I'll probably regret injecting myself into this thread
but.....I've spent some time in Arab countries and in my
experience, whatever little freedom that exists there is enjoyed
by men only. Women have freedom too - to obey the men. Sure,
it's a "cultural" thing but the culture was invented by men.
Now, I do more than half of the cooking at home, living together with
my wife and (occasionally) granddaughter and a female dog. So please
do not call me macho or apologete of masculine rights, but I do not
see the point of intevening everywhere telling everybody "You are
doing wrong!" Evolution is an inner-driven process. And BTW I equally
dislike female rights apologetes.
Not sure what all this has to do with photography. Except that
we as photographers sometimes violate cultural norms (not always
knowingly) simply by taking someone's picture.
You are absolutely right.
The fact that it
may be our job to do so doesn't make the violation any less real
or serious.
Doing the job does not delegate any supreme right to us over
refusers, that is also right.
Back in my PJ days I was punched more than once and
shot at a couple of times. Was I violating someone's cultural
taboos? Maybe. One of the individuals was a "mafia" type who
objected to my taking his picture. That was his "culture".
Now that does not prove anything. "Mafia" is certainly a specific
collection of rules and norms, but will that make it equal to any
culture s.str.? Subculture perhaps?
Having the camera in our hands or a job to do gives us the obligation
to make the choice.
And it does not make us anyhow superior, more clever or more important.
And there certainly is a subtle difference when we give away our
picure or when we do not.
Picture is part of us, a reflection of our uniqueness or soul, if you
like. Picture is magic.
If you give it away to a total foreigner, then it's like looking up
to the sky and not knowing if the lamb ate up the rose or not.
BTW, I don't have the intention to prove that I'm right.
Perhaps I'm not.
But I r e a l l y dislike any violent cultural import or incest.
Peeter
