From: Thom Mitchell (tjmitch@ix.netcom.com)
Date: 09/24/02-04:38:34 PM Z
There is also another book called "And their children after them, The legacy
of 'Let us Now Praise Famous Men': James Agee, Walker Evans and the Rise and
Fall of Cotton in the South" by writer Dale Maharidge and Photographer
Michael Williamson. (easily the longest title I've seen). It has a few then
and now images but mainly focuses on how the economic shift from cotton has
affected the south. Interesting reading that makes one thankful to have the
luxury
of photographing for pleasure and being able to discuss them on the with
your
computer on the net.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Shannon Stoney" <sstoney@pdq.net>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2002 3:40 PM
Subject: Re: Ethical Issues, Evans and Agee
> Ross wrote:
>
> >I suppose all lurkers eventually find their voice! Mark Nelson's "ethical
> >issues" are, of course, not "boring" although I beg the indulgence of the
> >alt photography list for following up with a non alt query.
> >
> >Mark's note brings to my mind the remarkable collaboration between walker
> >Evans and James Agee, "Let Us Now Praise Famous Men." This book
epitomises
> >integrity to me, albeit via Agee's objectivity (not forgetting the bed
> >bugs!)
>
>
> From what I've read about this book, Evans was not always comfortable
> with what Agee wrote. For example, Agee had a serious crush on one
> of the young women they were living with and photographing, and he
> talked about her in a rather lascivious way in the book. Also, while
> the people were away working, he went through their drawers and
> things. Evans thought this was an invasion of their privacy, and I
> agree.
>
> Also, it seems that the people consented to be photographed because
> they thought the photographs would draw attention to their problems,
> and cause somebody to do something about their poverty. Indirectly
> this did happen, eventually, but they expected more help personally
> than they got.
>
> If you are interested in this issue, you might want to look at a book
> called Dustbowl Descent. I don't know the author right now, but he
> found many of the folks that were in those Farm Security
> Administration pictures and asked them how the pictures had affected
> their lives. He also rephotographed them. It's a wonderful document
> and on the whole a hopeful one, as many of the people who were in bad
> shape in the thirties went on to lead happier, more prosperous lives.
>
> --shannon
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