I prepared this post on 22 December but deferred putting on my blog because I didn’t think anyone would read it during the build up to Christmas. However, in a small way, it asked a question, one that was tackled head-on by the team at Charlie Hebdo with such terrible and deadly consequences. This year is the 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta and this too will stimulate a great deal of discussion about the freedom of expression and civil liberty. Here is the post as drafted.
“I was asked if this image, taken earlier this year could represent my camera club in an inter-club competition. No problem with that until it came to devising a title. The letters in the top left-hand corner are the last two of the word ATLANTIS, the name of a nearby art store. The subject is almost certainly a Muslim given where the photograph was taken. If I gave the title "IS", it could be inferred that that the letters stand for Islamic State and that my image might be considered a condemnation/inference of the Islamisation of the UK.
Alternatively, it could be interpreted as positive reference to good race relations, the woman going about her everyday business and getting her shopping in Tesco like millions of other Britons, . In the end, I opted for caution and decided on the title 'Oblivious' because the woman seems totally unaware of the graffiti. The judges gave it 13 out of 15.
The same week, I entered the same image into an internal club competition but this time gave it the title 'Is''. The judge gave it a maximum of ten on the correct assumption that there was no particular political message intended. Now to the point. Should we be concerned with so-called political correctness in carrying out our normal everyday activity, avoid controversy and the potential for causing offence? Or, should we do what comes naturally and not concern ourselves with the need to look over our shoulders and the perception (drawn rightly or wrongly) of others.”
Alternatively, it could be interpreted as positive reference to good race relations, the woman going about her everyday business and getting her shopping in Tesco like millions of other Britons, . In the end, I opted for caution and decided on the title 'Oblivious' because the woman seems totally unaware of the graffiti. The judges gave it 13 out of 15.
The same week, I entered the same image into an internal club competition but this time gave it the title 'Is''. The judge gave it a maximum of ten on the correct assumption that there was no particular political message intended. Now to the point. Should we be concerned with so-called political correctness in carrying out our normal everyday activity, avoid controversy and the potential for causing offence? Or, should we do what comes naturally and not concern ourselves with the need to look over our shoulders and the perception (drawn rightly or wrongly) of others.”
At the same location, I took a number of images that day. Here is another, I believe that they are both just an expression of creative intent. However, the very existence of this post and the horrible recent events in Paris, demonstrate the extent to which the world we live in has changed.