Christiane Roh wrote: > > Le 7.1.2003 8:21, « Robert G. Earnest » <robert@earnestphoto.com> a écrit : > > > Herein, I think, lies the basis of my question? > > Did anyone ever think to ask Doisneau if the image was staged or not? > > Geezzz where were you while we talked ;-) > > Not only he said it, but he proved it twice in front of the court. I meant when everyone was simply admiring the image at face value. Before the liars and cheaters that would rob Doisneau of his pocketbook inadvertently robbed the image of its innocence and the public of their ignorant bliss. I suspect the answer is "no, no one asked because it didn't matter." I am still trying to get to the root of this thing. Upon the disclosure that the image was set up, who lost credibility? Life magazine? or Robert Doisneau? Better yet, whose credibility was the assumption that the image was "real" based on? It must surely have been the magazines perceived trustworthiness. > > However he has written a little book of memories and doesn't speak about > that matter in his book, as you suspects. It doesn't surprise me that he doesn't speak of it. It is quite possibly a non-issue for people whom have better things to think about. >He seems to be quite superficial > and likes relatively easy jokes. He says that he wants to make people happy > with his photographs, that people have enough sorrow in real life, so his > goal is to entertain them, to give them joy and make them laugh. He reflects > the mentality of his time (he begun his carrier in the fifties) : people > wanted to forget about the WWII and to have fun. That might be as noble an undertaking as healing the sick. > > There is a famous French Photo-amateur magazine named "Chasseur d'images" > (Pictures Hunter), but he says it doesn't correspond him : he would rather > like to be called a "pictures fisher" (a conception rather at the opposite > of staged pictures). True. I believe that phrase refers to being immersed in the lives of your subjects. To have them smiling with you as opposed to smiling at you. To get wet, as it were, swimming with your subjects. I would imagine that there could be many metaphorical correlations between street photography and fly fishing. r .
