Weekly Discussion #35: "Two Nuns" by A. Aubrey Bodine

[charleswood]

<p>David thanks for you thoughts.</p>

[wogears]

<blockquote>

<p>Particularly with the inarticulate Les barking his stuff to no purpose other than to just bark.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I will receive an apology for this utterly uncalled-for attack, I trust? You were having a bad day? You see, I've been a professional, paid writer for over thirty years, and I resent <em>ad hominem</em> attacks of this kind, since my editors strongly disagreed with your--no doubt informed--view of my work.</p>

[charleswood]

<p>That's wasn't an attack. I couldn't make hide not tails out of your remark and it came off as brusque and sarcastic.</p>

[wogears]

<p>That's was an attack, by any standard. "Les, what did you mean by that?" is not an attack. I linked to two of Bodine's pictures. In one, an African-American is shown as an industrial worker in a metalwork plant, not a happy servant boy. In the other, teenagers are pictured looking like the local JD gang, not tourist-worthy, pleasant children.</p>

[charleswood]

<p>Ok Les, got it, thanks for fleshing that out for me. I think that African Americans in that era were represented in the media in ways that were positive and that didn't speak to the wider issue of that day. Nor do I see Bodine speaking in his larger body of work to the issue of poverty; instead his work overall comes off as technically good combined with an element of editorializing.</p>

[lynnthomas]

I have never heard of Bodine so I appreciate the OP presenting him. I enjoy learning about photographers not

known to me because it broadens my knowledge.

 

As far as how I feel about this photo, I didn't see it as a commentary on anything. Actually I thought he probably

came upon the scene and just shot it. Later he may have just decided what the heck let's add some snow and

see where it goes. I don't believe every shot a photographer takes has to mean something...sometimes it's just

a nice shot. Now maybe he did have a commentary to make, I just don't see it in this photo.