Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 06:15 PM 9/30/1999 +0000, you wrote: >Ok Chandos, that's hilarious!! You win. > >I think you're right about spelling and punctuation, but you are talking >about someone's last name...a bit of a different story. One's status of >"professional" might not mean much to you, but to me it means a whole lot. >Being a professional entails a dedication to photography far beyond most >"hobbyists"(I hate that term) or amateurs. These people depend on what >they do to put food on the table...quite a gutsy move, if you ask >me. Their notariaty is centered upon their names, and as such, I think it >important to spell them correctly. I'm not suggesting that proof-reading >and spell checking messages is necessary on the list, just that we should >be a little more careful about referencing individuals as we critique >their work. By the way, I am not a professional. However, I have a >tremendous respect for not only their technical competence, but also their >determination in doing what they love to make a living. > >Good luck with the Oatmeal and Jello. > >-Paul > >>From: Chandos Michael Brown <cmbrow@mail.wm.edu> >>Reply-To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us >>To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us >>Subject: Re: [Leica] HCB Portaits >>Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 12:51:23 -0400 >> >>One of the oldest conventions of net-speak of which I am aware (and I first >>logged on from the University of Illinois in 1973) is that typos, spelling, >>and punctuation were off-bounds for public censure, but In fairness to >>Leibovitz, I stand corrected. I should have proof-read the message. >> >>I've never looked at a single of her photographs over the years (though >>I've never particularly sought them out) that didn't strike me as facile >>and synthetically droll--rather like the "brat-pack" fiction that emerged >>from New York during the Reagan era, the trendy authors of which she >>documented for glossy gossip rags. I admire the technical competence of the >>work, but that's it. >> >>Henry Adams noted in his great history of the early republic one of its >>most extraordinary transformations (paraphrasing here, but I'll supply a >>page reference if you wish): "In 1776, Americans debated the rights of >>men. In 1800, they haggled over the price of cotton." >> >>I should say that the line from Arbus to Leibovitz says as much about our >>own time as Adams' apercu does of the period he seeks to describe. >> >>I'd say more, but I'm busy filling the tub with oatmeal so that I can burn >>a few rolls on a portrait subject this afternoon. The weather's made the >>mudbath stuff easy over the past few days, but it's tough to get anything >>*new* given all the TV coverage of the flood victims. I've been thinking >>about doing a series on my colleagues, hanging upside down from monkey >>bars, but they haven't been very cooperative so far. I guess that ever >>since the lime-jello debacle, my reputation's been in trouble. I *thought* >>the stuff would wash out a lot easier than it does. Boy, am I glad I only >>do this stuff as a *hobby.* >> >>I'm not sure that one's status as a "professional" ought mean much to >>anyone except the IRS. Certainly in and of itself it earns no respect >>from me. >> >>Cheers, >> >>Chandos >> >> >> >>At 03:52 PM 9/30/1999 +0000, you wrote: >>>It's Leibovitz. If you're going to trash the woman's work, at least get >>>her name right. You might try looking at some of her early work, and >>>perhaps add an addendum to your post saying that *some* of her work is >>>"vacuous sterility." I'm not a huge fan of her newer work either, but I >>>think she's earned the respect as a professional to be referenced correctly. >>> >>>-Paul Klingaman >> >> >> >>Chandos Michael Brown >>Assoc. Prof., History and American Studies >>College of William and Mary >> >>http://www.wm.edu/CAS/ASP/faculty/brown > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com Chandos Michael Brown Assoc. Prof., History and American Studies College of William and Mary http://www.wm.edu/CAS/ASP/faculty/brown