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I stepped out of the event I was working at ...............
......... it had been an enormously frustrating day......... with all sorts of petty restrictions placed on how I was supposed to work ........ instead of doing everything as I always do where I am acting as a world class photographer working at world class events for world class clients adhering to exacting world class standards.......... I was expected to act as if I was a low grade photographer who could not care working at an event that I felt was not worth bothering with ......... its was so anti everything I am ........ it was frustrating as hell..........
No matter how potentially un visual events potentially are I work like crazy to turn out stunning images....... envisaging all events and subjects in world class images........ I always always work hard ........ I pride myself that no one works harder or tries harder or cares more or in the end does a better job ........ I am obsessed.......... but I always work in a way that is acceptable and sensitive to the people around me....... that is part of the high standards that I demand of myself...... I want it to be as good as it can possibly be....... I want to approach everything in an upbeat positive manner win people over and of course generate stunning images no matter what it is I am working on....
Anyone who has ever read this blog knows I am gonna do whatever it takes...... freeze, boil, drive, hang out of the window, hang out of the plane, climb the wind turbine...... watch for hours ....... get up early......... stay up late........ frequently in an exhausting combination of all these for days on end.......... I never ever :
" Enter the room keep your back against the back wall (behind the audience) take pictures for two minutes then leave the room "......... I just never do that..........
I know my client a truly world class operation would want to try and accommodate the demands of the host organization. So I try to politely negotiate a way to still make interesting images that reflect the event even though I have been effectively excluded from the event itself......... Maybe I can do portraits of the main people or something else? Does the person in authority have any suggestions to help me? But they explain : 'That is not my job' ........'My job is to stop you taking photographs that you should not be taking and control the way you take photographs'...... my heart sank......... so after that I am attempting to somehow do my work without being permitted to be where I needed to be..... or allowed to do it how I needed to do it ........ tricky...............
I've worked in societies where photography is socially and religiously unacceptable and in places where due to political oppression you are likely to be arrested if seen with a camera......... this event felt the same for me ....... with the constant fear of upsetting authority..... and the weight of disapproval hanging like an oppressive cloud over my every action...........
To be fair everyone at the event was totally fine the disapproval rules and policing was generated by a single point of authority........ all the people at the event were friendly and nice even seemed to welcome being photographed ....... and of course everyone else was having a nice time..... these were rules were applied to only me........ and these rules were actually being applied to me in the hope of increasing everyone else's enjoyment of the event.
But I did feel the oppressive weight of the disapproval and the total blockage of the rules at all times.
The relief to be outside........ to be able to make a picture how ever I wanted without breaking the oppressive rules ............. I walked 50 feet of freedom ......... I looked up and saw the moon............ It was fantastic..............
Cheers Jez XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
PS....... Today I heard somebody talking about the famous Chinese curse : 'May you live in interesting times' ........... apparently it is not Chinese at all.... it is one of three pretend Chinese quotes.... probably originating from the Brits ........... the second is ......... 'May you come to the attention of those in authority' ............ and the third is : 'May you find what you are looking for.'
I am always suffering from the first...... Today I was certainly suffering from the second......... maybe its time for the third too......... hey...... that one does not sound so bad ..........hehehehehe....... :-)) XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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.... The photography and slightly mad life of reportage artist Jez Coulson ....