Do black dogs experience prejudice?
I do occasional fostering for a cat rescue where Black Cat Syndrome is known to be a thing. The people who run the rescue attribute it to the difficulty getting good photographs of black cats. We don’t have a shelter that intending adopters can visit; the photos on the website are all we have to “sell” them with.
Lingering superstition could also be a factor.
They’re afraid of the Grim, perhaps?
Translation = black people don’t photograph well in a white-dominated racist society …
I think Sluggo got it wrong though … black dog chained up, white dog pissing on KKK member … the KKK hates on Catholics too, them folk tend to be white … any white Catholic that pisses on a KKK member is going to be lynched …
Again we’ve missed an important lesson from the 2016 National Elections … there’s a profound number of racists in the United States … even down to the animal shelter workers … so sad …
You might be surprised. I’m having a hard time finding racial breakdowns, but 39% of Catholics are in Latin America and the Caribbean, 16% in sub-Saharan Africa, and 12% in Asia and the Pacific. Plus, of the 8% who are in North America, many will also be non-white. I’m pretty sure that in my traditionally-Irish parish, we now have more Africans than Irish, including our pastor.
EDIT: I’m also seeing figures that, of Catholics in the United States, 30% were born in other countries. Some of those will still be white, but they’re still subject to anti-immigrant discrimination.
I’m an amateur photographer.
Black people often DON’T photograph well. And it has nothing to do with racism, unless you’re going to claim that the laws of physics are racist. If they’re wearing dark-hued clothing, it isn’t so bad, but if they’re wearing anything light-colored, some part of the picture is going to be either overexposed or underexposed.
A friend of mine takes passport photos. He tells me that his experience is the opposite - white folks often ask for re-takes of admittedly bad pictures, while black customers are usually satisfied with theirs. We’re obviously talking about different contexts, though; a tight headshot isn’t going to be complicated by clothing choices.
Use a mask when you expose the print …
We had a solid black cat with green eyes, he was very photogenic. All you needed was a light background.
He was not jinxed or evil, at all.
My 2 Siamese are miles ahead on the evilness factor. It’s clear they are sociopathic!
So is Lady and the Tramp a documentary as far as the breed is concerned? Or do you think this is specific to your kitties?
Back on topic: it’s interesting that Cecil debunks this. Black Labs and their mixes are so popular that I can’t see them not flying out of shelters. Good to see data in place of supposition.
No cat variety is more evil than calicos. I’ve never once met a calico that was nice. I did once own one that we thought was lovey-dovey… until she responded to my sister petting her by giving her a face-ectomy.
She ended up going to live at a farm out in the country.
What a coincidence! I’m also an amateur photographer, and my experience is the opposite.
White people often don’t photograph well. And it has nothing to do with racism, unless you’re going to claim that people are often racist without meaning to be. If they’re wearing light-hued clothing, it isn’t so bad, but if they’re wearing anything dark-colored, some part of the picture is going to be either overexposed or underexposed.
Yes there is a bit of racism in this, though in the past.
Take a look at Shirley Cards.
Fact of the matter is, color photography has always been about making optimizations so that imperfect chemistry could replicate real life in a pleasing fashion. And if they were using Shirley Cards as the standard for “what to optimize for” then it is reasonable to expect that the chemistry was optimized for white people in the formative years of color photography.
I think maybe it’s my cats. I have a bro and sis, 2 heads are more evil than one YMMV.
They rule the house.
Back on topic: it’s interesting that Cecil debunks this. Black Labs and their mixes are so popular that I can’t see them not flying out of shelters. Good to see data in place of supposition.
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Our local (SoCal) shelter maintains that brown Chihuahuas are the toughest to place, and there is always too many of them.
I have one good photograph each of a former dog and cat, who were both black. Lovely animals,but there was never enough contrast.
When I was photographing weddings pre digital and photoshop, Mamyia C330 and Veracolor film. Very dark skinned brides in white dresses were always an issue. The film just couldn’t handle the contrast range required for detail in the dress and the face. Nowadays you either go high dynamic range software or bracket and combine exposures in photoshop. B&W film was no problem, but folks didn’t want that except for maybe one shot.
I’ve had several black dogs and through enough light on them so you get shine on some of the fur and it works pretty well.
GaryM
The trick to photographing my black cat (Theo, age 2) is the lighting. In good light, I get great pics. In poor lighting, he’s just a black lump.
Both good pictures were of the pet sleeping in the sun streaming into an unlit room through a window.
Dark skinned brides always looking breathtaking in ads and celebrity shots.
Photoshop/Lightroom works great. Wasn’t around back then. Cameras that automatically bracket exposures didn’t exit either. I wish they did.
GaryM
We had a couple of black cats at various times when I was growing up. Loved them. Local lore was they were lucky if you owned them.
I have never heard of black-dog syndrome.