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French riots photographer


bruno

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Just happened that a 20 y/o girl, also part of the student movement,

started to put the photos she took of the Paris riots on flickr (and

here someone might start asking how come people prefer flickr to

photo.net). She got much better shots than the ones the press

photographers could, because she was part of it.

 

I found an article on her on an italian newspaper. But there was no

direct link to her flickr account. Some things you can see here:

 

http://multimedia.repubblica.it/home/190452/1?

 

We can talk how much we want and wank ourselves with street

photography that proves how alienating life nowadays is and blablabla

with our expensive leicas and nikons and canons and "oh yes, I'm so

snob I also use a Holga"... here is real stuff... what did you say?

Crop here, burn there... oh yeah.

 

I'll continue taking photos of course. But this really points the

finger on the photographic community: few people have something to

say... she is one of the few.

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Paris 'riots' is dignifying this event with a little more drama than than reality could support. Some young people legitimately protesting about not being able to get a guaranteed 'job for life' like their parents enjoyed. Later on the usual unemployable (dont give a toss if we never have a job) rent-a-mob from the suburbs come into town to bust a few heads, smash a few shops. 1968 it is not.
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This is a good discussion, namely for providing the link to some great photos. Just because someone scored some great shots, does not mean that the rest of us are necessarily wasting time, but I certainly agree with equipment wanker sentiment. In the end gear simply is of no consequence. You can great photos with a 126 kodak, a Nikon F5 or a digital IXY, the gear does not count one iota. What counts is being in the right place at the right time and capturing a memorable image. After that of course is the poetry inherent in one's relation to the subject being documented, and that is a subjective thing, no Leica or Hasselblad will give you those two factors.

 

Of course having a nice camera may spur you to take more photos, but the equipment is not important, "F8 and be there" is.

 

That's what I love about photography, it is a totally democratic medium, anyone can take great photos.

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"Some young people legitimately protesting about not being able to get a guaranteed 'job for life' like their parents enjoyed"

 

...and the police smashing their heads "for free". That is the thing, isn't it? I don't comment on the rest, because our political opinion diverge a *little bit*.

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Unfortunately political discussions are forbidden by Photonet, so I won't even go there. And all the people that insist on making patronising value judgements about why those kids are on the street might do well to avoid it as well. I will say this though, the establishment, and the status quo are relentlessly driving global society and especially the environment over the edge. Democracy seems to have failed in some major states, with rigged ballot boxes in two major elections in a large wealthy country recently. So, the idea of taking to the streets to me, seems like a really good one.

 

The establishment is no longer, if it ever was, a benevolent parent looking after the needs of its people. And in these circumstances a good bit of protest in the streets goes a long way toward shaking up the complacent fat cats in their board rooms.

 

Wasn't it Thomas Jefferson that said something like a "little rebellion in a man is a good thing?"

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Oh, one more thing, neoliberal economic policies (which is what the riots in Gay Paree are all about) don't help anyone but those at the top. You don't see them rioting in Sweden or Norway, do you!? Those are both countries with ethical and socially oriented governments as opposed to the rape and plunder economic policies being promoted by one barbaric country which insists on grabbing everything by force. Let the people take back a little of what is theirs anyway...
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Peter, there is one thing that makes me disagree with you: in continental Europe, these kind of reforms didn't bring all the benefits that are present in UK and USA (I don't know about Australia).

 

If you lose your job in the UK there are good chances that you will find another one in matter of 1-2 weeks (if you have a degree). You can forget about this in other countries.

 

The kind of reforms they are contesting now in France, were introduced already in Italy and this brought to a whole generation of people who are 30something and have no way to work 12 months a year... no way to build up a family and so on...

 

...maybe we should start globalizing rights, instead of globalizing only brands...

 

I would see this as the result of people who want the benefits of global economics without wanting to pay the price of globalized rights for people who are working in this context... but people like me are called "communist terrorists" nowadays...

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"Maybe I misunderstood the meaning of your post."

 

I was referring to Peter A's post.

 

- - -

 

And one step back: regardless of your personal opinions of what's happening in France, those pictures are far more interesting of most of the stuff posted here in this forum...

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Bruno, don't sweat it mate. You take some pretty good snaps yourself. I would not get

worked up about things. The basic deal is that if the common man becomes overheated

enough he will explode, and this is a good thing. Things have been way too quiet lately, and

a rebellion or two here or there is just what the doctor ordered. Let's hope some more

disgruntled people around the world take to the streets. The establishment has had a free

ride for way too long. This world exists for the common man, not Bill Gates, GWB, or some

small group who benefits while the rest starve.

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<em>If you lose your job in the UK there are good chances that you will find another one in matter of 1-2 weeks (if you have a degree).</em><p>Haha, nice one. Dont know which UK you're referring to. Certainly is nothing like that in the South West.
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Darius, I am glad that you are not self indulgent, do not post out of focus crap and do not photograph cows.

 

Good for you, Darius! I think you are the King of pnet.

 

Bruno.. hmm.. may be a foot soldier but definitely not a king. I think he is often on the streets making photos to deserve that distinction as well.

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"Haha, nice one. Dont know which UK you're referring to. Certainly is nothing like that in the South West."

 

I know a few people in London who did it... but I also know that this is not like this everywhere and for everyone.

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Yeah, sorry about that Vivek, it's just that I get a little emotional about politics. And I am sick, sick, sick, sick, sick of hearing some people lecturing the world about how if they just got with the neo liberal program, and stopped complaining and worked harder they would get what was coming to them. It's all BS, pure and simple. My other peeve is formulaic work. But, no need to dig in like that, and I apologise for my vitriol. I was given an extra dose in the hospital as a kid.
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