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This does look like a worthwhile book. Until someone invents a time machine for traveling to the past, collections like this are the next best thing.
by tempodox 7y ago
This does look like a worthwhile book. Until someone invents a time machine for traveling to the past, collections like this are the next best thing.
- mc32 7y agoPhotographers have a POV, a narrative (not in the bad sense), but they have a story they want to tell. A better way for this kind if thing is to look at people's shoebox collections. There is no ulterior narrative and it’s more personal to each producer. They’re not iconic, they don’t have the imprimatur of a known great, but they are an honest look at times and places.
- pjc50 7y ago> narrative (not in the bad sense) What is the "bad sense"? Surely personal photo collections also have a narrative, albeit one focused on the life of the photographer?
- dsfyu404ed 7y agoI think he means they have a "narrative" but that in itself is not inherently bad.
- mc32 7y agoOf course people will have their interests’ POV, but it’s a vernacular or even naive. When a photographer goes on a project which may end up as a book or exhibit in a gallery, it has no comparison to the vernacular POV. They may have statements, but typically have a predefined purpose and also will curate heavily. In a book like Frank’s you may see maybe 1% of the pictures taken during that project, if even that. The bad sense of narrative is beside telling a story it has a known and purposeful bias.
- galago 7y agoIn my youth I had a job converting old 8mm and 16mm home movies to video. About 25% were of people at Disneyland on a sunny day. In general they were completely biased towards bright happy moments, and I realized that old photos aren't a very good way to tell what peoples lives were like. In my family photos, there's a sense that people took pictures of things they were proud of--someone in a military uniform, a new car, etc.
- mc32 7y agoNo doubt, but that’s what’s important to people. Most aren’t going to Disney, and when they take pictures it’s not : “I want to showcase a particular narrative.” Most just want to keep memories of times _they_ feel are representative and important. Not what a photographer thinks is or should be important.
- simonebrunozzi 7y agoAbsolutely. If I had a time machine, I would use it for these things, other than to predict sports, bet on winners, and become a billionaire.
- shkkmo 7y agoWhat an impressive lack of imagination. There are far better uses for time travel than cheating at gambling.
- simonebrunozzi 7y agoYou might have misread my comment, please read it again - I said I would NOT use it to cheat at gambling.
- shkkmo 7y agoIf that was what you meant to say, your meaning got garbled. "Other" isn't used to convey "not" but means something like "besides" or "in addition to". I suspect that the word you were looking for was "rather than" which means "instead of".
- simonebrunozzi 7y agoAaah you might be right. Thanks for clarifying.
- NotSammyHagar 7y agoI found that a disappointing description of the work. Perhaps I'm missing the point, but I don't see enough description to match the brief mention of that photographic working being shocking, showing america as it really was, breathless etc. It just looked like unposed pictures of real people?