[AGL] a homeless man does not a street photograph make

[telebob]

Dear Donnabob-

Dorothea Lange was in no way a ‘street photographer’.  She was a journalist with a job to do.  Much of her work, just as with many of the FSA photographers was posed or at least cajoled out of the subjects.
“Working” with her subject in no way diminishes from the power of the images.  Studying the contact sheets of the photographer will tell you a ton about how the shots are or were obtained.  There are thousands of ways of approaching the ‘shot.'

Her work and any comparison to ‘street photography’ is only similar in that they are both done with cameras. 

The homeless guy with the sign saying “Single” is supposed to be ironic.  Sorry if you don’t see the sad humor of it.  You ‘see’ it.  You shoot it.  That’s it.  Move on.  Cartier-Bresson ‘stalked’ his shots sometimes for hours to get what he termed ‘the decisive moment.’  (A lot of pretentious horseshit as far as I can see. Though I do admire the “Behind the Gare St. Lazare” photo, one of many that made him famous.)

And ‘no heart’ in the bus station photo of the sleeping guy with the old “Puts more fun in the going?”…. well….  not sure how much you ever had to travel by bus in the old days. I used to ride the dog or Trailways now and then, and my heart went out to the guy.

I sympathize with your chemo issues.  I went through my cycle of that stuff a couple of months ago.  They grabbed a kidney out of me too.  My taste buds are starting to come back and the tinnitus caused by the chemo has subsided.  Nasty stuff, platinum based. Ooog.  Now we’re all better.  I hope so for you too.

telebob



> On Apr 21, 2017, at 9:27 PM, Donna Bobb <dianenwade at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> If I may interject, lol, you are all wrong. Dorothea Lange captured the very essence ; heart and soul of hardship during the great depression.  
> You know, I can see where Vera obtained her larger than Life stubbornness and why she spoke so often of you guys. I use to think it was the Italian blood but I can see it's definitely a Texas thing! Lolol.
> 
> And as a casual observer, the deaf guy photo looks like an advertisement for a date and the two photos you displayed looked like a bus stop except the litter that accumulated in the area. And what's up with the cell phones with two subjects who are homeless? No offense intended. Just no heart in these photos you guys have been bantering over. 
> And I would have gotten back to you sooner on reading you paper but my chemo is finally done so I can concentrate.  Jawbone.
> 
> On Apr 21, 2017 9:02 AM, "Michael Eisenstadt" <eisenstadt0 at gmail.com <mailto:eisenstadt0 at gmail.com>> wrote:
> look at the pic again. look at the deaf-mute's face, he is
> situationally aware that he is being photographed. which
> makes the pic NOT street photography.
> 
> calling the viewers attention to the wit of the photographer
> by juxtaposing otherwise unrelated things may delight
> some, while turning off others.
> 
> 
> <f430618162ce9b9e406086e4aa786d42.jpg><1023-great-depression-lange-migrant-mother-collage.jpg><07ff7d3a3f83ca8ddeedf86ad52095f1.jpg><Mezzanine_258.jpg>

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