Shutterbabe response.

I thought this reading was really good, once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. The part about the orphanage was really shocking and graphic and I don't think I would have had the stomach to be able to stand there and shoot pictures. Just looking at those kids in person would have been hard to deal with, and then seeing their horrible living conditions would have been too much for me. I have a lot of respect for her going to Jim and telling him about the orphanage, because she knows he can get the pictures published and out there more then she ever could. It wasn't about who got their pictures published or money, it was about getting these horrible images out there for people to see, so maybe something would change.

Shutterbabe Response

I really liked this reading, but I haven't really been sure how to go about responding to it. When I looked up Deborah Kogan, I was surprised to see she mostly writes and shoots authors now. It seemed a little lackluster compared to the trips she described in the reading. I do see how someone could burn out on photojournalism and want to do something else though. I definitely have respect for the photojournalists who go out and shoot things like the orphanage they were shooting to get publicity and aid for them (though I have a feeling that a lot of shoots like that never get published in well read publications).

Shutterbabe Response

Hannah Johnson

I really enjoyed this reading, although it was long. It held my interest much more than the other readings, especially the longer ones, because of its story-telling style. It is a completely enjoyable piece of literature, well written, and full of really interesting information. The story she tells about the orphanage in Romania was brutal. The graphic descriptions of the way these children were mistreated and their living situations were very unsettling. You didn't want to believe that a place like that actually exists. However at the same time, I felt myself being extremely curious as to what her photos were. I wanted to see some examples of the environment, of the children. I think it's sobering to hear what other countries are like, and how utterly different America is from them. Photojournalists are important to this enlightenment and I was glad to hear that the little orphanage got some press. All in all, I did enjoy this part of the book and it intrigues me to see what else the rest of the book might be like.

Shutterbabe Response

This article was interesting to me because it was more of a story-based reading. I liked that it gave a lot of insight to what the life of a photojournalist covering a story is. The story of the “unrecoverables” made me feel sick to my stomach. As Americans we often forget that other countries do not have the same healthcare standards as our country. Deborah’s decision to hand her story over to her friend Jim is a decision I would have a hard time making as a professional photographer. She had to decide between money or morality, and possibly changing the lives of these orphans. I think that would be a hard call to make, especially when photography is your career, or more importantly, your way of making money. I liked when the author wrote her thought processes out in the reading, when it seemed to be just a free flow of her thoughts towards Doru. I think in this case, Deborah made the right choice in giving up her story. The karma repayment she received after only confirms her decision. I don’t think I could be a photojournalist, because covering a story as intense as the “unrecoverables” would be a truly complex job, however it would be extremely rewarding if the work generated a newfound understanding or urgency to fix the situation of these orphans.

go to this tomorrow!

No Man's Land

Bonnell Robinson
Photographs along the Western and Italian Fronts of the Great War (1914-1918)

Dana Mueller
Photographs of former German prisoner-of-war camps in the US (1942-1945)

November 5 - December 5, 2009

Reception: November 5, 6-8pm

The Art Institute of Boston Gallery at University Hall
1815 Massachusetts Avenue (Porter Square)
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-585-6656

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 12-5pm
Thursday: 3-8pm

the images are completely beautiful. go support your AIB community!

Shooting the Single Picture

I thought this reading was really interesting. It was set up like an interview but when reading it, the two people, Billy Jay and David Hurn, conversed more like it was a conversation. I felt like I was a part of the conversation and it made it a lot easier to read. When David Hurn said, “I do believe that very often the difference between an average photographer and a really fine photographer is this willingness to admit doubt, that he/she is not at all certain that he/she has 'got it'” I really connected with this statement because I'm a firm believer in non-perfection, and in growth. In being able to recognize the faults and the imperfections in your work and want to improve.
I also really liked how the discussed the process of actually photographing, of noticing the small details and paying attention to those things and knowing when to photograph and to photograph the same subject multiple times.
I also really liked that they kept referencing other photographers and photographs, I looked up most of the references to see what they were talking about.

kendall: response to the single picture

I enjoyed this weeks reading. I liked the fact that it was set up in "interview form." This really held my attention more so than reading long bulky paragraphs. I thought they gave out really good points! it was helpful more than instructional. When i first started reading, it made more sense to me that one really needs to shoot more than one or two rolls of film. Even though we live in a digital world, and you can just take pictures of anything you'd like, view them, and delete what you're not satisfied with; you can't do this in film. There are really only a select few pictures that are going to turn out well. This is why they guide you into shooting different angels and positions, trying new things because you never know what you're going to get. 

Juliet Bull: Shooting the Single Picture

I really enjoyed the reading this week. The article kept my attention because of the way it was set up in conversation. I also thought the reading had a lot of meaningful insights to talk about, and explain. They talked about how there is really only two important aspects in taking pictures, "where to stand and when to release the shutter." They then explained and broke down exactly what they meant and explained how important it is to be in the right place at the right time to get a great photograph. This article was interesting because it was relatable. A lot of examples they gave throughout the reading were relatable in my own experiences with taking pictures. I think that a lot of people can relate to "luck" when taking pictures and being in the right place at the right time and having everything work out, not because you are an incredible photographer but because you clicked the shutter at exactly the right time. I also related to when they talked about contact sheets, and that on a contact sheet there is usually only a few photo worth printing and the rest are not that great. There are only a few good pictures on an entire roll of film. Overall, I really liked this reading and I got a lot out of what they had to say.

Response to "Shooting the Single Picture"

I really liked this reading. I think the conversation format read a little weird, but I don't think it would have had the same effect if it didn't have that. Both authors have interesting points of view, and I liked that they also brought in other peoples experiences and methods instead of only their own. It got really rushed at the end though, which made me feel like what they were throwing out there in concept at the end was less important when I reread it to find good points even though what I was looking for was actually in one of the last few paragraphs. The idea of taking a work print and cutting it up and reassembling it into the intended composition seems like a really good idea to me, since if there's anything off in it you can correct that and see if it would work the way you originally intended it to or in some other way. It also would allow you to come up with ideas if you were going to reshoot a subject so you can plan ahead. I also liked the emphasis on shooting a lot of images, especially with the walkthrough of a few of the authors photographs.

"Shooting the Single Picture"

I loved the way this reading was set up. I could picture two guys just having a conversation and you got to listen. Very interesting. They touch on so many things and it all was very helpful. I like how when they speak, they are not giving us instructions on what to do, simply pointers. It's like a guide of what photographers of note actually do. I liked near the end where they were saying that there are some situations where it is more difficult to photograph interesting photographs than in other times. But it can be done, with effort, and that's what we should strive for, not makiing excuses for failures

shooting the single picture response.

I thought this reading was actually pretty interesting. I liked the set up of it too, like it wasn't straight long paragraphs. I agree with the beginning part when they were talking about how it's important to shoot from different angles and positions. Especially I think when you're shooting with film, you can't just look down at the screen on your camera and see how your picture turned out. So it's good to take a bunch of shots, that way you're bound to have one you like. A quote I really liked from that was, "I do believe that very often the difference between an average photographer and a really fine photographer is this willingness to admit doubt, that he/she is not at all certain the he/she has "got it." I think it's always good to second guess yourself, it's how you learn and grow as a photographer. Another quote I like was, "Nothing kills an otherwise interesting shot more quickly than a messy background which clashes with or confuses the profile." Some of the best shots I have taken really don't have a whole lot going on in the background, so it's easy to focus in on my subject. Sometimes its good to have some background to show where you are, or help determine the mood or setting, but too much creates clutter and I think makes the photograph harder to read.