Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2015/05/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]hi Jayanand, thank you, I appreciate your thoughts always, and of course your kind support. re my images, I give little info re my images, often only the first name, partly out of concern for HIPPA and the very contentious guidelines they have offered. I always have signed permits for all of my photos, carefully obtained before the photographs are made. All children shown are kids I have known well as a physician, I have cared for many for extended periods and repeatedly, often the parents have requested images be made, but in spite of that, HIPPA is a force that I have some experience with. When I publish here, images need some reference or title. However my comments really refer to anyone's images seen anywhere on the net, in galleries, or in books. In a few cases, after the fact, through discussions or as answers to viewer's questions, other very limited information is rarely disclosed. with warm regards, Steve > On May 29, 2015, at 10:28 AM, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com> > wrote: > > Steve, > Your photographs of unwell kids come as close to universal as anything I > have seen on the LUG. I wonder why, in the context of what you have > written, you always think it fit to give a description or background info > when posting the shots? > Cheers > Jayanand > > On Fri, May 29, 2015 at 10:21 PM, Steve Barbour <steve.barbour at > gmail.com> > wrote: > >> >>> On May 29, 2015, at 9:42 AM, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com> >> wrote: >>> >>> Gerry, >>> Doesn't that mean that the photographer was lazy with the wording of his >>> caption? >>> Cheers >>> Jayanand >> >> >> by definition a caption is limiting (and subject to <someone's> >> interpretation), the result is that it affects/limits the viewers >> imagination. >> >> imo if it is a good/great image it is always better on its own. I will go >> further, imo, only a poor photo will do better with a caption. >> >> now that should keep the LUG busy. >> >> >> steve >> >> >>> >>> >>> On Fri, May 29, 2015 at 8:43 PM, Gerry Walden <gerry.walden at >>> icloud.com> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> There is also the point that under certain circumstances the use of a >>>> caption can influence the viewers interpretation of the image to the >>>> detriment of the original intention of the photographer. >>>> >>>> Gerry >>>> >>>> Sent from my iPad >>>> >>>>> On 29 May 2015, at 15:19, Robert Baron <robertbaron1 at gmail.com> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> An interesting point of view, Jayanand, and to be honest not one I had >>>>> really considered before you raised it. Maybe that is because her >>>>> photographs ring true to me as depictions of the culture I am part of, >>>> but >>>>> I'll need to think about that some more. >>>>> >>>>> Even the photographs she made of cultures I am not familiar with have >> the >>>>> ring of truth to them, in my opinion, and I now think about the war >> zone >>>>> photographs of shooters like James Nachtwey and wonder if they need >>>>> captions and if not why not? Would you think Salgado's famous >>>> photographs >>>>> of the gold mine or of the train station need text? An argument can be >>>>> made that some things should allow for use of the viewer's imagination >> - >>>> or >>>>> sense of investigation if the viewer wants to learn more about the >>>> subject. >>>>> >>>>> Educators trying to teach students (or trial lawyers like me trying to >>>>> teach a jury) will say you should not spoon feed every bit of >> information >>>>> to the audience but leave some for the audience to figure out; it is >>>> better >>>>> learned and retained that way. Should that maxim also apply to >>>>> documentary/documenting photography? >>>>> >>>>> Again: you raise an interesting point and I'm going to think about it. >>>>> >>>>> Regards, >>>>> >>>>> --Bob >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> ===On Thu, May 28, 2015 at 10:41 PM, Jayanand Govindaraj < >>>> jayanand at gmail.com >>>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Bob, >>>>>> Interesting. TFS. >>>>>> >>>>>> What struck me is that most of the pictures have no emotional impact >> for >>>>>> me, like the girls in the gang on the street, without her narration, >> as >>>> I >>>>>> am not steeped in the nitty gritties of US culture. Goes against what >>>> Kyle >>>>>> says that one of her tenets was, about not having a caption. I think >>>> that >>>>>> is valid when you have a mono cultural, homogenous viewership for your >>>>>> work, but once you have a cross cultural audience, a little >> explanation, >>>>>> like a caption, is invaluable to create the emotional impact! Of >> course, >>>>>> this observation is for the sort of photographs that she took, and >>>>>> obviously would apply to a much lesser extent for nature/wildlife and >>>> that >>>>>> sort of thing, but even there, giving the frame "a local habitation >> and >>>> a >>>>>> name" does help in pulling the viewer emotionally into the frame. >>>>>> >>>>>> My two bits! >>>>>> >>>>>> Cheers >>>>>> Jayanand >>>>>> >>>>>> On Fri, May 29, 2015 at 6:29 AM, Robert Baron <robertbaron1 at >>>>>> gmail.com >>> >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> https://vimeo.com/80793010 >>>>>>> >>>>>>> View full screen. It is worth seeing and listening to I think, not >> so >>>>>> much >>>>>>> because of Leica but because of Mary Ellen Mark. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> --Bob >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> 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 >> > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information