Photographer Stephen Shore Walks Out of Lecture Over Audience's Use of Smartphones

[usonian]

No, they weren't making copies of his photos. They were probably not held vertically.

Were they
A. Cruising their social media sites?, or
B. Taking notes?

Let's find out.
https://petapixel.com/2024/09/26/photographer-stephen-shore-walks-out-of-lecture-over-audiences-use-of-smartphones/

Last week, contemporary American photographer Shore gave a lecture at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing, China. He is currently hosting a retrospective exhibition of his work in the Chinese Capital.

However, the celebrated photographer abruptly walked out mid-lecture after he saw that multiple people in the audience were more focused on their smartphones than the event.

Shore then expressed his dismay with the audience, questioning why people would attend a lecture only to be more engrossed on their smartphones.

“You’ve come here. You come here to hear a talk and you can’t even pay attention to who you’ve come to listen to. How can you pay attention to the food you eat, or the feel of the sun on your skin?”

The audience cheered ( why? ) and he walked out.

SPOILER:

An audience member showed Shore photos and videos of the notes everyone was taking, and he said he felt much better about it,” So they said.


Petapixel has a video review of Shore's work here:
https://petapixel.com/2011/07/25/inside-the-mind-of-american-photographer-stephen-shore/

SHINE posted a video.
https://www.shine.cn/news/nation/2409224127/

What would I have thought?
What would you have thought?
Has this happened to you?

I still take notes in a Moleskine notebook. (It still looks classy)
I hate typing on the phone. The ipad with a keyboard case and/or pencil is OK, but that really looks like note-taking.

The few times that I have given a talk, I recall printing up notes so that the audience doesn't have to waste time and attention taking their own.

Just write in the margins and stick on stars.


Ce ne sont pas des étoiles

[KarenS]

1. He sounds rather full of himself. n/t

[usonian]

2. Yes, he made an assumption and later apologized when the presumed truth came out.

Don't know if it's his age (I am the same age but "think young" most of the time ... I have some old habits like taking notes in a Moleskine notebook) or just not understanding the audience's culture and age.

My motto: It's always best to ask!!! Try not to make assumptions (I may have done so above)

Typing on a phone is tough for me. Fat fingers? At least piano keys are large, but then some people order smaller sized ones to get the reach. I don't have tons of reach, like Rachmaninoff had. So I cheat.