gc
26 September 2003, 11:39 PM
In Miller photo spat, who will blink first?
Picture this: A studio donates expensive portraits to the city, but the mayor uses another pose
09:32 PM CDT on Friday, September 26, 2003
By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/092703dnmetmillerphoto.a184.html
What's black and white and has somebody seeing red all over?
It's the photo of Mayor Laura Miller, on display in the lobby of Dallas City Hall. Ms. Miller substituted the unofficial shot of herself – in which she wears a black and white suit – for the portrait taken and donated by Gittings photo studio. In response, Gittings is threatening to yank the portraits of all council members.
"If she wants to continue with that portrait, we're going to remove the gallery," said Jennifer Beck, the photographer who shot Ms. Miller's original Gittings photo. "Having another person's work in the gallery confuses the viewer and makes us look bad."
For more than 35 years, Gittings has donated framed portraits of the City Council and mayor for display at City Hall and Love Field. Each framed portrait would retail for about $1,200.
Ms. Miller said she meant no disrespect to Gittings, but she prefers the newer photo, in which she is seated in front of her home.
"Last year when my family did our family photo for the holidays ... I had one taken that I liked better than the free one," she said. "So we called ... [Gittings] and said, 'Do you mind if we put these new pictures up?' and they said no."
Ms. Miller said it wasn't until last week that she learned Gittings was upset about the substitution.
"They sent a letter and said we don't like it that the new picture is up," she said. "Nine months later they say they don't like it, so we're going to have to talk to them and figure it out."
But Ms. Beck says she never told Ms. Miller it was OK to allow another photographer, Rita Baughman of Austin, to crash Gittings' gallery.
"She did ask for permission. She said she had put on a little weight and her husband said she looked better," Ms. Beck said. "But we told her that was something we didn't want to do. We can't have another person's work in our gallery."
The spat between Ms. Miller and Gittings could affect the public face of other council members. Until the matter is resolved, Gittings will not add photos of the three newly elected council members to the gallery.
The gallery in the lobby of City Hall has blank spaces instead of portraits of Gary Griffith, Steve Salazar and Bill Blaydes.
"It doesn't give me great heartburn that my picture isn't up yet," Mr. Blaydes said. "If it doesn't get up there, I'm sure my constituents know what I look like."
Mitchell Rasansky can't say the same. The second-term member, who has lost about 150 pounds since his original council portrait was shot, said he would like Dallas to see his new look.
"People see me now and they don't know who I am," he said. "One woman met me and said I wasn't the guy in the picture."
Mr. Rasansky said Ms. Miller shouldn't be dissatisfied with the Gittings image.
"She was gorgeous in the first photo," he said. "I don't see why she would want to change it."
Council member Ed Oakley also said Ms. Miller should comply with Gittings' demand.
"If it's going to cause us to lose the free gallery, then she should take that picture down," Mr. Oakley said. "Then again, we could all paste up Polaroids of ourselves."
Council member Elba Garcia said she hadn't noticed the new picture.
"She should follow the rules," Dr. Garcia said. "We have an agreement."
Ms. Miller was confident of finding a solution.
"Everyone's got an issue around here," she said. "They've done a nice thing for the city for a long time by donating pictures. I guess I'll go stand for another picture. We'll see."
E-mail gjeffers@dallasnews.com
Picture this: A studio donates expensive portraits to the city, but the mayor uses another pose
09:32 PM CDT on Friday, September 26, 2003
By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/092703dnmetmillerphoto.a184.html
What's black and white and has somebody seeing red all over?
It's the photo of Mayor Laura Miller, on display in the lobby of Dallas City Hall. Ms. Miller substituted the unofficial shot of herself – in which she wears a black and white suit – for the portrait taken and donated by Gittings photo studio. In response, Gittings is threatening to yank the portraits of all council members.
"If she wants to continue with that portrait, we're going to remove the gallery," said Jennifer Beck, the photographer who shot Ms. Miller's original Gittings photo. "Having another person's work in the gallery confuses the viewer and makes us look bad."
For more than 35 years, Gittings has donated framed portraits of the City Council and mayor for display at City Hall and Love Field. Each framed portrait would retail for about $1,200.
Ms. Miller said she meant no disrespect to Gittings, but she prefers the newer photo, in which she is seated in front of her home.
"Last year when my family did our family photo for the holidays ... I had one taken that I liked better than the free one," she said. "So we called ... [Gittings] and said, 'Do you mind if we put these new pictures up?' and they said no."
Ms. Miller said it wasn't until last week that she learned Gittings was upset about the substitution.
"They sent a letter and said we don't like it that the new picture is up," she said. "Nine months later they say they don't like it, so we're going to have to talk to them and figure it out."
But Ms. Beck says she never told Ms. Miller it was OK to allow another photographer, Rita Baughman of Austin, to crash Gittings' gallery.
"She did ask for permission. She said she had put on a little weight and her husband said she looked better," Ms. Beck said. "But we told her that was something we didn't want to do. We can't have another person's work in our gallery."
The spat between Ms. Miller and Gittings could affect the public face of other council members. Until the matter is resolved, Gittings will not add photos of the three newly elected council members to the gallery.
The gallery in the lobby of City Hall has blank spaces instead of portraits of Gary Griffith, Steve Salazar and Bill Blaydes.
"It doesn't give me great heartburn that my picture isn't up yet," Mr. Blaydes said. "If it doesn't get up there, I'm sure my constituents know what I look like."
Mitchell Rasansky can't say the same. The second-term member, who has lost about 150 pounds since his original council portrait was shot, said he would like Dallas to see his new look.
"People see me now and they don't know who I am," he said. "One woman met me and said I wasn't the guy in the picture."
Mr. Rasansky said Ms. Miller shouldn't be dissatisfied with the Gittings image.
"She was gorgeous in the first photo," he said. "I don't see why she would want to change it."
Council member Ed Oakley also said Ms. Miller should comply with Gittings' demand.
"If it's going to cause us to lose the free gallery, then she should take that picture down," Mr. Oakley said. "Then again, we could all paste up Polaroids of ourselves."
Council member Elba Garcia said she hadn't noticed the new picture.
"She should follow the rules," Dr. Garcia said. "We have an agreement."
Ms. Miller was confident of finding a solution.
"Everyone's got an issue around here," she said. "They've done a nice thing for the city for a long time by donating pictures. I guess I'll go stand for another picture. We'll see."
E-mail gjeffers@dallasnews.com