Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/01/18

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Subject: [Leica] Dehumanizing portraits?
From: leica at rcmckee.com (R. Clayton McKee)
Date: Sun Jan 18 20:24:07 2009
References: <5B13112AD743CA6EF73CB6B2@hindolveston.reid.org>, <4973962B.11269.91BB30@leica.rcmckee.com>, <BLU0-SMTP634F5EB85591FB0C09557ABED30@phx.gbl>

Quoth the Kevin Argue :

> Clayton,
>                I wouldn't call this dehumanizing or new > photographic 
> style.  The photos are just bad!
> 
> Kevin Argue


The thing is, they're consistent in style, approach, and execution, 
and they've been edited down to what we see.  That means the problem 
isn't accident, or incompetence, or lack of vision, all of which I 
look for in a bad photograph or series.

To me, when a shooter of some ability (at least technically) and an 
editor of some (presumed) ability unleash something like this, we're 
FAR beyond merely "bad" photographs.  This is not just random 
awfulness. It's a carefully calculated effort, either to create a 
brand identity for the artiste and, if possible, a market FOR that 
brand, or to create some sort of marketing buzz for the NYT Magazine.

I could almost agree with Brian that it was a deliberate effort to 
make the subjects look bad, except that the trend in recent years has 
been SO heavily towards "Do Something Different" without regard for 
whether "different" is "better" that in this case I think it's more 
likely 'self-promotion' and 'branding' than anything else  ... which 
is what makes me call it a "style."  It's sad; there are at least a 
dozen LUGgers who could do better easily.   Should've called Cassidy; 
he's just as cutting edge and hip, but he's also got taste.


--


R. Clayton McKee                           http://www.rcmckee.com
Photojournalist                               rcmckee@rcmckee.com
P O Box 571900                           voice/fax   713/783-3502
Houston, TX 77257-1900                   cell phone #  on request


Replies: Reply from sethrosner at nycap.rr.com (Seth Rosner) ([Leica] Dehumanizing portraits?)
In reply to: Message from reid at mejac.palo-alto.ca.us (Brian Reid) ([Leica] Dehumanizing portraits?)
Message from leica at rcmckee.com (R. Clayton McKee) ([Leica] Dehumanizing portraits?)
Message from kargue at sympatico.ca (Kevin Argue) ([Leica] Dehumanizing portraits?)