Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/10/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Amen! On 10/19/06 4:51 PM, "Douglas Sharp" <douglas.sharp@gmx.de> wrote: > One thing is reasonably certain, if what Kyle has shown so far can > generate as much controversy and conversation in the outside world as it > does in the "hallowed environs" of our relatively small community, it's > going to pretty big when it hits the market. > I personally wish Kyle every success with it, and I'm pleased to have > experienced the development of the idea from the very start. > Douglas > > B. D. Colen wrote: >> Steve, what you say about the people self-selecting, or the photographer >> self-selecting them, can be said about a great number of documentary >> projects, books and others. Don't you suspect that Dorothea Lange was told >> "no thanks, Mam," by as many people as agreed to be photographed? And what >> about Walker Evans when he was doing the Let Us Now Praise Famous Men >> project with James Agee? >> >> Having seen the entire collection of photos Kyle is planning to submit to >> his publisher, I'd say that he probably does have a pretty reasonable >> cross >> section of gun owners. Okay, it's probably heavy on stereotypes, but there >> are plenty of "normal" folks in the pile. >> >> >> >> On 10/19/06 1:50 PM, "Steve Barbour" <kididdoc@cox.net> wrote: >> >> >>> On Oct 19, 2006, at 9:58 AM, Jim Shulman wrote: >>> >>> >>>> If anything, these pictures do NOT seem cute and harmless. >>>> They can be very disturbing in their utter normality. >>>> >>> (true Jim, as in "seem cute and harmless") >>> >>> >>>> Has anyone else ever documented gun owners as Kyle is doing now? >>>> >>> "documented gun owners ".... really now Jim, >>> >>> that is not what Kyle is doing...he is photographing people who want >>> to be photographed.... in the living room, with the wife , kids, dog, >>> and semiautomatic weapons...at the invitation of a photographer who >>> wants to sell a book... (we all do so.... sorry Kyle).... >>> >>> I see this in large part a creation, a fiction.. (good and bad)... >>> >>> selecting a few individuals who want five minutes of fame, quite >>> possibly having nothing at all to do with the fictional entity... >>> >>> "documented gun owners"... >>> >>> analogous to a study of people and their nudity, based on people who >>> want to get photographed in their living room naked... >>> >>> I am afraid that is a good part of the dynamics and psychopathology >>> that is being celebrated and exploited here... >>> >>> and now I have said more than enough, >>> >>> but the photos are good, and they are obviously disturbing... >>> >>> >>> Steve >>> >>> >>> >>>> Not to my knowledge. >>>> He noted that a vast proportion of the US population owns guns and >>>> considers >>>> them a part of their home life. Yet, there must have been some >>>> unspoken >>>> taboo against showing this, as people would show off their doggies, >>>> cute >>>> kids, or macram? collections. Pictures like this just aren't taken or >>>> shown. >>>> I can't think of a better definition for art: it makes me consider the >>>> commonplace in a wholly different manner. >>>> >>>> If he can sell it, all the more power to him. That means so many >>>> other >>>> people will be forced to consider the middle-class normality of gun >>>> ownership, whether they approve of it or not. Personally, I'd >>>> prefer far >>>> stricter controls on access to guns, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't >>>> consider the pervasive ownership and public affection for firearms. >>>> >>>> Jim Shulman >>>> Bryn Mawr, PA >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: lug-bounces+jshul=comcast.net@leica-users.org >>>> [mailto:lug-bounces+jshul=comcast.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of >>>> Steve >>>> Barbour >>>> Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 12:32 PM >>>> To: Leica Users Group >>>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Dog wrangling - guns, kids, and saying "cheese" >>>> >>>> gosh Kyle... >>>> >>>> you are such a fine photographer.... why do you insist on taking a >>>> tiny slice of the psychopathology that's out there, glorifying it... >>>> and making it seem cute and harmless... >>>> >>>> is it only because you can sell it? >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Steve >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Leica Users Group. >>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information