This photographer sucks..

[Designer]

.. so they whine about "discrimination", because that get's people's attention.

That happens a lot, IMO. Back when I owned a small business, one person claimed "discrimination" even though nobody else could see it.

 

[Steve5D]

.. so they whine about "discrimination", because that get's people's attention.

That happens a lot, IMO. Back when I owned a small business, one person claimed "discrimination" even though nobody else could see it.

Unfortunately, words like "discrimination" and "racism" have lost their true meaning, simply because people have come to decide it's a good idea to trot these words out any time they get butt hurt about something.

That photo wasn't an example of discrimination, it was an example of poor composition.

People need to lighten up...

 

[imagemaker46]

Sorry I couldn't stay away, but had to add. The whole situation of blame the photographer for a poor set up, it could have all been avoided if they had of just slid all the other kids down to end of the bench eliminating the gap, problem solved. I do a lot of shooting with Canada's Paralympic swimmers including group shots, several are in wheel chairs, several are blind, it doesn't change how I set the shot up. People are easily intimidated by people with physical challenges, what a lot see as physical challenges are based simply on the people looking at them, these "normal" people, including the photographer that set this shot up are the ones that face the mental challenges themselves.

It's just an inexperienced photographer not seeing the set up, I don't believe there was any malice intended on the part of the person taking the picture. This just became an issue because it's what people do, they would rather single out the boy in the wheelchair instead of looking at the solution to correct it. I have to believe that they could have done a reshoot on this if the mother was unhappy, most school photographers offer re-shoots if the parents aren't happy. That's how it should have been handled, but people like to run to the media and scream discrimination. It's the politically correct thing to do, I'm surprised a law suit hasn't been launched.

 

[Kolia]

I agree it's not discrimination. People will use anything to get traction in these situations. Journalists will push in that direction too.

I have complained to the company who took my daughter's class picture (in daycare of all places !) and had a very quick response with 50% off rebate. I kept it low profile and was doing it more to inform them if a situation.

All pictures were focused on the back wall in my daughter' case...

 

[kathyt]

There are a few things that went wrong here. The photographer could have easily regrouped this to include him even with him in his wheelchair. The teacher is well aware of his physical capabilities and should have spoke up and been prepared to either (a. Get him out of his chair and on the bleachers with the use of caregivers (same ones that take him to the restroom etc.) or (b. arranged for the parents or family member to come in to participate with transfer. Parents are well aware of when school photos are going to be taken, they put up the darn paper months in advance. If she was so concerned about it then she could have been more involved. I hate it when people blame everyone else but except no personal responsibility. Maybe a free photo package is in order, but that is about it. This isn't a customized session mom.

 

[unpopular]

I don't know how I'd feel about getting him out of his chair, I think that would be kind of like the bad old days of how we used to never photograph disabled people in a wheelchair. The wheelchair isn't the problem.

From what I can see, it seems that you could have easily just shuffled the students over towered the wheelchair, and moved him in a bit closer. There would be a little bit of bench sticking out, but it's better than this solution to have the kid leaning in as if to say "hey, i'm over here! I want to be part of the group, but I just can't because of this chair!"

But taking the chair out of the equation is not the solution IMO.

 

[runnah]

Nah, but him dead center and have the kids wrap around. Easy.

 

[tirediron]

Nah, but him dead center and have the kids wrap around. Easy.

This was the "solution" proposed by countless respondants to the Province's article, and IMO is not the answer. That makes him the centre of attention, and would give him a compositionally superior position in the photograph which is just as wrong as the compositionally inferior one he has in the first image.

 

[frommrstomommy]

Nah, but him dead center and have the kids wrap around. Easy.

This was the "solution" proposed by countless respondants to the Province's article, and IMO is not the answer. That makes him the centre of attention, and would give him a compositionally superior position in the photograph which is just as wrong as the compositionally inferior one he has in the first image.

I agree.. seems like that would just make him the center of attention and be this over the top "we love our handicap classmate!" thing.

 

[Steve5D]

Well I think any parent of a child with disabilities is going to be hyper sensitive to anything that could be considered upsetting. But not being in that position I cannot say how I would react.

The photographer in me is outraged, but the parent in me is less so.

The problem is that parents of children with disabilities expect that everyone else on the planet will instantly, willingly and understandingly react in deference to their child. Well, that's just not a reasonable expectation. I don't mean to dismiss such challenges, but those parents really shouldn't make the mistake that their child is somehow more precious than anyone else's child. Unfortunately, these parents are often myopic.

The photographer in me isn't "outraged". In fact, the photographer in me really doesn't care, as it has no bearing on me or what I do. But if being "outraged" makes you feel better, knock yourself out...

 

[Steve5D]

I agree.. seems like that would just make him the center of attention and be this over the top "we love our handicap classmate!" thing.

You know, while I can see your point, think about all those videos where the autistic basketball team equipment manager suits up and gets to go into the last game of the season and he makes a basket. Spectators rush the hardwood and people gush at how wonderful it all is.

How is something like that any different?

 

[kathyt]

I don't know how I'd feel about getting him out of his chair, I think that would be kind of like the bad old days of how we used to never photograph disabled people in a wheelchair. The wheelchair isn't the problem.

From what I can see, it seems that you could have easily just shuffled the students over towered the wheelchair, and moved him in a bit closer. There would be a little bit of bench sticking out, but it's better than this solution to have the kid leaning in as if to say "hey, i'm over here! I want to be part of the group, but I just can't because of this chair!"

But taking the chair out of the equation is not the solution IMO.

The article states that they, the care staff, are able to take him out of his chair for the school photo like they did for the second image. Therefore, no extra attention is placed on him in the school image at all. Problem solved. He can be just like his peers. Just because he needs a chair most of the time doesn't mean it needs to be documented as such.

 

[Steve5D]

I don't know how I'd feel about getting him out of his chair, I think that would be kind of like the bad old days of how we used to never photograph disabled people in a wheelchair. The wheelchair isn't the problem.

From what I can see, it seems that you could have easily just shuffled the students over towered the wheelchair, and moved him in a bit closer. There would be a little bit of bench sticking out, but it's better than this solution to have the kid leaning in as if to say "hey, i'm over here! I want to be part of the group, but I just can't because of this chair!"

But taking the chair out of the equation is not the solution IMO.

The article states that they, the care staff, are able to take him out of his chair for the school photo like they did for the second image. Therefore, no extra attention is placed on him in the school image at all. Problem solved. He can be just like his peers. Just because he needs a chair most of the time doesn't mean it needs to be documented as such.

Personally, I see where nothing is gained by ignoring the reality of the situation. He is not, never can be and never will be "just like his peers".

They needn't put a spotlight on the fact that the kid is in a wheelchair, but ignoring that fact is just as offensive and silly...

 

[unpopular]

I don't know how I'd feel about getting him out of his chair, I think that would be kind of like the bad old days of how we used to never photograph disabled people in a wheelchair. The wheelchair isn't the problem.

From what I can see, it seems that you could have easily just shuffled the students over towered the wheelchair, and moved him in a bit closer. There would be a little bit of bench sticking out, but it's better than this solution to have the kid leaning in as if to say "hey, i'm over here! I want to be part of the group, but I just can't because of this chair!"

But taking the chair out of the equation is not the solution IMO.

The article states that they, the care staff, are able to take him out of his chair for the school photo like they did for the second image. Therefore, no extra attention is placed on him in the school image at all. Problem solved. He can be just like his peers. Just because he needs a chair most of the time doesn't mean it needs to be documented as such.

Historically, though, this is kind of politically incorrect. Though out the 19th and early 20th century, wheel chairs were such an object of shame or even disgust that they were never to be seen in photographs, and great lengths would be made to prevent them being seen at public functions. In fact, it was frequent that the chair-bound to not be encouraged to participate in outdoor actives where they could be seen in their chair.

While relocating him from his chair might be a good option for this individual and this family, I don't think it is generally a good way to handle the situation due to the historic implications.

Being a person with a psycho-neurological condition, it is very easy to hide my disability. But I don't think that hiding disabilities is an acceptable approach to fighting stigma, and popular acceptance must come disabled or not, chair or no chair.

 

[kathyt]

I don't know how I'd feel about getting him out of his chair, I think that would be kind of like the bad old days of how we used to never photograph disabled people in a wheelchair. The wheelchair isn't the problem.

From what I can see, it seems that you could have easily just shuffled the students over towered the wheelchair, and moved him in a bit closer. There would be a little bit of bench sticking out, but it's better than this solution to have the kid leaning in as if to say "hey, i'm over here! I want to be part of the group, but I just can't because of this chair!"

But taking the chair out of the equation is not the solution IMO.

The article states that they, the care staff, are able to take him out of his chair for the school photo like they did for the second image. Therefore, no extra attention is placed on him in the school image at all. Problem solved. He can be just like his peers. Just because he needs a chair most of the time doesn't mean it needs to be documented as such.

Historically, though, this is kind of politically incorrect. Though out the 19th and early 20th century, wheel chairs were such an object of shame or even disgust that they were never to be seen in photographs, and great lengths would be made to prevent them being seen at public functions. In fact, it was frequent that the chair-bound to not be encouraged to participate in outdoor actives where they could be seen in their chair.

While relocating him from his chair might be a good option for this individual and this family, I don't think it is generally a good way to handle the situation due to the historic implications.

Being a person with a psycho-neurological condition, it is very easy to hide my disability. But I don't think that hiding disabilities is an acceptable approach to fighting stigma, and popular acceptance must come disabled or not, chair or no chair.

This isn't about fighting stigmas or historic implications. It is about a young boy, sitting amongst his peer for a class photo. No more, no less. I do understand where you are coming from though.