Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/07/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 01:18 PM 7/1/2003 -0500, you wrote: > No longer will we see images of these spontaneous activities in > their reality where a group of children composed of all skin shades and > ethnicity, rich and poor, play together in reality. Wešll have to rely on > the stock subject photographers, who will rent the fountain, pay the kids > parents and give you that bland crap that appears in every stock shop > catalog; plastic overworked smiles, too perfect lighting, costumes > courtesy of the gap in over saturated color. > At some point in this 3-hour ordeal I thought, "Itšs time to sell > all the gear. Documentary Photography has died when you have to rent the > cypress tree, and get detained by rent-a-cops for photographing children > playing in water in the summer sun set. > >Fond regards, > >G e o r g e L o t t e r m o s e r, imagist You are right, George. This is big problem and something is going to have to be done. In the meantime, I make my documentary photographs in places like Honduras - which is like going back in time about 100 years to a more innocent time when people still trust each other and feel flattered and not threatened to have their photos made. It also helps that I'm a harmless looking grandmother. Your experience was horrible but it sounds typical of a lot of stories that I've heard on the press-photographers list. Next time, have some business cards that identify you as a photographer and carry a small portfolio to show nervous parents that you are a harmless documentary photographer. Offer to send prints. Make a large badge identifying yourself as a professional photographer. The more identification you carry, the better. At least the police officer reaffirmed that you have every right to photograph in a public place. The press photographers have been harassed and intimidated by police for photographing in public places. They usually have to go to a higher officer who knows the law. By that time, any photograph they wanted to make is gone. Combine the frustration with the low pay, competition, and royalty-free photographs and it's a terrible time to be a freelance photographer! Tina Tina Manley, ASMP http://www.tinamanley.com photos 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