Re: [Leica] Photo whores {was Life magazine} vs word herders

["John McLeod" <johnmcleod@worldnet.att.net>]

Donal and Eric,

Of course, you are both right about the trend toward commercialization, but
there is nothing quite like the Peace Church, Vietnam series in the
Washington Post to snap us all out of our collective lethargy (I realize I
should only speak for myself here).  Even in this day and age, articles like
this occasionally come along that can't help but move even the most jaded
among us.  Thanks again to Chandos Michael Brown for the reference.

John McLeod
- ----------
>From: Donal Philby <donalphilby@earthlink.net>
>To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>Subject: Re: [Leica]  Photo whores {was Life magazine} vs word herders
>Date: Tue, Jul 21, 1998, 10:02 AM
>

>Eric Welch wrote:
>> 
>> At 04:34 PM 7/20/98 -0500, you wrote:
>> 
>> >Photographers, used to thinking in terms of  bold action photos captured at
>> >crucial moments, are enjoying the luxury of of taking the time to create /
>> >or stage attractive photo illustrations for feature sections. They are also
>> >being called upon to capture  scenes as visual  backgrounds for
>> >informational graphics.
>> 
>> Though I see this as something that can be useful to providing information
>> to the readers, it's also a trend away from real journalism with impact
>> (writing and photography). 
>
>> And most photojournalists I know would prefer never to have to stage a
>> photo for illustration. Let alone know they'd be fired for staging a news
>> photo. It's not a luxury, it's laziness on editor's parts for not giving
>> photographers the time to find a good documentary photo of the subject.
>
>Eric, Absolutely right.  I remember an issue of Time magazine last
>year--a special edition on the future of journalism--and there wasn't in
>the whole magazine a photo of merit that significantly contributed to
>understanding anything--they were simple graphic elements to break up
>type.  And this a special edition.  Shameful.
>
>Like most everything else in America (and maybe the world),
>commercialism rules, and newspapers, magazines and electronic media are
>tied closer and closer to advertising and information control.  The
>world may have defeated National Socialism in WWII, but frankly the
>corporate control of the world economy shows it has risen like a Phoenix
>and is alive and well.  Is this a long way from comments on
>photojournalism?  Not really.  Increasingly the media's job, it seems,
>to is deaden the senses using M-TV style sensory overload so we don't
>ask questions, other than directions to the mall.  The popularity of
>topics such as Princess Diana and Bill Clinton scandals are the
>meaningless drivel we are offered (that requires little thought or
>action) instead of insiteful reporting (that might cause citizens to
>actually question leaders and consider wrestling power back into their
>own hands).  
>
>Leica Ms are great tools to tell the truth, plain and simple and
>direct.  The fancy whirligigs of Nikons and Canons are for creating
>fantasies that may have little to do with  reality.
>
>donal
>(standing in for Oddmund!)    : )
>
>-- 
>Donal Philby
>San Diego
>http://www.donalphilby.com
>
>