Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/11/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I think we all should be able to agree here, no? Tina is right, of course: documenting is simply documenting, not directing, which is rather an exercise in creation. Fortunately photography would seem to have room for both. Just as there are documentary films and creative (or directed) films, one sees no reason why there should not be documentary photography and creative (or directed) photography (the latter obviously not suitable as photojournalism). Nor should it be hard to agree that documentary photography is not absolutely pure, that as Tina points out, a photographer's "very presence alters the situation." But even so, that's still a long way from directing the action, as in the other kind of photography. Art Peterson Alexandria, Virginia -----Original Message----- From: Tina Manley [mailto:images@InfoAve.Net] Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 9:09 AM To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us Subject: Re: [Leica] re: The Decisive Moment is gone At 07:17 AM 11/4/2003 +0100, Rob wrote: >Well, some people are better at directing than others. And also, direction >need not mean _overspecifying_ - but it could mean saying, why don't you all >go over and sit in that doorway and play with the baby for a bit while I >take some pictures. Then I would not be documenting their lives. I would be documenting my idea of what their lives should be. >The fact is we are all actors all the time, and a good photographer knows >how to leverage that to get what he wants. If this discussion were taking place over on the NPPA list, photojournalists would be horrified at the suggestion that they direct people in the photos. Good photojournalists and documentary photographers do not interfere in any way with what they are photographing. I know my very presence altars the situation. That's why I try not to bring attention to myself. Eventually, they do go on with their lives as if I were not there. The families that I photograph are too busy trying to make a living and care for their children to stop and act for a photographer. Spontaneous moments like the father touching the baby's hand are exactly that - spontaneous. I don't believe that any photograph that has been directed should be called a documentary photograph or photojournalism. Tina Tina Manley, ASMP www.tinamanley.com http://www.pdiphotos.com http://www.workbookstock.com http://www.newscom.com http://www.americanphotojournalist.com -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html