[Leica] B. D. PAW

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Philippe Orlent asked:
>>> Finally, and out of curiosity, why would Smith be fired today? For 
>>> twisting
> the truth? IMO THE truth doesn't exist anymore, if it ever has, that 
> is.<<<<<<<<<<<

Hi Philippe,
Well in my work as a Photojournalist truth exists every time I press the 
shutter release capturing the subject I'm working on. What you see is what I 
saw as a motivating moment when I tripped the shutter. Quite frankly a good 
photographer knowing his profession  doesn't have to resort to  "Photoshop 
cheating, some prefer "improving" to make brownie points for his or her 
ability. Or lack there of!

Some of us are honest about what we shoot simply because we come from the 
days when a man's hand shake or word was accepted as honour bound to truth. 
Whether about a photograph or any other detail of business or life. 
Unfortunately somewhere along the way the honour system was lost due to 
those bent on nefarious ways to line their pockets with gold and the truth 
and that's when honour, man to man was lost.

As for Gene Smith being fired today for manipulating a scene? Well he did 
make some questionable moves in printing to create what he saw in his minds 
eye, and that's not something the camera can record, a minds eye image. But 
darkroom mastery or PhotoShop can make it happen. And that my friend is 
cheating when presented as the truth of photojournalism.

If one wishes to do this, that's fine with me, but at least be honest enough 
to present it as an "illustration" and not what was supposed to be something 
captured on film or memory card.

ted