Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/08/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]May I add my two cents into this interesting thread? I beleive a central thought missing from B.D.'s initial premise is.... not all documentary work is done with the aim of 'changing the world'. In fact, I strongly suspect that most is not. Most contemporary documentray work is done to illustrate feature articles, (or 'Evergreens' as we used to call it) that run in a wide array of newspapers, inserts and magazine articles. Far far more docu work is used in this manner than 'heart tugging' poverty shots that most people associate with "documentary photography". Documentary work is so closely related to news work, that many times, the lines are blured, but you can easily it, if you look. For example, a photo of medical workers tending to a bombing victim is a news photo... but a detailed story with 3, 4 or 5 photos of the victim 6 months later going through re-hab... is documentary work... and there is fair amount of that style of work out there to be done. Not all documentary work is done "Salgado" style, and it does not have to be poverty rooted. There are a great many documentary projects out there that are beautiful, positive and up-lifting. I do not know what makes some people think that in order to be a success, a documentary project has to show suffering and misery. Forget about changing the world... and think instead about helping where you can, when you can. Tina and her 43 familes is a great example. She is changing the world, bit by bit, family by family. Jim - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html