ku # 499 ~ meaning
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 08:52AM 
Whiteface and the flats in Wilmington • click to embiggenA few days ago I viewed some photographs over on The Online Photographer that I found to be very powerful and profound. I showed them to the wife and she too experienced similar feelings and emotions.
Upon revisiting the TOP and the entry with the link to the pictures (by Rachel Papo), I was surprised, annoyed and even somewhat angered to find a quite a few comments along the lines of "... as far as the photography goes, I think it is very average, if not less than average ... They just weren't very interesting or moving to me at all ..." and "... As for the photography, well its very ho hum ..."
Then there was the person who could only muster this comment, "... It would be interesting to know what type of equipment was used for these photographs ..." as well as the there's one in every crowd (how I want to see it/would have done it) - "Am I the only one that thinks this set would look much stronger in black and white?"
And, speaking of there's one in every crowd, how this from a turd named Max, "There were some really good-looking women there ... yes, I'm a chauvinist. But that's because I'm a man, and not too politically correct at it."
Now, here's where I would very much appreciate your input. Ignoring the gearhead and the 'how I would have done it' comments, not to mention that of the chauvinist pig, what I am interested in are the comments regarding the "less than average / not very interesting or moving" photography comments.
As I mentioned, I (and the wife) found the pictures to be very 'interesting and moving'. Obviously, some others did not. This, in and of itself, is no big surprise in as much as no 2 people respond to a given picture in exactly the same manner, although, I think it can be said that some pictures project a meaning and raise issues, feelings, and emotions that approach, in a given cultural paradigm, the status of 'universal'.
Do these pictures project meaning and raise issues, feelings, and emotions that are 'universal' enough so that only an insensitive boob could miss them? Maybe. Maybe not.
But, ultimately, here's my question for you - is it a prerequisite to understanding and gleaning meaning from these pictures that one must have the experience of a daughter of the same age as those pictured? Or, if not the same age, one (or more) who will be or has been the same age?
Or is a modicum of human empathy together with the photographer's statement that includes "The life of an eighteen-year-old girl in Israel is interrupted when she is plucked out of her environment at an age when sexual, educational, and family values are at their highest exploration point. She is then placed in a rigorous institution, where individuality becomes a secondary matter ... She enters the two-year period in which she will change from a girl to a woman, a teenager to an adult, all under a militaristic, masculine environment, and in the confines of an army that is engaged in daily war and conflict." enough to incite "interest" and/or, at the very least, curiosity?
Does it take a genius to 'see' the difference in the 2 'sisters' pictures on the right? Do you have to have a daughter to imagine the experience of 18 year old girls whose constant 24/7 
'Sisters' • click to embiggencompanion is an assault rifle (as opposed to an all purpose cellphone)? Does it take a rocket scientist to understand the extreme differences between cultures and the lives lived therein. Or, how about simply delving into the concepts of ''priviledged', 'blessed', 'there but for the grace of ...'
Do you have to be a commie-pinko-socialist anti-American 'liberal' to understand that our way is not the only way or to realize that there are things out there that we may not be aware of, understand, or that we don't even try or want to understand?
How intellectually lazy, emotionally deficient, lacking in human empathy / compassion, or divorced from the 'real' does one have to be to find these pictures not "very interesting or moving"?
I'm very curious to hear your opinions.
If, as it has been suggested many times both here and elsewhere, what one gets out of picture is directly proportional to what one brings to and the effort invested in viewing picture, then I would opine that those who do not find these pictures "interesting or moving" have very little to bring to the table of not only viewing the pictures but also to the table of what it means to be human.
Reader Comments (13)
My you get pretty upset about those types of comments. I bet the artist didn't even get that upset, if upset at all. If I remember correctly I had very similar comments directed at me on a post from TOP that was about my work. There were a few "don't care much for Hobson's work", etc.
To keep my zen, I always try to remember the words of the 20th century prophet George Carlin who said ""Have you ever noticed that most women who are against abortion, are women you wouldn't want to fuck in the first place?"
Not really along the same lines, but you can understand how it applies to those comments and the commentors.
"How intellectually lazy, emotionally deficient, lacking in human empathy / compassion, or divorced from the 'real' does one have to be to find these pictures not "very interesting or moving"?
How intelligent/genius or whatever do you have to be to throw out a bunch of attack questions... work for any political campaigns lately? It's a knee-jerk reaction to other people not seeing the world or judging photographs in the same way that you do.
Those people were expressing opinions about photos that may not have been adequately explained, but that they felt to be true. Perhaps they found them average because they had seen too many similar photos before or perhaps they prefer photos that are surreal. The reasons for finding a photo ho-hum or average can go on and on without touching at all on how the viewer feels about the subject of the photo.
Why does finding a photograph of a subject not interesting mean that a person lacks empathy on the subject? Do you find all photographs of homeless people interesting? Have you ever considered a photo of a homeless person less than average or cliche at communicating a feeling or story, and would that mean you have no human connection, no empathy for the issues regarding homelessness? We're inundated with photos of the homeless. Some I find moving. Some I do not. Often the ones I don't find moving are because they look like the 10000 others I've seen before. I might find #10002-10 compelling because they were arranged in a better narrative. I won't know until I see them, and I don't think my reaction is sub-human.
I don't think that one has to have a daughter, just some sort of relation to women of that age. I'm not that much beyond that age group and I cannot fathom my friends hauling around assault rifles.
I can almost see a similar series done in America..I mean can you imagine Paris Hilton or any random 18 year old Ugg boot wearing college student sitting in command of that boat? It would be such a joke.
These are very striking. In these situations you would expect to see a big macho guy with rippling muscles but instead you have these scenes with young women in their place.
I saw those pictures and personally thought it was a strong piece of journalism, one shot of a soldier sitting against the wall with some spent rounds next to her and distraught look on her face should have been enough to explain the situation without words.
I didn't care what equipment they used or why she didn't shoot B&W, the commentors "missed" the picture(s)
Don't let it ruin your day! Any ol crapper can say anything on the Internet. You don't have to be a professional photographer to comment on photography. It's the Wild West out there.
I have no daughters (not even a girlfriend) but found plenty to stimulate thought/empathy in the series. I also thought that the series gain strength in numbers - pick the odd one or two and the was limited impact but the cumulative impact was trmendous.
The things that went through my mind: how much these are ordinary teenagers who happen to be attached to an assualt rifle (mentally air-brush out the rifles and take another look); how scary it was that young people (esp girls) with related emotional/hormonal turmoil are in charge of said weapons; how sobering it is that generations of young people in some countries grow up with this early responsibility; how much a good dose of national service would do many Western teenagers good.
A most wonderful and moving portfolio indeed...
Whenever I see someone holding a gun (specially one that is used to take another life), I cannot help but wonder about the people (or animals in the case of hunting) who might be at the receiving end. There is an implicit relationship between the person holding the gun and those others which cannot be ignored. I suppose in many ways, its akin to the relationship between a photographer and the people who get to see his/her work.
"My Life in Summer Camp" could have been the title of this chirpy girlie essay. Perhaps a little more hardcore than our Girl Scouts, but although armed to the hilt by the US taxpayer, these girls won't get to shoot civilians in the Gaza Strip and the other occupied territories. They will probably just swan around Jerusalem with their weapons spreading unease amongst tourists and other unarmed civilians. It's the boys (as usual and at the same delicate age) who'll move into "harm's way" and will shoot unarmed old men, women, and children. It's the boys who patrol the occupied territories. These girls have chosen to be part of a brutal colonial system which should disgust civilized people. If they had any backbone they'd do well to renounce it as did the many USA youths who protested the USA's military/corporate adventure in Viet Nam.
Personally, I found them quite intriguing. Mostly because it reminded me of when I first joined the Army. I can competely relate on that level. I was a bit older than them when I joined, but still plenty young and I almost felt I was right there with them. It seems like Army forts look the same no matter where you are! Dirt everywhere, long hikes nowhere.
As a response to Mike's comment above, if I remember correctly, the service for these girls is mandatory and they probably didn't choose to live in a "brutal colonial system which should disgust civilized people".
I don't think anybody should judge another's culture quite so harshly. Many countries and cultures require mandatory service for 2 years in the military. Personally, I think a lot of our youth would be better off if they had to serve time in the military too. A little discipline is sadly needed (as Martin stated).
Just look around at our own military. We are a very diverse group of races and genders. These could practically be photos from basic training right here. Plenty of your women learning to soldier and fire a nice M16A2 that could someday protect the rest of the citizens when more terrorism lands on our soil. It won't always be "overseas". What will you all say when our young men and women are out there with their rifles. Will you be shocked and dismayed and let the terrorist take over because you don't like to see young women capably use a rifle and possibly get hurt or killed like anybody else? Somebody has to do the job. Personally, I hope I never have to fire my rifle at another creature, human or animal, but if it is to safe my life or my buddy's, I will do it. Especially if the terrorists come bursting through our doors.
Michelle — you don't seriously believe that "the terrorists" (whoever they may be — the FBI, NSA, CIA?) are going to sail across the seas intending to run up to your very door and defile you and your loved ones? Do you really? There's no way an enemy can attack, defeat, and occupy a land mass as large as the continental US and as heavily populated. So leave that argument at home and take a close look at what the USA is exporting: more vile weapons, pollution, and misery than any other country on this small blue planet. I'm worried that there's no end to the US's misbehavior in sight, no matter what happens in November.
It seems to me that those who commented missed the point in all of this: these young women who are being trained to use those weapons live in a part of the world where they are under attack by people who want to see them all dead. They may very well be called upon to defend their very existence. In that context, I found it remarkable that they could still be "womanly" in a traditional sense. Just because some in our isolationism can't fathom such happening here (war on someone else's soil, but not ours), doesn't mean it can't. You don't have to have a daughter or sister totin' iron to appreciate Papo's stiring visual essay. OMG, those poor girls having to sling that instrument of death over their shoulder in order to take on the responsibility of protecting their country JUST LIKE THE GUYS. I was shocked, moved and agitated by these images. I am a father, and would like to think that my daughter would shoulder a M16 along side me if it came to that. Putting these young Isreali women though this ordeal at this young age can only impress on them their responsibilities in the running of their country and in preserving their lives. Wanna' bet those women will have more impact on Isreali society in 10-20 years than will the average college freshman (uh, freshwoman) in this country. No, we'd rather our young women be more concerned with the likes of Britney, Lindsey, Paris, etc., than with survial in a hostile world.
P'taker
After looking through the entire series of pictures I would say they are uneven. There are some very powerful pictures and there are some very dull and uninspired. Papo suffers from what I saw in many photographers when I was an editor at a daily newspaper, not understanding that the emotions felt when taking the picture don’t always translate to the print. Good photographers are also ruthless editors of their own work because they know that one bad picture in a series of 10 good pictures can destroy the impact of the other 9. So what’s the problem with some of Papo’s pictures? She just missed the moment and the tension is gone, the photograph has become a snapshot. The decisive moment may be a cliché but it’s also the difference between pictures that connect with a viewer who has no experience with what’s being photographed and those which only connect with family or friends.
Ptaker — you're not seriously telling us that these girls are going to "defend" themselves from anything? Surrounded by people who want them all dead is misleading — are we to envision a ring of settlers' wagons under attack from the Redskins? Why are these people not liked? Because they've occupied others' homelands and taken others' homes and forced others to leave, to go elsewhere. And that by force of arms. Check it out. Look at what these girls' army is doing in the occupied territories — tank invasions, house demolitions, gunship attacks, assassinations which also kill many bystanders. Wake up!