An Oregon photographer named Jason Rantz posted an out of focus photo in the Facebook group The Very Best Photographers in the World today asking if he should deliver it to his client. Mr. Rantz said he liked the photo and thought his client would too. When other group members ridiculed Mr. Rantz for not culling out what was obviously a mistake, Mr. Rantz claimed that the couple was out of focus on purpose and that the photo was in fact art. When pressed by other group members for comment on what exactly was the message of the art, Mr. Rantz replied that the photo resonates differently with everyone who views it and that’s part of what makes his art so striking. A cursory investigation of Mr. Rantz’s instagram account and website showed no other photos that shared a cohesive artistic expression consistent with the work posted in the Facebook group.
One person in the group asked, “Is the message that perhaps you should upgrade to a mirrorless camera body with better autofocus capabilities?” This comment received many laughing reactions and was echoed in other comments by a large number of group members. Mr. Rantz replied, “No, not that. That’s not the message.” This comment received several laughing reactions and was later edited by Mr. Rantz to say, “While the piece wasn’t meant as a comment on my own skill or my equipment, I definitely can understand someone drawing the conclusion that the photograph was a comment on how technology fails us all, because technology, like mankind, is not perfect.” After the revision the comment gained a few more laughing reactions but mostly it has been garnering care reactions, as if to state that other group members want to give Mr. Rantz a hug. Mr. Rantz also liked a comment made later putting forth this idea, “What I feel when I see this photo is that to an outside observer it might not always be clear why a relationship works so well. This photo is a condemnation of our own inherent judgmental nature.” This comment was posted by Rocky ‘goodboi’ Rantz, and appears to be an account set up by Mr. Jason Rantz for his dog. This comment also received a large number of care reactions.
Update: Minutes after this story was published, Mr. Rantz deleted his post from the Facebook group. When people accused him of “dirty deleting” he subsequently left the Facebook group in question. A few moments later Rocky ‘goodboi’ Rantz also left the Facebook group.