Disclaimer: Shooting Victims is a portrait series by Benjamin Reed. No subjects were harmed in the making of this photograph.
.jpg "Shooting Victim: Ursula K. Le Guin")
A world renown author, Le Guin has received the Hugo and Nebula Awards on multiple occasions and has received eighteen Locus Awards for her fiction, more than any other author in the universe. She was one of the first female authors to make a significant impact in science fiction and fantasy.
Ursula invited me into her home for this portrait session. The eyes are often the most important part of portraiture revealing the essence a subject’s character. I wanted to move away from tradition in this instance, instead focusing on every aspect of her character except for the eyes. The result – it tells a completely different story.
I like that.
4 Comments
I have read almost every one of Ursula Le Guin’s books and she is my favorite author.
The title of this portrait is horrifying. I hope you will change it.
The portrait is interesting. I wonder what her reaction is to it?
Renee
Renee – Thank you for writing in. “Shooting Victims” is the title I use to specify my portrait subject categories. I often use the phrase, “I shoot people.” When describing the type of work I do. It fits that theme of shooting someone in the sense of photography. It would seem crazy to a new reader of this blog, but it is the most widely read and circulated of the categories. Photographers usually refer to their assignments as shoots…I have a shoot today…I shot someone yesterday, etc. I wouldn’t take it as offensive or horrifying, but as a play on words in relation to the field of photography. I can understand why it would catch one off guard.
If you look through this blog, there are a number of victims. I hope you find them interesting.
I also have other portraits of Ursula, more mainstream environmental portraits that ran in major publications this year. I chose to post this one as an example of how you might look at portraiture in a different light to break some traditional rules.
One reader noted he was a big fan of her books and had an image in his mind of how Ursula would look. He thought the portrait was an excellent depiction of her personality through her work as he understood it.
So we have two great viewpoints.
Thanks again!
Dear Benjamin
I like your photographs and your website, but I just want to give you a friendly heads-up that the title “shooting victim” does not work. When I saw the picture which is why I initially visited your site, I actually wondered if Ms. Le Guin had been shot. The person who refered me to you site wondered the same thing. The only thing that prevents this impression is your note to Renee. If you google “photograph Ursula Le Guin” your site comes up third. You are fortunate that the text that accompanies the reference is Renee’s comment. If the text that accompanied the google hit had been the term “shooting victim,” I think you would have received lots of negative comments and you might have started an unfortunate rumor. Without the explanation to Renee, the rumor would have started for sure. Also, there are just too many shooting victims in our society for the joke to be funny.
Again great pictures and website, not so good joke.
Cheers
Tony
Thanks for your thoughts Anthony! We’re about 50/50 for and against. I would consider a change if there was overwhelming support either way or if one of the subjects objected.
Thanks again.
Benjamin