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Lucies Underground, with Diamonds (3)

Clearly, the Lucie Foundation wants the respect of the photo world. You don’t arrogate respect to yourself; you earn it. And you can’t just claim distinction; you have to achieve it. With eleven years of activity under its belt, it’s time for the Lucie Foundation to develop and manifest a realistic self-assessment in its relation to other awards programs, and to make some substantial attitude adjustments and course corrections. […]

Lucies Underground, with Diamonds (2)

Most recently, the Lucies have taken to circulating an unsourced quote about themselves: “The Lucies are known as ‘the world’s most esteemed photography awards ceremony.'” Known thus by whom? This resembles nothing more than the posturing of the obnoxious new kid on the block, strutting around while proclaiming himself king of the hill ― the compulsive self-aggrandizing of the seriously insecure. […]

Lucies Underground, with Diamonds (1)

At some point in the Oughts I started to question the assumption that a “photography community” existed, at present or in the past. If it did, I should have found it possible to identify actions undertaken by that community as such, locales at which it gathered regularly for informal social interaction, and other indicators of the existence of genuine communal spirit and commitment. Sad fact was, I couldn’t come up with much. […]

Ends and Odds (Again)

The Republic Party goon squad, with the malevolent John Boehner and the smirking Ted Cruz as their pit bulls, lost me the opportunity to engage with a cluster of my colleagues in putting photography from 1980 through the present in perspective, and cost me a paying gig. That makes it personal. […]

The Photographer and the Painting (3)

By imitating paintings as freely and frequently as they do, and by tolerating and even endorsing such activity by their fellow practitioners, photographers undercut themselves and their colleagues who object to such infringements on the part of visual artists, abandoning any claim to the moral high ground. […]