Hi, Last night our educational network, TVO (TV Ontario) showed a 1 1/2 hour documentary on Shelby Lee Adams, who's made a living photographing the poor of Appalachia (near Hazard, Kentucky, to be exact). If it ever appears on a TV near you, I'd highly recommend it. AFAIK, it's a TVO production.
It appeared to me to be very well balanced, and discussed at length issues such as whether what he was doing is art or documentary, whether he's exploiting his subjects, whether he's accurately portraying the "hillbillies" (a word used by various commentators in the show) of Appalachia. Interspersed with video of the photographer interacting with and shooting his subjects, were interviews with various curators, critics, photographers and academics, some of whom applauded his work, some of whom had misgivings. Many of his subjects were interviewed as well, and they all approved of his portrayals (save one). I'm still not sure if he's exploiting these extraordinarily poor (by North American standards) folks, but he seems geniune in what he does, and he has forged long-term friendships with them over several decades of photographing the same families. He takes great pains to tell us that he's from Hazard, Kentucky (but does admit that he was raised in a middle class household), and so has a bond with these people, which I don't doubt. It was interesting, though, that when interacting with the mountain folk, he spoke with a very pronounced Appalachian accent. When interviewed, however, there was little trace of it. Like them or not, his photographs are amazing, but extremely disturbing. If you get a chance, watch it! regards, frank -- "The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true." -J. Robert Oppenheimer
