
his work "slanted?"

If one is out there to record the death and destruction of war, for
example, 
then one will go home with prints full of images depicting horror and
death 
and blood and misery.  One would not be tempted to point one's camera at

soldiers singing and playing banjo in front of a campfire during a lull
in 
the fighting, would one?

Dante
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