Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/04/11
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At 03:47 AM 4/11/98 -0400, you wrote:
> Picture editors are usually necessary, but I think too often they prop
>themselves up on other peoples' work. For example when they enter contests. I
> It's almost as though the photographer's intent or interpretation is
>irrelevant when the film hits the light table. There are few things more
> No disrespect meant to Eric--he sounds like a good, caring photographer and
>editor. I only want to remind ourselves that it's the photographers who are
>growing more experienced and wiser with each new day out in the field, and
>it's our sweat and vision on that film.
You make some good points. In fact, I think photography's greatest strength
(it's true art if you will) is very much tied up in it's ability to be a
transcription of reality. I'm not saying other types of photography aren't
legitimate. But I'll take Cartier-Bresson's work as more true to the basic
nature of photography than Duane Michaels' work, when he paints little red
flowers on his photos. And I like much of Michael's work, and his point of
view. Not to mention he's a hoot to talk with and listen to in a lecture.
As for photo editors, I was one before I stopped talking about editors as
justifying their existence by changing other people's work. Written or
visual. But, as Bill Kuykendall (head of the photojournalism program at the
University of Missouri and head of Pictures of the Year - and my mentor)
once said to the judges at POY's photo editing categories being judged: the
editor's job is to let the vision of the photographer show in it's best
possible light. They're the ones who risk life and limb to make the
pictures that inform, educate and entertain. And the editor is not there to
show off. Like good design, photo editing should be invisible.
That being said, I think photo editing contests that judge a work over
time, not one page, can truly show how an editor can make it possible for a
photographer's work to even be seen. They often are the only advocate in
the newsroom for good use of photos. Without them, the photographer's work
might get buried inside two columns in black and white instead of color on
the front four or five columns. (Pre-emptive note: black and white is good!)
You think word herders care? :-)
==========
Eric Welch
St. Joseph, MO
http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch
Lives of great men all remind us,
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time.
-H.W. Longfellow