another collection of photos...

[Rose]

Not sure if these photos are less or more likely to stir debate... but a friend just sent me a link to these

http://www.riphopkins.com/works/54

[NormanH]

Very 'arty' ( and self-consciously posed)  but not much to do with the France I experience in my daily grind.

The evidence of  ostentatious wealth, self-satisfied smugness  and materialism  is a staggering indictment of  some British immigrants.

[Gardengirl]

After looking at the first and clicking on  three more at random I felt grubby.

I think, Norman, 'some' British immigrants might have been better wording. I don't know any who would pose like that.

[NormanH]

I have edited my post to take on your excellent suggestion.

[Cendrillon]

Having looked at a few of these and decided that these people were perhaps not quite my type ( LOL !) I liked the phrase "It doesn’t matter where you go, you always take yourself" that I think is very true.

Another expression came to mind and that is " never, say never".[;-)]

[Rose]

I've been trying to find appropriate words to respond...  My mum always told me... If you can't think of anything nice to say then say nothing at all... so it's difficult [Www] 

They are indeed the most bizarre group of photos and I too felt uncomfortable viewing them.  I guess if this was the photographers intention, he succeeded.

[Clarkkent]

If it was the photographer's intention to present these people as a collection of grotesques - he has succeeded. Once or twice I wondered whether they may be models and he has manufactured identities for them. Is there really a living to be made from selling second-hand golf balls recovered from water hazards?

[Frenchie]

[quote user="Rose"]  I too felt uncomfortable viewing them.  [/quote]

So did I.

Can't really explain why, it is just a feeling.

Yet, I must admit I find them brave .

[woolybanana]

Wat a gwumpy loada silly dwibbles u are, expecially Nawmie. Thoz fotos iz FUN, a laugh and quite worrying. But as relevant as those of folks striking 'coz zay makes ya think n react. only Nawmie could be a thilly billy about them!

They are a take off of the old fotos of colonial and historic peoples, most often with the bodies of dead animals or natives surrounding them.

Laugh, almost as good as the Pirates of Penzance!!

[Russethouse]

There are several people there that I'm not sure England would want back [:D]

Frankly you probably make a similar group of pictures out of any group with something in common, anywhere.......

[woolybanana]

Imagine wat the Fwench in UK must look like!

[cooperlola]

It's odd because I have no problem with the idea that fat/thin/old/young/attractive/ugly/male/female or any combination of the above enjoy showing off and being photographed doing things that the rest of us would rather keep private, but I think, as Norman mentioned, it's the way they are posed which puts me off. 

THIS is the way to photograph people.

[NormanH]

[quote user="woolybanana"]

Wat a gwumpy loada silly dwibbles u are, expecially Nawmie. Thoz fotos iz FUN, a laugh and quite worrying. But as relevant as those of folks striking 'coz zay makes ya think n react. only Nawmie could be a thilly billy about them!

They are a take off of the old fotos of colonial and historic peoples, most often with the bodies of dead animals or natives surrounding them.

Laugh, almost as good as the Pirates of Penzance!!

[/quote]

Do you mean Pézenas? Other wise known as Guildford High Street?

[NormanH]

[quote user="cooperlola"]

It's odd because I have no problem with the idea that fat/thin/old/young/attractive/ugly/male/female or any combination of the above enjoy showing off and being photographed doing things that the rest of us would rather keep private, but I think, as Norman mentioned, it's the way they are posed which puts me off. 

THIS is the way to photograph people.

[/quote]

He is one of the greats.

I think I posted a link about him aeons ago..

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1997030/ShowPost.aspx

[Frenchie]

Doisneau's work is really beautiful, and his pictures are very moving.

Sorry, off topic.

 

[Rose]

[quote user="cooperlola"]

THIS is the way to photograph people.

[/quote]

agreed [:)]

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Frenchie"]

Sorry, off topic.

 

[/quote]Is it?  My problem with the photos Rose linked us to is that they utterly lack humanity, even though they are all of human beings.  They are vacuous and don't tell us anything - as is evidenced by the fact that he feels they require captions - a great photograph doesn't need words, as Doisneau proves (imho!)

[woolybanana]

I like the ram called Spunkpot!

[just john]

Poor old Norm, such a jaundiced view on life, and not accurate; a few Kooks perhaps worthy of pseuds corner, but this is my neck of the woods, I first saw the book in the restaurant in Chateau le mas de montet , and I have to admit I know a couple of peeps, bearing in mind the themes running through the book you might consider that the joke is on the viewer . . .

[woolybanana]

[quote user="cooperlola"][quote user="Frenchie"]

Sorry, off topic.

 

[/quote]Is it?  My problem with the photos Rose linked us to is that they utterly lack humanity, even though they are all of human beings.  They are vacuous and don't tell us anything - as is evidenced by the fact that he feels they require captions - a great photograph doesn't need words, as Doisneau proves (imho!)[/quote]

(To please Normie) Perhaps that is the Brits abroad!

[Gluestick]

[quote user="cooperlola"]

It's odd because I have no problem with the idea that fat/thin/old/young/attractive/ugly/male/female or any combination of the above enjoy showing off and being photographed doing things that the rest of us would rather keep private, but I think, as Norman mentioned, it's the way they are posed which puts me off. 

THIS is the way to photograph people.

[/quote]

Totally agree, JE!

Met a keen monochrome photog a few weekends back: he was sporting two superb Rollieflex cameras and has recently taken up B & W.

We agreed, that the depth of image and contrast is unmatched when one wants to capture ambiance and meaning.

We met as Mrs Gluey and I were wandering along a favoured local wildlife retreat: here: and Here:

For me, yes the few dreadful images I looked at were quite enough to put me off me dinner!

Summed up, best, for me, as "Tracy Emin and Damien Hurst and Lord Satchi at Tate Modern meet the Sex Pistols in their formative years!"

Or, if you like, egoists and the emotionally unbalanced collide with a pretentious wannabe photog and do their best to try outrageous!

Yuk!

[Weedon]

I only looked at a few (I may look at some more later) and found number 3 quite "fetching"!

I wonder what reaction the photographer got when he said to the young woman, "Rachel...you know what I reckon would be a great idea!"

[Patf]

I suppose they are artistic in a way, but nothing like the folks we see around here (immigrants like us.)

Too arty-farty, and most of them way out of our league materially.

[NormanH]

[quote user="just john "]Poor old Norm, such a jaundiced view on life, and not accurate; a few Kooks perhaps worthy of pseuds corner, but this is my neck of the woods, I first saw the book in the restaurant in Chateau le mas de montet , and I have to admit I know a couple of peeps, bearing in mind the themes running through the book you might consider that the joke is on the viewer . . .[/quote]

My post was a criticism therefore not something one can expect to be 'accurate' as opposed to a factual account.

I fail to understand, as seemingly do the majority of posters in this thread the idea that 'the joke is on the viewer'

These are images of vulgar,  often obese,  ugly, and to judge by their surroundings insulated from everyday life in France.

Please explain 'the joke'.

[woolybanana]

They are posed that way! But then if you put almost anyone in those poses with those backgrounds they would be vulgar, often ugly, obese. Wh at the heck is so interesting about everyday life anyway - it is boring, sordid and full of cellulite. (This is not factual[:P])