Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/02/12

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: Salgado Revisted
From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 18:58:59 -0500

By now, George, I certainly think I know where you're "coming from," but I
fear that I worry about where you're going. Yes, propaganda is by definition
propaganda. But being a propagdist practitioner for Adolph Hitler hardly
equates with being a propagandist for, say UNESCO or UNICEF.

I would argue that Salgado is not a propagandist, but a documentarian who
chooses his particular subjects because he wants to effect change, and
believes that by making others aware of the plight of those whose lives he
documents, he may eventually help to bring about that change. There is
simply no way to equate that with the work of a Leni Riefenstal, who was not
documenting anything, but was gathering images of carefully constructed
scenes to mold into propaganda designed to portray an evil as a good.

B.D.

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of George
Lottermoser
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2002 6:50 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Salgado Revisted


mlpowell@directvinternet.com (Matthew Powell)2/12/025:12 PM

> Well, in an individual work, that can be possible. But even
> then, if it's
> one of Riefenstahl's photos of Nazi Germany...

I will not comment on, and certainly will not defend her ethics,
morality, politics, etc..

But, alas she created some powerful, artistically grand, and
technically fine photographic images. Propaganda? Of course. I
have a nagging feeling that every image has a propaganda aspect
to it.

The systematic propagation of a doctrine or cause or of
information reflecting the views and interests of those people
advocating such a doctrine or cause.


Some propaganda has a benign (or even positive) effect, while
other propaganda has a malignant effect. Does the photographer
have a responsibility in this regard? I believe absolutely yes.
The issues that these threads touch on can expand to: What is the
propaganda effect of advertising? Benign or malignant? And on and
on.

George


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