Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/02/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On Feb 15, 2010, at 7:36 PM, Vince Passaro wrote: > Steve- > Writers have editors, why shouldn't photographers? They're quite helpful. > It's not as if the great writers weren't edited. Similarly painters don't > get to tell the gallery owner which paintings to hang. They discuss, no > doubt. In the end, in all these relationships, there is no confusion about > who is the artist; but part of great art in every form is the artist > working > on intuitive and often utterly unconscious levels. And it is quite possible > to take a fine picture and not recognize or notice that it is a fine > picture > until someone else, with qualitative skills, points it out. > > The process is not so pure. The Gary Winogrand show at MoMa in the 80s > caused a ruckus because one whole room of it comprised photos he'd never > even processed (he'd shoot the rolls, many many many of them, and toss them > into plastic garbage bags, where they were when he died.) So he didn't > pick; > he didn't print; he didn't select from the prints. Were they great > photographs? Absolutely. Was he the party responsible for them, and > did they reflect his vision? Absolutely. thanks Vince and of course you are correct and I agree... I too have benefited from the advice of others, sometimes great advice. And since I am an untrained amateur I can only learn here, any knowledge I have, likely comes from here... I come from fields far removed...and I sometimes extrapolate. With regards to your very interesting and understandable example above, may I be allowed one simple response... Tina is alive... Steve > > Some may disagree however. Some certainly did at the time. > > Vince > > On Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 10:17 PM, Steve Barbour <steve.barbour at > gmail.com>wrote: > >> >> On Feb 15, 2010, at 1:16 PM, Tina Manley wrote: >> >>> On Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 2:42 PM, George Lottermoser <imagist3 at mac.com >>> wrote: >>> >>>> What is the "purpose" of the "edit?" >>>> >>> >>> A book, eventually. >> >> I assume it's your book and not Maggie's... >> >> It troubles me that your book will have her selections, some of which you >> would not have selected..... >> >> In spite of her great even amazing credentials, the photos are not hers, >> the book is not hers...and certain selections are not yours... >> >> That I find troubling for obvious reasons, and especially as I connect >> with >> your work and your selections...that you have made in the past. It may not >> be easy for you, but so what, the idea of turning that over to someone >> else >> is suspect. >> Brahms had great trouble composing, but if he had turned that over to >> someone else, we wouldn't have Brahms. >> >> I also worry that she may make better editorial choices with her own work, >> than with some one elses... >> >> But the usual enormous level of respect we all have for someone with great >> credentials is itself worrisome...they say jump and we say... how high...? >> >> and fwiw, in pure sciences, virtually all of the truly great discoveries >> are made by people who don't easily go along with with they are told...if >> they listened to accepted dogma, they would be destined to oblivion. >> >> >> Steve >> >>> >>>> >>>> Like any other work; >>>> experience matters. >>>> I have no doubt that Maggie Steber >>>> has a very experienced eye for photo editing. >>>> Yet, one may ask, editing for what purpose? >>>> Market segment? Publications? Fine Art books? Other? >>>> >>> >>> She was the first woman editor for Associated Press and Pulitzer Prize >>> winning editor of the Miami Herald. Maggie has been awarded the Ernst >> Haas >>> grant, the Alicia Patterson Foundation grant and the Knight Foundation >>> grant, as well as a World Press Photo first prize and Leica Medal of >>> Excellence, and she was a two-time finalist for the Eugene Smith Grant.. >> Her >>> book on Haiti, published by Aperture, won Photo Book of the Year. She >> works >>> for National Geographic, Fortune, Smithsonian, teaches at ICP, Maine, and >>> Santa Fe workshops, judges NPPA Photo of the Year, World Press Photo of >> the >>> Year and many more. So I would say she edits for all purposes. >>> >>> And she uses Leicas!! >>> >>>> >>>> Will her edit express what you want to express about the subject(s)? >>>> about your self? about your work? other issues? >>>> >>> >>> During the editing process, she kept telling me to let her know if there >>> were photos I particularly wanted to include. I did. Most she agreed >> with, >>> some we argued about, some she talked me out of, some I put in the B edit >>> with the idea that we would review them further in the next edit. I >> think >>> she was very careful to include what I wanted to express. >>> >>> I still think that I would include far too many photos because I know the >>> story behind the people. I find it hard to judge my photos on their >> merits >>> and not on what I remember about the situation. >>> >>> I need an editor. I think it's wonderful that some people are confident >>> enough to judge their own work, but that's not me! >>> >>> Thanks - >>> >>> Tina >>> >>>> >>>> Tina Manley, ASMP >>> www.tinamanley.com >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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