Humor in Phography?

[paulr]

Hmmm,

It's kind of lost it's impact now you tell me it was staged. Until then I thought it was a great capture.

Doesn't take anything away from it for me (except for that 'what was he doing there?' part). There's still an amazing confluence of imagination and skill and luck behind the picture. I'm actually relieved to know i haven't been laughing at someone's house burning down all these years ...

[benrains]

For large format, I'd have to suggest some of Weegee's work.

[joeyrsmith]

Heres a link for a very funny "Hitler and his Kodachrome" on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDWeAHd6D6w

[Bruce Watson]

It's kind of lost it's impact now you tell me it was staged. Until then I thought it was a great capture.

It *is* a great capture. Why penalize the guy for doing his homework and being prepared?

The vast majority of art is "staged". Little is spontaneous. Think about all the music, plays, paintings, sculpture, etc. you've seen. Much that looks spontaneous isn't. Duke Ellington's bands played together so well because he rehearsed the fool out of them and eliminated nearly all spontaneity-- he charted out every solo -- those aren't improvisations. Astaire and Rogers made dancing look spontaneous through grueling months of rehearsals and dozens and dozens of takes. I've seen some amazingly excellent sports photographs, but nothing is more staged than a football game.

I'm just sayin' that just because it was staged doesn't mean it's a bad get.

[percepts]

It *is* a great capture. Why penalize the guy for doing his homework and being prepared?

The vast majority of art is "staged". Little is spontaneous. Think about all the music, plays, paintings, sculpture, etc. you've seen. Much that looks spontaneous isn't. Duke Ellington's bands played together so well because he rehearsed the fool out of them and eliminated nearly all spontaneity-- he charted out every solo -- those aren't improvisations. Astaire and Rogers made dancing look spontaneous through grueling months of rehearsals and dozens and dozens of takes. I've seen some amazingly excellent sports photographs, but nothing is more staged than a football game.

I'm just sayin' that just because it was staged doesn't mean it's a bad get.

look at the title of the thread. "Humour in photography?"

For me the humour in this image was that the fireman is more interested in pumpkins than saving someones house. As a real situation that is pretty sick but funny. When you find out the fire is a training exercise it loses that real humour. Maybe not for those that don't know what the situation is but now for me its not so funny.

[Frank Petronio]

Kinda Dry, all old school 4x5

[benrains]

Diane Arbus should definitely be included. Elliott Erwitt as well. Not LF, but quite funny nonetheless. Check out the 'Phototoons' gallery under the Portfolios section of Erwitt's website- http://www.elliotterwitt.com/lang/en/index.html

[John Kasaian]

Heres a link for a very funny "Hitler and his Kodachrome" on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDWeAHd6D6w

ROFLMAO! Somebody ought to post that over on APUG!

[bigdog]

ROFLMAO! Somebody ought to post that over on APUG!

Ages ago ...

[Ben Syverson]

Until then I thought it was a great capture.

It's still a great capture!

Most of your favorite "spontaneous" photographs were staged.