Thursday, July 29, 2010

Phoenix in Photography

A time of transition approaching.
The house that was home for the last five weeks will be changed for another place to live.
Suitcases must be packed therefore and it is goodbye to another living room, another bed room, another neighborhood.
And goodbye to the two cats.
Who came in every evening to be of cozy company.
Who even liked to share the bed when it was possible.

Meanwhile the work goes on full speed.
Producing the photo book of the project "The most beautiful people in the world".
And everything that is related to it.

Yesterday a heavy disappointment.
The photo editor of an important weekly magazine in the Netherlands was met and she saw the dummy of the new book.
She was enthusiastic and decided to make a publication of the images and texts in her magazine.
On eighth pages: therefore an important and serious publication.
However, she said she had to talk to the editor in chief and get his approval.
One week later she called up.
The whole thing was canceled.
The editor in chief did not want "The most beautiful people in the world" to be published in his magazine.
In spite of the enthusiasm of the photo editor.
He had two reasons to refuse publication:
  1. "The most beautiful people in the world" is not journalistic enough,
  2. and in his opinion too many people in the project give as a reason for their beauty God or Allah.

Of course, an editor in chief is entitled to have his opinion.
Whether the project is journalistic enough or not, is a matter of debate.
But to say that too many people in the project give as a reason for their beauty God or Allah is completely ridiculous.
Because they are 6 out 98.

But the editor in chief is the boss and decides and even the photo editor had to accept the decision.

The disappointment was deep.
And especially painful because the motivation was experienced as terribly flawed.
Therefore the emotion was shared with the dear and wise friend.
And she said:
in life it is not about the success you have; more important is how many setbacks you have gloriously overcome with a smile.



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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a shame about the non-publication, but what a beautiful lesson from your friend! Will try to keep her wisdom in mind..

Karen, France

Anonymous said...

Hey Michel, What a shame. I was really looking forwarth for that project to be published here..

Misia, Holland