Archive 2018 · My friend Steph

JustShootMe
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · My friend Steph

Just a photo from yesterday with a friend of mine. Playing around with an Native American theme. Props and outfit courtesy of Amazon.com.

Edited on Apr 16, 2018 at 09:25 PM · View previous versions

Apr 16, 2018 at 09:41 AM

dmacmillan
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · My friend Steph

You did a very nice job with the photography and post processing.

My wife is a direct descendant of John Ross, the Cherokee Chief who led his people on the Trail of Tears. The history of the United States and First Peoples (Native Americans) is complicated and often painful.

Did you do any research on the makeup and costume she is wearing? I seriously doubt any of it is authentic. Even the gorgeous images of Native Americans taken by Edward Curtis are not accurate, he had a trunk of costumes and often dressed his subjects in clothes they would never wear (think dressing an Inca as an Eskimo).

Be aware that some who are at least part Native American find these kind of depictions similar to having someone wear blackface. Such depictions are a painful reminder of the misrepresentation of Native Americans ever since Europeans arrived in North America. I suggest you read "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" to get some perspective on their viewpoint.

Apr 16, 2018 at 10:39 AM

JustShootMe
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · My friend Steph

Yes I know it's a touchy subject , I consider this photo Art/Fantasy , my wife is also Native American (choctaw nation) .

Apr 16, 2018 at 11:53 AM

frdjohns
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · My friend Steph

Aside from whether or not it is PC, I think it is well executed. The model has remarkable eyes and you've done a great job of bringing them out. The colors, lighting, comp all work well together.

From a photographic standpoint, I like it.

Apr 16, 2018 at 09:27 PM

gheller
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · My friend Steph

I'm really bummed out that the PC crowd motivated you to take the photo down.

It sounds like you have ties to the Native American culture and I think the photo was executed beautifully.

Apr 16, 2018 at 09:38 PM

Kohala
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · My friend Steph

I love this photo--beautiful model, creative makeup and wonderfully lit. dmacmillan suggests that the OP read a book to become "culturally sensitive." He might want to read, Politically Correct Bedtime Stories, and chill out a bit.

Apr 17, 2018 at 11:10 AM

dwa652
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · My friend Steph

I would like to have seen the shot. My wife is a descendant of Pocahontas but would not get all bent out of shape over some photograph like this. Time for some people to lighten up.

Apr 17, 2018 at 08:46 PM

amacal1
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · My friend Steph

I'm pretty anti-PC, but I didn't find dmacmillan's reply to be overtly confrontational. In rereading it, he didn't tell the OP to do anything with regards to the picture, and even shared an anecdote related to famous photographs of native Americans (an anecdote I found hugely interesting and informative). He did suggest that the OP consider how such images can be interpreted by some, and I can't fault him for that.

I'm not saying the photo shouldn't have been taken or posted. I'm just saying that dmacmillan's reply wasn't a harsh rebuke or demand to remove offensive content.

Apr 28, 2018 at 09:57 PM


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