Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/12/21

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Subject: RE: [Leica] when is a pj not a pj?
From: "Tim Atherton" <tim@KairosPhoto.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2001 09:49:25 -0700

> There, you have an exception, as this the top of the food chain in the
> american PJ world. It's akin to being designated poet laureate of the
> nation. The presidential photographers come out of the PJ world. It's
> like being on special assignment, except where it wouldn't last much
> longer than a few days to a few months in other cases, this one lasts
> for 4-8 years. The work becomes part of the public archive as it is.

and is just a PR photographer for the President - if the photographer was a
PJ he ain't any more. He makes the Pres look heroic, one of the people,
Churchillian or whatever. Anything else that gets through is a result of
seeing all the contacts and negs the photographer made, when they are
released eons down the road, by which time the Pres. is probably dead and
doesn't care. (I guess the only exception is Nixon, who always just looked
like - well Tricky Dicky ).

Oh, the photographs make an interesting "insider" historical record, but an
entirely biased one

If the Photographer to the President is to be considered a PJ, then so is
the corporate photographer for Krispy Kreme donuts.


Tim A

PS - Poet Laureate is an entirely honourary position (okay, maybe a small
stipend) - the poet - e.g. Ted Hughes  - produces the odd poem for the Queen
or whoever, while carrying on their own creative work. I'm sure they'd love
to have a nice Whitehouse Salary, although I imagine most would consider it
selling their soul...

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Replies: Reply from "Harold Gess" <Harold.Gess@btinternet.com> (Re: [Leica] when is a pj not a pj? Is Salgado?)