Comments on: Responsiblity and Guilt http://www.blog.ehrinmacksey.com/tech_life_and_ramblings/responsiblity-and-guilt/ Photography, Videos and thoughts of Ehrin Macksey. A Photographer and Videographer working in Hanoi, Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:14:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ehrin Macksey http://www.blog.ehrinmacksey.com/tech_life_and_ramblings/responsiblity-and-guilt/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Ehrin Macksey Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:51:05 +0000 http://www.blog.ehrinmacksey.com/?p=26#comment-15 @Jyothy, Thanks for the rationalizing. I know it is just they way it is and that you can only do your best. But like you i still think about it.<br /><br />@Sony, you may be right. Actually if it was a businessman that i did a story on i would probably go see him too and would feel some guilt if i didn't keep in touch. <br /><br />But, your somewhat right it is a moral clash between helping the poor and me living a good life. <br /><br />I guess, I just feel guilty when i don't visit my past subjects. Just need to go visit them soon.<br /><br />Thank you two for the comments. @Jyothy, Thanks for the rationalizing. I know it is just they way it is and that you can only do your best. But like you i still think about it.

@Sony, you may be right. Actually if it was a businessman that i did a story on i would probably go see him too and would feel some guilt if i didn't keep in touch.

But, your somewhat right it is a moral clash between helping the poor and me living a good life.

I guess, I just feel guilty when i don't visit my past subjects. Just need to go visit them soon.

Thank you two for the comments.

]]> By: Sony http://www.blog.ehrinmacksey.com/tech_life_and_ramblings/responsiblity-and-guilt/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Sony Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:22:58 +0000 http://www.blog.ehrinmacksey.com/?p=26#comment-14 Hmmm... look at it the other way around. If you were documenting a well off businessman, complete with a shop and an incredible business idea, would you feel guilty in "using" him for your story?<br /><br />You see i believe if we're talking about a universal guilt that crops up when leaving, it ought to be there regardless of the subject. On the other hand, if its there only for the weak/disabled/poor/cheated/exploited subjects, then i strongly suspect the guilt is a manifestation of your own moral clash of "helping the poor" versus "living the good life". It has nothing to do with the subject and the subsequent visiting/not visiting. Hmmm… look at it the other way around. If you were documenting a well off businessman, complete with a shop and an incredible business idea, would you feel guilty in "using" him for your story?

You see i believe if we're talking about a universal guilt that crops up when leaving, it ought to be there regardless of the subject. On the other hand, if its there only for the weak/disabled/poor/cheated/exploited subjects, then i strongly suspect the guilt is a manifestation of your own moral clash of "helping the poor" versus "living the good life". It has nothing to do with the subject and the subsequent visiting/not visiting.

]]> By: jyothy karat http://www.blog.ehrinmacksey.com/tech_life_and_ramblings/responsiblity-and-guilt/comment-page-1/#comment-13 jyothy karat Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:56:58 +0000 http://www.blog.ehrinmacksey.com/?p=26#comment-13 I have been dwelling on the same thought for quite some time now. I go back to meet them like you do.. whenever possible, with prints or to just say hello. But you are right. At some point, it is going to be impossible to keep up with every person or every story. In a recent conversation i had with some other photographers, they simply stated that one just needs to be 'professional'.. like how a doctor treats a patient and moves on. I guess that's the only possible solution. Do what you can and then move on. Yet, in my mind, the problem remains. Like you mentioned, does the subject feel exploited? Alone? Hope is a dangerous thing.. I have been dwelling on the same thought for quite some time now. I go back to meet them like you do.. whenever possible, with prints or to just say hello. But you are right. At some point, it is going to be impossible to keep up with every person or every story. In a recent conversation i had with some other photographers, they simply stated that one just needs to be 'professional'.. like how a doctor treats a patient and moves on. I guess that's the only possible solution. Do what you can and then move on. Yet, in my mind, the problem remains. Like you mentioned, does the subject feel exploited? Alone? Hope is a dangerous thing..

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