Is Sally Mann a pornographer?

[D P O'neil]

I have been challenged, more than once, to check out the work of this photographer, being led to believe that this person was a shining example of photographic excellence. I googled said photographer as I had no knowledge of her work.

Unfortunately what I discovered was not a photographer that I would wish to emulate, but a pornographer, who's sole purpose appears to be taking advantage of , not just children but her own children, photographing them in sexualy explicit poses.

Why this woman has not been imprisoned is beyond belief. Only in America?
--
Kind Regards
Dennis P O'Neil APSNZ
'War does not determine who is right, only who is left'

 

[T3]

No, she is not a pornographer. Some people are just too uptight about any and all forms of nudity. If Michelangelo had sculpted his famous statue of David today, he'd be called a pornographer too! I personally don't see anything "sexually explicit" about Sally Mann's photos, any more than I see anything "sexually explicit" about Michelangelo's David. I just see beautiful, powerful, honest photos when I look at Sally Mann's work, just as I see beautiful, powerful, masterful sculpture when I look at Michelangelo's David. Yes, there is nudity. But nudity does not necessarily mean "sexually explicit". There's no sex going on. The nature of art is to challenge us to look...to see...the world in a different way. Unfortunately, there are some people who "look" at these photos and only "see" sex, just like someone who "looks" at a Picasso painting and only "sees" chaotic, meaningless oils on canvas.

I have been challenged, more than once, to check out the work of this
photographer, being led to believe that this person was a shining
example of photographic excellence. I googled said photographer as I
had no knowledge of her work.

Unfortunately what I discovered was not a photographer that I would
wish to emulate, but a pornographer, who's sole purpose appears to be
taking advantage of , not just children but her own children,
photographing them in sexualy explicit poses.

Why this woman has not been imprisoned is beyond belief. Only in
America?
--
Kind Regards
Dennis P O'Neil APSNZ
'War does not determine who is right, only who is left'

 

[shay guevara]

150 posts coming for sure and a couple of bans, unless it gets pulled.

Also, how dare she use a 10 x 8 LF camera and film for her pics, this is a digital forum. Shocking.
--
Shay son of Che

 

[TuckerUK]

If looking at Sally Mann photographs of children strikes you in anyway as sexual, I'd suggest perhaps it's you that needs locking up, not Sally.

I have a dream to create a female version of the famous Manneken Pis (peeing boy) statue and have one in every front garden. Would be fun to fight all the resulting legal battles no?

--
Geoff

The oft repeated banal question of whether the glass is half full or half empty simply and obviously depends on whether one is filling or emptying it.

http://www.pbase.com/tuckeruk
WSSA member#68

 

[shay guevara]

150 posts coming for sure and a couple of bans, unless it gets pulled.

Also, how dare she use a 10 x 8 LF camera and film for her pics, this
is a digital forum. Shocking.
--
Shay son of Che

Correction, seems like these days she's been using glass plates and the wet collodion process. Now there's degeneracy for you. Someone mail this woman a D40 or something quick.
--
Shay son of Che

 

[AgentWD40]

If looking at Sally Mann photographs of children strikes you in
anyway as sexual, I'd suggest perhaps it's you that needs locking up,
not Sally.

Absolutely.

 

[Glen Barrington]

I'm not sure she really reveals anything about the children other than their undeveloped 'naughty bits', while they often try to stand and pose like adults. It does tell us quite a bit about ourselves, however.

Like what passes for a lot of art commentary these days (and maybe forever), there is an enormous amount of BS involved. She doesn't 'capture the true essence of childhood', like one web site gushed. Simply put, children in Western countries simply don't behave that way under normal circumsances.

Good technique does not automatically make good photographs. I'm not sure how I feel about her work. It ain't pornography, but I'm not sure it deserves a bunch of accolades OR the inevitable 150 post thread!
--
STOP Global Stasis! Change is good!

Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos. . .
http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington

And my non Photo blog:
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Qe0Iq3g2d6ML3IynXl.Q2i5CPe6UaA--?cq=1

 

[Patrick T. Kelly]

For me, nudity and sexual are not synonymous. A few months ago I saw an exhibit of photographs of 14-15 year-old girls dressed as seductive adults. I found that more disturbing than the pictures I saw this morning by Ms. Mann.
--
Patrick T. Kelly
Oaxaca, Mexico

 

[LLS1]

Glen Barrington wrote:
It ain't pornography, but I'm not

sure it deserves a bunch of accolades OR the inevitable 150 post
thread!

Everyone deserves their 150 post thread. I think Warhol said that.

 

[Mike_PEAT]

I have a dream to create a female version of the famous Manneken Pis
(peeing boy) statue and have one in every front garden. Would be fun
to fight all the resulting legal battles no?

Here's the chance for your dream to become reality, do a search for Jeanneke-Pis, the female version of Manneken. This is as legitimate art as Manneken is.

Then there's the fountain of the lactating ladies.

Too much for DPR? I'll let you search for these sites rather than posting the images here. And don't bother complaining, these are legitimate art pieces out on public display, just like Michaelangelo's David is.

 

[aruzinsky]

I never heard of Sally Mann either. I see no Sally Mann images on Google with sexually explicit poses. I defy you to find one sexually explicit pose in her Google images.
--
(Author of SAR Image Processor and anomic sociopath)
Tell me your thoughts on Plato's allegory of the cave.

 

[thebard37]

. . .sexually explicit or even worse - pornographic - you have serious, serious issues.
--
--
Comments are always welcome.

Zach Bellino

'Nothing, like something, happens anywhere.”
-- from 'I Remember, I Remember'
Philip Larkin (1922-1985)

 

[Chato]

150 posts coming for sure and a couple of bans, unless it gets pulled.

Also, how dare she use a 10 x 8 LF camera and film for her pics, this
is a digital forum. Shocking.
--
Shay son of Che

Correction, seems like these days she's been using glass plates and
the wet collodion process. Now there's degeneracy for you. Someone
mail this woman a D40 or something quick.
--
Shay son of Che

One look at her pictures, and I raped the dog. - Well, I tried to **** the dog, but he's as big as me.

Don't you people know that the naked human body is ALWAYS sexually explicit? Something well known in Saudi Arabia.

Burkahs should be mandatory by law, and young children should be kept locked up until they finish college, or die of old age, whichever comes last.

Dave

 

[Chato]

And it's right out in PUBLIC, where impressionable Pigions can see it!

Dave

I have a dream to create a female version of the famous Manneken Pis
(peeing boy) statue and have one in every front garden. Would be fun
to fight all the resulting legal battles no?

Here's the chance for your dream to become reality, do a search for
Jeanneke-Pis, the female version of Manneken. This is as legitimate
art as Manneken is.

Then there's the fountain of the lactating ladies.

Too much for DPR? I'll let you search for these sites rather than
posting the images here. And don't bother complaining, these are
legitimate art pieces out on public display, just like
Michaelangelo's David is.

 

[Jeppe76]

Sally Mann's photograpy is not even close to turning me on, nor do I consider the poses sexually expliciit.

 

[poliscijustin]

That's kind of my thought on the matter. There is a big difference between naked and porn. I'm not entirely sure about the ethics of nude kid pics except for baby's first bath, and that pic of my bare butt on the rug 30 years back, but I think if just the premise of nude pics makes it sexually suggestive, the problem probably lies with the viewer.

 

[Kokopelli_Rocks]

I have seen some of Sally Mann's work, not a lot but I must say I have never seen any picture that I would label erotic or even pornographic. I find most of her pictures just ok. They don't don anything for me, but who cares - like other threads here - some don't like Ansel Adams and I like quite a bit of his work.

The one plus side I see to her work compared to some of 3 or 4 photographers who seem to rest much of their notice on taking pictures of nude children she also takes other types of photos. I saw a copy of her book what remains and the photos were interesting. I really did not care much for them, but at least it was not more nude pictures of her children.

I am not saying her pictures are in any way pornographic, I just don't care for photographers who seem to make their fame by taking nude pictures of kids. This is my own personal opinion, I am not pushing for book burning or other such measures - I just personally don't care for their work.

 

[Leo100]

Never heard of her so this thread has helped broaden her audience by one at least.

Lets all grow up, a beautiful photograph is just that.

I don't agree with the author of this thread but it's non the less an opinion.

Although this subject matter has no interest for me as a photographer I am always concerned by any censorship based on an opinion.

 

[Joseph S Wisniewski]

That's kind of my thought on the matter. There is a big difference
between naked and porn. I'm not entirely sure about the ethics of
nude kid pics except for baby's first bath, and that pic of my bare
butt on the rug 30 years back, but I think if just the premise of
nude pics makes it sexually suggestive, the problem probably lies
with the viewer.

Would you believe that there have been many instances of people turned in to the police by over-zealous photo clerks when they bring in those baby's first bath, bare but, or the traditional ribbon on but under Christmas tree.

--
Rahon Klavanian 1912-2008.

Armenian genocide survivor, amazing cook, scrabble master, and loving grandmother. You will be missed.

Ciao! Joseph

http://www.swissarmyfork.com

 

[Joseph S Wisniewski]

And it's right out in PUBLIC, where impressionable Pigions can see it!

That's the second time I've read one of your posts, cracked up, and coughed up tea all over the keyboard.

You sir, are a menace to society!

Keep up the good work, society needs all the menaces it can get.

--
Rahon Klavanian 1912-2008.

Armenian genocide survivor, amazing cook, scrabble master, and loving grandmother. You will be missed.

Ciao! Joseph

http://www.swissarmyfork.com