Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

People who matter, BLM, think it's time to end the terms 'Slave' and 'Master' in Photography. Part of the reason is it will cause anxiety to black assistant photographers who are asked to reposition the "slaves" when they are working.

https://petapixel.com/2020/06/06/its-time-to-end-the-terms-slave-and-master-in-photography/

Also, I would think, the term Black and White photography should be banned in favor of Monochrome.

captivecookie Loc: Washington state

My opinion: NO!
im a member here as a means to get away from the fighting about such things.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

I recall years ago that some blacks were against using black bullesye target because according to them it encouraged white people to shoot at blacks. Reading your post reminds of those idiotic thoughts from those thrilling days of yesteryear. Many words have multiple meanings that can even change from one part of the country to another.

The term slave has been with us since the dawn of time, black and white film has been with us since the beginning of photography. The pictures were pretty much black and white and still are. Sometimes people just need to get over themselves and move on. There is not any indication that I have ever heard of to indicate that any of these terms has anything to do with the black race. What next, get rid of the word/color black so as to not offend anyone. Of course then we will also have to get rid of the colors, red, white, yellow. There won't be any white people, black people, Native Americans, Oriental people and so on.

Dennis

sailwiz Loc: Santee, CA

This is a joke, right? I've never used 'slave' or 'master' referring to photography in my life; I'm 75. I don't have a clue to their meaning. As for black and white I've NEVER had a thought for anything but non color photography. This sounds all wrong.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Slave and Master refer to flash photography where more than one flash is used. You are correct in that it has nothing to do with anything racial.

Dennis

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

A ‘slave’ flash unit lacks independent intelligence - it receives instructions from the ‘master’.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Big A

Sherely you jest

TonyBot

... and then, we gotta stop "shoot"ing pictures ... "capturing" can't be used either.

Cuz all photos should be "grey", with no reference to "color".

Or "too dark" or "too light" when talking about exposure.

And don't call your offspring "girl" or "boy".

And "Nikon" or "Canon" refer to "God" or "God's word".

Just to get carried away, we should then stop interacting with each other, because no matter what, we're going to run into someone who is going to be offended by something - or more than too willing to apologize for someone else's behavior/opinion/speech.

And, before a reader gets hot under the collar and calls my response insensitive, I must state that in my family the phrase "The Talk" has a very poignant meaning.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

You mean we could no longer shoot our wives, frame our mothers-in-law and hang them both, if we own a framing store, anymore?

I can see where this is going and I don't like it.

Daryls Loc: Waco, TX

Fotoartist,

We could take this idiocy a step further to its logical conclusion - Words mean things, so let's get the record corrected.

First, Africans were not the only slaves in he world. Many non-Africans were too throughout history. Consider the plight of the Polish people throughout history. They were made slaves by the Romans, the Visigoths. the Goths, the Huns, and other Barbarian tribes. Just in the last century (beginning around 80 years ago and lasting until recently), the Germans Followed by the Russians. Slavery still exists in the Middle East, South America, Asia, India, and Africa to name a few places. To be offended by the photographic terms "slave" and "master" by a small subset of people who haven't been "slaves" since the end of the Civil War, is totally ignorant and uneducated. If they can be offended, so can many other people - Poles and Jews especially, but the list is huge. We need to stop trying to redefine words that have worked for centuries because of a few misguided souls.

Second, let's stop referring to non-white people as "people of color". That term is so wrong and offensive. Brown and yellow are single colors. Black is the absence of color. Only white is made up of ALL COLORS. So white people are correctly referred to as "people of color". Should we change that definition too?

There are lot of words different groups of people can take offense to, but should they? Shouldn't they consider the context of the words and how they are used instead of making up their own meanings and then complaining about it? Shouldn't we take offense at all the complainers and celebrate all those who get along together instead? If we just live and let live without imposing our particular beliefs and desires on others who have their own beliefs and desires, the word would be a much better place.

Daryl

PhotogHobbyist Loc: Bradford, PA

Everyone needs to get a thicker skin. That or realize that not all terms have a single meaning. It is strange to me that when a black (or African American) uses the "N" word, it is okay, but it is not okay for a white or asian to use it. I am not in favor of that word myself, but there are times when some words are appropriate but someone with paper thin skin is offended. I am sorry but I cannot control someone else's emotions based on the words I use. And I do try to not use offensive words.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Except white people aren't white and black people aren't black.

I do object to the term "African American". Most of their families have been in America for far more generations than mine. But we're not considered "Hungarian Americans" or "Irish Americans". We are all Americans. Full stop, as my British friends would say.

I am OK with "Native American" though. Their families have been here for hundreds more generations than mine.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

PS: It is a ridiculous article. Hope they meant it as a joke.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

I'm just the messenger. The article stands by itself. And PetaPixel has a stellar reputation as far as I'm concerned.

Though I wish it weren't, the political correctness philosophy is still there.