Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/09/27

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Subject: Re: Interview questions-off topic sort of.
From: Harrison McClary <hmphoto@delphi.com>
Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 09:15:29 +0000

Donal Philby wrote:

>What I discovered was that the writer has to tell the
> FACTS while the photographers could tell the eMotional side  That was
> so
> appealing that I switched careers    Of course it takes a good
> photographer to capture that eMotional side
> 

Yes this is true, but, when working news the photographer is responsible for
facts as well as getting telling emotional photos to tell the story.  Often
the photographer is the only person "on location" during the event and he/she
must be capable of getting his facts straight or he will not make it far in
the realm of news work.

> On another note to another post  YES images do sell papers  BUT images
> of celebrities sell More Magazines than do iMages of news or trouble

I think this is true of any publication in today's market.  People are more
interested in reading about others "dirty laundry" than they are with keeping
up with current events, things gong on in their nations political arena,
tragedies in other countries, horrors of racial cleansing in Bosnia, or where
ever it may be occurring, and other things happening in their world.  I
believe it was Thomas Jefferson who said for a democracy to be effective and
successful the populace MUST be educated and well informed - maybe this is
what is wrong with things in our country today.  Most people do not keep up
with their world except for what they see on the evening news and we all know
how unbiased that medium is!  Also I think the media, at least in my neck of
the woods I see this, has lost almost all credibility.  No longer is it a
"watch dog" type of adversarial relationship with the government, but a social
instrument to promote the changes the owners of the networks and Ted Turner
think the rest of us should go along with.  I know this has always been true
to a certain extent, but at least there used to be "right" and "left" papers
people could subscribe to and get a fairly balanced coverage of thoughts, now
TV tells you everything you need to know about every event in the world in 30
minutes - that is what I call in-depth and balanced coverage!

As for me I'll keep plugging away with my M6 and saving up for that R8 and
motor when ever it comes out and hoping there is a decent society in the good
old USA when my daughter grows up so she doesn't have to rely on my photos to
see what it used to be like.

> Donal Philby
> Kauai Hawaii 

What are you doing in Kauai - work or pleasure, although I am sure if it is
work it is also pleasure as that is one of the best places in the world as far
as I am concerned.  Sure beast the heck out of Pigeon Forge, TN; Charlotte,
NC; Paducah, Ky; and Jackson, TN - the places I have been this week on assignment!

- -- 
Harrison McClary
http://people.delphi.com/hmphoto