Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/09/07

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Subject: [Leica] I really disagree with this policy
From: tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)
Date: Wed Sep 7 22:36:25 2005
References: <59CE9124-7A7B-4058-AAF9-49F9445B610D@earthlink.net> <22c93b29050905225413f3d127@mail.gmail.com> <rh7sh156g2nv8ia7pmm1qgquml9ubeofm5@4ax.com> <9b678e05090617241a6fe335@mail.gmail.com> <04b33a56b47dac727518b68331271055@paulhardycarter.com> <BDCB7D4B-754E-4DFA-9A09-6174CAF6E0D2@earthlink.net> <004901c5b408$81f71980$1ae76c18@ted> <0DAD2561-751B-41F4-824C-C2B91CF45469@earthlink.net>

feli said:
>>And you're right,
there is a general hostility to
photographers, like we are all a bunch of mouth breathers looking to
exploit a situation. And this
hostility exists because the reputation of photographers has been
dragged through the mud, by a
minority of people who act like a bunch of animals.<<<<

Hi feli,
Ok lets pretend we're witnesses for a moment, not photographer's inside the 
NO stadium.

Now imagine the doors open for the press to go in and do their thing.  What 
kind of scene are we going see? A calm, compassionate half dozen photogs 
moving carefully through the scared, thirsty, hungry, exhausted angry 
people? Not bloody likely

However I doubt that, as it would be a mass of camera carrying people, 
notice I didn't say "photojournalists" rush through the doors flashes 
flashing, TV camera crews lights on running around like crazy. Both types of 
cameras flashing at everything moving and not moving? Conservatively maybe 
100 shooters of varying ability and equipment because the money in this case 
is "first in and first out with exposures!"  And they wouldn't give a fig 
whether they annoyed, hurt or any other word expressing feeling other than 
their own at being first in and first out! First money!

Sure not all of them, as there are still some regular shooters who do have 
feelings for those whom they photograph and do so as carefully as they can.

But these days on average when there's a serious situation as Katrina 
there's a huge gaggle of shooters who turn-up like a battery of paparazzi 
and charge about like flying bugs of the worst kind, flashing everything 
before them without much thought other than getting exposures of the worst 
things they can find. And first out!

And it's this gang that make it bad for all the rest of us and why quite 
often doors are not open for serious photojournalists. Authorities knowing 
this kind of rat-pack exist and how they run about is the reason they make 
the decision, "DOORS CLOSED!" Sure I don't doubt they didn't want the world 
to see how bad conditions were inside, but we as witnesses would be appalled 
at this gang of camera flashing idiots running amok making exposures of the 
worst things they could find.

I don't have a problem with the policy under the conditions I described. But 
it should have been covered if for no other reason as the disaster it was in 
the historical sense. But covered by experienced photojournalists who could 
do it without freaking people out by flashing in their faces.

However, when you have a half dozen "authority bureaucrats" running an 
operation of this size I'm sure it was much easier to say... "No media 
inside!"  And live with the consequences later!

ted



Replies: Reply from neilsimages at pipeline.com (Neil Schneider) ([Leica] I really disagree with this policy)
Reply from paul at paulhardycarter.com (Paul) ([Leica] I really disagree with this policy)
In reply to: Message from wooderson at gmail.com (Matt Powell) ([Leica] I really disagree with this policy)
Message from ericm at pobox.com (Eric) ([Leica] I really disagree with this policy)
Message from don.dory at gmail.com (Don Dory) ([Leica] I really disagree with this policy)
Message from paul at paulhardycarter.com (Paul) ([Leica] I really disagree with this policy)
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] I really disagree with this policy)