Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/08/31

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Subject: RE: OT: Nachtwey (was [Leica] Re: Personal portfolios of misery
From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2000 10:24:59 -0400

Who has ever suggested anything as asinine as the idea that photojournalist
James Nachtwey is a "saint or the second coming of Jesus, or that his
pictures can "right the wrongs of the world?" Nachtwey is simply a gutsy and
talented PJ who has devoted his career to being in the wrong place at the
wrong time - so to speak. If he is to be taken at his word, he believes that
bearing witness photographically can make a difference. End of story.

I would suggest that the vehemence of some of the criticism, as exemplified
by his savaging in the Village Voice, indicates that some folks would rather
not be forced to confront the ugliness Nachtwey records.

B. D.



> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of
> ARTHURWG@aol.com
> Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2000 8:58 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: OT: Nachtwey (was [Leica] Re: Personal portfolios of misery
>
>
> Well, Bob; to a large extent it is my humble opinion. I guess the
> conventional wisdom is that JM is a saint and his pictures can right the
> wrongs of the world and he is the second coming of Jesus, or
> something.  I
> see them more like the devil showing his handiwork, as in
> "Sympathy for the
> devil." But all that is not to say he is not a great
> photographer. He clearly
> is a great photographer. He won the top three journalism awards,
> all in one
> year, didn't he?  Arthur
>