Chris Down wrote:
Perhaps these pictures says as much about the lack of expereience the BNP
have in lighting their own speakers to best advantage as they do about any
bias on the part of the photographers.
Certainly the major parties in both the UK and the USA take great care in
image management.. in every sense.
Quite, or maybe they really don't care. The major parties have every
intention of being seen to be squeaky clean even though they are
anything but. The BNP have a wish to appeal to their core voters, but
yes, they could obviously do with some lessons in lighting. There may
well be better images of their meetings, but most shots seem to be of
them outside courtrooms lately :O)
You comment about the "skins" is interesting, although I must say that you
are perhaps reading a lot into the shaved heads.
Heh, not really. I lived In Keighley (one of their 'strongholds'), I
was a skin when I was a lad, but soon learned the error of my ways
Suggesting a shaved head and a t-shirt makes a man a "skin" and a
dangerous hooligan is hardly any different from suggesting a man is a
terrorist because he has a sun tan and dresses in a particular
style. It does of course show how important images, and how we
perceive them, can be.
Plus it shows exactly how these people wish themselves to be seen. I
know people with shaved heads who i wouldn't think were skins in a
month of sundays. I've seen BNP supporters in action, they ARE
skinheads.
Opponents of the BNP should perhaps be thankful that there are the
"skinhead" type supporters. It is a fact that many people are attracted to
the policies of the BNP but repelled by some of the personalities.
Yup. Spot on.
Students of history will recall that the Nazi part in 1930s Germany relied
heavily on the bully boys of the SA. Once the party had power and wanted
to consolidate it the SA bully boys no longer fit with the image they wished
to promote....on the "night of the long knives" (June 1934) the SA were
removed, most of their leaders murdered in their beds.
The fear for the major parties must be that one day the BNP will have slick
PR people and the less wholesome looking supporters will he hidden or
encouraged to leave.
They do try now, but looking at Our Friend and His Friend in news
images after the trial recently I have no doubt what they are. You
can't polish a turd
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/w...re/4723896.stm
The Nazi party became great experts in propaganda and image management.
Triumph of the Will (1935 Triumph des Willens) by filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl
is perhaps one of the best examples of what they managed... a move of
course rather than still photographs, but a fantastic example of how to
light and compose.
Anyone who sees this film cannot help but be at the same time impressed and
terrified... and in no doubt that Germany was a country preparing for war.
If you have never seen the film but are serious about lighting and
composition to convey a message you really should watch it.
The film was banned in the UK, a great pity as this act of censorship
concealed the true nature of Nazi Germany from the people of the UK.... or
was it that the government feared the people would absorb the message?
The best way to avoiding repeating history is to remember it.
I agree, I don't know how anyone on the outside had any doubts about
the Nazis... but hopefully we WILL learn.
--
Paul (Take my hand, I'm standing right here)
-------------------------------------------------------
Stop and Look
http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/