Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/11/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]George Lottermoser suggested a look at this site: Subject: [Leica] IMGs: portraits of power >< http://www.newyorker.com/online/multimedia/ > 2009/12/07/091207_audioslideshow_platon> Hi George, When I first opened the site I thought I had clicked into the wrong location? I was expecting "Portraits of Power" the likes of KARSH! These, sorry to say, these all look like "Passport photos" by comparison given the title, "Portraits of Power." Please understand this is not to be little Platon and his photography! The work, stress and whatever other strain Platon had to work under with the pressures of time. personalities and location dealing with the general attitude by most of the subjects was... "I really don't have time for this foolishness" and whatever other things they might have on their minds. Trust me this is about the most thankless assignment anyone could have. 1987 during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Vancouver, I was for description ..... "the Official Photographer." Perceived by some as an exciting assignment being close to all these Heads of State! Aaaaaccccccckkkk! Most look at you as though you are not there and often, an assistant speaks for them with the usual... "hurry now as Prime Minster (whomever) is in a rush." Or even though the shoot had been approved by each Prime Minister's office long before they arrived in Vancouver it was ... "we're in a rush, do hurry we're pressed for time" and many other inane comments directed at the photographer. Moi! :-) And you bet mine didn't look any better or worse than this series of images we see here. Again not belittling the photographer, trust me as I've been there and done it with some of the same Leaders of the world! It is super high pressure and would any on the list like to have the same assignment where there isn't any room for failure! Period!! No question, a tremendous amount of organizing went into getting the UN shoot organized for Platon and he did a very admirable job by the look of them. I'm glad it was him and not me! Trust me the pressure is quite incredible because you do not want to screw up one shot! And there isn't one possible excuse you can think of if you do! Under the shoot conditions the magazine would be only too glad with the series given the numbers. Dr. ted