On Cows, Grass and... Photographers

Even as I type this morning, I can hear the howls of protest, lumping photographers and cows in the same sentence. But I assure you, I mean no offense to the cows. I like cows. Cows have a lot to teach us.

But my inspiration comes from a loftier source, an Opinionator discussion in the NY Times between David Brooks and Gail Collins. It's good reading and you can find it here: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/western-men-are-doomed/?ref=opinion

Now what's this about photographers and cows?

Brooks begins his discussion on the future of Western men (and he means specifically Western MEN, not women) with the claim that perhaps Western men are an endangered species (I like that. I think I could use a little Federal protection) because their evolved style of thinking is mired in the past and isn't well suited to the contextual decision making vital for today and the future. By contrast, Brooks argues, when compared to Asians the Western men dote on the individual while the Asians think about the group. And they focus on nouns and categories while South Korean parents teach their children to think about verbs and relationships. He's not just bloviating here. He cites numerous scientific studies. (Brooks tends to read a lot of that stuff, which is why I like him.)

And here come the cows. In one fascinating study when American men were shown a picture of a cow, a chicken, and grass, the Americans tended to lump the cows with the chickens (they're both animals, they belong to the same category.) But Asians were more likely to lump the cows with the grass! They have a relationship. (I bet your glad I'm not relating the photographers with the chickens about now.)

That business of thinking about relationships, of considering the health of systems instead of the health of individuals pays big dividends. After all cows can't live without grass and the grass benefits from the way cows "process" the grass. (Oops, I don't like where this is going. Too much compost for the bin here.) They have a healthy relationship, each needs the other, they both prosper when each prospers.

Now move over to the realm of photographers. Photographers have relationships they can't live without. But mostly photographers see themselves having relationships with... other photographers. You can see it on any football sideline on any Saturday or Sunday. During any break in the action the photographers habitually and instinctively gather in herds. Hell, I did it. Felt good chewing over the fat with all the rest of the poor blokes with cameras, beset by editors who didn't see our brilliance, and why it was us, the photographers, who could save the world, if only they would let us. Harrumph!

Meanwhile our beneficial relationships, the ones that were truly valuable ware not with other photographers, but with the athletes and the fans. I've got to hand it to Rich Clarkson, my editor and mentor at the time. He tried in countless staff meetings to instill just pattern of thinking. Tried to get us to go out of the natural paths of thought and to think about relationships that were beneficial to one and all. And countless times he demonstrated how building relationships with athletes was how he got the pictures that splashed all over the pages of Sports Illustrated. (I should'a listened back then instead of waiting thirty years.)

Now I fast forward to the present and look around. Who do photographers have relationships with? A lot of the time, its with other photographers. You're reading a photography blog right now (thank you very much.) And there is nothing wrong with that. The musk ox are very good at fighting off wolves when they form a tight circle. But many of our associations with other photographers have that same battle mentality. It's us against them. Our discussions sound like union hall meetings from the 1920's. Crack a few skulls kind of talk. If it were 1914 we'd be digging trenches in France. Hold the line, boys.

Meanwhile what I notice about the successful photographers is that they have multiple relationships with people in other fields. Not just with other photographers, not even with just art directors and editors (though they are abundantly fruitful.) No, way beyond that. I'm thinking now of the the aviation photographers who not only keep up their friendships with both pilots and aircraft manufacturers. The scientific photographers who pal around with biologists and entomologists. The adventure photographers who are rock climbers first and photographers second. They see the marketplace as a river flowing rapidly, with many boats, and many currents. You never see them standing on a rock, or worse, on shore.

These photographers, when faced with the pictures of the cow, the chicken and the grass, would put the cows with the grass. They've got their relationships right.

P.S. You probably won't see me writing any future pontifications relating photographers with chickens. I know my limits.

Jim

Posted via email from jimrichardson's posterous

Comments

[Dustin]

As a photographer for a farm organization, I have to say I have developed several relationships with both cows and chickens as I've photographed them - and usually with their owners, too. ;-)

I have to say, I don't have a lot of good relationships with other photographers. Not quite sure why - maybe I run just outside the herd.

[Term Paper]

There is a interesting story between photographers and cows and after see this question somebody will think that this is a funny story but this is very Serious story.