On Sun, 20 Mar 2005 08:13:04 -0800, Shel Belinkoff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > So, not showing someone's face = non exploitive photo. Are you saying that > when you show someone's face you're exploiting them? >
Well, even though you responded to Ann's comment, since she referred to mine, I should explain myself. I'll explain by (once again) presenting my personal "rules" for shooting people who appear less advantaged. There may be no logic to this, they're just my rules. If I show such a so-called street person's face, I usually make certain that I've chatted with them, that they're comfortable with me as a person, that they're comfortable with my camera, and that they know I'm taking a photo and that they're okay with that. An example is my buddy Ricky the Soap Angel Carver (who I haven't seen around before). Or the fellow spelling "have a nice Sunday" with his pennies. If I'm shooting someone who I believe to be significantly disadvantaged "on the sly", I prefer not to show their face (if possible - sometimes it's not possible). So, in Bedo's case, were I shooting, I'd likely not want her face in there, because I have no reason to believe that they in any way consent to being photographed. Sometimes, if an image is powerful enough, and I think it important enough for me to capture, I'll show a face, if I don't have time to chat before the moment is lost forever. It's all a balancing act, I guess. Split-second decisions must sometimes be made, and I don't suppose that I make the right decision in every case. Now, I'll surreptitiously photograph people who appear to not be disadvantaged, from time to time. I don't know why I'm comfortable doing that. Maybe it's because I figure that the homeless have been exploited enough, and should be shown "extra dignity" due to their situation. I know that doesn't make sense, but at this point, I can't really articulate it much better than that. I certainly ~don't~ take the position, however, that everytime a so-called street person has his face photographed that it's exploitation. Just that I feel I have to especially careful when photographing them. Hope this clears things up a bit. cheers, frank -- "Sharpness is a bourgeois concept." -Henri Cartier-Bresson
