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| Lauren - 2009 |
A few years ago before my friend Mark Budgen (a paragon of stability he was) died we discussed what was happening in the 21st century. I had written a blog in 2009 (link below) and a couple more about the fact that the Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carol) was accused by some in having an unhealthy relationship with the young Alice Liddell. Budgen and I both new that he had never boated with her without a cousin or friend companion of Liddell’s. We also knew that in the second half of the 19th century, and particularly in Victorian England, children were treated as adults and worked long hours in factories just like adults.
I wrote a review in 1993 of Sally Mann’s book Immediate Family for Celia Duthie’s The Reader. Since then, and particularly in this century, her book has been banned in many US public libraries.
As soon as Rosemary and I had children, I photographed them as they grew up. And when my youngest daughter Hilary had two daughters I photographed them until they were teenagers. My profession as a portrait photographer and my style involved them facing me with my camera at the same height as their eyes. I was inspired by 19th century photographer Julia Margaret Cameron as none of her subjects ever smiled. The photographs, I have hundreds, have this almost disarming serious gaze.
As I understand, I was not criticized in that past century, as I had the alibi that I was their grandfather.
Now in this century I wonder if that alibi would fly?
