A look at life through my lens...

Are our police out of control confiscating property from the homeless?

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 17:41:54 GMT

The case of "cart blanche."...

In a city where homicides will likely set record levels this years – especially of children as the victims – and where excessive use of force by police, along with high incidence of police shooting unarmed people of color – I was astonished recently to witness additional police activity that I found not only unnecessary, but unusually cruel, wasteful of their time, and perhaps illegal.

Here is what I saw: On a recent Saturday morning, I was stuck at the extra long traffic light located at Kingshighway and Oakland Avenues. I was waiting in the left turn lane when I saw a police SUV cruiser pull up near the corner on Oakland. One officer got out of the cruiser’s passenger side and then I saw him push a grocery cart (often used by the homeless and indigent to carry their only belongings) across the street toward an alley that parallels Kingshighway. The cruiser then did a U-turn and drove partially into the alley.

Soon thereafter the green left arrow appeared and I made my left turn – but slowly as I wanted to see what they could possibly be up to. What I saw reeked of completely unnecessary policing, cruelty and wasted taxpayer money.

The officers were taking the contents of the grocery cart – what appeared to be blankets, clothing, etc. and tossing them into a dumpster! Keep in mind that for homeless and indigent people, having the few items they can carry with them daily are not only essentials to living, but probably their last thread to existence. Most homeless people have only a few things they seek – meals, warm clothing, hopefully shelter for the night, and that glimmer of hope that they can eventually have a home, a job, a normal existence. These police officers, whether they were acting on their own or from higher command policies, were stripping personal property and hope away from the homeless person or persons who had used this cart.

I’ve often seen a homeless person’s cart along a sidewalk by itself. But if you look around and wait a bit, you will see the homeless person appear. Perhaps they had left it to find a restroom to use, to buy some food from a handout someone had given them, or some other reason.

Having police officers stop and do something like this did not help to protect and serve our homeless population or make ordinary citizens any safer. Meanwhile, carjackings, random shootings, arson fires, and burglaries are on the increase.

What these officers were doing by trashing the only possessions a homeless person has left to my mind was robbery. It is no different than if a police car stopped in front of my home and walked into my living room and picked up my TV and stereo and walked back out the door.

Now, some may say what if a homeless person had been arrested for some reason and the officers were just performing a logical, necessary cleanup? My answer would be to apply that argument to an employed, homed person being arrested. In that case, the subject would be taken in to be booked, but their purse, briefcase, or even contents of their automobile would not be taken to the nearest alley and disposed of in a dumpster. For justice to prevail, it must be administered fairly to all.

We must care for and protect the least among us. It is the moral, ethical, and just thing to do. And, doing any less is setting a lower standard that could be applied to others based on the bias and prejudice of some officers.

One of the City’s excuses for not doing a better job of patrolling neighborhoods and solving crimes is that they are woefully understaffed by as many as 130 officers. We’ve heard this for years. So one would think they would either stop pursuing low-level misdemeanor infractions and concentrate on felony crimes or work harder to hire the additional officers – though on a per capita basis, St. Louis has more officers per capita than most major cities. So having or allowing officers to spend their time harassing and punishing people – no matter what their social status – is counterproductive to “protecting and serving” all citizens of St. Louis.

On my return trip back home, I slowed to look at the alley again, now with the officers long gone. This time there were two empty shopping carts next to the dumpster.

This war on the poor and defenseless must stop. The role of the police is not to attack and harm anyone. We should not criminalize anyone for being poor or disadvantaged. And, it is up to all of us who witness acts like this to speak up in their defense.

Americans are increasingly illiterate.

Sat, 04 May 2019 17:04:26 GMT

In how we write, speak, and to some degree, in how we think.

It’s a fact and something that is becoming more visible and painfully obvious every day.

Ask your average middleclass white American if they are literate and they will usually enthusiastically (with some degree of incredulousness) say “yes.” Even if you have to clarify for them what the word literate means.

Most have completed at least high school, grade 12, and some have gone on to attend college, acquire an undergraduate degree, and some lesser number of these folks have received graduate degrees. Yet, many flounder with grammar, spelling, and punctuation when writing their thoughts and communicating to others.

You can thank social media (SM) for much of this revelation.

I am continually amazed at the gibberish I read online from “educated” people who often write with authority, yet at the same time butcher their sentences — rife with misspellings; grammatical errors; missing or wrongly-used punctuation; missing verbs, pronouns, or nouns in some cases. They leave their reader to interpret correctly or incorrectly what they are saying at best. At worst, they fail to communicate at all. And, this can cause confusion, misunderstandings, or disdain toward them at the least.

What could be considered humorous fallout from their lack of literacy, is that many middleclass Americans consider themselves higher on the social, educational, and financial ladder than they are. Yet, when they write, or even speak in public, they drop this veil of superiority and it falls to the floor to expose a wee bit of ignorance in their fundamental use of the English language. Some will help them out and say it is just laziness on their part, perhaps being in a hurry, or being colloquial. Of course, excusing or overlooking this inadequacy only seems to promote more leeway for poor usage of the language.

Of course, that’s nonsense. It takes no longer to write and speak correctly than it does incorrectly. To be sure, speaking or writing correctly means doing so coherently and being understood. You can quarrel with the merits of communicating “correctly” (as in political correctness, which is also nonsense in my opinion), but when you do a poor job it does two things for sure: It reflects upon you personally, and it makes your effort to share thoughts, facts, and information ineffective and less credible. Example: If you say, “I are an English teacher,” do you really think someone would believe you, or if they did, believe you are a competent, effective teacher? Really?

With the proliferation of social media, a lot of people are posting interesting and questionable perspectives, opinions, news, facts, conspiracy theories, and outright racist rants on Facebook , Instagram , Nextdoor , LinkedIn , Alignable and other SM platforms. It is “literally” amazing the correlation between extreme views and the butchering of the language as folks write some of the most outlandish posts. Now, I’ve made my share of typos when, well, “typing.” That is sometimes understandable. But to completely misspell, misuse, or exclude words can be very telling.

What accounts for this lapse of language arts from high school graduation until adulthood? Could it be as simple as lack of exercise; falling into an adulthood where reading, writing and speaking is no longer important because it is no longer graded? Or, is it a total lack of caring, where “fitting in” with friends, family and contemporaries means skipping the formalities of proper grammar, punctuation and spelling? Maybe it is that we didn’t learn any of these things very well in the first place, which becomes an indictment of our school systems and our own self-discipline when it comes to learning.

What is the remedy?
Well, for one, writers of anything – a post, a letter, a term paper, a note, a text on your phone — anything including speech, should slow down, think about they want to say before writing or typing, and then proceed. They can write and type, then review what they’ve just attempted to communicate — making any corrections and revision before finalizing it. They can also ask themselves that eternal question, “Is what I am saying honest, kind, civil, and necessary?” This last checklist item is more about being a good human than a grammarian.

Remember, too, there is a big difference between being heard, being understood, and being believed. How you say it or write it is often as important as what you are saying. It can hide the ignorance most of us possess to some degree. Yes, we can be short on knowledge about a lot of things, but we don’t have to flaunt it.

Don’t ever say or write, “I no what you mean. I know what there sayin’.” Because when you do, you’ve lost my respect, your credibility, and your ability to share a thought, or two.

More background:

Wikipedia tells us: “Dictionaries traditionally define literacy as the ability to read and write . In the modern world. this is one way of interpreting literacy. One more broad interpretation sees literacy as knowledge and competence in a specific area. The concept of literacy has evolved in meaning. The modern term's meaning has been expandedto include the ability to use language, numbers, images, computers, and other basic means to understand, communicate, gain useful knowledge, solve mathematical problems and use the dominant symbol systems of a culture.

The forest for the trees.

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 00:34:26 GMT

Where does our hate, bigotry and prejudice come from?

We’ve had hate groups and Americans who have sown the seeds of hate and prejudice since pre-Civil War times. This is nothing new.

Many Americans deny racism for several reasons. One is that they don’t want others to find out who they are. They feel safe in their hate if they are stealth. The second is that they honestly don’t believe they are, and in total honesty, are more afraid of repercussions from other white folks than admitting their prejudice and working to eradicate it. That’s because this “wedge” in America was started by the well-to-do who wanted free and cheap labor – from both slavery and from free whites who resided below them on the wealth scale.

But, don’t take my word for it. Read all about it. It is a topic that is not covered very well in our history books (until recently at least), but scholars have documented this history and written eloquently about our nation’s role and shame in home-grown hate. You can get a good, honest and thorough understanding from these two books: The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein, and The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander.

Once you have finished them, if you want more information, go to your local bookstore and ask for anything they have on slavery, prejudice, racism, and African American history. The last topic could also be labeled Ugly White American history.

For many Americans, the racial divide was a thing of the past following some forward strides in the 1960s, and certainly after the election of our first black president, Barack Obama.

Yet, racism never went away. In fact, while most Americans were celebrating Obama’s election, others were seething. We know this because of the rise of the Tea Party Republicans who worked for eight years to obstruct any progress and achievement by Obama.

We also saw a meteoric rise in racism, white nationalism, hate crimes, and use of additional political wedge issues with the election of Donald Trump as president.

Hate has manifested itself directly out of the mouth of Trump, his minions, and other politicians at all levels. Along with prejudice against African Americans, we also see people from Latin America, Muslims, Jews, women, gays, American Indians and the very poor. Add to that list the Chinese, Irish, Italians, Germans and Poles who were willing and sometimes unwilling immigrants who also faced hatred and discrimination at the hands of powerful Americans. All these people have been victims of violence; discrimination in employment, education, immigration and in other ways like how much they are paid compared to white males. Many right-wing groups are aggressively working to restrict or eliminate voting rights through the use of loopholes such as poll taxes, stringent voter ID laws, reducing polling places, gerrymandering, and other tricks or bending of laws. Do you see a pattern here?

And since we have the highest percentage (per capita) of incarcerated Americans, it is worth a look at the racial/ethnic makeup of that population. It is overwhelmingly people of color – and not only are many being punished excessively for minor crimes, all inmates lose their right to vote. We hope. This will change in the future.

This follows the old adage, if you can’t win by playing the rules, change the rules or disregard the rules. That is not the American way.

But, let’s get back to the real issue. Why are so many white Americans so disinclined to give up their bigotry and hate towards others not exactly like them in skin color, religion, national origin, or some other difference?

Look, we know the rich have privilege that others do not. They get it because they can afford (buy) it and also because they can demand it. But, they also do this while denying any privilege for others below them.

The first American settlers from Europe sought a new life here to escape and avoid the ruthless domination of the royals and the landed gentry. Ironically, after a short period of time and following the birth of our nation founded on equality, fraternity, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, we soon reverted back to a hierarchy that put most men and women under the thumb of those who could wield that power and garner most of the wealth in one way or another.

In the books cited above, it is well documented how the rich used fear to divide others. Divide and conquer has been known method of domination for centuries and longer. They told poor whites to fear the black man and the Native American. They demonized them both, criminalizing them, and denying many of the principles found in our Constitution that protected well-to-do white Americans, but not others.

Today we find a growing population of haters and they no longer hide in the shadows of our society as they once did. Encouraged by politicians at the highest levels of our government and society, white supremacy, racism, nationalism – all make it possible to create chaos, and in turn, make it easier to circumvent the ideals of America. They do this under the guise of patriotism and religion. And many are fooled by the lies and slight of hand being thrown at them.

But, there are many Americans who truly believe in love thy neighbor, kindness, charity, helping others with a hand up, kindness, fairness, and equality in every respect. But, they often do not stand up for their beliefs in the face of their peers, and certainly when the “masters” are watching. It is that fear thing all over again.

The irony is that it is so much easier, better and good to love each other, and help each other, and respect each other instead of all of this hate and fear we are seeing. While many white people mistakingly believe that helping a black or brown person by lifting them up socially and financially will have a negative impact on their own lives, this is a misconception. It is a lie propagated by the rich to stoke fear. In fact, as poor people of any color rise financially and socially, it is like a boat in the harbor. When the tide comes in, all boats rise. And, with poverty receding, so will crime, disease, and a lot other maladies of society.

One just has to have faith in our ability to live together without harming each other or keeping a large segment of our population down. We need to learn to not heed these "stories" of fear and go with our gut instincts that all men and women should be respected and helped when help is needed. Pay it forward instead of backward.

We see these calls of fear on social media all the time. We see it in the news as mass shootings continue to kill people (and children) in houses of worship, at schools, and shopping centers. Reject them. The discord happening in America today is manufactured to help the rich become richer and keep you and me from a better life – under their thumb.

Recently on the popular social media platform, Nextdoor , I saw this posting:

"Random knock on my door

Looking to mow lawns, no lawn equipment, not dressed for yard work, drove away didn’t stop at other neighbors. Person 1 Hair: Flat bill 2-tone baseball hat Top: Jacket Bottom: Dark denim Age: 20’s Sex: Male Race: African American Physical Build: Med Other: Gold tooth front top Vehicle 1 Color: Goldish tan Make: Chevy Model: Minivan Year: 06 Type: Van License Plate: Louisiana I have reported this information to the police."

The person who posted this made a lot of assumptions. Just because of them, they deemed a person “suspicious” and called the police. It wasn’t that long ago that African American slaves here in America had to carry a pass from their owner or else slave patrols (police) could shoot them on sight or lynch them. I’m not saying one should not be careful when a stranger shows up at your door, but one should not automatically criminalize them either. This is implicit bias. If you don’t know what that is, Google it and read and try to understand how it applies to us.

We have a lot of work to do to become the Americans described in our Declaration of Independence and our U.S. Constitution. And, we cannot do that by not changing our attitudes towards others or hiding behind the flag. We have to learn to accept those who are different from us – and even love them as our neighbors as all major religions preach. Now is the time to recognize the lies and the methods used by others to divide us, control us, and manipulate us so they can maintain the wealth and power that, in most cases, they earned on the backs of the rest of us.

Take a hard look and you’ll see the forest among the trees

What I’ve always wanted in a camera bag, but haven’t quite found.

Mon, 25 Feb 2019 16:54:29 GMT

Bagging a great camera bag is really up to the things you carry.

The closet where I store my photo gear has too many empty camera bags hanging in it; too many to use on a regular basis. I am not a hoarder; at least not yet. It’s because, while I have settle on the various camera bodies and lenses that fit the type of photography I do, I haven’t scored on the “perfect” camera bag yet. In this closet multiple sized bags reside – some used often, some only occasionally, which makes some sense. Sometimes when taking a walk to do some “street” photography, I only need room for a couple of extra lenses, a battery and, perhaps, an extra memory card. That’s it.

But when going on a location shoot where I often have no idea what I will face, I usually pack two camera bodies, multiple lenses, Pocket Wizards, speed lights and batteries, sync cables, and more. I usually tote some light stands, a tripod, flash modifiers, and other things in a separate container that all fits on a small, hand cart that stows in my car’s trunk.

Still, one bag does not fit all needs in these situations. Then consider the times when I decide to hop a flight, a train or car out of town for a few days. I may have a completely different mix of gear, including a rangefinder, a DSLR, at least three lenses for each, batteries, chargers, at least one speed light if not more, and the usual artifacts like memory cards, laptop, card readers, and battery chargers.

The key factors in camera bag choice for me is to hold what you want to carry, provide protection for that gear, and still make it accessible when you need it. It’s as simple as that. If you only do street photography, or limit yourself to only one mix of gear, having only one bag makes sense.

But I challenge anyone to point out one bag that fits all of these scenarios. I do not think it exists. The real challenge is this: What would a photographer want in a bag that they have not seen yet. So, no surprise, I have a few wants on my wish list.

1. Make compartments in a bag so they can accommodate real life items – bodies, lenses, flashes, and so on. Consider the things photographers want to carry with them.

2. Include a way to attach a tripod for easier carrying – if it is a larger bag or backpack. I also use a tripod strap that lets me carry mine over the shoulder, but that’s like carrying a second bag or pack.

3. Design a bag with the main access area – top flap – accessible to the photographer, just the opposite of most bags on the market today. Every bag I’ve owned opens from the outside of the bag facing away from me. This can make it a bit difficult and often treacherous moving one lens in and taking another out while hanging on my shoulder. If the flap opened so the bag’s opening is closer to my body, then I not only can better see what’s inside, but move items in and out more easily.

4. Don’t forget that things like water bottles , snacks, laptops or tablets, and other accessories are often just as important to the photographer to have handy. Build in either internal or external provisions to carry them too. Exterior pockets, straps and so forth are just nice touches that add immense value later on.

5. Make sure the carrying strap is hefty, yet comfortable enough to allow carrying for long periods of time without gouging a crease in our shoulder blades. Remember, too, that we are all not built the same, so make straps super adjustable for length.

6. Please keep it affordable . I may have spent way too much on a particular camera body or lens, but a bag over $400 is a reach too far for me and lots of photographers. While you are at it, maybe you want to make a series of bags designed similarly, but in various sizes, that could be purchased as a kit so your photographer customer can move from a short outing bag to a long trip bag to a location bag quickly using familiar layouts and features.

7. If possible, and this is a tall order I know, design your bag so it doesn’t broadcast , “Expensive photo gear is inside.” I realize that a good camera bag cannot be completely efficient and completely stealth at the same time, but I can tell you that is why I would never carry a bag with a big Canon or Nikon logo emblazoned on it. Out of my two backpack bags, my 30-year old Wilderness Experience day pack that I have modified to be a good over-the-road bag is miles ahead of the other one designed just for camera gear.

8. Make the outer skin of your bags easy to clean . My mom used to exclaim, “Where have you been and how did you get that dirty?” when I returned home from play. Photogs are the same – guess some of us just never grew up. But where we go to seek a good photo can often allow us to bring some of that back with us on our bags. A course, porous bag material can be more durable, but also harder to clean for when we have to show up at a blacktie event.

9. Give me a handy, sturdy handle too . There are many times when only a shoulder strap just won’t do. Like when you are carrying multiple bags, or trying to heave a bag into the truck of your car or an overhead compartment. Then, a sturdy handle is necessary. And, while you’re at it, make it so you can use it with the bag “open” and without spilling out the contents.

Now I know the top bag makers already strive to achieve some of the features and results that I’ve listed above. And, I acknowledge that one size or style doesn’t fit all. So what’s the solution? I hope it is that if a manufacturer doesn’t offer what you need in your personal style of shooting and carrying, that you can figure a way to customize a standard bag or find a bag made for another reason and modify it. At least until one or more of the manufacturers figure it out.

About the above photo: From large to small, to rigid compartments to flexible open space; from over the shoulder to fanny pack hybrid to backpack, I’ve tried them all. None is perfect for every situation; none should be. But, I wonder what camera bag makes consider when designing and building their products. Is it how it is used in the field, or is the main consideration, what looks good and can be made inexpensively and sold for a profit?

I've lived.

Tue, 05 Feb 2019 18:39:36 GMT

A brief autobiography without much detail.

I lived through the St. Louis tornado of 1958. No fatalities, but it put a whole in the roof of the Arena. I lived through the launch of the Russian Sputnik and the Cuban Missile Crisis. I watched my WWII veteran father react with wonder and fear as these unfolded. I observed Jim Crow.

I lived through my family moving from the City to the suburbs as part of white flight. Didn’t understand what was going on, but missed my neighborhood school, my parks, and ability to walk everywhere.

I lived through the assassination of John F. Kennedy. We watched it on TV over and over again. No one knew what was next.

I lived through those tumultuous teenage years playing in a rock ‘n roll band, navigating high school, and discovering that girls were not so bad after all. I discovered sex and survived it with a smile on my face.

Then I lived through the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., two of my real heroes and to this day cannot understand how we didn't do more to prevent this type of horrendous act that chopped away at the foundation of our democracy.

I lived through Vietnam – both in Southeast Asia and observer of the 1968 Democratic Convention, Kent State massacre, and all the antiwar and civil rights protests that just fell short of changing us for the better.

I lived through the Nixon years and Watergate. I watched and listened — as a newly-enlisted airman — that if elected he would end the war. I watched again four years later, after returning from Southeast Asia, as he repeated that broken promise once again. He was lying.

I lived through Nixon resigning in disgrace.

I lived through the years of raising two daughters. I remember their ascension over obstacles and rights of passage as they grew into young ladies. I remember carpooling them to school each morning. I remember them going off to college.

I lived through a dysfunctional marriage with an off-kilter woman in a loveless marriage. I lived through suburbia and yearned to escape.

Along the way, I lived through Bill Clinton and his impeachment. I lived through gas shortages and bellbottoms, rising and falling home interest rates. I lived through manipulation of the economy, and the middle class. I lived through it all.

I lived during love and after it went away. I learned to cherish what I had and not what I have.

I lived through the demolition of the Arena in 1999, once a venue for sports and entertainment, a bowling alley and a roller rink. Once neighbor to the Forest Park Highlands amusement park. Today that land is a sprawling hodge-podge of medical office buildings, luxury apartments, and a smattering of retail.

I lived through changing my life and finding a peaceful happiness, discovering that being alone does not mean being lonely, realizing solitude for the gift that it is. I lived through several affairs and relationships that were wonderful, and fuel to continue the journey of discovery.

I lived through recessions, changing markets, new trends, bad bosses, new jobs, a false sense of what success is, and friends moving away – far away.

I lived through both elections of Barack Obama as President of the United States and learned that hope is possible, as well as decency. I lived through the realization that we could have and should have done more.

I lived through discovering I am a diabetic and have heart disease. I lived through acceptance, defiance, and learning to love life in the presence of mortality and to take better care of myself.

I am living through retirement. I lived through that feeling of not being needed any longer to the truth that I had something more important to give now.

I have lived through the arrival and departure of dogs, cats and other pets. Sometimes I think of them and wonder if they were my true family. They taught me more than any human.

I am living through new friends, new choices, and how to love my fellow man, and how freeing that can be. I am living through reconciliation. I am discovering what really matters in life.

I am living through the garbage that is Trump. I know it will end for the better. It is only hate and greed dressed up as a person.

I have lived all my life with ignorance – some of it within me and all around me. I am learning to be tolerant and work to teach by example without preaching.

I’ve learned the value of a dollar and I’ve learned that giving a dollar is worth more than earning one.

I have survived brushes with religion – some intentional, some not. I have learned how to avoid dogma and find truth. I have avoided the lazy catch of believing for the sake of having something to believe in. An excuse for good or bad behavior. To trust my intuition that love conquers hate, and welcoming and understanding is easier and better than fear.

I’ve lived my entire life as a nobody. And now know I am somebody. And all the nobodies I’ve known are somebodies too. And all those who claim and act to be somebodies are actually nobodies by the fact that they have put themselves above others.

I have learned from great men and women; and I have been distracted by petty men and women. I have learned from those distractions.

I have lived all my life with hope. And hope I can take that with me when I leave.

The basic fabric of the Office and our democracy.

Wed, 30 Jan 2019 16:16:58 GMT

When the President lies, what are we to think or do?

One of the first civics lessons I remember receiving as a child was the story of George Washington and the cherry tree.

It turns out to be mostly myth, but the moral of the story was and is valid. For me, it set “true north” as the moral compass for not only our leaders, but citizens as well. The gist of the story was that as a child he chopped down a family’s cherry tree. When the crime was discovered, George stepped forward, told the truth by admitting his guilt, and prepared for punishment – “I cannot tell a lie, I did it.” See more here: https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/the-man-the-myth/george-washington-and-the-cherry-tree...

Our collective American story contains as much from fiction as non-fiction. As comic books spread into mainstream middle class America, they featured super heroes with astonishing powers, unbelievable strength, and impeccable integrity and characters. Superman frequent swooped across the sky and out of the frame declaring, “Truth, justice and the American way.”

Consider too the classic fable of the boy who always cried wolf. When the day comes when the wolf indeed shows up and poses danger to the village, no one would believe his warning exclamations because all too often he had lied before. He was not to be believed on this fateful day.

But, in politics and business, and perhaps everyday life on the streets of America, things have changed. Little exaggerations, innuendo, mis-speaking, and hyperbole have migrated to become outright lies. Lying today is nowhere more pervasive than in the nation’s highest office. It is used to fan the flames of fear, stoke bigotry, change opinions, and simply confuse the uniformed and too-lazy-to-factcheck electorate.

But, when our leaders lie openly and frequently to us, it ultimately will hurt them more than us. The question is, can we afford to be hurt at all in a democracy that is solidly leaning toward a fascist dictatorship at this point with lying making a foundation of that transition?

We cannot trust what the President says, and therefore, lose faith in our government to look out for our best interests. When a president lies, it reflects poorly on their integrity and character. It demonstrates, all too often, that he is incapable of distinguishing fact from fiction.

It all goes toward honesty of the individual. And the office he holds. Even though he put his hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution and be honest when he took the Oath of Office?

It doesn’t remain isolated to just the President. Look at indictments and convictions by Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation of the Trump administration. Almost all those indicted have perjury charges included. Lying is rampant. Yet, for many Americans, it’s either okay, overlooked, or believed.

The Washington Post has reported, “ President Trump has made 6,420 false or misleading claims over 649 days ” in a headline not long ago. They reported, “If President Trump’s torrent of words has seemed overwhelming of late, there’s a good reason for that. In the first nine months of his presidency, Trump made 1,318 false or misleading claims , an average of five a day. But in the seven weeks leading up the midterm elections, the president made 1,419 false or misleading claims — an average of 30 a day.”

Here are some additional thoughts on the impact and hazards of the intentional lies coming from this president from Salon : We need to stop lying to kids about Donald Trump https://www.salon.com/2019/01/19/we-need-to-stop-lying-to-kids-about-donald-trump/

Hopefully, we can return to a more honest, believable, honorable president and administration in 2020. Because, I cannot tell a lie; this behavior will be devastating to our democracy other wise. Honestly? Yes.

A little more etiquette in our conversation.

chazram@att.net (Thomas Adams) — Sat, 05 Jan 2019 18:06:54 GMT

We've fallen into a lazy, rhetorical trap and we need to crawl out.

In this post for OverExposure , I want to talk about etiquette, so to speak. If for no other reason than our politics today are toxic, dishonest, and too often harmful to many Americans, maybe we should be working on our oral correctness.

There is a reoccurring “pain in the neck” for me in most conversations – especially when broadcast on radio and TV. It is usually at the end of an interview or conversation when one person thanks the other and that awkward response occurs. It goes something like this: “Well, thank you so much John for telling us your story today.” Then the other person, who was just thanked says, “No, thank you.”

Think about it. Sometimes the response is just a nod from the person receiving the “thank you.”

But whatever happened to, “You are welcome.” That seldom heard retort that acknowledges the “thank you.” If a return thanks is in order, perhaps the receiver could say, “You’re certainly welcome and thank you for your interest.”

It’s about acknowledging the original “thank you” that grates me and, all too often, becomes a knee-jerk response non-response.

Worst of all I’ve heard authors, academics and scholars, statesmen, politicians, and others well-educated persons fall into this rhetorical trap. Oddlly enough, less educated people of meager means will more often chime in with that perfect, “you’re welcome” response. Odd. Maybe there is more pressure upon those who reside lower on the social rungs to be more proper? My hat’s off to them.

So that’s my beef for today. Thank you for reading this post.

Fixing immigration.

chazram@att.net (Thomas Adams) — Mon, 31 Dec 2018 20:49:12 GMT

And the task of staying true to the promise of an inclusive, welcoming America.

All sides – on the left and the right – agree that immigration laws and policy in the United States needs to be updated. What to do is clearly in contention. But there is another problem. As a nation, our legislators, our leaders, and the citizens themselves need to have a clear, truthful and accurate definition/explanation/status report on the state of immigration into the United States today.

Donald J. Trump, his administration, his minions, and rightwing pundits have all distorted the actual facts of U.S. immigration. They have come in the form of innuendo, outright lies, exaggerations, and omissions. And, the racism has to be removed from policy decisions first before any realistic, fair, and equitable reform can occur.

Here's my core belief about immigration: America began as, and should always be, a nation of immigrants. With the exception of Native Americans (who probably came here from somewhere else originally), we all came from some place else — either escaping tyranny, looking for a better life, wanting religious freedom, seeking commercial successes, or brought against their will as slaves (which was the crime of crimes in my opinion). But we all arrived. We built a nation. We became the envy of the world until very recently. Today, the direction some want to take immigration law is hypocritical. It is like a basketball team who achieves a perfect season, all shut-outs in fact, then want to change the rules so no other team can play the game of basketball ever again. That is not how it should work, in my opinion.

I don’t believe we can talk about immigration reform for only brown-skinned or Muslim immigrants entering the United States from its southern border. That is the pervasive racism and prejudice that exists today emanating from the Trump administration. It is not American.

From its earliest days as a republic, America has been seen around the world as a welcoming beacon for refugees and immigrants. That doesn’t mean we can take anyone who wants to become a citizen. But it also doesn’t mean we should categorically deny admission to someone, anyone, based on their race, color, country of origin, religion, education level, or gender. We should consider their need for refuge or any other reason for their immigration.

In certain cases, rather than only law enforcement and militarization of our borders, we need to consider deterrents and humanitarian policies that would help those in need of refuge. If their home country has made it intolerable to live there and they are unable to live in liberty and with the pursuit of happiness, perhaps our immigration policy should kick in actions to find solutions to that status in their home country?

And, reforming of the U.S. immigration laws should also include all other peoples of the planet. Europe, Asia, South and Central America, Africa, and so forth – giving a fair and open opportunity not to just peoples who are white. Racism should never be a factor in any federal policy. It needs to stop. We are better than that. The kids of DACA should get their path to citizenship. And, our democracy, in order to thrive, needs diversity, fairness, and a humanitarian lens through which we look at immigration. Making laws and instituting policies based on anything but truthful, verified facts is not the American way.

What you must do on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018

chazram@att.net (Thomas Adams) — Sat, 03 Nov 2018 22:48:08 GMT

Our Democracy depends on your participation...

VOTE!

Vote. Encourage others to vote. Stand up to tyranny and the erosion of our democracy.

Meet the candidates for the St. Louis Elected Board of Education for the November 6, 2018 election...

chazram@att.net (Thomas Adams) — Sun, 28 Oct 2018 20:37:39 GMT

These qualified, talented individuals have the students' best interest at heart, but their job could be one of frustration and ineffectual thanks to the prevailing system.

Above are the candidates for a spot on the St. Louis Public School elected School Board for the election on November 6, 2018. They are all good candidates, though I prefer three of them over the rest.

But, here’s what I want to say about this group: They are all asking for the opportunity to help improve the education of St. Louis public school children. That’s a noble cause. This board positioin is a non-paid job. And, it is a job that requires lots of hours and energy if the board is going to be successful improving our public schools.

More than most of the school districts in our region, the St. Louis Public School (SLPS) face an uphill trek to improvement thanks to our own City government, many of our own citizens, and the big-money lobby that often steers this city in a direction that harms instead of helps its residents.

The first thing that is preventing SLPS from having an equal education opportunity for City kids compared to suburban school districts like Clayton, Ladue, Parkway and Rockwood, is how we fund schools in the State of Missouri. School districts are funded primarily through property tax revenues. So the deck is already stacked against urban districts, where property values, on average, are often lower than suburban areas. If we are to offer equal educational opportunities to our children – good school buildings, resources in the schools, qualified teachers, and so forth, we should be on an equal standing with other districts. A solution would be to take all the property tax revenue in a state and divide it up by district on a per student basis – so each district’s budget is the same on a per capita basis based on its student population.

The next culprit is systemic. The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) is “an umbrella, not-for-profit corporation organized under Chapter 355 of the Missouri State Code with the mission of fostering economic development and growth in the City of St. Louis by stimulating the market for private investment in City real estate and business development and improve the quality of life for everyone who lives in, works in, and visits the City.SLDC is directed by its own Board of Directors, and its employees serve as staff support for the City’s seven economic development authorities.” The St. Louis Development Corporation fosters economic development through increased job and business opportunities and expansion of the City's tax base.

The way it works is the SLDC gives developers incentives in the form of tax abatement and TIFs (tax increment financing) plans that lower the cost of building and operating a new development, while lowering the tax revenues a new development would normally generate over a period of five, ten, even 20 years. This is money that helps developers and lowers tax revenues for our schools. There is a lot of debate on the merits and detriments of these incentives, and in how the SLDC operates. Some say they are too ingrained with the business community and developers and too eager to grant tax abatement and TIFs at any cost to keep development happening. Others believe that if we had better schools, less crime, higher unemployment north of Delmar, and other amenities, the City would act as a magnet to further development based on those attributes alone.

The City government (mayor, Board of Alderman, and others) do not have direct influence for our schools. Maybe they should have some of that responsibility and authority. But there are things they can do – and so far have not – to help the state of this school district . . . the children of our residents.

Our student population in St. Louis has other needs that more affluent districts don’t have. Few have libraries anymore. Some do not offer arts, music, and full physical education programs. Most of the school buildings are in need of some major repairs. Computers are few and far between. Teacher aides, and other specialists like school nurses, counselors, speech pathologists, psychologists and others are often not available due to restrictive budgets needed to hire them.

I’ve heard numbers for homeless children attending SLPS placed between 6,000 and 9,000. This includes those living on the streets, with relatives, staying with friends or acquaintances, or in short-term hotels and shelters. Many of these kids still make the effort to come to school to learn and get an education – despite the fact that they may also be hungry (sometimes malnourished), in need of basic essentials such as toiletries, cold weather clothing, good shoes, and medical attention, including vaccinations.

So, if you were on the Board of Education in St. Louis (or any of the other disadvantaged cities throughout this rich nation), your ability to make a difference could be the challenge of your life. It could be an impossible job to chip away at the problems with sound solutions that help our children get a good education – supporting our principals, our teachers and our students. So my hat is off to each of these candidates. I hope we can generate additional support for them and the Superintendent to do better for our kids, to raise the bar for achievement, and to instill the love of learning in these kids.

If we fail them at the primary or secondary level, here is what will happen for sure: Fewer kids will go to college or a trade school after high school. As a result, fewer will be prepared to get a good job to support themselves and their eventual family. Making less money will perpetuate the cycle of poverty and the City tax base will dwindle further. Crime will surely go up because when you don’t have anything you can do to support yourself and you have lost hope, breaking the law is a short leap.

Do what you can to help St. Louis improve its schools and support its educational leaders!

Photo caption, shown left to right: Donna Jones, Dr. Joyce Roberts, Adam Layne, Bill Haas, Jared Opal, Cydney Johnson, and David Jackson. The League of Women Voters moderator is at the podium.

The Cost of Being Impoverished.

chazram@att.net (Thomas Adams) — Sat, 13 Oct 2018 21:26:31 GMT

We need to stop criminalizing poverty and homelessness.

This is about the haves and the have nots . Poverty in America is growing. It shouldn’t be that way. The richest nation on Earth should be able to sustain a high standard of living for all of its citizens. That is the mark of a great nation.

Instead, the haves have come down with a disease that infects them and affects the have nots . It is called greed and there is not yet a vaccination to cure it or hold it at bay from infecting others. Greed is the inability to be happy with more wealth than you already have and makes you want more no matter who you have to hurt or roll over to get it.

The result is high levels of people, often working two or more jobs, still barely making it – living at poverty levels. Manyfall through the cracks and become homeless or are “captured” by the criminal justice system and are warehoused in the growing private prison industry that feeds the rich all the more.

Some of these people can draw on social services like food stamps, welfare payments, and the like – but the same people who have the greed are fighting to change the laws to reduce or withhold many of these “safety nets.”

In St. Louis, Missouri, where homelessness has been on our radar screen for far too many ridiculous reasons, logic has been turned upside down allowing this societal problem to fester and grow – all to the vocal consternation of the haves .

In St. Louis we had a homeless shelter that was helping, though it didn’t cure the problem, it did provide a safe and warm place for many to sleep at night and get a meal. But it was located adjacent a quickly gentrifying part of town. So, the haves adjusted the laws (not all laws are just, but that’s another story), and the shelter was condemned and closed. All this happened, as I mentioned, quickly so opposition could not be raised, and without an alternative place for these people to go for a meal and a place to sleep – on the hottest and coldest nights. The few other shelters in the region were already full or being closed as well.

Eventually, the City did something about the homeless problem but it was not only too little too late, but a slap in the face from a humanitarian standpoint. They created a new city shelter – one that handled a fraction of the homeless it could accommodate compared to the shelter they had shut down.

Thanks to compassionate citizens, who mobilized to the cry for help from the less fortunate, tents, blankets, and sleeping bags were provided to those left out (literally). Meals were provided nightly. Coats and clothing, toiletries, and more were collected and given out.

And then the insanity began. City Hall saw this as some kind of threat. The police were called. Tickets were issued and arrests were made for those who were feeding the hungry, clothing them, and giving them some semblance of a warm place to sleep. The small tent city that evolved for these folks who had nothing (including hope) and nowhere else to go, were torn down by city refuse workers and thrown into dump trucks to be hauled away. How dare they try to survive! Trying to live was obviously offensive to someone who slept in a warm bed at night, had plenty to eat, and obviously had the power to levy more cruelty upon those who had none of that.

It became a crime to be poor and to help the poor. Jesus Christ (sic)!

Sure, people are born into poor situations. That’s because the systems we have to keep people down are generational.

Sure, a few find a way to make it out of poverty to affluence – through education, talent, sheer hard work, ingenuity, pure luck and other means. But these are the exceptions. Though for most the “system” is stacked against them. The myth that everyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps is all but impossible – especially if you have no boots. You see, the "self made men" aren't self made. They made their wealth on the backs of others. Don't be fooled otherwise.

Most, but not all, of poverty in St. Louis is along racial lines or the color of one’s skin. There is some public sympathy and empathy, but it is not widespread. Privilege is something in society that is coveted and most are unwilling to give it up or share it. It goes beyond having a place to sleep or a meal each day. It overflows into our criminal justice system and the rules that allow citizens to pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Here are a few:

A have is stopped by the police for a broken tail light. Chances are, that driver gets a warning ticket. A have not is stopped (more frequently, I might add) for the same infraction, ticketed and taken to jail, where he/she cannot afford bail of $500. He is being held in jail until his court date because he does not have $500 cash to post for bail.

This is illegal. This is a debtor’s prison. St. Louis has one of these. It is full of people who are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But because they do not have the financial means to post bail, they sit in jail – sometimes for months – while they can lose their job, their apartment (not working, no rent money), their children (not there, family services takes them away), and more. There is an unusually high rate of suicides in these debtor’s prisons too. As well as health problems since health care there is rarely provided. This jail is also infested with mice, rats, fleas, black mold and other structural problems.

The jail in St. Louis is called the Workhouse, a carryover from Jim Crow times of imposed pseudo slavery. What does that tell you?

Another: A have commits rape. Because of connections and privilege, he gets a sentence of only a few months and will probably be released earlier for good behavior. He was white and held a position of power in his community. This is not unusual.

A have not is arrested at a protest demonstration. He is charged with arson, burglary and stealing. He is only 19 years old. The prosecutor says, “We should make an example of him.” – shades of lynching. He is sentenced to eight years in prison. The evidence that he set any fires or stole anything was sketchy. He is black.

Justice is not blind in America. It certainly isn’t color blind or wealth blind. Often it is not gender blind.

We all watched recently as a woman had credible charges of a judge assaulting her in their teens. He was before the Senate for a Supreme Court confirmation. Other women came forward with similar charges. He was not fully investigated after these charges were made. The initial woman was heard, but then ignored. He retorted angrily without providing proof of innocence. He had privilege. She was a woman. It’s that simple. He joined the SCOTUS; she returned home unable to return to her home because of death threats.

If you have money, position, or power; are white or male; or have other connections, life is easier in the U.S. You can buy property in any neighborhood, attend any school, join any country club, shop in any mall, and not be scared to death that you may be stopped by the police, put in jail without due process, and worse. If you are perceived as resisting the police, you can be shot even if unarmed and the police officer not charged or found guilty.

This has to change. We have to learn to help others. Pull them upward. It is not sport to harm others just because they are different than you. Equal opportunity for all people no matter who they are does not mean less opportunity for you. It's not pie.

Do photographers have any social responsibility?

chazram@att.net (Thomas Adams) — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 18:30:20 GMT

Perhaps not in every situation, but in portraying society as it is, we’ve tended to paint too rosy a picture. That needs to change.

Do photographers have any responsibility to reflect the true, but often ignored reality of society in their photographs? My answer is “yes” – especially if one is practicing photojournalism – “it would be the honest and fair” thing to do as a professional.

Of course, if you are engaged in the business of advertising, you are dealing in the art of persuasion, seldom real imagery reflective of reality, but instead designed to appeal to a populace and convince. And, that’s where reality images can often be detrimental, or at least not helpful. So, I don’t look to that part of the photographic industry to turn toward a more realistic outcome with their imagery. Yet, look at what some advertisers (like Nike) have been up to lately. The same would hold true if you are a wedding or portrait photographer. Your job is to portray your subject the best way you can, even to the extent of making them look better than they do.

If what photographers of all types strive for is only beautiful, idealistic images day in and day out, then, quite frankly, a true and accurate picture of life in our society will not be the result. What advertising, and too many journalistic work projects to the public is not reality for many, maybe most of society. The photographic images from advertising, indeed, have changed public perception of "what really exists" to "what we would like life to be like."

Too many Americans go home from work, drive into their garages not to emerge to interact with neighbors, but instead watch their large screens filled with shows and commercials that beam an ideal that is frankly unattainable, then encourage us to imagine that this is us – or at least what we can be. With the exception of PBS, I think most television networks produce this level of unrealistic imagery.

We are shown beautiful women, nice cars, astonishing homes, fit men, perfect children. But what is the reaction when we see an aged, homeless person, subsisting on handouts. For many communities, it is to banish them somewhere out of sight instead of helping them. Is there a link to the unrealistic images we are fed through media and seeing what the world actually looks like? Ismail Ferdous put it this way here: http://hir.harvard.edu/article/?a=7320

A good and accurate photographic image will help us experience, to some extent, situations, places, people we would never experience in person otherwise. These are empathy builders. Point your lens toward something real, capture its essence, and share it. That is when we will learn the reality of our society – the good, the bad and the ugly.

If you have never personally experienced the horror and brutality of war, the aftermath of a natural disasters, wondering where you will sleep tonight or if you will eat a meal today, or what it is like to be dying in a hospital bed all alone, then, at least, seeing images that portray and share these situations and emotions can be vital to your growth and maturing as a human being.

A photo of a bully pushing around a defenseless person is a good case in point. Why? Because bullies often operate when no one else is watching. That’s part of their power base. To see one at work (still or video images) will usually engage the viewer to take a side. Do they like what the bully is doing? Do they have compassion for the victim and instinctively want to come to their defense? That image might even cause you to ask, why couldn’t this person use his power to help his victim instead of hurting him? That’s the potential power of photography.

I believe that one of the weaknesses of the American society today is lack of empathy, brought on largely by lack of exposure to people and things different from what they have experienced in their lives. Hearing a foreign language, seeing someone dressed dramatically different than ourselves, hearing of a people whose culture emphasizes different values – though none of these things pose an existential threat to the other person’s way of life. We often react, first, in fear, then too often in aggression. In my recent (2018) exhibit, The One Project ( https://www.chuckramsay.com/one-project-introduction ), I explored diversity through seven portraits printed almost life size, so others might examine what was similar with each of these persons and different to themselves.

So my case is that photographers (and all artists) have some shared responsibility to train their images toward the less glamorous, the more unseemly side of life. The reality that some people are poor, not as well educated, not as privileged, not as well dressed, or even as polished can never live up to your standard doesn’t mean they are bad. I’ve met many individuals were, while not appearing to be the cream of the crop turned out to be the nicest, and some of the wises and more articulate people I know. They have also been the kindest, most generous, and most compassionate.

Our society has done a good job of criminalizing people for their skin color, their heritage, where they live, their level of wealth, and so on. But, in the end, we are all humans and all deserve to be treated with respect and compassion. That’s precisely what good photography can communicate.

When a photographer understands and embraces this and can capture images of truth in society, they are helping their fellow man understand that life is not a bowl of cherries. And, hopefully, with more empathy and understanding, we can create action to change many of our social ills for a healthier society some day. It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned pro, new to photography, young or old, or any other demographic. We have a responsibility to tell the truth. In the photographer’s case, it is in their images.

1. Photograph as honestly as possible, provide accurate captions, and never intentionally distort the truth in news photographs.

2. Never alter the content or meaning of a news photograph, and prohibit subsequent alteration.

3. Disclose any alteration and manipulation of content or meaning in editorial feature or illustrative photographs and require the publisher to disclose that distortion or any further alteration.

When to ask to take that photo...

chazram@att.net (Thomas Adams) — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 17:10:44 GMT

Here are some guidelines for street photographers to consider.

Some call it “candid photography,” while others refer to it as “street” or “guerilla” photography. Either way, it is the capturing of real life, often spontaneous, non-staged photos out on the streets or in other public places like museums, malls (what few are left), parks, sporting events, and the like. It is great fun. It is challenging too. They often provide the most interesting photos. And, it is not without controversy among photographers, their subjects, and the viewing public as many of our cities are rejuvenating and we travel abroad more.

One of those dilemmas is whether or not to ask permission of your subject and whether to pose or not before you snap the shutter. As usual, there are two ways to look at this. Sometimes, there just isn’t time to walk up and ask your subject for permission. You see the shot and to catch the essence of what is happening, an expression or even light, you need to shoot now. It could be a couple kissing at the bus stop, a man napping on a park bench, a duck swooping down to crash a couple’s picnic. These are truly candid moments.

On the other hand, when you find an interesting person in a spectacular location (color, light, what they are doing, etc.), it may be advantageous to approach them, smile, tell them what you are doing and ask if it would be okay to take their photo. Ninety percent of the time, they’ll be flattered and say yes. Of course, some folks are more private and may say no. To this you still thank them graciously and move on. If you make a shot and they challenge you, be up front, show them the shot on your camera’s preview. If they object to it, do them and you a favor and delete the image from your camera in front of them as you apologize.

Too often, there just isn’t a correct answer. You have to use your best judgment. If a fantastic shot is there for the taking, you may want to operate under the old saw, “it’s easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission,” originally said by Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper.

Keep in mind where you are when taking photos. If you are in a public place (defined as a place open to the public – yes, that includes restaurants, bars, coffee shops and so on – almost any photo is game. But, if in a private place, such as a private club, some concert or theatrical venues, or inside some places of business – those will require prior permission, and then some restrictions may apply, like where you can go to take your picture, if you can use flash, and how many shots you can take.

There’s one more thing. If you are like me, and other photographers, you may want to publish or sell your photos. There is a distinction between selling and publishing. I publish many photos on social media (first always respecting the privacy of most subjects) and on my website. But, I have also published in print magazines, newspapers, and news/views websites. And, if you sell any stock photography, in addition to getting the model’s/subject’s permission, you’ll need a photo release giving you permission to reproduce and sell the image of which they are a part. Also, there are three types of releases: a model release (for adults), minor releases (for children under 18), and property releases. You can find examples of these at many online sites – just Google photo release.

The exception is if it is a news photo. An example would be a shot of a fireman carrying someone out of a burning building. A great action shot with people in it. If published in a news media context, then you would not need model releases.

Today, getting a release if pretty easy with apps for smartphones that let you collect the pertinent info, get the model’s signature, and generate a release with all the proper and required legal terms. You have the model sign, a witness sign, and you sign. Then the app generates a PDF of the release you can email to the model and yourself. Don’t be fooled; this takes a lot out of the spontaneity of the shot. But if you get a blockbuster image, do the right thing and approach the subject, show them the image from your camera’s back, and ask if they would sign a release. That’s not only the right thing to do, but the legal thing as well – if you plan to ever sell that image.

Of course, acquiring a copyright of that image through the Copyright Office will also require a signed release. So do your due diligence.

If you haven’t done much street photography, ease into it. Day or night, whether it is people or buildings, old cars, or cityscapes, you’ll find plenty of interesting subjects worthy of your camera’s attention. Sometimes it is necessary to be inconspicuous. At other times, be upfront and approach and even pose your subject. You’ll find you will walk away with images of genuinely interesting people and places that many folks would never have the pleasure of observing. This is your chance to share your photographic finds with them.

One last thing to chew on: If you really appreciate a photo of someone you shot on the street, get their email (or give them yours) and send them one of the images for their own.

Above photo taken in the Delmar Loop, St. Louis, MO. This was an "ask" photo of Bo, a worker at one of the nearby establishments. He was taking a break when I approached him.

#streetphotography #whentoaskornot #photoreleasesforstreetphotos #openairstudio

The often-overlooked importance of photography.

chazram@att.net (Thomas Adams) — Sat, 08 Sep 2018 18:29:50 GMT

Three reasons why photographs can add to our lives.

The photographs we take (with a camera or these days on a phone) offer a significance to our lives that many may not realize. Recently, I was reminded of this when viewing old photos by Builder Levy, a noted teacher and photographer; visiting the Missouri History Museum to take in their Panoramas of the City exhibit, and my daily run through Instagram, Facebook and periodicals like Communications Arts that zero in on outstanding and surprising photography.

It occurred to me, once again, that first and foremost, looking at older photos – especially from “film” days and prior – that there is a very real historical value to photographs. Time distorts our memory for some reason. Long times where recollections are reinforced by oral history can be distorted beyond recognition when set next to the facts. We look upon so much of the past as the good old days until we are reminded that things weren’t as rosy and wonderful through photos from that era. I guess that’s why times before photography when captured by artists painting on canvass are often subjected to greater scrutiny, given the artist’s license to embellish, exaggerate, or take a detour from fact.

So the historical perspective of photography – professional, amateur, casual or formal – is very important and valuable to all of us. But, there are two dividends of today’s photography that may be as important. Especially in the photojournalism we are provided by brave and intentional photographer’s investigation of events, whether they are everyday or spectacular news items such as war, natural catastrophes, or historic breakthroughs.

I remember the first occurrences of great photojournalism in my lifetime – the Abraham Zapruder film footage of John Kennedy’s assassination, the coverage of Viet Nam by Larry Burrows, Catherine Leroy, Henri Huet and many others, and the coverage of the September 11, 2001 terrorism attacks. These men and women often take extraordinary risks to bring the real nature of news events back to us, who often lead placid everyday lives sheltered away from any turmoil. Their images have awakened the conscience of our society to stem wars, start wars, change attitudes, and forewarn us of tyranny.

The old adage, a picture is worth a thousand words, comes to mind too quicklly. A photo can quickly expose injustice, anger, fear, suffering, or inequality when explaining those conditions may take many words and not be as convincing in the end. Words become opinions too easily discounted; images are often more convincing because what you see “just outside your window” is often more believable having been an eyewitness.

Witnessing life through the images you yourself take or are captured by others can become a personal road map to how you look at life, react to current events and thinking, and interact with the rest of society. Seeing a lot of homeless people everyday, for example, can stir reactions from the extremes of great compassion and desire to help alleviate their situation, or to the other extreme, to retract from seeing the homeless as victims so it is easy to avoid them and look the other way, blame and criminalize them, and even despise them. It’s your choice, a choice demanded by your individual reaction to a visual image you’ve experienced either in person or through a photograph in your life’s experience. Henry David Thoreau said it best, “It is not what you look at that matters, it is what you see.”

With some images, we can also unveil some truths about ourselves, some things that we may not have been aware of or acknowledged before. Have you ever seen a photo that appealed to you in some surprising way? The colors, the contrast, an expression on a face, a place you’ve never been to but suddenly want to visit? These attractions can be surprising and can tell you, or reaffirm, something about yourself. For me, it is seeing people in ways I wouldn’t imagine them as being before. Through my own photography I have discovered that beauty exists in ways and places I would never have assumed or even looked for otherwise.

“I lived a relatively tame and self-contained life,” renowned street photographer Builder Levy once said. “But, with photography I was able to live a more intense and fulfilling life. Through my photography I am trying to change the consciousness of the world. I believe real change comes from the bottom up.”

I guess that’s why art museums are so important to the growth and viability of society. They opens not only eyes, but minds too. That is precisely what attracts me to new, local exhibitions – especially photo exhibits. And, that is why I miss those great photo spreads of yesteryear that flourished on newsstands via Life, Look, National Geographic, and others.

Today, there are websites and we should not overlook them if you want greater exposure to photojournalism and fine art photography. Here are a few of my favorites if you want to take in some great images and see how they impact your mind:

LFI – https://lfi-online.de/ceemes/

Lens Culture – https://www.lensculture.com

Lens , New York Times – https://www.nytimes.com/section/lens

Adore Noir (site and hard copy magazine) – https://www.monochromamagazine.com

Communications Arts * (CA) (online and hard copy magazine) – https://www.commarts.com

* Note: this publication explores many media and genres of creativity in the fine art and commercial art industries. Great reads even if you are not a practitioner.

The benefit to exposing (no pun intended) yourself to new visual images – and actually getting immersed in making/capturing your own images – can open your life to a new world of colors, sensations, knowledge, and appreciation. You may already do some of this unconsciously. But, if not, try it. Let me know if you decided to expand your self-awareness in this way and tell me what you discovered.

#imageisking #photographyisworththousandwords #photojournalismspeedsupcommunication #rawemotionsintheimage