Noam Chomsky ... again!

[Ranchu]

'The everyday practical activity of tribesmen reproduces, or perpetuates, a tribe. This reproduction is not merely physical, but social as well. Through their daily activities the tribesmen do not merely reproduce a group of human beings; they reproduce a tribe, namely a particular social form within which this group of human beings performs specific activities in a specific manner. The specific activities of the tribesmen are not the outcome of "natural" characteristics of the men who perform them, the way the production of honey is an outcome of the "nature" of a bee. The daily life enacted and perpetuated by the tribesman is a specific social response to particular material and historical conditions.

The everyday activity of slaves reproduces slavery. Through their daily activities, slaves do not merely reproduce themselves and their masters physically; they also reproduce the instruments with which the master represses them, and their own habits of submission to the master's authority. To men who live in a slave society, the master-slave relation seems like a natural and eternal relation. However, men are not born masters or slaves. Slavery is a specific social form, and men submit to it only in very particular material and historical conditions.

The practical everyday activity of wage-workers reproduces wage labor and capital. Through their daily activities, "modern" men, like tribesmen and slaves, reproduce the inhabitants, the social relations and the ideas of their society; they reproduce the social form of daily life. Like the tribe and the slave system, the capitalist system is neither the natural nor the final form of human society; like the earlier social forms, capitalism is a specific response to material and historical conditions.

Unlike earlier forms of social activity, everyday life in capitalist society systematically transforms the material conditions to which capitalism originally responded. Some of the material limits to human activity come gradually under human control. At a high level of industrialization, practical activity creates its own material conditions as well as its social form.'

-Fredy Perlman

 

[mfogiel]

Raid, perhaps you should just talk to the guy? I imagine he might be tired of being photographed by everybody... Personally I'd be curious to understand the bases of his world view...

 

[fireblade]

"Authority, unless justified, is inherently illegitimate, and that the burden of proof is on those in authority." Chomsky.

If only he knew how that statement would destroy most of his beliefs if i had 5 minutes with him......an interesting man he is, but there are many of them...and women, not to offend 🙂

 

[Antielectrons]

Chomsky is one of the most enlightened and humane thinkers of our time, personally I would be more interested in talking to him than taking photos - but seeing as you have asked I would take a 35mm lens for an environmental portrait.

 

[ravilamir]

I will be again having a lunch meeting with Noam Chomsky in his MIT office. This time, I will try to get more photos of him.

Using the iPhone would let me take many photos without creating any interruptions to our discussions. It has AF, so all images will be sharp.

Using the M9 would be nice too. Maybe use the Biogon 35/2 with it?

Another good option is the E-PL1 for its 10x magnification viewer and IS.

I will give it a shot again! Few individuals get two chances with Noam Chomsky, especially since I am not a reporter, or a linguistics expert, or a political science professor or philosopher. I am jusr "Raid". 😀

So, you are going to meet someone famous and not a single mention of "captured on film"?

How about using some proper film camera instead of being just another digitographer?

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Raid,
The square is so good for portraiture. Take one of your Rollei 2.8s, or even your Tele, push some Tri-X or load some Delta 3200 so you don't have to shoot wide open and have some focus latitude. If you'll be in the same location as last time (and I recall you did some digital images) you can probably even check your EXIF details for some exposure info and plan accordingly. Seriously, you did some digi shots last time, so, try something different this time. 😉 Having said that I'm sure the M9 would also do a sterling job.
Enjoy the conversation mate.
Cheers
Brett

 

[JHutchins]

I will be again having a lunch meeting with Noam Chomsky in his MIT office. This time, I will try to get more photos of him.

Using the iPhone would let me take many photos without creating any interruptions to our discussions. It has AF, so all images will be sharp.

Using the M9 would be nice too. Maybe use the Biogon 35/2 with it?

Another good option is the E-PL1 for its 10x magnification viewer and IS.

I will give it a shot again! Few individuals get two chances with Noam Chomsky, especially since I am not a reporter, or a linguistics expert, or a political science professor or philosopher. I am jusr "Raid". 😀

On the silliness that's arisen: I'm not a fan of Chomsky. I think he's kind of a crank and holds some mistaken ideas. But he's a scholar and has no deep secrets -- he speaks, you can evaluate what he has to say on its own terms and decide whether you agree or not and he exercises no power over people other than the power of persuasion so speaking of him as though he were a Goebbels or Krupp seems silly. I think if I were you I'd bring the M9 and a thirty five and maybe nothing more. If I were me in your place I'd also bring a Rolleiflex. The former out of cowardice -- I'd see what I was getting and know I wasn't making some mistake that'd botch every shot I took. The latter because I think I'd get the best portrait with it. I don't think there's a camera available today that puts subjects more at ease, while simultaneously getting them engaged with the portraitist, than a Rolleiflex.

The thirty five and not longer because something like a 75 or 85 makes it a head and shoulders portrait and that's really about lighting and modeling the face and this is not a situation where you're likely to have as much control as that. You do have him in his environment though. I'm thinking of all the wonderful environmental portraits folks like Eisenstadt (Milhaud, Frank Lloyd Wright, Jackie O, Sophia Loren, some truly wonderful color photos of Marilyn Monroe) , Newman (Bernstein, Picasso), Halsman (jumpers) did with moderate wides. That's the situation you'll be in I suspect and the situation you want to be prepared for and a thirty five is as good a choice as any.

 

[David Hughes]

It would be interesting to know what he thinks of Vroomfondel and Majikthise; a friend of mine in that trade couldn't stop laughing once I'd enlightened him...

Regards, David

 

[jmilkins]

I agree with Brett (above) from parts more a little southerly.
Create the personal connection and ease in the first 25 minutes of mutual discussion. In the last five, a window light portrait on MF 6x6 can reflect the quality of discourse and the contemplative nature of his discipline...

Good light Raid, and please give my regards from someone whose relative shares a Medal of the Order. ;-)

 

[Wulfthari]

Sometimes one has the opportunity to use portraits tell the truth about evil people. For instance, Arnold Newman's 1963 portrait of Krupp. I would suggest that Chomsky deserves an equivalent treatment. He reminds me of Mary McCarthy's famous remark about Lillian Hellman: "Every word she writes is a lie, including and and the."

Regarding Chomsky, surely he's not a evil man or a liar, likely he's a radical and an extremist but I'm pretty he doesn't want to cause any harm, quite the opposite, he thinks to write something beneficial to the US.

If only he knew how that statement would destroy most of his beliefs if i had 5 minutes with him......an interesting man he is, but there are many of them...and women, not to offend 🙂

You are very humble to think you can change his mind in 5 minutes...are you going to use electroshock? 😀

However nothing here has relevance with photography, unless you guys think he's a Great Old One like Ktulu, in this case the OP will be needing a wide angle, 20 or 24 mm at least.

 

[raid]

Is that how big ISIS is now, millions?

I have no clue about such an issue. I am a university professor.

 

[raid]

Raid,
The square is so good for portraiture. Take one of your Rollei 2.8s, or even your Tele, push some Tri-X or load some Delta 3200 so you don't have to shoot wide open and have some focus latitude. If you'll be in the same location as last time (and I recall you did some digital images) you can probably even check your EXIF details for some exposure info and plan accordingly. Seriously, you did some digi shots last time, so, try something different this time. 😉 Having said that I'm sure the M9 would also do a sterling job.
Enjoy the conversation mate.
Cheers
Brett

I have been thinking of using my Rollei, Brett. I may just do this.

 

[mupa]

What a wonderful opportunity, Raid. Enjoy. Agree or disagree with him he is a very important person of our time. I do agree with a lot of what he has to say, especially on language.

An M9 and a quality 35mm or 55mm lens would grace his presence admirably. Although Leica being so expensive he'd probably have a comment about power relationships and wealth. (I am an ex owner of the M9 and current owner of M240 and conflicted individual, and probable hypocrite).

Anyway enjoy and let us know when we can read about what was said (including deliberations about what menu items were selected!)

 

[raid]

I agree with Brett (above) from parts more a little southerly.
Create the personal connection and ease in the first 25 minutes of mutual discussion. In the last five, a window light portrait on MF 6x6 can reflect the quality of discourse and the contemplative nature of his discipline...

Good light Raid, and please give my regards from someone whose relative shares a Medal of the Order. ;-)

Thank you, John.
I assure people here that photographing Noam Chomsky is not the main reason for asking to meet with him. I am glad that he and his office manager/coordinator allow me to meet with him.

 

[raid]

Raid, perhaps you should just talk to the guy? I imagine he might be tired of being photographed by everybody... Personally I'd be curious to understand the bases of his world view...

Marek: I may just do that anyways. I am more concerned about which dish to take him this for lunch than about cameras.

 

[raid]

It would be interesting to know what he thinks of Vroomfondel and Majikthise; a friend of mine in that trade couldn't stop laughing once I'd enlightened him...

Regards, David

David: Could you enlighten us about these two "things"? 😀

 

[raid]

What a wonderful opportunity, Raid. Enjoy. Agree or disagree with him he is a very important person of our time. I do agree with a lot of what he has to say, especially on language.

Thank you, mupa. It is an opportunity, and I am not wasting any time exploring it. My children now know about Noam Chomsky. Many educated adults I have talked to recently have never heard of him.

 

[jsrockit]

Why not a time tested combo of your FF camera and a 50mm lens?

 

[Lucadomi]

It would be nice to take pictures of him outside of his office too. Maybe interacting with the students or in the library or other locations around the campus. Not sure if possible.

 

[mfogiel]

My personal approach when I meet some "famous", is to find out what person he/she is, by talking a bit about everything in an relaxed and slightly "interested" way, to make them feel good. Typically, "important" people are normal folks who might have some particular personal obsession. It is finding out about that obsession that is fascinating. Personally, I would never ask a permission to take a photo of such a person "for the record" or, even worse, ask for a double selfie. This is an approach suggesting that you are in a state of inferiority, which I'm sure Raid, you are not. Instead, if that person is interesting, I'd demand a permission to MAKE A PORTRAIT, BECAUSE I AM A PHOTOGRAPHER.