Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/02/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]http://www.worldpressphoto.nl/index.php? option=com_photogallery&task=blogsection&id=16&Itemid=137&bandwidth=high I'm sorry guys, but did you look at the pictures? To infer that they are the result of finding a disaster and flailing away with a motor drive is unfair. No, I don't like every frame, but there are some VERY strong images here. Did you actually look through all of them? One can perhaps debate that the sports photos are stronger technically (though I'd question that), but alongside the others they pale to triviality in their content. Everyone here strives to technical excellence, but no one would argue that sharpness, depth of field and exposure trumps content. I'd have been DAMN proud to produce almost any of them. Do I weary of disaster photos? Yes, but emphasis on disaster and death in news is another question for another day. Ric Carter http://gallery.leica-users.org/Passing-Fancies On Feb 11, 2006, at 1:23 PM, Ted Grant wrote: > Nathan Wajsman said: >> I must confess to being a bit jaded. The World Press winner is >> invariably some image from the misery du jour, whether a war or >> natural disaster or (as in this case) a famine.<<< > > Hi Nathan, > Some folks never understand it's the disasters and death that > usually win just as you say. Being a good, bad or ugly technically > good photograph rarely if ever plays any part which photo wins. > It's always been like that and will always be like that. > > It's no different when we hear people ooooohhhing and awiiiiing > over a series of pictures about famine in Africa and making claims > of what a great photographer this guy is because of what he shot! > This kind of adoration of the so called greatness of the > photographer is a crock of BS. Hell he was smart enough to go on > his own or was assigned by his agency to do a series on the disaster. > > He arrives, there are bodies lying all over the place, dying kids > with bloated bodies and great big eyes starving to death. All he > has to do is set his camera's on auto everything, load new rolls, > stand in one spot, close his eyes and make a 360 pirouette while > the motor drive zings away! > > And with 3 - 4 cameras all shot the same fashion he can go back > with 120+ negatives of incredible disaster! And win the World Press > Photo Award! > > Then move onto the next disaster or war! That's how easy it is when > your standing in the middle of death and destruction! > >>> I heard an interview with the >> chairman of the outfit yesterday, and he very much sounded like >> photographic excellence plays only a minor part in the selection >> of the overall winner. The selection committee's desire to >> highlight this or that tragedy is much more important.<<<< > > Absolutely!! And that's been the call with many of these types of > awards for years. > > It can be gut wrenching for any photographer to shoot this kind of > stuff over and over, after a while memory banks become twisted > forever. Some you never shake off completely. > > I'm not saying it's a piece of cake to shoot this kind of stuff > physically or mentally, but it's a piece of cake when it's lying > around in such vast numbers you can't miss with a digi point and > shoot! Of course if the photographer picks all the worse cases, man > you can't lose when it comes to western world judges who live in > nice homes and ocean side condos. > >> To me this is also clear when looking at the images on the site-- >> several of the images in the sports category or the other "non- >> hard news" categories are definitely superior (in a photographic >> sense) to the winning image.<<< > > Again a great sports photograph has far more to do with the > photographer's ability to re-act to an athletes action, whatever > that might be. Where "death and destruction?" It just sits there > waiting to be recorded. > > Piece of cake! > > ted > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information