Hello Gonz, This is a long held belief, and I'm sure some will differ.
When we see a disadvantaged person, any one not totally calloused will feel a degree of empathy for that individual and their plight. That's a natural emotion and a good one. I've seen so many photos displayed here of like subject matter that receive much praise, when I see nothing about the photo itself, that makes it exceptional. It makes me believe that, some at least, are not differentiating between their attachment to the subject matter and the actual merits of the image. The same can be said for photos of cats, dogs, children, and sunsets. It's one of the things I constantly comat when reviewing my own photography, trying to tell the difference between a truly good image and one that I simply have an attachment to. I've also seen photos get a big positive reaction because a story is presented along with the image, and it tends to tug on the heart strings, or give meaning. Well maybe that's part of being human or is an element of photojournalism, and we're all human. Nevertheless, it does to some degree, de-emphasize the image itself. I'm not telling others what to think, of course. Sometime I think we may tend, myself included, not to really look. Tom C. >From: Gonz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List <pdml@pdml.net> >To: "Pentax-Discuss Mail List" <pdml@pdml.net> >Subject: Re: Re: >Date: Tue, 8 May 2007 14:10:01 -0500 > >I'm with you here Tom. I looked at the link and thought "blah", >"flat-line". But maybe other people see something that stirs some >emotion? I just dont know. > > > >On 5/8/07, Tom C <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi Fernando, > > > > You're right. I'm not a street photographer and do not aspire to be. I > > have found some photography in the genre to be very appealing, however, > > including one of Godfrey's exhibited here a year or so ago. It was of >an > > older genteel lady, sitting up sleeping on a bench. I thought it was > > exquisitely composed and made a very powerful statement. I would go so >far > > as to say that IT was a great photograph. > > > > I simply believe this image is no where near as good. > > > > > > Tom C. > > > > > > > > >From: "Fernando Terrazzino" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >Reply-To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List <pdml@pdml.net> > > >To: "Pentax-Discuss Mail List" <pdml@pdml.net> > > >Subject: Re: Re: > > >Date: Tue, 8 May 2007 14:20:40 -0400 > > > > > >Hi Tom, > > > > > >Let me start saying, that without getting into the story that came > > >with the image (which lifts the image into a different arena) and > > >speaking strictly about the photographic properties of the image, even > > >though I understand the appeal of the photograph and I like (I repeat, > > >I like) the way it's framed and the elements in the photograph, and > > >also I may add that to my eye is an example, albeit not a totally > > >clear one, of a photograph that tells a story (even without Godfrey's > > >explanation I wonder who this person is, if the dog belongs to her, > > >why is she holding her jacket in that way, etc) In my opinion it could > > >be better with a less tight framing, not because I want to see "the > > >dog's legs" (the way the dog is framed I actually like) but to include > > >maybe some person passing by, looking at her that might actually > > >connect the person with the viewer, etc. > > > > > >Now, I think you are being unfare saying that this is an easy-to-take > > >image, to me that means that you never really tried this genre, which > > >is probably the total opposite to the kind of photography that I see > > >from you, and that I greatly enjoy. > > > > > >Here, you have a split second to decide how to frame a subject, mostly > > >instinctively, that's problably why if you see the contact sheets of > > >some of the masters of street photography you will see that they suck, > > >most of it is done in the editing process, were the eye of the > > >photographer-curator selects what deserves to be published. > > > > > >I for one am happy to see this new work of Godfrey, I enjoy his > > >flawless photographs, but is certainly healthy to see him posting also > > >this other work, I hope he keeps posting more of this. > > > > > >As a viewer I do enjoy looking at this genre, I like this quote that I > > >read somewhere: "Street photography is photography for photographers" > > >because only knowing how difficult is to get results you learn to > > >enjoy it. That's the best way I can put it. > > > > > >And finally, I'm not a street photographer, now I'm just merely in a > > >phase were I'm trying to take some photographs in the street, I enjoy > > >the process, the thrill and the adrenaline, and from time to time I > > >nail some photos that I enjoy and even share. The rate of pictures > > >taken versus keepers went down, but I find the process more enjoyable, > > >and this has also given me the chance to admire some work that belongs > > >to people that excels in that type of photography. > > > > > >I also welcome the photographs of posters that seem to loosen up a > > >little bit more often, from the top of my head I can name Boris, Jack, > > >Marnie, Paul and the king of them all Frank. Makes the PDML more > > >enjoyable for me. > > > > > >Cheers, > > > > > >Fernando > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > > PDML@pdml.net > > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > > >-- >PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >PDML@pdml.net >http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
