Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/06/26

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Subject: [Leica] Portraits of awkward adolescents posing ...
From: pswango at att.net (Phil Swango)
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2012 22:36:43 -0600

Tine Manley wrote:
What I liked about them was the awkwardness.  What I didn't like was her
describing the photos as "unposed".  Why would they be awkward if they were
unposed?  Doesn't make sense to me.  It just seems like a gimmick or
art-speak as Ted says.  I like the photos because they are so awkwardly
posed and such typical teen-agers.
=====================================================

Tina, I agree with you.  But as this discussion has progressed I've come to
think she might have meant something like this:

In normal social settings adolescents (like all of us) assume poses that
try to emulate appropriate behavior for those groups.  If with adults they
may try to act like adults, etc.  By photographing them in isolation
there's no need for social posing and the kids can feel comfortable (or
awkward) on their own terms.  Of course I could be dead wrong about what
she meant, but looking at the work it kind of makes sense.  Anyway, I like
the work and the more I think about it the more I like it.

Phil Swango
307 Aliso Dr SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
505-262-4085