Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/08/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Whatinhellareyoutalkingabout? The fact that the world didn't know about the Gulags didn't have a thing to do with the fact that the Russians didn't have Leicas - or box brownies. It had to do with the fact that Stalin was even more efficient than Hitler at purging anyone who posed any possible threat, the fact that the Germans were psychotically obsessed with documenting everything they did. And while, as someone pointed out, there were correspondents in the USSR in the 30s who knew what was going on but didn't write about it because they sympathized with the Revolution, I would venture a guess that if they had written anything, or sent out any photos, they would have 'disappeared' were they within Stalin's grasp, or would never have gotten back in to the USSR if they were outside it. 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 Martins Zelmenis Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2002 10:48 AM To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us Subject: Re: [Leica] Documentary photography - pj Sorry - the point is - <news is what people are allowed to see> - and of course, the example you mention in your post is most laudable - to put it in other words, your pictures conveyed their message to Ron, he was the right man to get it, and in no time your efforts produced great results for the indiginous people! On the other hand - Stalin's atrocities were not regarded as being on the same scale as Hitler's, while in fact they were never publicized on the same scale; Leicas en masse were in hands of Germans, while in the USSR only staff reporters got access to the equipment; so - - if there was any photographic information on GULAG, it was either of bad quality, amateurish - you name it - and most of it never reached newsstands. Martin At 10:37 AM 8/1/02 -0400, you wrote: >I said that much as it pained me to say it, I would urge him to get the >MA...Want to change the world, I said, you'll have a better chance having a >real impact with an urban planning degree from MIT than you will being THE >documentary photographer of your era. Sad, but true. > >B. D. You guys are entirely too cynical. I would be depressed all the time if I took such a cynical view of what I'm doing. This summer I took a guy to Honduras who had seen my photos in his church and wanted to go on the trip. Ron is in the business of renting tuxedos and had never been out of the US. We stayed in a very poor Mayan village and Ron worked as an assistant to the dentist. He was so impressed by how hard-working the people are that he gave the village $1000 to buy 3 grain silos to store their corn. The silos will make it possible for the 43 families to have food to eat during the dry season when they usually go hungry. Ron is speaking at several churches to tell them about what he saw in Honduras and has already volunteered to go again next year. I could give you examples like that from every trip. It might be drop in the bucket as far as changing the world goes, but it made a big difference to 43 families. Tina Tina Manley, ASMP http://www.tinamanley.com images available from: http://www.pdiphotos.com http://www.mira.com http://www.agpix.com http://www.newscom.com - -- 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 - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html