[alamo5000]

Please note that this is NOT a political commentary. It is NOT nor do I intend to have it be that way. Please approach this strictly from a photographic standpoint. If it goes off topic too much I will ask the Mods to close it down myself.

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Undoubtedly people have seen an image floating around social media that I am talking about. It's garnered a lot of attention about some White House aide 'kneeling' on a sofa in the Oval Office. The photo has received wide circulation but I feel like it's a perfect example of photographic editorial selection so I thought I would put up the picture I found for reference and discussion. (The top image below is the one I refer to)

A ton of people have seen the photo and based on their views of the world either were 'outraged' or 'so what'. But the context behind the photo matters. I've managed to locate a copy of when, where, and how that image came to be. (see the bottom image for context)

While we can talk about the specific image in question which is fine, I also want to talk more about how or if other people give thought to what they 'put out there' or portray something.

It could be anything from taking photos of a city, a town, a neighborhood, a person, a country or whatever. It could even be Borat creating an impression of Kazakhstan.

In this case, agree or not, we have a singular image that has resulted in a national story that has lasted for weeks.

Pictures tell stories, and they should. That is at least my personal ambition as a photographer. To tell the story of the subject. I want to capture the complexities of things and if possible even capture the 'feel' or the personality of a person or place or person.

There is honesty in having the brutal truth out there but there is also dishonesty in holding back. From a sheer photographic standpoint what is your input or feelings about this general topic at hand?

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Last edited by alamo5000; 06-10-2017 at 07:15 PM.

[jpzk]

Well, she sure looks comfortable, at ease, you would think !
Yes it tells a story and I find nothing in there to be outrageous ... just a great story (journalistic point of view).

[pathdoc]

The second photo certainly puts everything in context. Selecting the first photo only and using it to build a mountain out of its very small molehill represents journalistic integrity at its nadir. Fake news, indeed.

In this day and age, my profession (pathology) is expected to be fully descriptive when it comes to methods, materials and raw data. Publication of all of these can be exhaustive-to-impossible in print journals or the body of the article, so it is often linked to in the e-published version for those who wish to examine all of it in detail. Perhaps journalists should be expected to provide links to the remainder of their shoot at the bottom of their article, even if only as web-resolution JPEGs with the bare minimum of raw-jpg change.

[photoptimist]

Given that she could have take the lower picture more easily taken by sitting normally on the couch, there's the question of why and how she got into such an awkward kneeling position.

Presumably there's also a missing/never-took picture of her standing (or attempting to stand) on the couch to get a good panorama of the group from above head level.

That said, this does feel like the typical "manufactured outrage" that seems to come from all sides these days.

[DeadJohn]

1) I question her photography skills (bad posture). That has no bearing on my opinion of national policies or of the event depicted.

2) It's a weird photo. Some subjects seem posed as if ready for the photo, others are looking in random directions.

3) The scene looks chaotic because of many people crammed into one room. The symbolism of being in the Oval Office is significant; the attendees probably would rather be stuffed in there than meeting in a larger conference room.

4) When I do street photography or document a protest, I think before posting online. I won't post photos online of people at low points in their life. I will post photos of people purposely behaving badly; accept the consequences of your decisions. [that's a response to what the OP said, not commentary of the photo; no one is misbehaving]

[luftfluss]

My knees would be seriously barking if I were in that position.

[UncleVanya]

See also: Cameras are dinosaurs - extinction looms. - PentaxForums.com

[aslyfox]

See also: Cameras are dinosaurs - extinction looms. - PentaxForums.com

I hope this isn't taken the wrong way, it is a comment about her balance (yeah right)

mods feel free to delete if it is over the line

_____________________

did you notice

she leans to the right

[mohb]

An alternative photo?

[UncleVanya]

I agree that out of context pictures can warp perception. That 30 second sound bite clip of spoken conversation is also victimized in this way. This is the culture of instant gratification that we live in. Rapid news cycle - people not reading the entire article and click sharing based on just a title. I see it even here when people react to the the title of the thread and don't read back to see the context.

What to do? Read entire story. Determine if the story matches the headlines. Make noise when it does not. Read full threads before knee-jerk reactions.

Beyond that - avoid the news for a while.

I think the real story is why are people addicted to making iffy quality photographs instead of experiencing the event when there is a highly skilled photographer in attendance. I'm sure the White House Photographer could supply Ms Conway with very good images, even including her participation in the event. She is, I suppose, like a wedding guest who gets between the hired photographer and the couple.

I think the real story in the popular cultural epidemic of social autism enabled by the oxymoronically named "Smart" phone. I suspect she was in the moment and unaware of treating the Oval Office like her living room. Like people who walk into traffic like texting.

[aslyfox]

I agree that out of context pictures can warp perception. That 30 second sound bite clip of spoken conversation is also victimized in this way. This is the culture of instant gratification that we live in. Rapid news cycle - people not reading the entire article and click sharing based on just a title. I see it even here when people react to the the title of the thread and don't read back to see the context.

What to do? Read entire story. Determine if the story matches the headlines. Make noise when it does not. Read full threads before knee-jerk reactions.

Beyond that - avoid the news for a while.

I remember way back in HS, being shown a photo in a class.

It showed in the foreground armed British soldiers , a young woman screaming in the middle and armed men in the back ground ided as members of the IRA. It was taken in Belfast the capital of Northern Ireland during the conflicts.

the lesson to be learned was that same siingle photo was used world wide

1 by the British as proof they were protecting the girl and

2 by the IRA as proof the girl was threatened by the presence of the armed British troops.

not being there, I had no idea what was true

[LaurenOE]

Count me in as one of the people that were "Outraged".

Why?

• There is a meeting going on with the POTUS present in the Oval Office.
• Even if the meeting was just breaking up, that means she either rushed in, or was already sitting on the sofa. Does she just hang out there? What level of casual was that meeting? Did everyone think it was casual?
• She is wearing her shoes, and her shoes have just soiled a seat that people from all over the world use to talk to the President.
• She is wearing a short dress (she's kinda too old for that dress but I don't want to be a prude) and it's open and unflattering how it's shown.
• Do you think a MAN could sit on that sofa in the exact same pose?
• If a man could not do that, why should a woman in the oval office get a free-pass for being too casual? If it's ok for a woman to do that, and not a man, it shows inequality in the highest office in the land.

Reading in a bit more, it's as if she is showing off her privileged place near the POTUS and showing that "Hey Daddy lets me do THIS on the sofa".
No need for the White House Photographer to take pictures, I can do this on my iPhone - which again - probably shows a product placement.

There is so much wrong going on there.

[ChristianRock]

...and it just turned political....

[Nicolas06]

There is so much wrong going on there.

Only if you care. And that's the point. People do it because you care. if nobody did care, there would be no event.