Photography

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A place to politely discuss the tools, technique and culture of photography.

This is not a good place to simply share cool photos/videos or promote your own work and projects, but rather a place to discuss photography as an art and post things that would be of interest to other photographers.

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Great Photographers that make you uncomfortable (alien.top)

submitted 1 year ago by JupiterJazzX@alien.top to c/photography@viewfinder.pro

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What's a photographer that bothers you? I was introduced to Sally Mann's photography a few years back and have been scared the FBI have been tracking me ever since. Truly morally compromising work to display on the internet.

JFC I haven't been able to look at her work since. Just very uncomfortable weird shit.

Rotting skulls, if I recall. Taking nude pics of her kids and putting it on the internet. Just wtf.

I felt vindicated when I found she was considered controversial when I read an OP-ed in the NYT archives highlighting her controversial work and people asking for full on arrest.

And yet for whatever reason her work still sticks with me and captivates me. There's a good video on YouTube that highlights what makes her so shocking but also what makes her so good. There's an elegance to her work in the midst of the uncomfortable feelings. It's hard to digest.

Here's the video:

https://youtu.be/_vwGlxKkNz8?si=aQ_cwjx31FNOAgID

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[–] Pepito_Pepito@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Bruce Gilden.

Who needs strawman arguments against the morality of street photography when you have Bruce Gilden? He's the personification of the "It's legal therefore fuck you" mentality that assholes use to rationalize their own behavior.

[–] kumbalimba@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Can’t stand him either

[–] notforcommentinohgoo@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

"Evil begins when you begin to treat people as things."

That is Gilden in a nutshell.

[–] Bodhrans-Not-Bombs@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

He's even admitted that photography would probably be better off if people didn't do what he does, lol.

[–] nafregit@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

you say that but his photos are really interesting

[–] GandhiOwnsYou@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Assholes can do interesting things, they're still assholes though. An interesting result doesn't negate or justify being a prick.