RE: [Leica] Re: LUGPhoto Quotes To Brighten Your Day

[Dan Cardish <dcardish@microtec.net>]

For me the past doesn't exist.  All I am aware of are photographs,
drawings, movies, written descriptions and vocal recitations (for the very
recent past) made by people who were very selective as to what they were
recording.   So in this sense, these records define the past for me.  And
photographs are a very effective means of making these recordings.

I think the quote is quite profound.  Certainly more so than discussions of
lines per inch and bokeh.  I have the book but have never read it.  Maybe
it's time...

Dan C.




At 01:19 PM 08-09-00 -0400, you wrote:
>
>I did read the book, and while I do not necessarily wish to champion Ms.
>Sontag, I would nevertheless suggest, as a general rule, that we all do
>better not to conclude too readily why something is just nonsensical or
>preposterous, but rather to consider possible ways in which it might make
>sense.  The case against Ms. Sontag seems a bit vociferous.  Surely the poor
>woman might have an idea or two worth thinking about, and surely the quote
>put forth is not devoid of all sense if we consider it (which does not mean
>that we must agree with it).
>
>Just a thought!  I could be wrong.
>
>Art Peterson
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From:	Jem Kime [mailto:jem.kime@cwcom.net]
>Sent:	Friday, September 08, 2000 9:58 AM
>To:	'leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us'
>Subject:	RE: [Leica] Re: LUGPhoto Quotes To Brighten Your Day
>
>Chandos,
>I'll rise to answering this.
>
>It sucks of 'psuedo speak', something which sounds profound but is in fact 
>merely a cleverly phrased set of superficial words.
>If the statement is analysed the b/s becomes apparent. Photographers do not 
>'invent' the past, nothing 'invents' the past, the statement is empty and 
>futile in its nonsense. Facile in its preposterousness. The past is past, 
>it can be recorded, not invented. Events can be staged or manipulated but 
>this happens in the present, these events can be recorded withphotography 
>but that doesn't mean they're invented.
>
>If you look to Stalinist Russia you'll recall that it was Pravda that 
>recorded, one might be tempted to say 'rearranged', and came closest to 
>'inventing' the past. But mere photographers? By themselves? No.
>America more than perhaps any other country values its freedom of speech so 
>highly that (I contend) it would be impossibile to 'invent' the past 
>contrary to real events.
>
>She's trying to say something which isn't communicated well. If she were a 
>better writer we would understand what it was. Alas, all I see is 
>psycho-babble.
>
>Jem (who tried to read the book once but couldn't manage it to the end - 
>this may speak more of me...) Kime
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From:	Chandos Michael Brown [SMTP:cmbrow@wm.edu]
>Sent:	08 September 2000 14:29
>To:	leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>Subject:	Re: [Leica] Re: LUGPhoto Quotes To Brighten Your Day
>
>What, precisely, is objectionable about this passage?
>Chandos
>
>At 08:17 AM 9/8/2000 -0500, you wrote:
>> > In America the photographer is not simply the person who records the 
>past, but the one who invents it.
>> > > Susan Sontag
>
>Chandos Michael Brown
>Assoc. Prof., History and American Studies
>College of William and Mary
>
>http://www.wm.edu/CAS/ASP/faculty/brown
>
>