Comments on: Weighing responsibility http://www.leonneal.com/blog/2008/06/25/photographic-responsibility/ An ever-growing archive of bumbling nonsense from an English press photographer Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:51:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: tabascokid http://www.leonneal.com/blog/2008/06/25/photographic-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-23737 tabascokid Thu, 02 Dec 2010 13:18:55 +0000 http://www.leonneal.com/blog/?p=93#comment-23737 Hi Letitia, I'm glad you like the shot. Despite it being one of my earlier pictures, I'm still proud of it. As you have recognised, I did not want the person to distract from the impact of the scars as far more can be read through expressions and first opinions of people on their looks. Framing it this way was the best way of keeping the subject neutral. You mentioned your research above; what is the course that you are taking? Regarding professional advice on press photography, it's such an open ended subject, it's not something that I can exactly condense into handy nuggets. Just shooting lots of pictures is a good place to improve! Hi Letitia, I’m glad you like the shot. Despite it being one of my earlier pictures, I’m still proud of it. As you have recognised, I did not want the person to distract from the impact of the scars as far more can be read through expressions and first opinions of people on their looks. Framing it this way was the best way of keeping the subject neutral. You mentioned your research above; what is the course that you are taking?

Regarding professional advice on press photography, it’s such an open ended subject, it’s not something that I can exactly condense into handy nuggets. Just shooting lots of pictures is a good place to improve!

]]> By: Letitia http://www.leonneal.com/blog/2008/06/25/photographic-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-23682 Letitia Thu, 02 Dec 2010 02:28:08 +0000 http://www.leonneal.com/blog/?p=93#comment-23682 Hi, i came across your image through a friend in university, at the moment i myself am doing a project that involves displaying scars and marks. And i really found this image moving. I myself have scars from other things but was wondering why you shot your image in this way? Just so i can include it within my research. And also a few professional advice on press photography. Such as the things it involves and the work you get. Im very into analogue and documentary photography however try to experience a bit of everything. this is says a lot and i really like that you decided not to include the sitters face as it could have drawn the attention more towards her and her own story therefore making it less accessible for a wider audience to connect with in a more personal level as it has done. Thank you for your time Letitia Hi, i came across your image through a friend in university, at the moment i myself am doing a project that involves displaying scars and marks. And i really found this image moving.
I myself have scars from other things but was wondering why you shot your image in this way? Just so i can include it within my research. And also a few professional advice on press photography. Such as the things it involves and the work you get. Im very into analogue and documentary photography however try to experience a bit of everything.
this is says a lot and i really like that you decided not to include the sitters face as it could have drawn the attention more towards her and her own story therefore making it less accessible for a wider audience to connect with in a more personal level as it has done.
Thank you for your time
Letitia

]]> By: tabascokid http://www.leonneal.com/blog/2008/06/25/photographic-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-16827 tabascokid Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:12:24 +0000 http://www.leonneal.com/blog/?p=93#comment-16827 @nonameneeded As I've said before, everyone has their own personal reasons to self-harm ranging from self-hate and low self-worth through to fashion statements and cries for help. All are just as valid as any person who is prepared to cause such physical damage to themselves cannot be dismissed just because of what they state are the reasons. In this case, the cause is mental illness with the subject cutting herself to both feel a release of pressure caused by incidents in her life and assuage feelings of guilt for the damage that cutting herself caused. It's a truly vicious cycle. During her darker times, she told me that she felt no pain at all as she cut herself, only a real rush of physical relief. Following on from how I opened my comment, the reasons for doing such a thing should be irrelevant as anyone who feels the need to do this is in need of help, whether through medical assistance or just someone to talk to. I hope your situation has improved and that the future holds happiness and security for you. @nonameneeded As I’ve said before, everyone has their own personal reasons to self-harm ranging from self-hate and low self-worth through to fashion statements and cries for help. All are just as valid as any person who is prepared to cause such physical damage to themselves cannot be dismissed just because of what they state are the reasons.

In this case, the cause is mental illness with the subject cutting herself to both feel a release of pressure caused by incidents in her life and assuage feelings of guilt for the damage that cutting herself caused. It’s a truly vicious cycle. During her darker times, she told me that she felt no pain at all as she cut herself, only a real rush of physical relief.

Following on from how I opened my comment, the reasons for doing such a thing should be irrelevant as anyone who feels the need to do this is in need of help, whether through medical assistance or just someone to talk to.

I hope your situation has improved and that the future holds happiness and security for you.

]]> By: nonameneeded. http://www.leonneal.com/blog/2008/06/25/photographic-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-16813 nonameneeded. Tue, 24 Aug 2010 03:02:35 +0000 http://www.leonneal.com/blog/?p=93#comment-16813 i will not write a name to define myself, but as i used to cut, i felt the need to correct a little. if im not mistaken, this picture is not showing the 'fashion trend' of cutting, it is showing the beauty in brokenness. yes, there are people that cut for the look and/or attention, but i assure you those cuts will not run deep. the cuts shown above are formed with self-hate, in a way it is us showing the way we believe our insides look. ugly, scarred, not loved by a single person. seeing scars is a daily reminder of how broken we are, yet we survive. to me, this picture is extremely inspiring. it makes me feel sane when i see myself, knowing that there ARE people out there with as deep of scars as mine. i will not write a name to define myself, but as i used to cut, i felt the need to correct a little. if im not mistaken, this picture is not showing the ‘fashion trend’ of cutting, it is showing the beauty in brokenness. yes, there are people that cut for the look and/or attention, but i assure you those cuts will not run deep. the cuts shown above are formed with self-hate, in a way it is us showing the way we believe our insides look. ugly, scarred, not loved by a single person. seeing scars is a daily reminder of how broken we are, yet we survive. to me, this picture is extremely inspiring. it makes me feel sane when i see myself, knowing that there ARE people out there with as deep of scars as mine.

]]> By: elle http://www.leonneal.com/blog/2008/06/25/photographic-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-12242 elle Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:54:18 +0000 http://www.leonneal.com/blog/?p=93#comment-12242 Francesca- i might point out that even a teenager who 'scratches themselves up' as a "fashion statement" is still suffering, if they are prepared to do that to themselves. other than that i would like to say that this is a beautiful image, i self harm myself and i like the fact that you have used natural lighting. One day i'd like to just have old scars as well. Francesca-
i might point out that even a teenager who ‘scratches themselves up’ as a “fashion statement” is still suffering, if they are prepared to do that to themselves.
other than that i would like to say that this is a beautiful image, i self harm myself and i like the fact that you have used natural lighting. One day i’d like to just have old scars as well.

]]> By: tabascokid http://www.leonneal.com/blog/2008/06/25/photographic-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-2894 tabascokid Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:17:12 +0000 http://www.leonneal.com/blog/?p=93#comment-2894 As I'm sure you're aware, there are many reasons for self-harm with some people using it as a cry for help while for others, it is a symptom of their mental illness. The subject receives support and love from all sides so, aside from the inevitable set-backs that life occasionally throws, she's doing well. As I’m sure you’re aware, there are many reasons for self-harm with some people using it as a cry for help while for others, it is a symptom of their mental illness. The subject receives support and love from all sides so, aside from the inevitable set-backs that life occasionally throws, she’s doing well.

]]> By: TrashPhace http://www.leonneal.com/blog/2008/06/25/photographic-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-2886 TrashPhace Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:43:48 +0000 http://www.leonneal.com/blog/?p=93#comment-2886 I think that poor girl needs a lot of care and help, i used to self harm.. badly. Now and again that urge to do it comes back and haunts me. Self harm has become a popular form of ''pain relief''. It is one we need to get rid of. Suicide has become a massive ''way out of pain''. These problems need sorting out. If we all work together and help each other, then just maybe this feeling of, depression, worthlessness wouldn't be felt so often. I think that poor girl needs a lot of care and help, i used to self harm.. badly. Now and again that urge to do it comes back and haunts me. Self harm has become a popular form of ”pain relief”. It is one we need to get rid of. Suicide has become a massive ”way out of pain”. These problems need sorting out. If we all work together and help each other, then just maybe this feeling of, depression, worthlessness wouldn’t be felt so often.

]]> By: tabascokid http://www.leonneal.com/blog/2008/06/25/photographic-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-2024 tabascokid Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:45:19 +0000 http://www.leonneal.com/blog/?p=93#comment-2024 Thanks for your comment, Francesca. It's true that some teenagers may be harming themselves for fashion but anyone who purposefully injures their body for any reason is clearly in need of some help or attention. There are many reasons why people do this with a different message coming from each of them. It just needs understanding from the people close to them to help them to find what assists them best, be it psychiatric help, medication or just someone to talk to. Thanks for your comment, Francesca. It’s true that some teenagers may be harming themselves for fashion but anyone who purposefully injures their body for any reason is clearly in need of some help or attention. There are many reasons why people do this with a different message coming from each of them. It just needs understanding from the people close to them to help them to find what assists them best, be it psychiatric help, medication or just someone to talk to.

]]> By: Francsesca http://www.leonneal.com/blog/2008/06/25/photographic-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-2022 Francsesca Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:27:44 +0000 http://www.leonneal.com/blog/?p=93#comment-2022 this is a truely touching photo, and I feel deeply for the waman, I think people that go to extents of asking you for help is because you have been in touch with said personand may know how she now copes. mind you there seem to be allot of teenagers that scratch themselve4s up and display it for a fashion statement, I tuely hope this was just one of thoose and it's a stage that will pass them quickly, self injusy is a dangerous addictive thing and should be dealt with carefully, I'm sure you did the right thing, and the photograph is great, you are displaying pain peopel go through which isnt for attention or some stupid fashin statement, this you cannot call that, I applaud you! this is a truely touching photo, and I feel deeply for the waman, I think people that go to extents of asking you for help is because you have been in touch with said personand may know how she now copes. mind you there seem to be allot of teenagers that scratch themselve4s up and display it for a fashion statement, I tuely hope this was just one of thoose and it’s a stage that will pass them quickly, self injusy is a dangerous addictive thing and should be dealt with carefully, I’m sure you did the right thing, and the photograph is great, you are displaying pain peopel go through which isnt for attention or some stupid fashin statement, this you cannot call that, I applaud you!

]]> By: tabascokid http://www.leonneal.com/blog/2008/06/25/photographic-responsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-169 tabascokid Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:56:38 +0000 http://www.leonneal.com/blog/?p=93#comment-169 Thanks, Beth. It's an unusual situation to be in and I agree with everything you say on the subject. I just hope that the person has support and help to get through this obviously difficult time. Thanks, Beth. It’s an unusual situation to be in and I agree with everything you say on the subject. I just hope that the person has support and help to get through this obviously difficult time.

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