Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Sat, 24 Jul 1999 15:59:57 -0400 (EDT)
On Sat, 24 Jul 1999, Carl Weese wrote:
> Ed,
>
> It's always wise to get a release if you can. If one's approach to
> "street shooting" is thoughtful and respectful it's often quite easy. If
> photography is done so it resembles a drive-by shooting, releases aren't
> going to happen.
You can call me all the names you like, my "street shooting" is typically
5-6 rolls a day (and NOT posed). Folks who shoot *fast*, however, do 20 or
more. This is not model release territory -- mentally or physically. Try
now if you please to consider.... Garry Winogrand, Arthur Fellig, Louis
Faurer, Lou Stoumen, Robert Frank, Helen Levitt, Sebastian Salgado, Henri
Cartier-Bresson, being the first ones come to mind, though I'd hazard that
the ranks include most exciting 20th century photography (from Erich
Salomon on), getting "model releases." And who did the subway hidden
camera series -- Walker Evans?
Some entire bodies of work would not exist, tho no problem with the Fellig
corpses, I suppose, or maybe next of kin could make a fuss. In other
words, this notion strikes me as ..... the politest thing I can think to
say is counterproductive.
By making "model release" the norm, you box photography in even more. For
instance in malpractice medical suits, one consideration is *customary
practice.* If by this kind of attitude you make model releases *the norm*,
any photography without a model release is even more at risk.
Now I suppose someone will say, but these are different times. Yeah, sure,
but we also have better cameras.
> But this is getting pretty un-alt. I always print this sort of work
> silver-gelatin.
Is that another rule? I print my street & subway shots "alt." In fact
what strikes me about much "alt" work is how static it seems. Some work is
fine, even *best* when static (say Eugene Smith), but ... it can be, is...
limiting.
Judy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Judy Seigel, Editor >
| World Journal of Post-Factory Photography > "HOW-TO and WHY"
| info@post-factory.org >
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