Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/11/04

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Subject: RE: [Leica] re: The Decisive Moment is gone
From: "Kit McChesney | acmefoto" <kitmc@acmefoto.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2003 10:18:56 -0700

To argue that a documentary photographer is completely "objective"--and I
use that word in quotes for a reason--and that the presence of the person
has no effect on the situation being captured would be more than
disingenuous. This is not what Tina is saying, I know. The presence of an
observer is always going to have some influence on the situation, but a
really good documentarian will be able to reduce the impact of her/his
presence as much as possible. The other extreme is the photographer who
"poses" or arranges the subjects, or intrudes upon the subject/persons/etc.

No matter what or "whom" is being photographed, the presence of someone
"seeing" is always going to be an issue in terms of the image. It's a bit
like a tree falling in the forest. If someone "watching" isn't there to
"see" what people are doing, then the subject isn't aware of anyone's
presence and is not going to respond to it, regardless of how subtly they do
respond. But that's kind of the point of being there in the presence of the
subjects you are documenting, anyway, isn't it? To interact with people on
site, to see what they see, and to feel, taste, and touch what they
experience, as closely as you can? That aspect of the process is as
important as anything. However closely one can mesh with the subject and
her/his world will determine how good the photographs are. It's a little
counterintuitive, actually. The closer and more visible you are, the more
invisible you may likely become.

Kit

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Tina Manley
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 8:45 AM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] re: The Decisive Moment is gone


At 03:58 PM 11/4/2003 +0100, you wrote:
>I think any photojournalist who is honest about what goes on in conflict
>areas, for instance, where clashes and riots are often "staged" in response
>to the presence of the press, would disagree with you. And please don't
tell
>me that you've never asked someone to move aside to improve the light or
the
>picture in any number of ways. Well, maybe you haven't!

Of course I have - for portraits or stock photographs.  Never for
documentary or news photos.  When I was in Iraq, my minder wanted to take
me to staged demonstrations.  I refused to photograph them.


>Good photojournalists and documentary photographer take pictures that tell
>the story - _their_ story - and how they go about it is irrelevant.

This attitude is why so many people don't trust journalists and
photographers.  How they go about it is relevant.  Any manipulation is
dishonest and a lie.

Tina


Tina Manley, ASMP
www.tinamanley.com


http://www.pdiphotos.com
http://www.workbookstock.com
http://www.newscom.com
http://www.americanphotojournalist.com


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Replies: Reply from Daniel Ridings <daniel.ridings@muspro.uio.no> (RE: [Leica] re: The Decisive Moment is gone)