Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/01/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I think Clayton has it. It is almost not conceivable to me that this is all an accident or is due to a photographer's incompetence. His comment reminds me that I am about to write to the Kraft Company about its Catalina salad dressing, perhaps the only commercial ready-to-use dressing I like. I recently bought a container only to find that Kraft has created a new 'improved' version that to my taste is too sharp, in fact, awful. 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' is an axiom that must not be applied to any of the creative arts, else nothing new would ever happen. But this effort is a stretch and very curious in the political arena where leaders depend on creating feelings of confidence and amiability. Very odd. Seth ----- Original Message ----- From: "R. Clayton McKee" <leica@rcmckee.com> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2009 11:24 PM Subject: Re: [Leica] Dehumanizing portraits? > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.10.9/1902 - Release Date: 1/19/2009 9:37 AM