Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/02/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Allan, I don't know where you live or how you live, but if you happen to travel a bit and if you go outside the "tourist path" then maybe you will realize that the world is slightly different from Disneyland. You can find poverty and social distress in your neighborhood. 3/4 of the world live in or at the edge of poverty. I think that Salgado's pictures reflect this reality efficiently. I don't think that you know or understand Salgado's work or the philosophy behind his work. If you did, you wouldn't be judging him or his photography so fast. Bloating bellies? Go check again! http://www.terra.com.br/sebastiaosalgado/index.htm Photography is not only about composing and printing, it's also about emotions or messages. You can close your eyes on the "ugly" things in the world - it doesn't make them go away! Pictures tell you more (or as much) about yourself than about the photographer... (a bit à la Rohrschach). I find your reactions very interesting. Of course you are entitled to your opinions! But your perception of the world is just that: your perception. It doesn't mean that it corresponds to reality. You use bloated words to express nothing but your opinions. You explain nothing. What kind of propaganda? Do you think Salgado's pictures lie? Why? Do they make you believe something that is not true? What if it was the other way around? Maybe you have been living in a world of propaganda and you have lost touch with certain realities? Champion of parlor radicals???? I do not understand when you say "Foolish in this case means making note of social ills and offering even greater ills as solutions." What greater ills? Tarek le 12.02.2002 5:02, Allan Wafkowski à allan@sohogurus.net a écrit : > Let me try again: > > He composes well, and he prints well (if he does his own printing). His > subject matter borders on the maudlin. If you have seen 10 of his > bloated bellies, you have seen the range of his work. His philosophy is > foolish, and when he uses his camera for propaganda it reflects the > foolishness of this philosophy. He's the champion of parlor radicals > because they too are foolish. Foolish in this case means making note of > social ills and offering even greater ills as solutions. If Salgado had > not joined his photography closely with his social thought, I would not > have. He did, I must too, to properly evaluate his work. How you are > able to evaluate the two separately is beyond me. > > Allan > > >> You are using $100 dollar words to say that you disagree with his world >> view. Exactly how much you disagree with his world view is difficult to >> say; >> but then, that is the reason one uses such language in the first place. >> You >> get to say that he is a good photographer but to imply, in jargon, that >> "something" is wrong. If you just said he was a poor photographer you >> would >> be laughed off the list but to subtly imply that his philosophy is >> unsound >> is a jab that is difficult to pin down. >> >> So if you disagree with his philosophy, then just say so and explain >> why. Do >> not cast unsupported assertions cloaked in fancy words that are charged >> with >> emotion but essentially meaningless. >> >> John Collier > > -- > 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