I have nothing to do with any of those comments below. I can say as a bystander that when I saw this image. I did not look at it as " Just another nameless indian" My first thought was that of fascination. I love her smile and I really love the distinct features of Indians. I love being around them, for most I met are very nice people. I love this shot very much Dave.
You are, I think, projecting your own view of the world on my world, and you're wrong. Check out another one of my galleries -http://www.pbase.com/davewyman/image/22134657 - Yellowstone. I just did and I noticed that I didn't bother to name any of the four people pictured in that gallery. The reason I don't necessarily offer up names has nothing to do with the way I unconsciously treat Indians, or anyone else. If it has to do with anything, it's more than I'm lazy than insensitive - I'm too lazy to look up everyone's names.
I think there are many, many photographs of people, on pbase and everywhere else in the world, where the names of the subjects in the photographs are left off. The lack of names doesn't prove that these photographers are insensitive. Certainly photographers in the 1800s who photographed Indians COULD have been insensitive, but to carry opinion over to the way I name my pictures, or they other people name their pictures, does not follow.
<Like I said it is a beautiful picture. The reason for my posting was addressing a problem that has been going on sice taking pictures of Native Americans became popular. Look up any old picture of a Native American from the 1800's...I promise you that most of the pictures, if not all, will not provide a name of the subject or subjects. The reason for this is because Native Americans were'nt seen as people but as objects. Even though you may not have done it intentionally, this photograph is proof that Native Americans are still seen as "the other." You may have asked her for her name but how is anybody else going to know who she is? To the viewer, shes just "An Acoma woman holding a pottery," or as you put so well, an "Acoma artist." This type of title is what a photographer in the 1800's would have given her; who she is isn't important.<
rastwood
24-Jun-2004 22:20
I was there on that trip and Dave didn't even pull out his camera until he asked very respectfully if he could take her picture and she agreed. Each photographer individually spoke with her and asked for permission to photograph. We did this for every pic we took at Acoma. Dave also took her business card. The situation was dignified and non-exploitative. Methinks the poster has some internal issues that they are erroneously projecting.
"Poster"
22-Feb-2004 03:09
Like I said it is a beautiful picture. The reason for my posting was addressing a problem that has been going on sice taking pictures of Native Americans became popular. Look up any old picture of a Native American from the 1800's...I promise you that most of the pictures, if not all, will not provide a name of the subject or subjects. The reason for this is because Native Americans were'nt seen as people but as objects. Even though you may not have done it intentionally, this photograph is proof that Native Americans are still seen as "the other." You may have asked her for her name but how is anybody else going to know who she is? To the viewer, shes just "An Acoma woman holding a pottery," or as you put so well, an "Acoma artist." This type of title is what a photographer in the 1800's would have given her; who she is isn't important.
This previous comment is interesting. I do sometimes provide the name of people I photograph. In this case, I think allowing the individual some privacy was paramount. I'd like to know why the poster thinks witholding a name robs a person of her dignity, or for that matter, why does the poster think I failed to ask the subject for her name?
Resident
20-Feb-2004 05:29
It is a beautiful photograph but why don't you do her some justice and at least post her name on the picture. Or if not, you could have at least had the dignity to ask for her name when you took her picture.
