Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2019/10/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jim, I've just read this and am at a loss. Leica equipment is inanimate, and, to my knowledge, can only sit there unless someone points it at something interesting. One could sit there staring at it for hours dragging into days, months and years without it moving, let alone speaking for itself. Surely photojournalism is pure reportage and generally just reports the facts. People react to images in different ways. I remember my disbelief back in 1969 when I saw the images of the My Lai massacre and saw what US children who had grown up watching Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, I Love Lucy, Andy Griffith, etc. had done once they put on a uniform. In contrast, some in America praised the troops' actions. I then realised America was different to Ireland. Douglas On 10/10/2019 18:27, jnelon wrote: > Tina, > Thanks for using Niem?ller's quote. It reminded me of my exploration of > the concentration camps when I put together a 50 year WWII retrospective. > My cameras at the time were R-3's with motor drives shooting Kodachrome. I > have found over time that the tools I use can be used to represent any > storyline I wish to spin. And to spin one's preferred storyline here can > dilute the goal of learning about Leica. I teach students in my Rhetoric & > Argumentation class to conflate a tool with a compelling position, if they > wish to win. For me that's the danger here: to take an inanimate tool > (Leica) and conflate it with a political position (photojournalism with an > anti-Trump belief.) That position just as easily could be pro- or > con-Trump or any other intensely held belief. Thus Leica can become a pawn > in the hands of rhetoric. > > I vote to let the Leica equipment speak for itself without political > embellishment. > Jim > > James R. Nelon > Partner > WNDA Studios > O: +1.207.389.4676 > C: +1.508.308.6525 > Email: JNelon at WNDAStudios.com > Website: https://WNDAStudios.com > LinkedIn: https://LinkedIn.com/in/JamesNelon > Highlight Reel: https://Vimeo.com/252904552 > > > -----Original Message----- > From: LUG [mailto:lug-bounces+jnelon=nelonassociates.com at > leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Tina Manley via LUG > Sent: Wednesday, October 9, 2019 7:28 PM > To: Leica Users Group > Cc: Tina Manley > Subject: Re: [Leica] yearbook question, but political > > Leicas have always been used for photojournalism. You cannot avoid > politics when you are a photojournalist. Taking sides is a good thing. > > First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out?because I was > not a socialist. > > Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out? because I > was not a trade unionist. > > Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out?because I was not a > Jew. > > Then they came for me?and there was no one left to speak for me. > Martin Niem?ller > > > TIna > > On Wed, Oct 9, 2019 at 7:22 PM jnelon <jnelon at nelonassociates.com> > wrote: > >> Brian, >> Whether I'm for or against Trump or anyone else has nothing directly to do >> with my use of Leica products to make my pictures. I can recall >> admonitions >> about political discussions on the LUG forum, with the idea to try to stay >> on-message with the Red Dot when using this forum. I'm dismayed that the >> LUG >> may take a turn away from the idea of a forum for Leica-produced images >> and >> directly related topics. That's my vote: let's keep the LUG on its >> historical target. >> Jim >> >> James R. Nelon >> Partner >> WNDA Studios >> O: +1.207.389.4676 >> C: +1.508.308.6525 >> Email: JNelon at WNDAStudios.com >> Website: https://WNDAStudios.com >> LinkedIn: https://LinkedIn.com/in/JamesNelon >> Highlight Reel: https://Vimeo.com/252904552 >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: LUG [mailto:lug-bounces+jnelon=nelonassociates.com at >> leica-users.org] >> On >> Behalf Of Brian Reid >> Sent: Wednesday, October 9, 2019 6:27 PM >> To: Leica Users Group >> Subject: [Leica] yearbook question, but political >> >> I'm working hard on the announcement of the rules and procedures for the >> 2019 LUG Yearbook. >> >> All previous yearbooks have donated sales revenues to a worthy charity. >> I like the idea, but I'm wondering... >> >> I am sorely tempted to send any proceeds from the sale of this yearbook >> to some organization devoted to preventing the re-election of Donald >> Trump. If you are offended by that, but don't want to say so in public, >> feel free to email me privately at brian at reid.org >> >> I know that this is a very US-centric activity, but in my opinion he is >> a danger to the entire world and not just to the USA. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >