Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/07/31
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I am not sure how to answer that. On one hand, in the spirit of The Family of Man, showing that most people in a formalized situation act pretty much the same is a laudable goal. However, what is being documented is the similarities and differences in three related religions in the various rituals and religious life. We all know that when you step outside of the cultural context most people in a given uberculture are surprisingly similar. We all rub shoulders with people from every imaginable walk in the normal work, shop, lifetime activities. What is interesting is when the trappings of the western world come off and people emerge into the unique cultural environment that newcomers came from. Clothing changes, speech changes, roles change, relative social position may change. Showing images of people in their western persona does not add to my understanding. Providing me the images of the different culture and the why of the ceremonies is much more informative. So, I guess that showing images of digital cameras and thronging crowds does not add to my understanding of my neighbor. Thanks for listening. Don don.dory@gmail.com On 7/31/05, B. D. Colen <bdcolen@comcast.net> wrote: > I understand that, Don. But my point is that if the project involves > documenting Christian, Jewish, and Muslim weddings in the U.S., then the > presence of the digital cameras etc. is part of the story. What's there is > what's there. > > B. D. > > > On 7/31/05 9:06 PM, "Don Dory" <don.dory@gmail.com> wrote: > > > B.D. > > No, at least Indian weddings are very proscribed rituals. For the > > formal record you have to pretend that it is 1700 or some such. It > > would be very "Western" to deviate from the script. Again, several of > > my friends are successful wedding photographers who specialize in > > Indian weddings. They are successful because they know the rituals > > and what is important to record and who is important to have included > > in the images. Hint, it is frequently not the bride and groom. > > > > Don > > don.dory@gmail.com > > > > On 7/31/05, B. D. Colen <bdcolen@comcast.net> wrote: > >> Weren't all the cameras and hands part of the story? > >> > >> > >> On 7/31/05 5:34 PM, "Tina Manley" <images@InfoAve.Net> wrote: > >> > >>> At 05:00 PM 7/31/2005, you wrote: > >>> > >>>> why will the final images be viewed in bw only ? > >>> > >>> This project has grants from several museums and community > >>> organizations and the director's proposal stated that the photography > >>> would all be digital but would be presented as black and white prints. > >>> > >>> > >>>> Maybe it's the custom to look sad at this type of wedding.... ?? > >>> > >>> Yes, it is. I told Safoorah before the wedding that all of the > >>> photos I had of her were so sad looking and she told me that she was > >>> supposed to look sad and keep her eyes downcast. She had been > >>> criticized by her aunts for not looking modest enough. I expected > >>> her to look sad throughout the ceremony but I didn't expect the > >>> crying and sobbing. > >>> > >>> > >>>> How do they look at funerals... ? > >>> > >>> I haven't photographed one yet, but if a Muslim dies in Charlotte in > >>> the next 8 months, I'll be there. > >>> > >>> > >>>> I can't imagine that 800 people were invited to see this...Steve > >>> > >>> And all of the younger people had digital cameras and wanted photos > >>> of everything that happened. It was a challenge to photograph > >>> anything without other cameras and hands in the scene! > >>> > >>> Tina > >>> > >>> > >>> Tina Manley, ASMP > >>> http://www.tinamanley.com > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> Leica Users Group. > >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > >> > >> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Leica Users Group. > >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Leica Users Group. > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >