Images and Thoughts on the American Experience
 
A Show of photographs and Commentary by Paul Hosefros, retired senior photographer in Washington for The New York Times.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Beside Bardenay, 612 Grove Street, Boise
 
Perhaps there are two tasks confronting a photojournalist, both epitomized by Weegee's famous quip about how he made such good news photos. "F 8 and be there!"   F 8 referring to the lens setting, and being there referring to just about everything else it takes to make a news photo.  Everything else, to my mind, includes knowing where to be, and when to be there; understanding the true nature of the subject and their relationship to the story, and, if you're lucky, an intuitive feel for the moment's ultimate place in that curious thing called history.
 
For history, to my mind, is what a photojournalist should rightly be about. It matters less whether he or she succeeds in making an historical photo.  Only time will tell.  But it matters greatly that in the process of taking that day's pictures, not just snapshots, but thoughtful, even beautiful images, an attempt is made to understand the bigger picture. Not that easy.
 
With luck, time and history may judge the photos of this exhibit kindly.  While I knew these people and events in real time, as real people, I certainly understand that for many these were abstracts or only television faces and voices. Thus, while the photos from more than 30 years of news photography on the staff of The New York Times are of many familiar faces, I've tried to include moments and scenes that might not be all that familiar.  Also, as in the case of the series of photos from what was then the Soviet Union, I've tried to convey a kind of larger geographical and political context against which many of the Washington events were happening.   Presidents Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton and Bush are here, but so are ordinary Americans ...and even the Queen of England.  The photos are sometimes sad, sometimes funny. But always, I hope you would agree, moments of insight about the American way of doing things.
 
-Paul Hosefros