Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/10/04

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Subject: [Leica] James Nachtwey AND MICHAEL HINTLIAN
From: abridge at gmail.com (Adam Bridge)
Date: Mon Oct 4 16:09:39 2004
References: <004901c4a95f$f09d1470$87d86c18@ted> <004201c4a962$6d754e70$6401a8c0@ccapr.com>

I want to disagree. I remember a piece by one of the Turnlyes on ABC's
Nightline that played maybe 4 or 5 years ago. It was partly a photo
essay and partly a video essay. In it Turnley followed a family as
they fled Bosnia. It was an extraordinary work that left me in tears.

Comprised of black and white still images and color video the program
was immensely human, insightful, and compassionate.

This was world-class television documentary reporting. I'm not sure
but I think it might have been even edited in the field since Turnley
used a Canon DV camera for the video.

It's very clear to me that a blending of video, audio, and still
images can make a compelling statement - and reach a vast number of
people.

What it takes is talent, dedication, access and guts. Not necessarily
in that order.

Adam


On Sun, 3 Oct 2004 12:02:45 -0400, B. D. Colen <bdcolen@earthlink.net> wrote:
> Where'd you find that great quote, Ted? Love it.
> I always tell my students that still images have far more impact than
> moving images because, as you said, the moving image flashes by and it's
> gone; the still is there, and there, and there. The perfect two examples
> are the Eddie Adams Saigon execution shot and the Nick Ut napalmed girl.
> Both those incidents were shot by t.v. crews and shown on the evening
> news, and in both cases the moving images were quickly forgotten, while
> the stills became icons.
> 
> One exception to this 'rule' might be the video of the planes hitting
> the WTC towers. But I believe the reason this is an exception is that
> the video images were shown so repeatedly, so relentlessly, indeed so
> continuously, over a period of days, if not weeks, that they became, in
> effect, still images. ;-)
> 
> ----
> 
> BTW - I finally got my hands on a physical copy of Michael Hintlian's
> Digging - a Leica-shot book. WOW!! Gorgeous reproductions of truly
> impressive photographs - a MUST for every LUGlibrary.
> 
> B. D.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
> [mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
> Ted Grant
> Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2004 11:45 AM
> To: Leica Users Group
> Subject: Re: [Leica] James Nachtwey
> 
> Frank Dernie said:
> Subject: Re: [Leica] James Nachtwey
> 
> > Wow. If television has taken the place of photojournalism it certainly
> > does not have the same emotional power. We hear about the tragedy in
> > Darfur every day but this makes it much more real. How screwed up the
> > world is.<<<<,
> See: http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101041004/photoessay/
> 
> Hi Frank,
> I don't think TV will ever accomplish the impact of powerful B&W
> photography
> when it comes to subjects of this nature.
> 
> TV is moving, as in "it's only a movie" and flicks past in seconds and
> out
> of our minds as the commercial comes on showing some sweet Hollywood
> broad
> with belly button pierced flogging whatever it is these gals flog. And
> with
> no relationship to the previous moments of Death in Darfur!
> 
> But the B&W still? It sits there right in your face until you turn the
> page
> or change the computer screen.
> 
> It allows viewers to look at every element and detail of what these
> human
> beings are going through.  It's photography like this that should be
> right
> in the face of every UN delegate every morning as they're drinking their
> 
> coffee and enjoying their toasted sweet cinnamon bun.  Sorry wont start
> a
> rant about that !
> 
> And would Natchwey's pictures be more powerful with a Leica in hand?
> Nope!
> He get's a very powerful message across with whatever gear he uses.
> Pointing
> out once again... "it isn't the gear it's the guy or gal using it!"
> 
> A borrowed quotation:
> 
> "There isn't anything more powerful than a big black and white
> photograph.
> 
> It does something that television can never do!"
> 
> HARRY REASONER.....................
> 
> I thought the quotation appropriate for the moment!.
> 
> ted
> 
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> 
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Replies: Reply from bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen) ([Leica] James Nachtwey AND MICHAEL HINTLIAN)
In reply to: Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] James Nachtwey)
Message from bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen) ([Leica] James Nachtwey AND MICHAEL HINTLIAN)