[Leica] The Rules of Photojournalism Are Keeping Us From the Truth by Donald Weber

[Matt Kollasch]

I think this is interesting, important, and thus worth reading. I do like
Weber's term "picturesque gluttony".

Here are some excerpts that might lure you to the article.

/matt

"We see on our front pages only facsimiles of 90-year-old Leica versions of
photos."

"It’s a given that a photographer has to make something, bound on using the
four-sided frame and the small “negative,” armed with variations of the
35mm rangefinder first perfected by Leica 90 years ago. The conventions
this technology imposes on story are legion. Look back at documentary
photography before the rise of the Leica and you have some invincible
variations, limited by technical capability, but still contributing to an
evolving, novel language."

"A technically proficient image that looks like those of past
photojournalism will catch the eye. A technically proficient image may
trick the viewer into thinking he or she is seeing something of substance,
of what is commonly referred to as truthful. A technically proficient image
meets the media business’ goal for cost-effective public attention. "

"Commodified imagery threatens photographers’ primary role as storytellers.
Amplified technique threatens to dominate the image, and it will lead to
picturesque gluttony. We, the news, and our understanding of the news are
poorer for it."

"I’m caught in a weird loop where we photograph the protestors, the
protestors see what gets photographed, they dress the part and then we
photograph them again."

http://bit.ly/1H4OxGz