Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/04/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]OK, I fell off my high horse and am much better. No chill pills, but Ritz crackers and a RC cola. resting peacefully Walt B. D. Colen wrote: >Chill pill, Walt -:-) I am not equating pjs and aid workers - quite the >opposite. I'm saying that they are not aid workers; they are photographers. >Paid to go and photograph. They may not all be Nachtweys - hell, they're NOT >all Nachtweys or Salgados. But they are doing a job we need done. And I >think the question of the cost of their cameras is pretty irrelevant, except >perhaps to point out how ludicrously poor their subjects are. > >But don't get me wrong, I think the digital M will come in at a price so far >out of wack with current digital camera reality, that it's unlikely to show >up on many necks photographing in Darfur. In fact, my guess is that its sale >will largely be confined to photo enthusiasts with lots of disposable >income. It will probably be a wonderful camera, but at apx $2 k more than a >full-frame Canon 5D, it makes little sense for someone who has to think >about where to put their equipment funds. After all, unlike a film M, it >will not in any way be a camera for a life time, and being a camera for a >life time is the only thing that makes the price of Leica film equipment >vaguely rationalizable. > >B. D. > > >On 4/26/06 2:38 PM, "Walt Johnson" <walt@waltjohnson.com> wrote: > > > >>Et tu B.D.? >> >>Scientists studying amoebas and photojournalists "concerns" with the >>downtrodden are certainly not the same. How many decades have we been >>documenting the same tired old stories? Starving waifs, bloodied bodies, >>homeless, etc. and for what? Waifs still starve and we have more >>bloodied bodies to deal with on a day to day basis than Lucifer. We live >>in the most prosperous country in the world and have streets full of >>homeless. But never fear, "Wonderlens is here". >> >>To equate those running around with cameras dangling and world aid >>workers is far from accurate. The ink dries, the t.v. channel is >>switched and it's off to another scene of human suffering for our >>hero-shooters.. The aid workers, meanwhile, hang tough. Does any of this >>indicate I'm against covering news events? Of course not. It does strike >>me as sad that we don't glean more than just superficial information >>from it all. There is a vast difference between Nachtwey, Salgado and >>Tina compared with the herd I mentioned in the first post. The are >>committed, and that is what really makes a difference. My statement "we >>want to feel your pain" is based upon methods I've seen used in >>action.Many journalists approach subjects as if they were items on a >>shelf rather than human beings. If anyone makes a statement about "not >>one bit of hypocrisy involved" relating to news coverage their judgment >>is flawed IMHO. >> >>Walt >> >> >>B. D. Colen wrote: >> >> >> >>>Absolutely right, Scott...Photojournalists are not social workers; they >>>are >>>not aid workers; they are photojournalists, photographers making image of >>>news events and situations around the world. Being a photographer >>>requires >>>using cameras. Cameras are expensive, worth more than the annual income of >>>many people being photographed. But so what? Would it be better if James >>>Nachtwey and Sabastian Salgado - and Tina Manley - sold their cameras and >>>donated the money to some fund specified by Angelina Jolie, and stopped >>>providing the world with visual reminders of the awful conditions under >>>which so many live? I think not. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>On 4/26/06 1:33 PM, "Scott McLoughlin" <scott@adrenaline.com> wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>>This makes it sound like a bad thing. We don't complain when >>>>the amoeba is studied by the scientist under the microscope. Same >>>>for the photographer's concern with the downtrodden - it's a good >>>>thing, and not one bit of hypocricy involved, IMHO. It's insanity >>>>to truly *want* to feel the pain of the truly suffering. >>>> >>>>Scott >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>>>, I can see the new Leicas in action. A horde of photojournalists >>>>>>with 10 or 15 grand hanging around their necks stalking the poor, >>>>>>downtrodden masses. The oh so concerned looks on their faces while >>>>>>they mutter, "we want to feel your pain". >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>> >>>_______________________________________________ >>>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 > > > >