Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/09/14
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi, The comment that sparked this thread was "I have to say that for anyone to have the insensitivity to want to photograph others in the act of worship beggars belief!". We appear to have established quite quickly, in your reply, that wanting to photograph others in the act of worship is a perfectly legitimate desire. How any particular photographer approaches this is a different matter altogether, and there are many perfectly respectable ways of doing it, including ways that don't require permission up front. I'm afraid your recommended approach would kill almost all documentary, reportage, photojournalism, and press photography stone dead. Bob >From: Jem Kime <jem.kime@cwcom.net> > >Bob, > >I'm glad to hear you'll be sensitive and sorry to hear you won't be >arranging permission before going. >My point was that humanitarian photography would seem to neccesitate some >sort of courtesy extended before taking pictures, like arranging that it is >acceptable, especially when photographing people's essentially private >moments. > >I agree with Greg's, and your, comments about understanding and >communication, humanistic photography and all. I'm certainly no protagonist >of flowers, trees and sunsets. I'm all for understanding and wanting to >learn more about others but I seem to have a different set of values as to >what is the best way to go about securing those pictures. > >The difficulty of taking your stance that 'people can shake their heads if >they don't want to be photographed' is that you offer no-one the chance to >think about what you're doing, they may welcome the exposure you could >offer them if they were made aware of what your motives were. Then again >there could well be others who have eyes closed, backs turned, or their >attention elsewhere who would object but have inadvertantly forfeited their >supposed right to veto your shot. It seems a rather lopsided way of >approaching subjects to me. > >cheers, >jem _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com.