Truth, lies, and BS

[Julie H]

Poem with a Cucumber in It

by

Robert Hass

 

[ … ]

 

If you think I am going to make

A sexual joke in this poem, you are mistaken.

 

[ … ]

[Allen Herbert]

,,I really don't follow that last poem somewhat out of context. A banal throw away.

 

Folk should write their own Poem/Prose to illustrate their thoughts....and their own photos: why be a scary custard;)

Why use others when you have a mind of your own, its all about confidence in yourself, without the need for a crutch from somewhere else..

 

Back to the original question. A photograph is a moment in time...it has no before or after it contains only what you draw from it nothing else. No Bs or anything.

 

Thanks for you post, Julie. Inspired my very lazy brain to write some Prose.

 

God bless.

Edited May 2, 2017 by Allen Herbert

[Allen Herbert]

[Allen Herbert]

Off topic

 

I've always admired Einstain....yes, we all do. A genius blah blah

He rejected Nationlism at a very easrly age and renouced his German Citizenship.

The man was a genius.....so, what do you think he was trying to tell us?

[Allen Herbert]

Einstein....I should have enough respect to spell his name correctly.

[Norma Desmond]

Thanks for that story, Phil.

 

I feel lucky in that I don't have to decide which is the true Marilyn. Every side I can imagine or see of Marilyn has truth and fiction as does every picture. If I'm expecting the truth of the woman as actress or star, an unposed shot of her probably won't capture that. If I'm expecting the truth of the woman behind the persona, a glamour shot likely won't capture that. If, on the other hand, I keep in mind that people are multi-faceted and so is life, I will not look for singular or unchanging truths.

 

When I photograph, I'm not searching for a true essence. I'm searching for a vision or story that will reveal something of note.

[Norma Desmond]

When I look at the portrait I don't see in it a version of Marilyn that's more true

Yes. Same thing I'm saying.

 

As for an authentic self. I don't think people get to decide what their authentic self is. At least I don't feel as if I do. I think our authentic self is much bigger than us and much bigger than anything we can decide for ourselves.

 

As with many tragic actresses and, like Judy Garland, I look at the more poignant portraits of each and see women who were failed by a system predominantly dictated by abusive men. That very system and those very men, both in public and in private, helped determine the authentic Marilyn.

[Julie H]

Winter Field

by

Ellen Bryant Voigt

 

The winter field is not

the field of summer lost in snow: it is

another thing, a different thing.

 

[ ... ]

[Norman 202]

"For hours she danced and sang and flirted and did this thing that's—she did Marilyn Monroe. And then there was the inevitable drop. And when the night was over and the white wine was over and the dancing was over, she sat in the corner like a child, with everything gone. I saw her sitting quietly without expression on her face, and I walked towards her but I wouldn't photograph her without her knowledge of it. And as I came with the camera, I saw that she was not saying no.

couldn't MM have just acted the part?

[Norma Desmond]

I don't believe she was acting at that moment either, at least any more than we all act all the time to a certain extent. And, with a professional actress, I'm not sure one ever really turns it completely off. As you say, she was not acting as she had been before, and that's likely the case. Still, though, I think when an actress is not acting, she can still be referred to as an actress and her authentic self has still been determined in part by her being an actress, even if she's not acting at the time. I think I should probably refer to her as an actor, as seems to be the way these days. I'm still getting used to that but I understand what's behind it and it's probably a good practice to get into.

 

YES! That Avedon said "she was not saying no" is very telling.