Working women.

[Tom dinning]

In a desperate attempt to capture the culture I often miss the obvious, especially if Christine has me in tow.
Working women with well worn hands and bent backs is a cliche us photographers are wiling to hunt down and popularise with a bit of grain and a quick B&W converstion for some authenticity.
But what of the other hard working women. The ones that keep their hands clean and their purses full? They, too, toil away at their trade and keep their men content.

_DSC1524-copy by
tom.dinning, on Flickr



_DSC1581-copy by tom.dinning, on Flickr​

 

[Asher Kelman]

In a desperate attempt to capture the culture I often miss the obvious, especially if Christine has me in tow.
Working women with well worn hands and bent backs is a cliche us photographers are wiling to hunt down and popularise with a bit of grain and a quick B&W converstion for some authenticity.
But what of the other hard working women. The ones that keep their hands clean and their purses full? They, too, toil away at their trade and keep their men content.

_DSC1524-copy by
tom.dinning, on Flickr​

Tom,

To me, she looks like any one of the fashionable girls around here. I'd not immediately imagine anything other than, "What a fit-looking very, very, young person!" We must assume that, after all, we do not want to falsely assert opprobium on anyone.

So what makes you imply differently? Here, she'd pass as one of the thousands of young women who work regular jobs. Is this a red light district or you know the girl? One thing is out of place for a woman just going to the office is the sheer size of her purse. I understand that inside she has to pack change of clothes and a hair dryer. Of course, a fine looking young lady like this fits in "high" society.

Ashley Alexandra Dupre, another refined looking lady was employed by New York former Attorney General, Eliot Spitzer and that ruined his career. She was supplied by an elite escort service run by Emperors Club VIP.

http://i.cdn.turner.com/dr/teg/tsg/...gecache/750x970/documents/0312084kristen1.jpg

These women are very elegant-looking. Not exactly modest, but how on earth does anyone get to suggest other than a fashionable young beauty?

OTOH, the second picture you showed, seems to have a far more aggressive daytime openness of dress, which, before nightclub scenes start, does suggest merchandise.

Asher

 

[Paul Abbott]

The subject for photographing 'working women' is a good idea but are they really working?
I reckon you would do well to photograph them as 'social pariah's' on a *** break outside their offices, I see that in London a lot. The looks on their faces are miserable for some...

I really like your second shot, but I don't think it fits the idea unless she really is a prostitute, (now there's a subject). I really like the association of her with the look of the girl in the ad', and the ad' girl's look implies things.

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Tom,

Two really nice images.

I take it that by "working women" you are telling us that these are two prostitutes. Maybe that is even metaphorical at a second level - perhaps the first woman is a marketing vice-president for a pharmaceutical company.

As for me, I hate euphemisms [see below], perhaps "working woman" most of all. It probably made some sense when it was first coined, at a time when the only women who were "gainfully employed" were prostitutes.

But it is hopelessly out-of-date, and even as a joke, gravely offensive to actual working women in general. And, with it in force, how can we describe a "working woman" (a bus driver, perhaps)?

Illustrative anecdote

My mother was very "genteel", and often used euphemisms for words she found distasteful, or maybe for things she found distasteful. My engineer's outlook (which I had from a very early age) made me very interested in always calling things by their "real" names.

When I was very young, we had received a visit from a life insurance agent (a "penny debit man", I think.) When he left, I asked my mother what "life insurance" was.

She said that is was a plan in which we paid a small amount every month to a company for an agreement such that, if "something happened to my father", they would pay us a substantial sum of money.

I digested this for a little while, and said, "Gee, Mom, that's great! Something happens to Dad every day."

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Jarmo Juntunen]

Interesting subject. The first one is a good attempt but doesn't quite get there. Your second, however, is fantastic. I, too, am mesmerized by the woman in the ad and the sitting lady.

 

[Asher Kelman]

In a desperate attempt to capture the culture I often miss the obvious, especially if Christine has me in tow.
Working women with well worn hands and bent backs is a cliche us photographers are wiling to hunt down and popularise with a bit of grain and a quick B&W converstion for some authenticity.
But what of the other hard working women. The ones that keep their hands clean and their purses full? They, too, toil away at their trade and keep their men content.

_DSC1524-copy by
tom.dinning, on Flickr



_DSC1581-copy by tom.dinning, on Flickr​

Tom,

Now I get it, or I think I do! You were being satirical. Your second picture clinches the two pictures you shared. Having the poster stare down makes us go back to the first picture and indeed say, "Hmm, good looking young woman, attractive too, this is a doctor's office district, so likely, she's a pharmaceutical rep on her lunch break! ", or something like that. We're so used to the old Tom Dinning being straightforward or self-depreciatory, that it never occurred to me that the pictures were actually a comment on the concept of, "Working Women". Now that's approaching what folk might pay good money for. I guess we'll have to look out for the other novel workings of this new alter ego. Frankly, I commend the change!

Splendid!

Asher

 

[Tom dinning]

The new Tom is still interested in social reaction.
My wife, Christine is a working woman and beautiful to boot. Does this make her a prostitute? In the eyes of some she might be seen as that if she stands in a particular way and is found on a street corner at 2 am. I'd certainly ask her home.
What do you call a woman that works if not a working woman?
I was also interested in the jobs allocated to 'real' working women. Bus drivers and pharmaceutical sales people. Is that any less degrading than suggesting these women are prostitutes, 'pariahs' was the word, was it not.
Maybe I should have used the title ' Women at work' and we might have had a less assumption response from my brothers. Or would we? I dare not suggest that some might just have exposed some deep prejudicial scars that still itch a bit.
As for the shots, the first was a rush of testosterone when I saw those legs. Man, they go forever. Not much time for composing. Christine had me by the balls. The woman was staying in the same hotel as Christine and I and on most days, discussing serious business with all sorts of people, sometimes in English, French, a few Asian languages I didn't catch. This particular day she was off with some serious looking 'working men' in a serious looking car for the streets of Saigon.
The second photo was as a response to what some have seen here, the poster woman and the two people below. I have a couple of shots with the two at the table talking but I liked the eye contact with the viewer.

Later that day I did come across a woman who offered me a massage. She had a very businesslike price structure which included 'extras'. The price structure seemed appropriate for a tourist but certainly out of the range of locals. She too, was very beautiful, very well spoken, well presented and very polite. I asked if I could take her photo but that involved a charge and only in her room. Christine squeezed harder on my testicles and I declined the offer.
My stand on all of this is all women who work are working women and must get the respect they deserve. It does seem a bit strange that some people might make assumptions of women who look and dress well. In addition, there are others who might degrade the profession of prostitution when it is often men who keep the trade flowing.

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Tom,

I misconstrued your intent in the use of the phrase "working woman". I see now that you meant it to mean just what it says. (Maybe.)

If others (in this case even I) ascribe some other meaning to it, that is their error!

This is of course not at all to disregard the possible literary value of double entendre.

Some years ago, at a technical conference in Washington, D.C., a friend and colleague of mine was discussing with another engineer a paper I had written. The other fellow said, "Well, there were a couple of places where Kerr was ambiguous in his language".

My friend said, "Well, you need to realize that when Kerr says something that could mean two things, that's what he means."

Press on.

Best regards,.

Doug

 

[Asher Kelman]

Well, you need to realize that when [ ] says something that could mean two things, that's what he means."

Press on.

Best regards,.

Doug

Exactly!

Asher

 

[Tom dinning]

Hi, Tom,

I misconstrued your intent in the use of the phrase "working woman". I see now that you meant it to mean just what it says. (Maybe.)

If others (in this case even I) ascribe some other meaning to it, that is their error!

This is of course not at all to disregard the possible literary value of double entendre.

Some years ago, at a technical conference in Washington, D.C., a friend and colleague of mine was discussing with another engineer a paper I had written. The other fellow said, "Well, there were a couple of places where Kerr was ambiguous in his language".

My friend said, "Well, you need to realize that when Kerr says something that could mean two things, that's what he means."

Press on.

Best regards,.

Doug

My favourite excuse is when someone takes offense at what I say:
"You know how its possible to take things either way. I meant it the other way"