nick_deckov

<blockquote> <p>This is strange since not only has the nude figure been a staple of high art for centuries, it is employed heavily in religious art. I would consider my excommunication from such a cult a lucky turn of events. Groups like this thrive on intolerance and control members with fear and hate. I would put as much distance-physical, electronic and artistic away from this group as possible. Just my opinion.</p> </blockquote> <p>That's definitely my opinion as well. When he first reached out to me, I told him that those people weren't helpful to him anyway (and I actually had discussions vaguely about this when I was still in college with him.) Conservatives, for some reason love to think like they love someone like Michelangelo but obviously don't know much about people otherwise they wouldn't act the way they do (and for what its worth I'm fairly conservative politically, but its just so hard for me to agree with them because of these sorts of things, but currently the left is starting to look that way as well oh brother American politics is great, but I'm digressing again >.>). It really bothers me that people have such arrogant and base opinions in the way they'll demonize people for such petty things, but I (unlike my friend) have just come to a realization that I can't control what other people think. I just don't have powers of mind control, and I don't think I would take that power were it granted to me.<br> <br /><br />Thank you everyone for your comments. I really appreciate your encouragement. Since one of you asked, my understanding is that in the past he has held jobs with, not necessarily "extreme" groups like the one I'm suggesting, but Catholic organizations in general. Obviously it has harmed his current employment, but I think if he'd just forget about the religion for a moment and focus on his damn life instead of dealing with these buffoons, he'd end up doing just fine. I'm definitely no critic, but his work seems quite good to me, and I think he has a real talent for marketing and that jazz.<br /><br />And he wants to ultimately work with more secular clientele anyway, and I don't see how this would be an issue (which is really what I think you're suggesting as well). In any case, I can see how it would be hard for him right now, but I just don't see what his fuss is about all this, because as one of you agreed with me already--there's not much you can do about what people say about you online.<br /><br />Thanks for your help so far, and maybe he'll feel a bit better knowing that you guys don't think his career is necessarily ruined.</p>

<p><strong>How harmful is it to a career in photography if someone accuses you you of pornographic photography?</strong><br /><br />I have a friend. (No seriously, it isn't me. I am genuinely asking this because have a friend in trouble. No offense intended: while I enjoy photography, I can't be bothered to participate in making it.) My has been trying to "make it" as a professional photographer.<br /><br />He has aspirations of shooting in the "modeling scene" (whatever that is, and I don't know too much about it). In any case, his problems started after college. He got pretty crazy with religion. He got started promoting the "Latin Rite," as he was an avid about religion and he wanted to contribute to something he believed in. He was actually pretty nuts about it for a while and was working with an EXTREMELY conservative group. This group was so extreme that some of these "Catholics" were part of what is called the religious community which thinks that the mainstream Church has no pope. These people are so conservative that they think the popes for about the last 50 years have been heretics and some nonsense. But I digress, I just wanted to illustrate the kind of people he was associated with.<br /><br />Without going into details, he was basically excommunicated from that community when he had taken some photography of nude girls. In my opinion, these were extremely "tasteful" nudes and in no way could they be considered to be anymore pornographic than most depictions of nudity in Art for hundreds of years (In fact his photographs were more tame than most Art). However, when this extremely religious community found out about his photographic nudity, they were very quick to oust him from the community--label him as a demon--and declare that he was photographing pornography.<br /><br />He is now incredibly distressed about his future job prospects as a photographer.<br /><br />If you search his name on the internet, then you will find the accusations that he is participating in pornography. He's extremely adamant about fighting these claims, and taking this to court. I'm not trying to discourage him from speaking with a lawyer (I think more people should seek expertise when they have problems), but I can't seem to get it through his head that people are always going to be able to say what they want on the internet about you and there's little that you can actually do (I think he should consult a reputation management firm, but he doesn't like that it only "hides" the problem).<br /><br />Now, the question: Is it accurate that his career is ruined with those accusations of pornography?<br /><br />I just find it hard to believe that the problems in his life is because a very religious and conservative group is accusing him of moral degradation (who <em>wouldn't </em>they accuse, and why would any serious employer take them seriously?). Sure, his chances of photographing among that specific demographic might be ruined, but I don't see why that would harm him in any way among more secular clients. <br /><br />Is there anything that I can tell him or help him or anything to ease him. I'm beginning to think there's more to this story than he's letting on, because I just can't imagine how this could possibly even be a big deal. But I know exactly nothing about photography (I use my cell phone to take pictures and it's not even a smartphone).<br /><br />I'm sorry about the word salad, but I really couldn't even find anything anywhere on the internet stating that accusations of pornography of appropriate aged adults will ruin a career in photography (though I admit my search was brief: only about 15 minutes or so). Sure, I could see child pornography, but that's because its against the law. I don't see how anyone would think that he's done something so terrible that he couldn't take pictures for people, and I can't imagine that photographers in his line of work don't get accused of this sort of thing all the time.<br /><br />Am I naive, or is he over blowing this?</p>