Well, I find it odd behaviour - but I'm an old grump, anyway. But they're not hurting anyone so, if it makes them happy, let them get on with it.
Cheers Brian ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Brian Walters Western Sydney Australia http://lyons-ryan.org/southernlight/ On Tue, Sep 27, 2016, at 12:08 AM, Igor PDML-StR wrote: > > > This morning someone sent me a link to a brief blogpost on Cnet, which > got me (re)evaluating - (re)thinking certain aspects of photography in > our lives. The photo was of a crowd in front of a famous politician > waving > at them, while most people turned their backs and taking selfies of > themselves with the famous people being the background. > (The link is below, but first the thoughts.) > > Over many years of taking photographs, sometimes as tourist (i.e. in very > touristic places, etc.), - I've been offered by others (friends, > relatives, bystanders) to take a picture of _me_. ... or rather of > _me__being__there_. > Not that I was against those (and sometimes I did want some picture, > especially with friends or family), but I was not particularly ego to get > those. I wanted to take some interesting (at least to me) of the views > from that place. > One of the repeated questions/comments I had (usually not from close > friends or relatives who already knew what I am after, but from more > distant friends): "Why do you need those? - See there, they sell cards > with this view already printed." > > Why was/am I taking those photos? > 1. I enjoy _taking_ them and > 2. I enjoy looking at them later, as they remind me of good time I had > there. And often, aftre many years, I remember the photos I've taken even > without looking at them: they are a connection for that place, person, > event. ... even though I might not be in those pictures myself. > (As an aside, - I appreciate the fact of being in some of those photos > more now, as my daughter is growing up, - so, that she can see her dad in > those photos too.) > > Now, getting back to the conclusion quoted in the Subject of this > message. > Yes, selfie is the fad du jour [is that tautology?]. > To this date, most of the selfies I've taken are with my SLR (with a > tripod or a mirror help). But I don't want to judge those people who > enjoy selfies: to each of his/her own. And to some extent, those people > aren't that much different from those stranger on the street who are ego > to pose for you even though they are never going to see that photo. (This > was a very frequent situation with kid groups in Japan.) > > > My understanding of the said blogpost is that someone is trying to > question of how polite it is to take a selfie with a famous person (and > hence turning one's behind to her/him) as opposed to piercing > with your eyes and listening. > > That brought to memories yet another story. Long time ago, one > famous Russian poet wrote a song that was "thinking" about a family > being photographed in front of the monument to the famous Russian > poet Alexandr Pushkin. The idea was based on the juxtaposition of the > timelessness and greatness of someone whose fame survived the test of > centuries, and "todayliness" of the concerns and that-minute problems of > that family. I remember that a friend was thinking that the author was > criticizing the family, and that that type of photo was awkward or even > ridiculous due to the contrast. While I understand that point of view > (and I personally do not like taking photographs of people (and myself) > specifically with someone's _personal_ monument), I never felt > comfortable with that criticism. And I've always thought that the song's > author was just bringing up the contrast as a way to highlight the > simultaneous distance and closeness of the great and small, old and > contemporary, timeless and transient. > > But back to today's photo, here is what I am curious to hear from you, > deal PDMLers: > As photographers with different preferences, views and reasons to take > photographs, what do you think about what is shown in the photograph > discussed in that blogpost? > (Please, let's not digress into a political debate about the specific > politician, so, let's keep the political comments on mute.) > > Here is the blogpost in question: https://goo.gl/VC5fU3 . > > Thanks in advance to all who will respond. > > Igor > > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and > follow the directions. -- -- -- http://www.fastmail.com - Accessible with your email software or over the web -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.