gapvic Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 (edited) I'm feeling a bit upset. I attended our camera club meeting tonight where a judge was critiquing our photos. After the judging, he asked if people would like to see some of his photos. Everyone said yes so his USB was plugged into the laptop and we were shown three slideshows, each going for about ten minutes. The last one was a ten minute slide show of photos of stillborn babies and terminally ill (including dead and dying) children. The only warning we got was that "I make no apologies for the graphic nature of these photos". I was deeply upset by them and wish we had been given the opportunity to leave. They are not the sort of images I'd ever look at, given the choice. Is it appropriate to show this sort of thing at camera club? Should we have been given a warning? Edited April 1, 2014 by gapvic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiecuddles Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 I think that warning people of the nature of the content is only fair. Graphic photos of one kind might not bother you at all whereas those ones obviously did. I'd provide some feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Yes, I definitely think he should have warned of what they were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapvic Posted April 1, 2014 Author Share Posted April 1, 2014 Thanks. I've sent the club an email. I don't mind if they want to show pictures like this, I'd just like to have had the option not to view them . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 I think that sort of thing should be pre-advised Yuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Thanks. I've sent the club an email. I don't mind if they want to show pictures like this, I'd just like to have had the option not to view them . I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Anything that graphic should come with a warning about the content prior to being shown, particularly since some camera clubs have members under 18 years of age. I'm not easily offended but I can imagine that many people would be greatly upset by such images (and I would probably be quite shocked if I didn't know that it was coming) and can only imagine how traumatic it could have been for anyone who had experienced a stillborn child or the death of a child. :-( agree, for all him capturing the moment and feeling of it all, I think he's shown a complete lack of sensitivity and empathy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapvic Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 I'm not easily offended and I've not lost a child, but I was deeply upset by the images . I've received an email back from the club and it appears they were as shocked by the content as I was and will provide feedback to the photographer about perhaps being a bit more sensitive in future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trifecta Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Anything that graphic should come with a warning about the content prior to being shown, particularly since some camera clubs have members under 18 years of age. I'm not easily offended but I can imagine that many people would be greatly upset by such images (and I would probably be quite shocked if I didn't know that it was coming) and can only imagine how traumatic it could have been for anyone who had experienced a stillborn child or the death of a child. :-( agree, for all him capturing the moment and feeling of it all, I think he's shown a complete lack of sensitivity and empathy. Agree with both these statements, plus what about cultural sensitivity to viewing the dead? It would have been especially traumatic for any Aboriginal people at the meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph M Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Anything that graphic should come with a warning about the content prior to being shown, particularly since some camera clubs have members under 18 years of age. I'm not easily offended but I can imagine that many people would be greatly upset by such images (and I would probably be quite shocked if I didn't know that it was coming) and can only imagine how traumatic it could have been for anyone who had experienced a stillborn child or the death of a child. :-( agree, for all him capturing the moment and feeling of it all, I think he's shown a complete lack of sensitivity and empathy. I also feel like that's pretty personal, I'm sure permission has been given to share them but I wouldn't be comfortable with such a view into a strangers life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Thanks. I've sent the club an email. I don't mind if they want to show pictures like this, I'd just like to have had the option not to view them . Sensible choice. What a weird thing to do in the first instance. Does not quite seem like art, imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 If his only warning about the content was "I make no apologies for the graphic nature of these photos" - I think he was probably being an arse and trying to show off how wonderful he thought himself for taking that sort of photo... and then forcing others to see it whether they were comfortable about that sort of thing or not. I really don't care how well he may have done the job - I would have expected a much more detailed warning about the content than the one he gave... if only to allow those who weren't going to be comfortable with it to at least leave the room. T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapvic Posted April 3, 2014 Author Share Posted April 3, 2014 I didn't see many of the photos, as I had my eyes to the floor, but with the ones I did see it was the intimacy, and what felt to me like an intrusion into such an incredibly intimate moment between parents and a child, that I found distressing as much as the fact that I was seeing dead or dying children . The club have been great about it and hopefully the photographer will learn something too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redangel Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 (edited) I agree warnings should be sought, people may have been seriously affected by the shock of these images. This particular photographer I think he was insensitive to his audience by assuming his right to show them. He was a guest and should have sought permission from the club board knowing he felt the images may be confronting or graphic. These shots are very personal in nature so I assume he had permission from the families to show this "portfolio"...but then again unless the topic was about such photography I think it was a poor choice. Edited April 3, 2014 by redangel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 (edited) If his only warning about the content was "I make no apologies for the graphic nature of these photos" - I think he was probably being an arse and trying to show off how wonderful he thought himself for taking that sort of photo... and then forcing others to see it whether they were comfortable about that sort of thing or not. I really don't care how well he may have done the job - I would have expected a much more detailed warning about the content than the one he gave... if only to allow those who weren't going to be comfortable with it to at least leave the room. T. Yep, sounds like he's up himself. no thought to the private intimacy of the content. I wonder if the families are aware he's showing off their grief like that. Edited April 3, 2014 by Kirislin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Flying Furball Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Absolutely ignorant approach by him and he needs feedback about it. If that feeds his ego then he is sick (it may feed his ego that his work 'shocks') Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PossumCorner Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 People do unpleasant, self-indulgent, self-important, sensation-seeking, totally inappropriate things in all walks of life. Photography does lend itself a bit, because it is an opportunity to do so without warning to a "captive audience" whether it's at a club meeting or on a forum. I think camera clubs in general condone a lot of fringe "stuff" because it's an arty-farty atmosphere in some respects and all members have to be catered for. And difficult enough to keep membership numbers healthy without a nanny approach. Gapvic this visitor has so overstepped the mark it is appalling. I hope the committee have the guts to take it well further and inform other clubs and have him ruled off. It's not a matter of being offended, but recognition of what is plain wrong on so many levels. His "no apologies" words are a chip on the shoulder admission that he knows it is wrong. There are wonderful, sensitive photographers doing the important very emotional work he has shown. It is a backwards step that one among them is so ready to break trust and devalue this in a public display. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaCharlie Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 Friends of mine used a photographer who does just this style of photography when they lost their little one a while back, the company and photographer was great to deal with and they got some absolutely beautiful shots to cherish forever. I have looked through their website and must say the photography was incredibly tasteful and professional, and all the families were full of praise for the photographers and the way their grief was portrayed at such a sensitive time in their lives. There were many hundreds of shots from completely consenting families who wanted to show off their beautiful children. It is entirely possible that this guy could be a photographer for this company and that he was not breaking anybody's trust. That being said, I looked through the photos knowing exactly what I would be looking at and choosing to do so. I would be incredibly offended if someone had just assumed I wanted to view them and didn't give me the option to leave the room. I think for a sensitive issue like this, full disclosure needs to be made beforehand. There are many cultures that will not view photos or videos of anyone deceased, Indigenous Australians for one (and being in Australia, one would assume that at least one person in that room would have Indigenous ancestry). I think people should be given the choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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