Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/11/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The photographer was Dirck Halstead. He wrote about it in the "Digital Journalist", http://dirckhalstead.org/issue9807/editorial.htm The photo column on the Washington Post web site also has a version of this story. Mike D - ----- Original Message ----- From: <Teresa299@aol.com> To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2001 1:20 PM Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: digital/Oprah show > > . . . > > > I was flipping channels on the TV yesterday and caught part of an Oprah show > dedicated to photography. (I didn't see the beginning of the show so I can't > for sure say what the title was...probably "Touching one's inner spirit > through the light of the lens...") > > ANYWAY, one thing I thought particularly interesting was this man (and no, I > don't recall his name) who was part of the Photo Corps that covered the > Clinton White House. He had taken/seen the infamous shot of monica lewinsky > hugging the pres at some public gathering and upon seeing that clip > remembered her face. He then told his assistant to go through his old shots > to find the face...and sure enough after 5,000 transperencies, his assistant > had found an earlier shot of Monica hugging the president at a previous > public event (no cigars in evidence though). > > The man's point was that he was part of a larger press group that has almost > completely moved to shooting with digital cameras....and yet, because the > shots of the president shaking hands and hugging well wishers at one of many > public gatherings wouldn't initially be considered "newsworthy" it was likely > that those "unimportant" shots were lost because they were erased to make > room on one's HD, memory card and the like. In essence, digital gives one > immediacy and in some ways because of the immediacy lends itself to quick > disposal and editing. This is highly efficient and in todays quickening > industrial, technological world where everything new is old again, it makes a > lot of business sense. But this man pointed out that in the context of the > show which was honoring famous shots of 9/11, Vietnam, Gorden Parks, and > documentary traditions, that a great deal of history may be lost whereas > before, simply because of old technology it's still available. > > I don't think this discounts the merits of digital. I just think like with > the implementation of any technology (such as genetic engineering, nuclear > energy, combustion engine, clocks) it gives some of us pause as to see what > kind of ripples it makes in the pond. > > Respectfully, > Kim > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html