World Press Photo rant

For quite some years in a row, I shrug my shoulders in disbelief as I go through the press photography contest winners. See for yourself - here is the "Daily Life: 1st prize singles":

http://www.worldpressphoto.org/index.php?option=com_photogallery&task=view&id=1453&Itemid=223

Is this what we want our daily life to be? If not, why do these repeatedly get first prizes? Or is it the only thing that does at least any shake to us all? Check out the spot news, general news etc in that place - 90% of winners are about the worst feelings the human race could ever encounter. They are about despair, war murder, war, homicide, war, and then war again - things that are not supposed to be shared in the first place!

May I ask where did all the smiling kid faces go? Or isn't that touching us anymore? Did CNN do something to us by airing live Iraq battlefields 24/7, turning worldwide manslaughter into a popcorn reality show?

Get a grip, people. War is not about awing and gasping around your TVs. My country lost over 20 million people in The War, both of my grandfathers were injured in that war, millions of men and women were killed, and wounds of those who survived that hell didn't heal until they passed away. With their memories alive in my heart, I will be among the last to forget what the war is. But showing it this way is just turning the mankind's worst nightmares into a saturday night show - and that is nothing but treason towards our fathers and grandfathers. They did not want this to be shown, they just wanted it to be remembered, for it to never happen again. And to truly remember something one wouldn't need to be reminded of that every day.

I call to you all, fellow shooters. Quit photographing grief and despair, we see enough of that in real life. Let's get more smiling kids, dogs, cats and whatever else, and let's respect our heros in our hearts, without having to splash the violence around.

P.S. In loving memory of my grandfathers. There is no humanly possible "thank you" for what you did.

--

LB

'It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.'

light_bouncer said:

For quite some years in a row, I shrug my shoulders in disbelief as I
go through the press photography contest winners. See for yourself -
here is the "Daily Life: 1st prize singles":

http://www.worldpressphoto.org/index.php?option=com_photogallery&task=view&id=1453&Itemid=223

Is this what we want our daily life to be? If not, why do these
repeatedly get first prizes?

Click to expand...

I think you, and unfortunately many of newspaper editors, dont understand that "news" is about reporting the things that happened, there should be no desire to manipulate the effect of what happened, for better or for worse.

Attitude, such as yours is greatly prevalent in our country (US) right now, causing misreporting, under-reporting, and glamorizing the gory happenings, and increase the violence since it is not presented as is. Hats off to courageous editors who dare to present unsanitized "news" as they should and not indulge in "casting an image" and leave that to intelligence of the readers.

N

Depends on the perspective. For some people war, dispair, death is part of everyday life - unfortunately. If you don't want to see these pictures of reality change the channel.

The job of photojournalists is to report reality and remind people that there are places in this world that are not as cozy as yours (I'm not sure if cozy is the right term for a country with so much guns arouns as the US).

I lost my grandfather in WW2 and listened to cruel stories of WW2 survivors, that told how horrible war and real violence is. But there a people out there that don't have that history or input. To remind and teach those who do not know I think the World Press Photo Awards and the great photojournalistic work it presents is a good thing.

HM

It is a sign of the times. Superstars as leaders who promise change and give us the same old cr@p. The faces have changed and that's all. Otherwise, stunning photo's.

--
(i)lmtfa added to amino acid for molecular biological studies

As every year I visit the collection in The Netherlands, i'm a supporter of the organization and a collector of it's books for many years.

You are absolutely right, this is not what we want, that is why these images are in the news (of the free countries) and that is why it should be in the news, because this is not what we want. These are the things in the press, from Fox news to that of the Volkskrant.

light_bouncer said:

Is this what we want our daily life to be? If not, why do these
repeatedly get first prizes? Or is it the only thing that does at
least any shake to us all? Check out the spot news, general news etc
in that place - 90% of winners are about the worst feelings the human
race could ever encounter. They are about despair, war murder, war,
homicide, war, and then war again - things that are not supposed to
be shared in the first place!

Click to expand...

Probable you have never seen the collection or a WP book. There is more in the collection and in the book than what only reaches or what reached the front pages.

light_bouncer said:

I call to you all, fellow shooters. Quit photographing grief and
despair, we see enough of that in real life. Let's get more smiling
kids, dogs, cats and whatever else, and let's respect our heros in
our hearts, without having to splash the violence around.

P.S. In loving memory of my grandfathers. There is no humanly
possible "thank you" for what you did.

Click to expand...

Without seeing the grim reality of everyday, there would nothing be done against it. There would be changed even lesser. The start of the exhibition is the best place it can be as a signal. that is what photo journalism is all about and again the winner of this year is also an excellent example of that.

Michel

~ Disclaimer: Posts written by me are my views, ideas and opinions only, and should not be taken as facts, unless stated otherwise. ~
~ Light is eveything ~

http://www.fotopropaganda.com
http://www.pbase.com/photopropaganda

"They are about despair, war murder, war, homicide, war, and then war again - things that are not supposed to be shared in the first place!"

All Wars and atrocities committed have to be covered by journalists. Otherwise who will keep these Governments in check? You can't hide your head in the sand and wish otherwise.
Boris

--

http://public.fotki.com/borysd/

It's not about promoting the worst feelings mankind encounters.

It's about showing us the real world, and give us reasons to fight for a world of "smiling faces".

M Lammerse said:

Without seeing the grim reality of everyday, there would nothing be
done against it. There would be changed even lesser. The start of the
exhibition is the best place it can be as a signal. that is what
photo journalism is all about and again the winner of this year is
also an excellent example of that.

Click to expand...

I second that !

"My country lost over 20 million people in The War"

Are you referring to the U.S.S.R ?

Your profile says you are from the U.S.

light_bouncer said:

For quite some years in a row, I shrug my shoulders in disbelief as I
go through the press photography contest winners. See for yourself -
here is the "Daily Life: 1st prize singles":

http://www.worldpressphoto.org/index.php?option=com_photogallery&task=view&id=1453&Itemid=223

Is this what we want our daily life to be? If not, why do these
repeatedly get first prizes? Or is it the only thing that does at
least any shake to us all? Check out the spot news, general news etc
in that place - 90% of winners are about the worst feelings the human
race could ever encounter. They are about despair, war murder, war,
homicide, war, and then war again - things that are not supposed to
be shared in the first place!

May I ask where did all the smiling kid faces go? Or isn't that
touching us anymore? Did CNN do something to us by airing live Iraq
battlefields 24/7, turning worldwide manslaughter into a popcorn
reality show?

Get a grip, people. War is not about awing and gasping around your
TVs. My country lost over 20 million people in The War, both of my
grandfathers were injured in that war, millions of men and women were
killed, and wounds of those who survived that hell didn't heal until
they passed away. With their memories alive in my heart, I will be
among the last to forget what the war is. But showing it this way
is just turning the mankind's worst nightmares into a saturday night
show - and that is nothing but treason towards our fathers and
grandfathers. They did not want this to be shown, they just wanted it
to be remembered, for it to never happen again. And to truly remember
something one wouldn't need to be reminded of that every day.

I call to you all, fellow shooters. Quit photographing grief and
despair, we see enough of that in real life. Let's get more smiling
kids, dogs, cats and whatever else, and let's respect our heros in
our hearts, without having to splash the violence around.

P.S. In loving memory of my grandfathers. There is no humanly
possible "thank you" for what you did.

--

LB

'It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit
it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.'

Click to expand...

light_bouncer said:

For quite some years in a row, I shrug my shoulders in disbelief as I
go through the press photography contest winners. See for yourself -
here is the "Daily Life: 1st prize singles":

http://www.worldpressphoto.org/index.php?option=com_photogallery&task=view&id=1453&Itemid=223

Is this what we want our daily life to be?

Click to expand...

No, and that is exactely why it need to be shown so we are reminded how much there is to fix and mend in the world.

Are you aware of the fact that the world, in spite of the overall image that is given in media, is actually more peaceful now than it used to be (in the 70's or in the 80's). There are fewer wars and full scale conflicts going on now then it was twenty yers ago. Maybe, just maybe, that is actually because more people are aware of just how cruel and horrible war actually is? Maybe, just maybe that is because when all the pain and suffering of wars is displayed to everybody wars as a political method quickly loose popular support?

light_bouncer said:

If not, why do these
repeatedly get first prizes? Or is it the only thing that does at
least any shake to us all? Check out the spot news, general news etc
in that place - 90% of winners are about the worst feelings the human
race could ever encounter. They are about despair, war murder, war,
homicide, war, and then war again - things that are not supposed to
be shared in the first place!

May I ask where did all the smiling kid faces go? Or isn't that
touching us anymore? Did CNN do something to us by airing live Iraq
battlefields 24/7, turning worldwide manslaughter into a popcorn
reality show?

Get a grip, people. War is not about awing and gasping around your
TVs. My country lost over 20 million people in The War, both of my
grandfathers were injured in that war, millions of men and women were
killed, and wounds of those who survived that hell didn't heal until
they passed away. With their memories alive in my heart, I will be
among the last to forget what the war is. But showing it this way
is just turning the mankind's worst nightmares into a saturday night
show - and that is nothing but treason towards our fathers and
grandfathers. They did not want this to be shown, they just wanted it
to be remembered, for it to never happen again. And to truly remember
something one wouldn't need to be reminded of that every day.

I call to you all, fellow shooters. Quit photographing grief and
despair, we see enough of that in real life. Let's get more smiling
kids, dogs, cats and whatever else, and let's respect our heros in
our hearts, without having to splash the violence around.

Click to expand...

So we should all keep quiet and not mention or take photos of the wars actually going on? All the warmongers and fanatics out there would love that. Then they get to decide what is conveyed about conflicts. Then they can shape whatever propagande they want with no interference from pestering photographers showing the real and very disturbing face of war ...

Not a great idea.

light_bouncer said:

P.S. In loving memory of my grandfathers. There is no humanly
possible "thank you" for what you did.

Click to expand...

We should all pay respect of the sacrifies made by previous generations, but attemting self-censorship would in my book be among the least respectful things we could do. That is just an attempt to diminish and hide away what they went through for our sake.

--
-----------------------------------------------------------
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every moment of it!

By the way, film is not dead.
It just smell funny

light_bouncer said:

Is this what we want our daily life to be?

Click to expand...

Are you suggesting that all photography should be done at Disneyland in future?
--
Brian
Fine Art Print sales of the Isle of Skye at:
http://www.eyeofskye.co.uk/

heavymeister said:

The job of photojournalists is to report reality and remind people
that there are places in this world that are not as cozy as yours
(I'm not sure if cozy is the right term for a country with so much
guns arouns as the US).

HM

Click to expand...

------

Nonsense! The job of photojournalists may be to report news with their photographs, but there is both negative AND positive news. People need to be reminded of the positive as much as the negative. World Press is a contest of mostly negative images of humanity largely at it's worst.

When photojournalists only portray the negative in the World with their pictures, they are guilty of creating propaganda. Nothing more, and nothing less. In reporting with photography, there is responsibility to tell the complete truth, and this demands showing both the good and the bad in the World. It is the old two sides to every story axiom. How many of the photos of sad situations from this years contest are the result of the image subjects own lack of responsibility in their life?

We live on a planet of people that have never had so much on average, and to see the World Press results (as well as many other photojournalism contests), one would think we live on a world of only the poor and mistreated. This is a fiction perpetrated by jornalists and the Press largely to promote personal agendas that fit their own narrow personal and mainly political beliefs. My guess is the contest next year will be filled with images of our new messiah here in the US, because the Press loves him so. It is a shame they traded journalistic principal to promote and insure his election with far from balanced reportage during the primary and general campaigns. (You might note that one picture story on this particular subject already won a 1st place in the "People in the News" category. To be sure, the photos are excellent, but nevertheless, if the subject had been another candidate, I have my doubts they would have made the cut. I have participated in judging national contests, and have seen my peers at the time in action.)

The key is balance. There is damn little balance in Journalism, and it probably rarely exists anywhere except in rare circumstances in small markets. How sad it is to see so many narrow-minded responses to the OP's insightful lament.

--

Norm

P.S. In my former study and profession as a photojournalist, I worked on staffs with two World Press Photo winners. One was a Nikon World Understanding Award winner, and he was largely a narcisistic liar and cheat in his personal and professional life. He thought nothing of altering circumstances at a situation for the sake of composition to force his beliefs on others, and even borrowed the work of another photographer one time, and represented it as his while competing for a job. Fortunately he was caught at the time, and failed to get the job. I got out of the business because there were far to many like him (including editors) with little integrity that have largely destroyed the profession, and turned it into a propaganda machine for political causes.

The other winner is a fine person I knew while on a student publication staff in college, and he won a Photo of the Year with an image that could have resulted in great personal risk to himself. That image is now considered historic, and he deserved the award.

Yes, I refer to the USSR. I live and work in the US at this time.

LB

--

'It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.'

So you took a pretty long post and reduced it to photographing in Disneyland? Kudos :-/

That's not what I meant people. I received exactly the same responses I was reluctantly expecting, albeit hoping for something else. Here are a few key points - if those don't make it, I'm done talkin.

1. I'm not saying we are to bury our heads in the sand. Unawareness obviously gets one caught off guard.

2. We, photographers, are responsible for what gets pictured on our cameras, and who sees that.

3. The mass, the crowd, does NOT get aware of the war is, and does not stop the war just because of this pictures! This is the critical point here.

4. Who should be shown this pictures are only politicians - the people with triggers. Only when THEY become sick of watching dying kids, this hell will be stopped.

Someone I know said a pretty interesting but hardly enforceable something. "If a country wants to start a war, their president has the right to do so, but he/she has to commit suicide beforehand." You want to shed some blood? Be the example of it. But face it - it's not us night TV watchers who pulls the troops out of Iraq... or pushes them in. But we get a questionable honor of enjoying the aftermath.

One last thing. You may know that the WWII PJ commentaries had much less of what I'm talking about... and the war was by no means less raging than any war these days. My thought is that people were more aware back then, with no need to constantly remind stick dead bodies in their faces. What I don't like is that people these days seem to get used to the war... and inevitably become somewhat immune to the aftermath. I'm afraid people stop seeing war as a problem because it's a daily occurence - and that is totally different from what you all seem to think all these photographs do to the crowds.

I said all I had to say about it. If the above doesn't carry the message, by all means I'm sorry for stirring up your day.

LB

--

'It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.'

--

While I have no doubt many photo-journalists are looking for an image that will capture people's attention and certainly shock and awe is an easy way to do that. However, I appluad the other works that were in the various categories as examples of beauty in the mundane to extraordinary in the main.

That volcano shot is certainly full of win.

Saffron_Blaze said:

That volcano shot is certainly full of win.

Click to expand...

No question, thumbs up to the shooter who dragged him/herself into that place, and a well deserved prize.

LB

--

'It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.'

I agree with much of this. Life has both good and bad and it would be gratifying to see a more balanced representation.

But let me ask those of you who say we need to be reminded of world misery at every turn... Other than look at some photos what exactly have YOU DONE to relieve the suffering you have witnessed? Did you put a yellow "support the troops" sticker on your car? Did you stand on a street corner with a cardboard sign "protesting the war" while sipping a cappuccino? How many times have you been moved by photos to log off your computer and volunteer at a homeless shelter, or act as a mentor to parentless child?

How are you different than those who did not see the disturbing war images? Nothing was done by either group.

Do not speak of needing to be aware of misery when you choose inaction. It reeks of hypocrisy and seems you are merely defending your prurient voyeurism.

BackToSlr said:

light_bouncer said:

For quite some years in a row, I shrug my shoulders in disbelief as I
go through the press photography contest winners. See for yourself -
here is the "Daily Life: 1st prize singles":

http://www.worldpressphoto.org/index.php?option=com_photogallery&task=view&id=1453&Itemid=223

Is this what we want our daily life to be? If not, why do these
repeatedly get first prizes?

Click to expand...

I think you, and unfortunately many of newspaper editors, dont
understand that "news" is about reporting the things that happened,
there should be no desire to manipulate the effect of what happened,
for better or for worse.

Attitude, such as yours is greatly prevalent in our country (US)
right now, causing misreporting, under-reporting, and glamorizing the
gory happenings, and increase the violence since it is not presented
as is. Hats off to courageous editors who dare to present unsanitized
"news" as they should and not indulge in "casting an image" and leave
that to intelligence of the readers.

N

Click to expand...

--

I've read your reply several times and could be persuaded some things I infer from your contribution are not as dark as I imagine.... so I'll try to NOT address it specifically but rather suggest the following:

When presenting pictures of reality, perhaps it would be better to present BOTH sides and not dwell on either extreme to the exclusion of the other.

To present the bad with the good will give appreciation for that which truly is good while also emphasizing just how dark the bad is. To present only the dark side is to obfuscate that which we might strive for...

Ric

I think it is important to not hide the atrocities of war, but I have to say that I agree that the fact that the top honors have gone to the negative take on things for quite some time, well, it is not always good in my opinion.

Join the Kodachrome Project. We are striving to be good journalists but not always succumb to the "If it bleeds, it leads" way of thinking in terms of viewer impact.

The end result should be an even balanced take on the world for the next few years..
--

'Digital is like shaved legs on a man - very smooth and clean but there is something
acutely disconcerting about it.'

light_bouncer said:

That's not what I meant people. I received exactly the same responses
I was reluctantly expecting, albeit hoping for something else. Here
are a few key points - if those don't make it, I'm done talkin.

1. I'm not saying we are to bury our heads in the sand. Unawareness
obviously gets one caught off guard.

Click to expand...

Exactely. Our awareness, and the general publics.

light_bouncer said:

2. We, photographers, are responsible for what gets pictured on our
cameras, and who sees that.

Click to expand...

Yes, of course.

light_bouncer said:

3. The mass, the crowd, does NOT get aware of the war is, and does
not stop the war just because of this pictures! This is the critical
point here.

Click to expand...

This is where I just do not get your point of view. I guess you think the general public need not to be aware of the atrocities, the cruelty, the blood and gore of war?

light_bouncer said:

4. Who should be shown this pictures are only politicians - the
people with triggers. Only when THEY become sick of watching dying
kids, this hell will be stopped.

Click to expand...

Now you just went from strange reasoning to outright bizarre ...

Who do you think elect politicians? Other politicians? The only sure way to affect the mind of a politician is to affect the opinion of the politicians consitituency. That is, the general public.

Your reasoning, however well intended, would be a blessing for any politicians with dictatorship ambitions ... The only way to keep politicians straight (or at least close enough) is by having the electorate being fully aware of the consequences of the policies being made (for example war).

light_bouncer said:

Someone I know said a pretty interesting but hardly enforceable
something. "If a country wants to start a war, their president has
the right to do so, but he/she has to commit suicide beforehand." You
want to shed some blood? Be the example of it. But face it - it's not
us night TV watchers who pulls the troops out of Iraq... or pushes
them in. But we get a questionable honor of enjoying the aftermath.

Click to expand...

Your reasomning defeats any logic I am aware of.

light_bouncer said:

One last thing. You may know that the WWII PJ commentaries had much
less of what I'm talking about...

Click to expand...

Not everywhere.

light_bouncer said:

and the war was by no means less
raging than any war these days. My thought is that people were more
aware back then, with no need to constantly remind stick dead bodies
in their faces. What I don't like is that people these days seem to
get used to the war... and inevitably become somewhat immune to the
aftermath. I'm afraid people stop seeing war as a problem because
it's a daily occurence - and that is totally different from what you
all seem to think all these photographs do to the crowds.

Click to expand...

The problem is much more to much self censorship, to much stepping around the gruesome facts. If anything, there is to little actual and cruel imagary from wars, and to much glossy press conferences with military talking heads droning on the abstract sides of war.

light_bouncer said:

I said all I had to say about it. If the above doesn't carry the
message, by all means I'm sorry for stirring up your day.

Click to expand...

You are of course perfectly entitled to your opinion, but in my point of view you are wrong and wore, following your train of thought (as I interpret it) would be downraight dangerous for democracy. The concept of only showing distrubring images to the politicians ... That is a horreible, horrible idea.

--
-----------------------------------------------------------
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every moment of it!

By the way, film is not dead.
It just smell funny