Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/08/01

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Documentary photography - pj
From: "James A. Gatlin" <jagatlin@attbi.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 17:20:05 -0700
References: <5.1.0.14.2.20020801133036.020f9380@infoave.net> <5.1.0.14.2.20020801143216.020b43e0@infoave.net>

May I add my two cents into this interesting thread?

I beleive a central thought missing from B.D.'s initial premise is.... not
all documentary work is done with the aim of 'changing the world'. In fact,
I strongly suspect that most is not.

Most contemporary documentray work is done to illustrate feature articles,
(or 'Evergreens' as we used to call it) that run in a wide array of
newspapers, inserts and magazine articles. Far far more docu work is used in
this manner than 'heart tugging' poverty shots that most people associate
with "documentary photography". Documentary work is so closely related to
news work, that many times, the lines are blured, but you can easily it, if
you look. For example, a photo of medical workers tending to a bombing
victim is a news photo... but a detailed story with 3, 4 or 5 photos of the
victim 6 months later going through re-hab... is documentary work... and
there is fair amount of that style of work out there to be done.

Not all documentary work is done "Salgado" style, and it does not have to be
poverty rooted. There are a great many documentary projects out there that
are beautiful, positive and up-lifting. I do not know what makes some people
think that in order to be a success, a documentary project has to show
suffering and misery.

Forget about changing the world... and think instead about helping where you
can, when you can. Tina and her 43 familes is a great example. She is
changing the world, bit by bit, family by family.

Jim

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In reply to: Message from Tina Manley <images@InfoAve.Net> (RE: [Leica] Documentary photography - pj)
Message from Tina Manley <images@InfoAve.Net> (RE: [Leica] Documentary photography - pj)