Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/05/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jeff This image was made during the /Day of the Dead/ celebration in Juarez. It is an annual event which has great significance to the Mexican people. As best as I could understand they visit their departed ones with a sense of joy and respect. Many are the merchants, of all ages and persuasions. With the open market style of Mexican commerce entrepreneurs are everywhere. Still, it lacks the vapid commercialism we see so much of with our /special days. /Flower merchants galore and families picnicking near the graves of their loved ones. I really must try and pull out some of the other images and present a balanced view. Chances are the little girl was selling the crucifixes for her family but children do start helping out at an early age in Mexico. It is different there. They accept death more readily maybe because it leads somewhere else? ( that won't fly with me so I'm going to go kicking and screaming :-) ) What we see as a trinket they see as a means of getting closer to Jesus. They would, I'm sure, turn on anyone showing disrespect to the church or its teachings. Again, not my cup of tea but I try to show good judgment and respect when photographing others. I do appreciate the nice comments on the image and hope I didn't spoil it by giving more of a background to the situation. At some point I'm sure my reaction to the scene was similar to yours. but hopefully that young girl was neither hungry nor unhappy. Walt Jeff S. Matsler wrote: > Hello, > > Philippe's statements captured my sentiments exactly, Walt. Powerful > image in number two. > > I'm caught on a few levels from this one. Initially I have that > strong reaction of indignation. Something like, "Jesus died so I > could sell you this trinket." > > Then, I'm caught by the seeming poverty that the child must be in the > midst of to do such a thing in the first place- which is a far more > serious issue than selling a plastic Jesus at a market. That > situation, of course, is not Jesus' doing, but our own. > > We'll never know the child's circumstances, but how ironic that life > and sustenance literally depends upon whether or not you sell one of > these. His price provides her next meal. Literally, Jesus saves. > > Again, all the more perverse, because we who are so often indignant > are the ones benefiting, if even indirectly, from the existence of the > poor. I don't want to digress into a soapbox, but these are the > feelings which are evoked by your image. > > This is the kind of image I wish I had captured. You do it in a way > that neither exploits nor trivializes. Well done. > > Jeff M > > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Philippe Amard" > <phamard@numericable.fr> > To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> > Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2007 12:38 AM > Subject: Re: [Leica] Sunday stroll > > > ... > >>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Walt+Johnson/wetlands2_edit.jpg.html >>> >>> >>> A bit further away is a bit of old Mexico shot many Domingos past. >>> >>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Walt+Johnson/haysus_sale.jpg.html > ... > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >