Photo of the Decade

Photo: Jonathan Bachman

Yes, I know it's gone viral and can be seen absolutely everywhere, and for absolutely good reason- I, like so many others, can't stop looking at it. And like any good great photo, there's good reason for that, basically because it works on so many levels, and does so, so very, very well. Composition- check, decisive moment- check, content- check, check and check.

What I first thought when I saw this photo was... superhero. Nefarious, super villains rising from the netherworld to wreak havoc on the lone guardian of the light. Alone, unafraid, strengthened by the very forces of the winds and nature at her command; she is secure and confident in her calm demeanor. Those advancing in attack formation are quick, aggressive and heavily armored- but overwhelmingly cautious all the same, fully cognizant of her latent power. 

And then, of course, there's real life- what seems an entire city's police force vs. one lone, very human Black female. And such has it always been, no matter the decade, when men of color have been attacked, beaten and killed by overwhelming forces. Their women have never been far behind, and in fact, often leading many of the various opposing and conciliatory forces at play. And always too... the iconic photo to remind us of just that.

Great Advice; Greater Action

Good advice any day, any year- too bad we're still in such dire need of it.



(available on Netflix streaming)

Gideon's Army is what can happen when people get that chance of a lifetime and fight to try and salvage others in similar circumstances. Call them heroes, call them saints- they're people who actually care and won't turn their backs, or shrug their shoulders, or just keep going on with their own world of problems... like most of us.

Amen...

Lies, Lies, Lies... Very popular these days. On the news, the internets, the mouths of the pettiest of Presidential candidates. As true now as it was then- make them big enough, repeat them often enough... and people will fall in line to follow.

Not as loud, or convenient or as popular, there are always the facts. And for that, we can always give thanks, thanks for that increasingly rare opportunity to glimpse through the window of sanity...

Addendum: And speaking of truth in advertising...

Republican Heroes

A Tale Of Three Heroes

Henk Zanoli,  Gen. Majid  and  Witness B-129. 

Even thankful tasks are often... thankless.

Zoe The Magnificent!

Photo: Zoe Strauss

I'm in absolute awe of Zoe Strauss, always have been, and that amazement only grows with each succeeding project, with each remarkable success. Here's a person with no formal training, no bankroll, the very humblest of backgrounds- and yet, she overcame and achieved whatever she set out to do, and then some.  No excuses, no self imposed parameters, no paralyzing self doubt. She just goes out... and does it- not by courting those on top, but by working from the ground level up (and curiously enough- the agencies, galleries and museums soon follow).

She would no doubt have succeeded in whatever she set out to do, I'm just happy she chose photography.  I'm sure her enthusiasm must be infectious, otherwise she would never accomplish half of what she does. While I see obstacles, she sees possibilities; while others simply dream, she realizes what she envisions, and accomplishes those dreams one step, and perhaps most importantly- one person at a time. No superpowers, just sheer perseverance and force of will- not by conning or steamrolling people as per your average politico, but by acknowledging each one, treating them as equals, and bringing out the best in them. Which, when all is said and done, is very much a super power- I can't bring out the best in me most days.

And so I stand in awe, with each remarkable photograph, with each enlightening project. She is her own best creation- the embodiment of human potential. And I salute her.

Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika

There are anthems, and then there are anthems. Some are moving, all are patriotic- but none stirs the very soul, none disturbs it, and none ultimately soothes as South Africa's. None...

AMANDLA!

Photographer, Hero, Human

This issue comes up every couple of years, whenever the photo warrants. In part because it raises some pretty significant questions, questions which will never be adequately answered to anyone's satisfaction. And the first one that always gets asked is, "Why didn't the photographer save him/her?" Of course, the question that should be asked is- would I have saved him or her? And if 99.99% of those who asked themselves were open and honest, they would simply reply, "I have no fucking clue!" Of course, nearly everyone fancies doing the right thing- and everyone loves being the hero. Truth is very (very) few are the latter, which is why only a handful truly earn the title. Thousands passed that shoeless man on that cold night in Times Square recently- and only one did the right thing, and that was far from an "heroic act."

Wesley Autrey is one person who is very much a hero. He actually did what so many others can only dream of... in their very worst of nightmares. And like all true heroes, he was lucky beyond belief- lucky the person he rescued did not thrash about in panic, lucky the trench they jumped into was deep enough to hold them both (they are not uniform in size) while the train passed harmlessly over them. Had it been but two inches shallower, there are those who would have labeled him 'Fool' at his own funeral.

That uneasy and life defining borderline between bravery and foolhardiness is a decision that gets crossed between seconds. James Nachtwey has personally intervened and saved lives on location. Why would he choose to not only put himself within the line of fire, but directly within the gun sights? Why place himself within the picture frame, beyond the measure of self preservation? Perhaps it's altruism in its truest sense, or perhaps 'nothing more' than a way to ease the recurring nightmares. Only he can say, maybe. But it's a safe bet that if such behavior were the norm, he would be neither photographer, nor alive.

The fact that a person is a photo/journalist does not mean that they have an increased responsibility to personally intervene in a matter of life or death; neither does it magically absolve them because they are a professional- or anyone else at hand. We can bullshit ourselves till the cows come home as to when or why someone, anyone has the responsibility, opportunity or wherewithal to risk life and limb for the sake of an-other. Truth is, unless you or I are in that place, at that time, neither of us have the slightest clue...

Puntured Realities

Is it any wonder that someone who subjected himself to one of the most excruciatingly painful drug treatments ever devised by man to cure himself of a life threatening illness, and was in turn rewarded with life itself, would not then be lured by drugs that championed the promise of achieving the very thing he most wanted in that life?

A couple of years ago in the San Francisco MUNI subway system, the only advertisements plastered for months from one end of a subway platform to the other was for "the little purple pill;" giant, billboard sized posters of humongous purple pills enveloped and surrounded adult and underaged commuters alike in a totally captive environment!

I'm not making excuses for Lance Armstrong, he made his own decisions. But we're every bit as hypocritical if we allow ourselves to think that we've somehow bettered society by simply singling him out for punishment (however well deserved) while the pharmaceutical/industrial complex pumps hundreds of  millions of dollars into the body politic through its lobbyists each and every year.

If he is stripped of his seven titles, who amongst that hallowed band of dopers will then be subjected to equal scrutiny before being crowned the "clean" winner? Those seven years best remain vacant- or the governing bodies themselves should be subject to a most stringent review...

If only the banksters were pursued with such diligence and perseverance...

Black Panthers 1968- Howard L. Bingham

If anything is abundantly evident in this photographic tribute to The Black Panthers, it's that Howard L.Bingham is quite the competent, indeed masterful, photo- journalist. And that's clearly evident in his effective compositions capturing the little gestures rife with tension and meaning. The emotion and feel of the era is abundantly ingrained in these images of Panther leaders, their followers- and their adversaries, as well as in more private, intimate portraits behind the scenes. One clearly gets the hope, optimism and militancy that the Panthers evoked and inspired in the late 60s; a positive, progressive, grassroots movement that was tragically cut short by "extra legal" governmental infiltration, persecution (COINTELPRO)- and ultimately, the carefully orchestrated and condoned murder of Fred Hampton by the FBI and Chicago Police.

THE BLACK PANTHERS TEN-POINT PLAN

1. We want freedom. We want power to determine the destiny of our Black and oppressed communities.
2. We want full employment for our people.
3. We want an end to the robbery by the Capitalists of our Black and oppressed communities.
4. We want decent housing, fit for the shelter of human beings.
5. We want decent education for our people that exposes the true nature of this decadent American society. We want education that teaches us our true history and our role in the present-day society.
6. We want completely free health care for all Black and oppressed people.
7. We want an immediate end to police brutality and murder of Black people, other people of color, and all oppressed people inside the United States.
8. We want an immediate end to all wars of aggression.
9. We want freedom for all Black and oppressed people now held in U.S. Federal, State, County, City and Military prisons and jails. We want trials by a jury of peers for all persons charged with so-called crimes under the laws of this country.
10. We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice, peace, and people's community control of modern technology.
    

PATRIOTS...