Robert Frank and The Americans by Cameron Scott

Saturday the 9th November 2024 marks the centenary of the birth of Robert Frank, arguably one of the most influential photographers of the twentieth century.

Search for any list of recommended books on the subject of Street Photography and it is almost certain to contain Frank’s most celebrated work - The Americans. And yet, for me, it is a book that sits very uneasily in any of these lists, usually beside other worthy tomes such as Street Photography Now, Magnum Streetwise, The Decisive Moment etc. Anyone who is relatively new to the genre, still going through the steep learning curve (that never ends) and absorbing everything that social and printed media have to offer might be slightly bemused, possibly even disappointed on their first flick through of The Americans. In today’s self-perpetuating online world of Instagram inspired images shared on Instagram, there is nothing to prepare the first-time viewer for the sheer difference in style that Frank’s unique vision realised, although it does lay the foundations. But I think such a comparison is unfair, because Frank’s images in this collection are not intended to be viewed as single standalones. That alone separates it from the vast majority of street photography. Hold the Americans in your hand and you are holding a wonderfully complex, multi layered and beautifully woven commentary on how Frank saw America and presented it to us as a combination of documentary and art.

I won’t go into the background of The Americans too much, that is very well documented elsewhere. Frank was a Swiss immigrant who, funded by a Guggenheim grant, took himself and his family on a series of road trips across America over a period of two years. This resulted in a book and exhibition, which at the time was not particularly well received. It shows an America at unease with itself, and the photography was bold. We are presented with non-formal compositions, blown highlights, wonky lines and other horrors that would see a student chastised. But you can’t just look at these pictures, you have to see. Really see.

Frank was influenced by his friend Walker Evans. Indeed, Evan’s book American Photographs, published twenty years prior to The Americans, is laid out in a similar fashion – one picture per page fold with the opposite side left blank. Evans sat on the committee that approved Frank’s Guggenheim application. He is also reported as having helped Frank with his application, and also suggested locations for Frank to visit in search of subject matter and this can be seen in both books. Frank had also worked on Edward Steichen’s Family of Man exhibition and for some commentators The Americans is Frank’s reaction to, possibly even rejection of the representation of humanity contained within that exhibition. In essence a rejection of Pictorialism.

When I first flicked through my own copy, I felt that I understood some of what was laid before me, but most was way beyond my understanding at that time. What was going on here? Was this a case of the Emperor’s New Clothes or was it me? Was there some personal failing that meant this body of work was beyond my comprehension? My experience as a jazz musician in my youth dictated that I go with the latter scenario. My ability to see needed to evolve, just as my ability to hear had to do so all those years ago.

Repeated viewings meant that The Americans became a companion book over the years. It was always kept separate from my main photobook collection, and while those other books are regularly studied but always well looked after, The Americans ended up grubby and packed with sticky notes as I scribbled down visual connections gleaned during moments of evolving understanding and clarity that occurred with frustrating irregularity.

One aspect of the collection that particularly intrigued me was the image sequencing. Frank had reputedly taken around twenty-eight thousand images, reduced that to eighty-three over a year and then taken four months just to sequence that final selection. As my understanding of photographic art and my ability to see evolved, the layers of Frank’s work were peeled back and the sequencing began to reveal itself, which I will briefly look next. However, I must emphasise here that this is my own interpretation, to a degree shaped by study and research, but I could well be off the mark in some respects. But that is the beauty of this work, we can only take from it what we are able to see at any point in our visual evolution and understanding.

The book is divided into four sections, each featuring the Stars and Stripes flag as an opener. The first image in the book, Parade - Hoboken, New Jersey, kicks off the first section with that American flag, and is the first in a linked sequence, that link being hands and mouths. However, within that sequence we have Funeral – St Helena, South Carolina, which introduces the automobile and its role in the human life cycle, in this case death. Fast forward through the book to an image near the end, Public Park – Ann Arbor, Michigan, and again we see the automobile. This time it provides shelter and privacy for romantic teenagers engaged in what could be considered a mating ritual, the precursor to the creation of life. That image is also thematically linked by romance and the continuity of humanity through ritual to the immediate next in sequence, a newlywed couple in City Hall -Reno, Nevada.

Return to the first section, skip a few and we see the automobile and its place in the human life cycle again in Motorama – Los Angeles. This time youth is the stage in human life cycle and this image is also thematically linked by youth to the those immediately adjacent. There is obviously much more in this image, but for the purposes of this article I’m keeping the individual interpretations pretty simple. Death features again in Car Accident US 66 Between Winslow And Flagstaff Arizona. Covered Car Long Beach California shows just that, bookended by two palm trees to resemble an altar which has significance in both life and death. Additionally, the car appears to be valued by its owner more highly than the run-down house behind it, another commentary on society and our values.

This type of multilevel sequencing occurs throughout the book and is not reserved to the automobile, other emblems of Americana get similar treatment. The juke box takes on an almost religious significance in Bar New York City where the blown highlights demand attention, and we see it as a surrogate parent in Café Beaufort South Carolina, overwatching a child at play. Luncheonette Butte Montana and Santa Fe New Mexico both have difference subjects, but their layout is not unlike the stone circles and henges left behind by our predecessors. Petrol pumps and standing stones have a ritualistic significance in each era. In the accompanying collection of images I’ve included my favourite, Elevator Miami Beach. There are no words for this one, just look at it and find your own.

I’ll leave the image interpretations there. I now view the collection as being laid out more like a family tree than just a simple linear sequence of images, it’s a story with sentences, paragraphs and punctuation, where pictures replace words – visual poetry.

After the release of the Americans Frank went on to become an accomplished film maker and also produced many more photographic collections. He passed on 9th September 2019, but his legacy lives on in a lot of work that we see today. Like many Europeans who settled in that great continent, he was a pioneer and possibly the most profound influencer, to borrow an overused word from today’s popular vocabulary.

There have been various editions of The American’s published over the years. The latest is by Aperture and has just been released to coincide with the centenary of his birth, but I’ll stick with my grubby version.

The example images accompanying this essay are the copyright of The June Leaf and Robert Frank Foundation

Robert Frank: The Americans

Car Accident US 66 Between Winslow And Flagstaff Arizona.JPG

Ray Francis

Kamoinge Workshop was a pioneering collective of African American photographers established in New York City in 1963. The founders selected the name Kamoinge, which means "a group of people acting and working together" in the Gikuyu language of Kenya, to symbolize their shared commitment to community, collective action, and a global perspective.

During the Civil Rights era and the Black Arts Movement, Kamoinge members met to share their work and discuss their artistic goals as a group. This included mentoring youth and creating exhibition spaces and publication platforms for Black photographers. They produced a diverse range of artistically excellent and innovative imagery dealing with human relationships, political life, the cultural scene, and the notion of global Black experience. They sought mentorship from elders like the photographer Roy DeCarava and paved the way for the next generation of Black artists.

The Kamoinge Workshop has been active to this day and has expanded its membership. During the Workshop's formative decades in the 1960s and 1970s, fourteen artists played a significant role in shaping Kamoinge and continue to be central to its ongoing dialogue. Nine of these artists are still living and working today. They include Anthony Barboza, Adger Cowans, C. Daniel Dawson, Louis Draper, Albert R. Fennar, Ray Francis, Herman Howard, James Mannas Jr., Herbert Randall, Herb Robinson, Beuford Smith, Ming Smith, Shawn Walker, and Calvin Wilson.

Ray Francis

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Ray Francis 〰️

Today, we will present Ray Francis, born in 1937.

A photographer and educator, Francis edited The Black Photographer’s Annual and, along with Louis Draper, was responsible for the early formation of The Kamoinge Workshop.

An early president of the Kamoinge hosted meetings at his home where members discussed photography, shared meals, and listened to music. In the summer of 1968, he and Draper taught a class for Pratt Institute’s “Campaign Culture” program in Brooklyn. Additionally, from 1967 to 1969, Francis taught a photography class at the Bedford-Stuyvesant Neighborhood Youth Corps and served as a Director of the Harlem School District, inspiring a new generation of young artists. Worked as a photographer for Intermediate School (I.S.) 201 under the NYC Board of Education. He served as the program director from 1970 to 1974.

Ray Francis dedicated most of his time to arts education. Due to the lack of non-commercial interest in photographs by black artists, he produced very few photographs. The artist passed away in 2006.

Bruce Silverstein Gallery : the first-ever exhibition of works by James Ray Francis.

Ray Francis challenges the traditional canon of Western Art History, emphasizing the diverse nature of the black artistic experience. Influenced by Johannes Vermeer, his work reflects the style of Dutch Golden Age genre painting, characterized by a subtle interplay of light and shadow. Francis creates a sense of intimacy and narrative ambiguity in his photographs.

In 1952, Ray Francis received a twin-lens reflex camera for his fifteenth birthday, which sparked his interest in photography. He went on to form Group 35 with other black photographers in New York City, including Louis Draper, Herman Howard, and Earl James. Around the same time, Draper was also part of the Kamoinge group. In 1963, Francis suggested merging the two collectives to create The Kamoinge Workshop, a community of Black photographers focused on providing support and fostering artistic development during a time of social and political change. Before the mid-20th century Civil Rights Movement and racial integration, the U.S. was plagued by institutionalized racism, widespread racial inequality, and harmful stereotypes of African Americans perpetuated by the media. Within The Kamoinge Workshop, these photographers were able to learn from each other and capture images that portrayed their own experiences. Their work created counter-narratives that challenged white perceptions of blackness and established visual histories for future generations.

Francis viewed the camera and photography as powerful tools for social activism, but his personal photographs offer a more intimate perspective. He focused on creating aesthetic portraits and experimented with composition and light. His photographs reflect his passion for art history and his meticulous attention to detail. The images are filled with ambiguity, often inviting viewer interpretation. We think of the photo "Genie, 1971", which shows a woman sitting at a round table, lost in thought and avoiding the photographer's gaze. The composition suggests the viewer is positioned across from her, looking down at her from above.

The work of Ray Francis is remarkable for several reasons, which have become even more appreciated over time. His work today showcases several noteworthy aspects: contrast of shadow and light—in–camera experimental methods—motion blur—silhouettes. Photography like this may seem common today, but it originated from innovators like Ray Francis, influencing photographers who came after him and continues to inspire photographers today.

Ray Francis’ work is featured in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Schomburg Collection in New York, and The J. Paul Getty Museum in California. The Bruce Silverstein Gallery in NYC hosted the first-ever exhibition of his works in February 2024. He has also been featured in articles for The New York Times, The Art Newspaper, and Aperture. His most recent feature is the article "Ray Francis, Celebrating Blackness," published in ArtDaily in February 2024.

Louis Mendes by Don Scott

Louis Mendes is an American photographer who was born in Queens, New York in 1940. He got started in photography as a child when his sister gave him a camera. He used this to take photos of family and friends.

As an adult, he worked in retail at Macy's for many years. Then, in 1959, he bought a Graflex Speed Graphics camera that was manufactured in 1940. He shot weddings at New York City Hall and then began shooting families at parades and Coney Island. Louis has also photographed well-known people such as Denzel Washington, Count Bassie, Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, and Spike Lee.

Louis still uses that Speed Graphic camera today. It produces Polaroid-type prints that he gives to people for a fee after taking their portrait. He is well known in New York City as a portrait photographer. Louis can often be found at Coney Island and Union Square in New York City. When he travels to New Orleans, he stations himself on Bourbon and Canal Street.

I met Louis in Grand Central station on March 17, 2024. He was very friendly and allowed me to take his photo. He told me he was 83 years old.

In this video, Louis gives advice to other photographers on how to use cameras similar to his to take portrait photos .

Don Scott

The precise moment Photos by Cristóbal Carretero Cassinello and text by Josep Fábrega Agea

A multitude of photographers around the world have wondered how the precise moment of shooting is chosen in the act of photographing. For Cartier-Bresson it was when the geometric composition matched the strong lines, especially the golden ratio and this in turn with the action that takes place. For Capa it was when feelings surface on the face and especially in the look and gesture. For Webb when the scene as a whole reflects a harmonic chaos within a range of colors and shadows. For Leiter or Hopper when the urban loneliness of the individual was accentuated. And we could continue like this in a long list of authors.

"Nothing is true or false, everything is according to the color of the glass through which it is seen." Said the Spanish writer Ramón de Campoamor more than a century ago. And each author has his crystal and his color. If we shoot at 1/500 we have photographed a certain hundredth of that scene, if we choose one objective or another we are going to give one narrative or another to the snapshot. Thousands of 360o circles make up an infinite sphere in which a single circle and with a certain number of degrees is chosen as the point of view at a single instant. Of all the hours of the day, we will probably select the one that contains the most appropriate light. , of all the possible characters that are in that scene we will choose only the ones that we consider most appropriate, and even so, we will do it at that exact moment. Finally we will determine the right moment of the frame, where characters, diagonals, textures or colors will help to solve the final composition.

The photographic act requires a precise and multifactorial moment that gives the photograph the narrative chosen by the photographer. There is no more secret. Cassinello rarely uses wide angles, this is an easy resource in street photography. Extraordinarily dramatic. Why did Cassinello give it up? Because he uses plane compression, the mother technique of superimposition and juxtaposition. The different layers merge, increasing the contrast between everyday objects and characters fused into a narrative where objects, people and backgrounds overlap in total complicity.

From this point of view, the precise moment occurs when the overlapping of layers and understanding reinforce the surrealism of his gaze, turning small everyday stories into authentic and personal narratives that stand out from normal life even though they are perfectly real scenes. On the other hand, it uses the Mediterranean light that determines a special color and definition and that gives different qualities, from the creaminess of winter, to the strong contrasts of summer or the ethereal blurring of spring and autumn.

In summary, Cristóbal squares the precise moment in the general framework of the Mediterranean light, from a rather closed angle, compressing the layers of the image in a juxtaposed manner and at the moment in which the scene confers a surreal aspect or an alternative look and free to the everyday events and places that we pass by every day without paying more attention, but for Cassinello they are the visual material to build his beautiful parallel worlds.

Dandy

Parr

Fallen angel

Superpam

Beyond the mirror

The Thirdman

Valkiria

The Oracle

Cristóbal Carretero Cassinello

Cristóbal Carretero Cassinello has lived in Almería (Spain) for more than 25 years, professor of economics, photographer and graphic designer. Graduated in Business Sciences from the UAL and Graduated in Business Administration and Management (ADE) from the UMH. Self-taught photographer since 2017.

His work has been exhibited in different countries around the world, including international photography centers such as the Los Angeles Center of Photography, New York Art Center, and the Portuguese Center of Photography. Cristóbal has won numerous photography competitions, including the Lensculture Home 21 Awards 2021, Creative Photo Awards 2021 | Siena Awards, and Moscow International Photography Awards MY FA. 2021, among others. His work has also been published in online editions of magazines such as Vogue, National Geographic, Musee Magazine, and Street Photography Magazine.

Almeria: City of the Light Cristóbal Carretero Cassinello by Michael Kennedy

Tish Murtha

Tish Murtha was a talented photographer with a unique ability to capture the essence of people's lives through her lens. She genuinely cared about the people she documented, as they were her family, friends, and neighbours. Her camera was the only way she could help them.

Today, her legacy lives on thanks to her daughter, Ella Murtha. Ella is determined to ensure that Tish's photos and message are not forgotten.

WEBSITE

It would be wonderful if we could all have the opportunity to watch and share the documentary film "Tish" by filmmaker Paul Sng. The film is presented in a very compassionate and heartfelt manner, conveyed by Murtha's daughter, Ella, who resembles her late mother. Ella effectively communicates the film's emotional message by speaking to Tish Murtha's relatives, friends, and teachers at the School of Documentary Photography in Newport. Sng and Ella Murtha narrate the fascinating story of a talented photographer who captured the essence of the people she was a part of.

Tish Murtha, a photographer from Tyneside, documented the lives of people living in working-class communities in the north east during the 1970s and 1980s. She also captured the lives of Soho sex workers in London. Despite facing difficult circumstances, Murtha's subjects displayed humor, optimism, and a refusal to be intimidated. Her poignant photographs of children captured their resilience and determination. Her work earned her the nickname "Demon Snapper" in the papers. Murtha's photographs portrayed the harsh reality of poverty and deprivation in these communities, where unemployment was rampant due to the neglect of the political class in Westminster. She strongly disapproved of the way middle-class media people glorified poverty. This caused a rift between her and the Side Gallery in Newcastle, where her work was being showcased, due to their "poverty is beautiful, maaan" attitude. Unfortunately, Tish Murtha became a statistic herself and was marginalized and misunderstood by the arts establishment.

After the 2008 financial crisis, austerity policies were introduced, resulting in Tish Murtha's decline into poverty during her final years. She lived in constant fear of being sanctioned by the Department of Work and Pensions. Tish Murtha, along with her brothers and their friends, would roam the empty streets and abandoned houses of their hometown. It was during these wanderings that she discovered a camera and found her passion for photography. Having a camera also helped her to deter the child abusers and kerb crawlers who would follow them. She purchased a new camera from Dixons on hire purchase and, with the help of a grant, obtained a college placement. Her talent shone through her images, and her eloquent commentary added depth to her work. The Side Gallery provided support for her work, and London's Photographers' Gallery commissioned her to work on the Soho study.

*Elswick Kids (1978) by Tish Murtha © Ella Murtha, All rights reserved.*

*Karen on overturned chair, 1980. From "Youth Unemployment" by Tish Murtha © Ella Murtha, All rights reserved*

*Youth Unemployment (1981) by Tish Murtha © Ella Murtha, All rights reserved.*

*by Tish Murtha © Ella Murtha, All rights reserved.*

Patricia Anne (Tish) Murtha was born on March 14, 1956, in South Shields, North East England. She grew up in a council house in Elswick, Newcastle, as one of ten children of Irish descent.

In 1976, at the age of 20, she left home and went to study at The University of Wales, Newport, where she took a course in documentary photography at the School of Documentary Photography, which was established by David Hurn, a member of Magnum Photos.

After completing her studies in 1978, she went back to Newcastle and started documenting the lives of "marginalized communities from the inside." Unlike other photographers who photographed social poverty in the region at that time, Murtha grew up in it herself. She documented the lives of her friends, family, and community while working on a job program for the unemployed.

In 1979, Tish Murtha's controversial exhibitions titled Juvenile Jazz Bands and Youth Unemployment sparked debates in the House of Commons.

She was also commissioned to document the Save Scotswood Works campaign and provided photographs for THAC publications that highlighted social poverty in Tyneside.

In 1982, Murtha moved to London and worked on a group exhibition called London By Night, which documented Soho and the commercial sex industry. She lived in London for five years, working on commissions for Edward Arnold Publishers, and took photographs of emerging celebrities such as Julian Clary and Philip Herbert.

Upon her return to the north-east in 1987, she took the first headshots of a young Declan Donnelly (25 September 1975), the British TV host, producer, former singer, rapper, comedian, and actor from Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

Between 2008 and 2012, Murtha's work was selected for three Arts Council/British Council Collection exhibitions.

Her work was also included in group exhibitions such as True/Grit - A Celebration of Northern Realism (2013), For Ever Amber (2015), and Childhoods - 1977 to 2016 (2016).

In 2011, the group exhibition Paul Graham, Tish Murtha and Markéta Luskačová was a part of Look 11, the Liverpool International Photography Festival.

On March 13, 2013, Tish Murtha passed away from a sudden brain aneurysm, the day before her 57th birthday.

Her daughter Ella made sure that her mother's social work was preserved for future generations.

The Tish Murtha archive, which contains many never-before-seen pictures, was digitized by Paul Reas and Lulu Preece at the University of South Wales.

In November 2017, Ella published the book "Youth Unemployment" through Bluecoat Press, which was funded by a successful Kickstarter campaign.

A documentary film about Tish Murtha's life, directed by Paul Sng and titled "Tish," premiered at Sheffield DocFest on June 14, 2023.

Books

Unveiling Humanity: The Photographic Odissey of João Coelho

In the expansive landscape of modern-day photography, few artists embark on a journey as deeply resonant and far-reaching as João Coelho. Born in Angola, his photographic lens weaves intricate and compelling tales of resilience, survival, and societal injustices, capturing the unadorned essence of human narratives through visual storytelling.

João's artistic evolution mirrors a profound odyssey navigating between two distinct worlds—Angola and Portugal—a transformative shift from capturing scenic landscapes to embracing the profound nuances of human stories. His artistic journey commenced at 18, wielding his first camera to explore the subtleties of nature and landscape photography. Although the demands of his professional life briefly veiled his passion, a resurgence six years ago redirected his lens towards the raw and humanistic realm of documentary photography.

Self-taught in an era devoid of digital resources, João's learning curve steeped in experimentation was fueled by wisdom gleaned from books and specialized magazines. The nostalgic echoes of film photography, devoid of immediate previews, paint a portrait of a young artist capturing moments with a yearning for delayed gratification.It was João's poignant return to Angola that laid the foundation for his profound journey into documentary photography. Confronting the daily struggles of individuals teetering on the brink of survival, enduring societal neglect and overwhelming challenges, João's lens emerged as a potent tool to shed light on the unseen, compelling deep societal introspection.

His extensive portfolio pulsates with the heartbeat of social change and humanistic storytelling. Series such as "Resilient Mothers" depict the strength of women facing extreme adversities while nurturing their children amid harsh conditions. "The End of the Line" plumbs the depths of human endurance, starkly illustrating the realities of survival in the 21st century.

João's work transcends mere visual storytelling; it embodies the convergence of artistry and activism. Each project encapsulates a structured narrative complemented by poignant text, conveying raw emotions and truths within the frames. His admiration for photographers like Josef Koudelka and Sebastião Salgado resonates through his compassionate approach, documenting lives on the margins, their struggles, and their unyielding resilience.

In projects like "The Prayer Meadow," João's meticulous yet unobtrusive methodology unfolds, allowing him to immerse in intimate moments of spiritual surrender without disturbing the sanctity of believers.

"The Forgotten" holds a cherished place in João's heart. Documenting a community living in a dump on the outskirts of Angola's city, this transformative project triggered a profound emotional connection, inspiring a holistic effort not just to document but to initiate projects aimed at improving the lives of the forgotten through exhibitions, books, and community development.

Looking ahead, João envisions an evolution in his artistic pursuit, anchored in his unwavering commitment to Angola's societal and humanistic issues. While he continues to explore the resonance of documentary photography, he contemplates a venture into monochrome photography, exploring new realms of portraiture and conceptual artistry.

João Coelho's photography transcends frames; it echoes a call for social change, urging viewers to engage, empathize, and act. His lens isn't just a visual storyteller; it's a catalyst for a world attuned to the unseen and unheard voices.

The thematic essence of João's work is rooted in the human condition—a subject that has perpetually fascinated him. His photography serves a profound purpose beyond aesthetics; it seeks to evoke feelings, convey messages, and tell stories that depict the spectrum of human experiences. From suffering to joy, despair to mutual aid, strength to disappointment, or resilience in adversity—his lens captures the intricate tapestry of human existence.

In essence, João Coelho's photography encapsulates the soul of experiences, echoing silent yet potent emotions that define our shared human journey. His lens is a clarion call for social justice, a mirror reflecting the raw, unspoken truths of our world.

The photographs captured by João Coelho possess an innate ability to resonate with the soul, transcending beyond mere images to paint stories that profoundly connect with the human experience. Each frame stands as a testament to unparalleled talent, forming symphonies of emotions etched into timeless masterpieces.

For me, João's stories became a gateway to an uncharted world. His photographic legacy stands tall, portraying Angola’s cultural tapestry at the twilight of the twentieth century. The raw emotions he captured with his handheld camera, the vibrant contrasts of black and white photography, and his unwavering commitment to showcasing Africa's diverse milieu gifted the world a treasure trove of breathtaking images. Each picture told a story, vividly illustrating a nation teeming with tradition, diversity, and modernity.Through João's narratives, a transformation unfolded—a journey from whom I was before encountering his work to who I became afterward. His lyrical photographs offered glimpses into the whole world, sometimes stark, occasionally bold, and often poetic—a remarkable expedition through our world.

Reflecting on personal growth, I acknowledge indebtedness to João Coelho. His photographs continue to inspire, serving as a reminder that photography transcends beyond capturing mere images; it embodies storytelling, culture, and the profound beauty woven into everyday life.

His work traverses time and place, imprinting an indelible mark on the realm of photography and, most significantly, in my heart. João's work has become an everyday source of enlightenment and inspiration for me. It stands as a testament to the power of art in uplifting, healing, and transforming lives. His photographs have certainly transformed mine, teaching me to view the world through a different lens, to cherish the beauty found in the ordinary, and to find solace amid the chaos.

Photography transcends the mere act of capturing a moment; it embodies storytelling, harnessing emotions, and unveiling unseen narratives. João Coelho's lens doesn't just frame scenes; it plunges into the raw essence of human experiences, navigating the convergence of art and advocacy.

Defying categorization, João's photography stands as an epitome of intuition, honesty, and audacity. His focus on people rather than symmetry is evident, as he captures the essence of action, often tucked away in the periphery. The ability to seize spontaneity amid focused observation delineates his work, allowing the narrative to unfold organically. In the midst of chaos, João finds silence. Unlike artists aiming to evoke, his art restores tranquility. His photography mirrors the nuances of social justice, capturing moments that echo the cries for equality and compassion.João Coelho's work leaves an indelible mark on the soul, evoking a spectrum of emotions and revealing the inherent beauty scattered across every corner of the world.

This article is a testament to João Coelho's visionary artistry, encompassing the intricate tapestry of human existence and redefining the power of visual storytelling.

Progressive - Street

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Why street photography? by Pia Parolin

As street photographers, we often hear questions like, "Is it weird to photograph people without asking?" or "Are you allowed to do that?"

That WHY stuck.

I asked myself, well, why do I have such a passion for photographing strangers? What is so exciting about capturing people in pictures?

I guess the answer is simple: Because life is so incredibly exciting, diverse and beautiful.

Cities, streets only come to life through people. Normal everyday life, when examined more closely, is always somehow interesting. What do we humans do in this city? And how does that possibly change over the decades?

In fact, there are many reasons why street photography can quickly develop into a great passion.

What's so exciting about photographing strangers? Often it is simply an aesthetic reason, but it can also represent a kind of documentation of a certain time.

Fun!

The most important reason is: it's fun to go hunting with the camera. The process itself, the experience of taking photos, is a lot of fun. And in street photography it usually requires very little effort. Just take your camera and get out. On any occasion, at any time of the day.

A long running stitch is certainly not fun for the woman, but for us street photographers it is a good reason to take a photo, especially with all the other lines in the picture.

Contemporary witness

A historically important reason for street photography is that it is a contemporary witness. Many street photographers see their goal in documenting life. And it's great that many people around the world are documenting their here and now.

It is important to photograph and document how life is today. Whether in humanism, documentary photography or reportage: street photography captures conditions here and now that will make you think, will make you smile tomorrow or will soon seem completely out of time. Everything that is so normal to us today can look very bizarre tomorrow.

How people make phone calls… will we still have cell phones in 20 years? We no longer hold them to our ears, as we did in the early days, but often hold them to our mouths.

Will we continue to use masks in our everyday lives? Just ten years ago, in Europe we looked at Asian tourists who were wearing masks out of caution and respect. Then followed several years in which we were obliged to wear masks. The whole culture changed and today masks still are seen in the daily normal European life. Who would have said…

Right here, right now

The low threshold for simply taking a quick photo is certainly an important factor for its popularity.

It's true that really good pictures don't come easy and you need a quiet window of time for yourself so that you can immerse yourself in a mental flow and be completely focused on the matter.

But you usually don't have to travel far or spend a lot of money for material, so you can just do it.

Taking photos on your own doorstep can sometimes be a challenge because finding something interesting may sound impossible at first. But by playing with patterns, reflections and silhouettes you can easily create something new and creative even in a street that you take every day.

Never bored

The good thing about street photography is that you never get bored, no matter where, no matter what time of day, what weather, what country and what city. Wherever there are people or human elements in urban areas, you can do street photography and take creative photos.

Street photographers observe the world around them. Even if the place seems so boring, there is always something to discover photographically and convert creatively. So look forward to the next delayed train or a never-ending queue. As long as you have your camera with you, you can't really get bored.

A boring gray station court, here in Hanover. A place that you usually leave quickly, where you stay only because your train is delayed. But look at the huge potential for cool street photos here!

We find things

Where we don't expect anything, exciting things suddenly happen before our eyes. We just find them.

I like to refer to one of my favourite characters, Pippi Longstocking. She says: “ I am a Thing-Finder… Somebody who hunts for things, naturally… The whole world is full of things, and somebody has to look for them… The best things are almost always found where people live.”

And that's exactly what we all do in street photography: we look for things, for situations, for our cool photo - where there are people. We always find something and we do it having fun, being relaxed and happy, just like Pippi!

Shop windows are good playgrounds where you can practice. Of course, someone designed the window display, so it's not your creative credit. However, you can still create something new from existing elements. You can play with details and use reflections to create an interesting new image. This is also a good way to train yourself to photograph people without actually approaching people.

Surprising diversity

Street photography thrives on the diversity of people, cities, the way they dress and behave. The fascinating, limitless diversity is exciting and so complex that it is difficult to reach its limits. Therefore, in street photography, we are constantly surprised. Nowhere does this work as well as on the street.

I photograph people because I like to watch them and enjoy the variety with genuine interest. Through my camera I learned to see and perceive people better. I learned to like people more, and today I can go directly to talk to complete strangers, which was something I never did until a few years ago. The camera, street photography, took away my fear and shyness of strangers

People are diverse and that makes them special and exciting.

People are diverse not only depending on the country or city, but also within a city. In Cologne, Germany, you meet different people on the Domplatte than in Ehrenfeld or Lindenthal. In Hamburg we take completely different photos at the fish market, at the main train station or at Jungfernstieg, not to mention the Elbe suburbs. In Rome, Paris, New York and Tokyo it is the same: depending on the district, you will meet people dressed very elegantly or casually, observe great loneliness or happy people.

Like every big city, Cologne has a variety of neighborhoods, and each one creates certain images and moods.

Repetition

You can repeat the game with your camera as often as you like, it will never be the same. The same person in the same clothes doing the same movements or interactions is as unlikely as being picked up by a starship from another planet. So, something new will always happen and you are there to discover new situations and increase the quality of your photos through repetition.

Many award-winning images were created through perseverance. You'll soon know the top spots in your city. You can visit them again and again and at some point it'll just fit: the perfect person in the perfect place at the perfect moment. Just like Henri Cartier-Bresson's “instant décisif”.

*Banal place, banal scene but somehow a cool photo because it plays with the lines. Simply photographed from above down into a passage.*

*The same corner on the train station court in Hanover, where different levels, reflections and surfaces create the picture.*

We can tell our stories

We observe social and cultural circumstances and impulses and document them through our photography. But we are – contrary to documentation and reportage photography – not committed to the truth. We are not journalists so we don't have to show what's real. We can show what we like. We can artistically recombine things that don't belong together. This is wonderful because it gives us much more freedom to create a world the way we like it, in our pictures. But obviously, using photography and not mere fantasy pictures created with Artificial Intelligence.

*This photo is a contemporary document as it reports on the loads of packages sent following the pandemic. People began to stop going shopping and instead started ordering everything by mail.*

In street photography we try to design our pictures as an honest depiction of the street, i.e. not to pose them, if possible not to address people beforehand, and certainly not to create anything with artificial intelligence. These are the unwritten ethical foundations of the discipline. In this respect, we are committed to the truth in some way.

But since we are not journalists and our primary job is not to tell others what is happening here and now, we have total freedom and are able to carefree play around. We are free to decide to what extent we commit to the truth and to reportage, or when we want to play freely and paint with light, like painters, with a free interpretation of what we see. And our personal perspective creates a filter. We explore life in urban areas and observe people, and we are allowed to convey our own attitudes or moods in our pictures. Basically it's a big game and, lived as such, it's a lot of fun.

The section you select in your photo may distort the information. The striking ASS letters look funny to a tourist, but the photo only tells half the truth, because in reality it is an excerpt from the city name GRASSE. This way, a completely different meaning was created by a photo which does not show the whole name.

A picture that is not staged, but taken from life. Someone had a banana party on this square in Hanover and then unfortunately forgot about the trash. A classic street photo, but at the same time a documentation of human behavior in the city.

The same place in Hanover as with the banana peels, but with completely different contents. Where does your attention fall, what do you want to show and say?

Community

An important reason for street photography is the sense of community. Street photographers are somewhat special characters who like to wander the streets alone for hours with their camera. But most are highly social creatures and enjoy both concentrated single work and partying in the community.

The advantage of being integrated in a community means sharing the fun to be together with like-minded people and exchange ideas. You can learn from others, show and discuss your photos, solve specific technical questions and learn about new trends. The network may lead to joint exhibitions and other things that alone you would not be able to do.

If you're traveling for work to a foreign city, you can use social media to ask if anyone is there and has time for a photo walk together. You can often find someone who will show you their city and with whom you can build a new, enriching photography friendship. Experiencing a city, a foreign country, a new community under the guidance of local people is wonderful, and is also a little adventure that enriches you. And you may bring up new ideas because you look at their city from a different perspective. So it's a give and take that enriches everyone.

Guidance

There are many more “WHYs” in street photography. It teaches us to see, to perceive, to consciously filter things. We recognize beauty, tension, humor in everyday life, on the way to the office, going shopping.

We talk about why we use this camera and not that one, why we prefer to go out in a collective or alone, why we prefer to take photos in colour or monochrome.

The most important thing is that you enjoy street photography and want to spend time in the city with your camera.

If you take the time, it can be very enriching to play creatively without much effort and also come into contact with new people.

The cell phone is always with you and allows you to take photos anytime, anywhere.

Asking yourself WHY can give you direction. Why do you want to take photographs, to relax and enjoy colors and light effects, or rather to document a status quo in society? This question alone will show you how your style can develop further – whether you take playful or meaningful photos. The transitions are fluid and you can also take meaningful, playful pictures.

In any case, dealing with this helps in the development of your photographic personality.

We hope you enjoy to develop your skills and find, define and specifically pursue your own WHY.

Joel Sternfeld by Batsceba Hardy

Which is Better? Black and White or Colour?

“One very important difference between color and monochromatic photography is this: in black and white you suggest; in color you state. Much can be implied by suggestion, but statement demands certainty... absolute certainty.” Paul Outerbridge

"I have done no color of consequence for thirty years! I have a problem with color—I cannot adjust to the limited controls of values and colors. With black-and-white I feel free and confident of results". Ansel Adams

[6] Joel Sternfeld

Joel Sternfeld, a celebrated fine-art color photographer, was born on June 30, 1944. He is best known for his large-format documentary pictures that capture the utopian and dystopian aspects of the American experience. During the early 1970s, he mastered the art of using color photography as a form of artistic expression, a time when color was primarily associated with advertising. His contribution helped establish him as a pioneer in the field of color photography.

I believe that much of Joel Sternfeld's photography can be categorized as "street photography", even his "urban landscapes". In my opinion, the presence of a person in a photograph is not a requirement for it to be considered "street photography". Too many of street photographers shoot only people ...

Majoring in art at Dartmouth, Sternfeld had a fascination with color and the role it played in photography. “I was enthralled by Eggleston, as everybody was. But I knew if I was ever to make a mark, I’d have to go to places he hadn’t headed. He owned the poetic snapshot, but I’d always had this leaning towards narrative, and so I began to lean a little harder.”

He has been awarded two Guggenheim Fellowships and was granted a Rome Prize to spend a year in Italy.

He is a faculty member at Sarah Lawrence College and currently holds the Noble Foundation Chair in Art and Cultural History. His works are prominently featured in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and several other institutions mentioned in the "Collections" section.

In 1969, Joel Sternfeld began capturing pictures using a 35mm camera and Kodachrome slide film. This was the start of his journey in documenting the American condition. In his first works created between 1971 and 1980, which had never been exhibited or published before the exhibition at the Luhring Augustine Gallery, in 2012 – Sternfeld developed his unique conceptual and formal strategies. These strategies included narrative, humor, irony, and a politically charged perspective of America. These pictures reflect the evolution of Sternfeld's color arrangements, which eventually resulted in a new language for color photography, notably seen in American Prospects. Along with other colorists like William Eggleston and Stephen Shore, Sternfeld was a crucial pioneer in the medium. His collection of work was first published in 2012 by the Steidl publishing house.

Since the release of his work American Prospects in 1987, Joel Sternfeld's photography has been groundbreaking. His most popular book was last published in 2012. The book explores the complexity of human-altered landscapes in the United States. It has retained both conceptual and political aspects while being deeply rooted in history, art history, landscape theory and attention to seasonal passage. His work offers a melancholic, spectacular, funny, and profound portrait of America. Kevin Moore, the curator, believes that Sternfeld's work is an amalgamation of different photographic styles of the 1970s, blending the humor and social perspicacity of street photography with the detached restraint of New Topographics photographs and the pronounced formalism of works by many late-decade colorists (Kevin Moore, Starburst: Color Photography in America 1970-1980). Sternfeld started working on the book in 1978, when color photography was still a new medium.

He used a large-format camera to capture photographs that are reminiscent of 19th-century photography traditions. However, he applied them to everyday scenes such as a Wet n' Wild waterpark or a suburban street in the South. His photographs depict the faltering "prospects" (both views and opportunities) of the time. Sternfeld's early street work earned him a Guggenheim Fellowship, which funded his initial tour of the United States. The American Prospects photos depict people, buildings, and mostly landscapes that Sternfeld captured during his many trips between 1978 and 1984

New York City, 1973

Nags Head, North Carolina, (#1), June-August 1975

AMERICAN PROSPECTS

The Space Shuttle Columbia Lands at Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, March 1979

Man behind the screen door

Alaska Limo

Sauvies Island,Oregon, June 1979

Tepees

Frost

The color theories of the Bauhaus had a significant impact on his early career. Joel Sternfeld began experimenting with the Bauhaus-based idea of creating a work of art using two or three dominant hues of relatively equal density. Although color is absolute, how we experience it depends on its surroundings, the lighting, and its relationship with other colors. These ideas played a significant role in Sternfeld's style as he continuously looked for natural ways of combining colors in his environment. Regardless of the subject matter or medium, Sternfeld's photographs always revolve around the use of color. He is one of a handful of photographers who has the ability to turn a seemingly insignificant snapshot into a masterpiece, primarily by using a well-thought-out color palette.

Sternfeld says about color:

“Black and white is abstract; color is not. Looking at a black and white photograph, you are already looking at a strange world,”

“Color is the real world. The job of the color photographer is to provide some level of abstraction that can take the image out of the daily.”

"We’re at a tipping point. The digital print is becoming the look of our time, and it makes the C-print start to look like a tintype."

Sternfeld recognizes the manipulative power of pictures:

"Some of the people who are now manipulating photos, such as Andreas Gursky, make the argument—rightly—that the “straight” photographs of the 1940s and 50s were no such thing. Ansel Adams would slap a red filter on his lens, then spend three days burning and dodging in the dark room, making his prints. That’s a manipulation. Even the photographs of Henri Cartier-Bresson, with all due respect to him, are notoriously burned and dodged."

"Photography has always been capable of manipulation. Even more subtle and more invidious is the fact that any time you put a frame to the world, it’s an interpretation. I could get my camera and point it at two people and not point it at the homeless third person to the right of the frame, or not include the murder that’s going on to the left of the frame. You take 35 degrees out of 360 degrees and call it a photo. There’s an infinite number of ways you can do this: photographs have always been authored."

For him, the philosophy of shooting is:

“No individual photo explains anything. That’s what makes photography such a wonderful and problematic medium. It is the photographer’s job to get this medium to say what you need it to say. Because photography has a certain verisimilitude, it has gained a currency as truthful – but photographs have always been convincing lies.”

“You take 35 degrees out of 360 degrees and call it a photo,” he told the Guardian in a 2004 interview. “No individual photo explains anything. That’s what makes photography such a wonderful and problematic medium.”

Campagna Romana: The Countryside of Ancient Rome is a book that was first published in 1992 by Knopf publishing house. The book documents the interaction between the grand romantic ruins of ancient Rome and the invasion of modernity, through a series of extensive photographs of the countryside around Rome. Joel Sternfeld was awarded the Rome Prize fellowship, which allowed him to capture the sweeping vistas of the countryside in panoramic images that sometimes stretch over several images. This technique sets up contrasts between the images within each piece, presenting the beauty of the countryside alongside the contrasting modernity. (One of the works in the book features a crumbling fragment of an ancient wall surrounded by the scaffolding-clad buildings of a new apartment complex. The image is part of a four-panel piece that showcases the stark contrast between the ancient and modern elements of the city.)

On This Site: Landscape in Memoriam, was first published with Steidl in 1996. It's a collection of pictures taken at famous crime sites in America. The locations, which appear eerily normal, are the remains left behind after tragedies. The hidden stories behind these sites are disturbingly invisible. Next to each photograph is a text that describes the events that took place at that location. Through his work, Sternfeld examines violence in America and raises significant epistemological questions about photographs as objects of knowledge.

Joel Sternfeld worked with Melinda Hunt between 1991 and 1994 to document New York City's public cemetery on Hart Island. This collaboration resulted in the book Hart Island which was published in 1998.

Stranger Passing is a series of portraits initially published by Bulfinch in 2001 and then by Steidl in 2012. The project has its roots in Sternfeld's initial project "American Prospects". Over fifteen years, he traveled across America and captured portrait photographs that represent an "intelligent, unscientific, interpretive sampling of what Americans looked like at the century’s end," according to Douglas R. Nickel. Unlike historical portraits that depict significant people in staged surroundings, Sternfeld's subjects are surprisingly ordinary. They include a banker having an evening meal, a teenager collecting shopping carts in a parking lot, and a homeless man holding his bedding.

Sternfeld is known for his distinctive style of combining still photography with a written narrative, which he uses to explore new possibilities in storytelling. His books and collections are interconnected and offer a collective interpretation of his work. Sternfeld's art aims to blend time and place, while conveying important messages of enlightenment, honor, and warning. His images are particularly urgent, given that their histories are preserved only through photography, making them an archive for future generations.

In the last decades, Sternfeld has concentrated his efforts on a four-book project:

Sweet Earth: Experimental Utopias in America (2006), offers a refreshing break from the traumatic history depicted in On This Site. The book provides a survey of alternative ways of living and hopeful being in American human society.

When It Changed “Future generations are going to wonder about us, the inhabitants of the Earth when the climate began to change. If seas are rising and at the same time drinking water is scarce, they are going to want to know what scientific evidence was before us and what we did in response to it. It is difficult to imagine a time in the past without an image, so I went to Montreal in 2005 to photograph the participants in the eleventh United Nations conference on climate change.” Joel Sternfeld

Oxbow Archi Joel Sternfeld visited the mile-square field that Thomas Cole painted in "The Oxbow" almost two hundred years ago. In 1978, Sternfeld photographed the same field as part of his "American Prospects" project. When he returned in 2006, he discovered that an interstate highway had been constructed across the Oxbow in the river, and the detrimental effects of progress that Cole had foreseen were becoming increasingly evident globally due to climate change.

iDubai. IJoel Sternfeld uses his iPhone camera to capture the human side of the Emirate, beyond the mass media portrayal as a version of Disney World on the Persian Gulf.

QUOTES:

“With a photograph, you are left with the same modes of interpretation as you are with a book. You ask: 'What do we know about the author and their background? What do I know about the subject?'“

“I’ve worked primarily with the American landscape– my approach has to be look at the landscape to find a kind of beauty as it truly exists. Looking at landscape about what it reveals about the human moment, past, and the present human moment. I mean this is the surface of the earth, and what we do with it tells us an awful lot about ourselves.“

“One project has grown into another, and into a long chain of work that has kept me engaged for 30 years.”

“All of my work has been about ideas of utopia and dystopia. I think that's what gives America interest. It's many things all at once. It's such a complicated society.”

“I grew up in Belle Harbor, which is in New York City, but it has the most powerful sense of nature and seasons. It wasn't even the beach and the water. I just dreamt about everything that had to do with nature. I read about Thoreau”

“No one can say how long the process of human extinction might take, but as it proceeds, the same global order will prevail that always prevails: rich nations will find ways to protect themselves and make themselves comfortable, while the poor nations and the poor people of the planet will suffer.”

tips

Fred Herzog by Batsceba Hardy

Which is Better? Black and White or Colour?

[5] Fred Herzog

Fred Herzog, (September 21, 1930 – September 9, 2019) (Ulrich Herzog, the name Fred came later, in Canada) brought his first camera in 1950 (20 years old) and began shooting black-and-white pictures in his native Germany.

“One of the most surprising and devastating things to me was meeting after the war was over with my schoolmates and not one of them would talk about their war experiences,” he said. “They only wanted to talk about soccer. That was devastating to me. I just could not believe that this war had already been forgotten by them.” The collision: Fred Herzog, the Holocaust and me.

In 1952, he migrated to Canada and initially resided in Toronto and Montreal before settling in Vancouver in 1953.

Fred Herzog took his first roll of color film many years before William Eggleston established color photography as a legitimate technique for artistic photography. Despite the limitations of the Kodachrome ISO10 film he used, Herzog was unafraid to take risks, often taking handheld shots even at night, as he believed it was a form of journalism. For more than half a century, the Canadian photographer preferred to use Kodachrome slide film almost exclusively. However, it was only in the past decade that technological advancements allowed him to create archival pigment prints that match the vivid colors and intensity of the Kodachrome slide. In this sense, his photographs can be considered as a precursor to the New Color photographers of the 1970s.

During the day, he worked as a medical photographer for local hospitals and the University of British Columbia. In his spare time, he would walk around the city of Vancouver with his camera and capture photographs of people, buildings, and any other scenes that caught his attention.

Fred Herzog's most significant breakthrough came later in life, in 2007, when The Vancouver Art Gallery hosted his first major retrospective. The exhibition, titled "Fred Herzog Vancouver Photographs" was curated by Grant Arnold and showcased his life's work. At that time, Herzog was 76 years old. Following the successful exhibition at the VAG, Herzog's career took off. A New York gallery began selling his work, and he has since had numerous exhibitions throughout Europe.

Herzog was an artist who could find beauty in almost everything around him. He could see the art in a family enjoying their time outside on a summer's day, a Volkswagen Beetle making a turn in the rain, or even a wall of pictures showing men's hairstyles in a local barbershop. He captured images of billboards, second-hand stores, store window displays, neon signs, the working waterfront, and people. Herzog's photos were not produced from a preconceived studio concept. Rather, they were the result of his walking process. They are born out of the intuitive and deductive reasoning of where to be and how to take a picture when you're in that particular location. He was heavily influenced by two photographers: Walker Evans, who documented the effects of the Great Depression in the U.S., and Robert Frank, a photographer whose work was published in the influential book The Americans.

“I have to work fast and on impulse as I walk around the city with my hand-held 35-mm Leica camera. If you don’t trust your instincts, if you don’t trust your first vision, then you lose it. So when there’s action I start shooting right away. I don’t look long.”

FRED HERZOG Hastings 1956

FRED HERZOG FRED HERZOG Hastings 1956

FRED HERZOG Soda Shop 1958

FRED HERZOG Carrall St. 1972

FRED HERZOG Three Men Sleeping 1957

FRED HERZOG PNE c. 1960

FRED HERZOG New Life Joke Shop 1957

FRED HERZOG Man in Doorway 1958

1958

1960

"I take pride in saying these are all how we looked, not how we wanted to look, or staged. You cannot stage pictures. That is something I have many many times defended. People say ‘Well you can stage that.’ I say ‘No you cannot, and I can prove it to you.’ Many times over I’ve taken a second shot after [some] kids have seen me, and nothing. It’s a different picture." ~ Herzog

fred-herzog-modern-color-exibart-street-photography-00.jpg

fred-herzog-modern-color-video-exibart-street-photography-04-1024x682.jpg

fred-herzog-modern-color-video-exibart-street-photography-15-1024x680.jpg

"The signs are a very very important pictorial part of the American city. I won’t even say pictorial, an important cultural part of the American city. If you take the Coca-Cola and other signs away from America downtown, you have nothing. Maybe some interesting architecture, but not very much."

An Interview with Fred Herzog – ‘In His Own Words’ (excerpts) (click on)

“I was aware I was taking art. That’s the conceit of young people. I knew that what I am doing is not only unique, but that someday I’m going to unpack that and shock people with it.”

“I have 80,000 slides. I don’t have them all anymore. Furthermore many of these slides don’t play in this kind of thing. They were done for very different reasons. I’ve got lots of pictures of motorcycle races and of butterflies and God knows what else. I’ve made 28,000 negatives. I counted them, I figured it out, per page of 36 exposures.“

“After about a year of shooting I increasingly felt, ‘somebody has to do this.’ Because otherwise people in the future would only be able to go to People magazine or Look or Time or Life or any of those to see how people looked at the time.”

“First of all when you do black and white all have is the basic resource, a negative. That needs a lot of dancing around the darkroom and time and patience and energy. You should ideally be a man of leisure, an English gentleman. And a lot of English gentlemen did serious and beautiful photography."

“But I didn’t have time for that. That’s one reason [I did colour slides]. I’d get 36 slides back, beautiful, finish.”

On digital technology

“Timing in photography is almost everything. You have to pay attention to where the light comes from, you have to pay attention to your background. If your background is too loud, or makes too much of itself... that’s the problem of the photographic process. It records everything that’s in the viewfinder, whether it’s important or not.”

“All the good pictures that didn’t turn out good, it’s because of the background or because the light comes from one side or some other technical glitch. That’s the grace of these modern digital cameras. First of all everything that can go wrong is taken care of automatically. A person who’s completely ignorant of the photographic process [can take [photos].”

“And I say that respectfully. You don’t have to know anything, you press the button and you get a beautiful picture. That’s how it works out now.This is enormous progress. Because of that you’ll see now a flood of good pictures which we never dreamed we would see.
I already get them in the e-mail.”

tips

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Hatje Cantz (February 28, 2017)
Language: English
Size: 11 x 1 x 11 inches
Weight: 4.2 pounds
ISBN-13: 978-3775741811

Gordon Parks

“A photographer can be a storyteller. Images of experience captured on film, when put together like words, can weave tales of feeling and emotion as bold as literature.… [Photographers] bring together fact and fiction, experience, imagination, and feelings in a visual dialogue that has enormous impact on how we observe and relate to the external world and our internal selves.” —Philip Brookman, “Unlocked Doors: Gordon Parks at the Crossroads,” Gordon Parks: Half Past Autumn, 1997

In an interview with photographer David Hoffman, he says, “I felt the need to expose something that I thought was being hidden. It’s not courage, it’s a need to get people aware of how people suffer.”

Gordon Parks (1912–2006) was a multi-talented individual who excelled in various fields. He had a successful career as a photographer, filmmaker, writer, musician/composer, and painter. His extraordinary work took him from Hollywood to the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement.

Parks grew up in Fort Scott, Kansas, and later moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he taught himself photography and landed his first professional job shooting fashion for a department store. In 1940, he moved to Chicago and had a portrait studio at the South Side Community Art Center which was documenting the nation’s social conditions under the New Deal. Two years later, he began working for the Farm Security Administration (FSA), which was documenting the nation’s social conditions under the New Deal. At the same time, he started his career as a freelancer for Glamour and Ebony magazines. In 1948, he broke the barrier by becoming the first Black staff photographer at Life magazine. He developed and captured fashion spreads for Vogue and made history as the first African American to direct a major motion picture with his 1969 film, The Learning Tree. This movie was adapted from his own novel and he co-composed its musical score. His next film, the 1971 thriller Shaft, featuring Richard Roundtree, was a huge success that spawned the popular "blaxploitation" genre. Additionally, it produced an equally famous theme song by Isaac Hayes. However, there is more to it than just that: Parks is best known for creating some of the most impactful photographs of the 20th century.

Parks was a renowned photographer who excelled in capturing subjects from the worlds of sports, politics, entertainment, and everyday life during his assignments. However, his passion for social justice was his most prominent trait. He used his camera as a weapon to fight against poverty and racism.

**American Gothic. Portrait of government cleaning woman Ella Watson.**

Washington, D.C. Mrs. Ella Watson, a government charwoman, with three grandchildren and her adopted daughter

In 1941, Parks received a fellowship from the Julius Rosenwald Foundation. The foundation’s president, Dr. Edwin Rogers Embree, was writing a book on exceptional African Americans and gave Parks a list of 13 distinguished Black Americans to photograph. Embree's book, 13 Against the Odds, was published in 1944. One of the individuals on the list was Richard Wright, who was known for his novels and short stories about the plight of African Americans in the mid-twentieth century. In 1943, Parks met Wright in Harlem, bringing with him a copy of 12 Million Black Voices, a book that combined images by Farm Security Administration photographers such as Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans with Wright's work. The author inscribed the book for Parks, citing one of the photographer's favorite passages: "To one who moves with the new tide."

Richard Wright Photograph by Gordon Parks

Gordon Parks, Charles White in front of his mural “Chaos of the American Negro,” 1941,

Gordon Parks, Langston Hughes, Chicago, December 1941

Gordon Parks, Marva Trotter Louis, Chicago, Illinois, 1941,

During the months bridging 1943 and 1944, Parks took an array of photographs in Harlem. He often approached his subjects from below, using the buildings that framed their lives as backgrounds and attempting to catch people looking askance in ways that suggest resilience. Along with a striking portrait of Wright, Parks captured several other notable images.

Woman and Dog in Window, Harlem, New York, 1943

Untitled, Harlem, New York, 1943

Harlem Street Scene, New York, New York, 1943

Harlem Newsboy, Harlem, New York, 1943

In New York state, America had several camps such as Camp Christmas Seals in Haverstraw, Ellen Marvin and Gaylord White Camp in Arden, Camp Nathan Hale in Southfields, and Camp Brooklyn in Tusten. These camps were remarkable for the era as they were racially integrated and espoused egalitarian ideals. Parks’s photographs beautifully showcase the children of different races playing, praying, eating, and raising the American flag together, which was a bold social experiment in action.

children Learning to Fish, Southfields, New York, 1943.jpeg

First Aid, Southfields, New York, 1943.jpeg

Interracial Children's Camps, Camp Buddies, Haverstraw, New York, 1943 .jpeg

Loretta Gyles Practicing Archery, Bear Mountain, New York, 1943.jpeg

Mess Call, Southfields, New York, 1943.jpeg

Raising Old Glory, Southfields, New York, 1943.jpeg

Singing Around the Campfire, Southfields, New York, 1943.jpeg

Gordon Parks, Ferry boat from Staten Island to Manhattan, carrying early morning commuters, New York City, November 1946,

Gordon Parks, Untitled, Harlem, New York, 1947,

Gordon Parks, Washington (southwest section), D.C. Two Negro boys shooting marbles in front of their home. November 1942,

Gordon Parks, Anacostia, D.C. Frederick Douglass Housing Project. A family says grace before the evening meal. June 1942,

Gordon Parks, Washington, D.C. Three children waiting in the kitchen while their mother prepares the evening meal. June 1942, made while working for the Farm Security Administration (FSA), a government agency.

**Football, Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona Beach, Florida, 1943**

Untitled, Harlem, New York, 1948

Gordon Parks, Trapped in abandoned building by a rival gang on street, Red Jackson ponders his next move, 1948,

**Duke Ellington in Concert, New York, 1960**

Ralph Ellison, New York, New York, 1947

Peter Mennin, New York, New York, 1956

Alexander Calder in His Workshop, Roxbury, Connecticut, 1952

Leonard Bernstein, New York, New York, 1956

Untitled, White Plains, New York, 1956

Alberto Giacometti and His Sculptures, Paris, France, 1951

Sidney Poitier in “A Raisin in the Sun,” New York, 1959

Countess Jean Yves de la Cour, France, 1951

A remarkable essay by Parks titled "The Atmosphere of Crime" was published by Steidl in 1957.

Along with reporter Robert Wallace, Parks traveled across the US for six weeks, following the police during their operations, visiting incarceration centers and even a death chamber to portray criminality. Parks rejected the dominating crime narrative and used his camera to advocate for the socially and politically ostracized. This book beautifully prints Park's photographs as plates and includes the original Life article (including text and advertising) as well as long essays by curators and a public interest lawyer, providing thorough context. Given the current wave of protest calling for racial justice, the book allows us to gain perspective on Parks' nuanced documentation and how his images were used in 1950s America.

Parks' photographs aimed to counter the stereotypical representation of violence that portrayed black people as members of gangs and drug users being condemned by good-willed white police officers.

Raiding Detectives, Chicago, Illinois, 1957 © Courtesy The Gordon Parks Foundation

New York, NY, 1957 © Courtesy The Gordon Parks Foundation

Gordon Parks, The Atmosphere of Crime is co-published by Steidl with the Gordon Parks Foundation and The Museum of Modern Art

In 1968, Life published "A Harlem Family" by Parks. The article featured photos and commentary on the Fontenelle family's living conditions in a crumbling apartment on 127th street, New York.

Parks' reportage revealed the bleakness of their situation, with the family's modest hopes, the potential for only one child to succeed, and even violence between spouses due to built-up hatred. However, Parks also showed the family's full range of emotions and their struggle to keep faith in such a life.

This provided an intimate view of a neighborhood and a nation amidst the turbulent civil unrest of the United States at the time. The empathy that Parks' photos provoked was so sincere that readers donated money for the Fontanelle family to move into a modest house in Queens.

This exhibition delves into the story behind a groundbreaking photo essay by Gordon Parks, and the extraordinary chain of events that ensued. The essay “Freedom’s Fearful Foe: Poverty,” was published in Life magazine in June 1961. It profiled the da Silva family, who lived in a hillside favela near a wealthy Rio de Janeiro, Brazil enclave. The essay focused on Flávio, the eldest son and a resourceful twelve-year-old with crippling asthma. The story struck a chord with readers, eliciting thousands of letters and nearly USD 30,000 in donations (equivalent to over $250,000 today). In response, Life magazine launched an ambitious “rescue” effort, which involved relocating the family to a new home, moving Flávio to a hospital in the United States, and administering funds to support the rehabilitation of the favela. Meanwhile, in Brazil, the photo essay sparked a great controversy in the press. "The Flávio Story" provides an in-depth look at Parks' most acclaimed photo essay within the context of Cold War politics in the United States and Brazil and at the inner workings and cultural impact of Life magazine.

Gordon Parks: The Flávio Story was on view at the Ryerson Image Centre from September 12 – December 9, 2018. Paul Roth and Amanda Maddox curated the exhibition.

Written By: Ben Cosgrove

Gordon Parks was a master of contradictions. His fashion photography captured the beauty and opulence of the 1940s and ’50s elite with carefully orchestrated framing and composition. But Parks was also renowned for his stirring images of poverty and racial discrimination.

All images © The Gordon Parks Foundation

Ralph Ellison: Photographer

Ralph Ellison was one of the most influential writers of his time, known for his groundbreaking novel "Invisible Man" which established him as a literary icon.

Ellison's novel is considered a milestone in American literature because it takes the reader on a journey from the mundane to a surreal world of African American life. This world is depicted as the author experienced it.

However, his lifelong engagement with photography is often overlooked. This lesser-known aspect of his career takes center stage in the collection "Photographer".

Spanning several decades, this collection showcases Ellison's multifaceted artistic vision through his captivating photographs.

Ellison began exploring photography while studying at Tuskegee Institute, an all-black, prestigious school in Alabama. According to Raz-Russo, he studied music but was also interested in sculpture and briefly talked about photographing his sculptures. But began his photographic journey after moving to New York City in 1936.

His passion for photography grew when he moved to Harlem in the 1940s, where he turned it into a serious hobby and a source of income. Alongside installing and repairing HiFi audio equipment, he also took author headshots. With his camera in tow, he explored the city as an outsider.

The title of the book, "Ralph Ellison: Photographer," pays homage to the phrase he used on his invoice letterhead. For Ellison, photography was more than just a hobby or a source of income. It was an art form, a note-taking tool, and a creative outlet. He used it to express his identity as an individual and an American, always looking for innovative forms of expression.

The book features two sections, each telling a visual story. The first section showcases Ellison's photographs from the 1940s and 50s, including portraits of his wife, Fanny, and his partnership with Parks. Many readers scour Ellison's images for clues to the origins of his novels' characters and plots. Raz-Russo noted that much of his early writing contains descriptive passages that could have been drawn from his photographs of everyday life in Harlem. These photos served as essential field notes for his writing and a means of supplementing his income.

“Untitled” (New York City), 1940s, a photograph by Ralph Ellison of a young man transmits the power of his prose. It recalls the charismatic Tod Clifton in “Invisible Man.”Credit...The Ralph and Fanny Ellison Charitable Trust

Shot on medium and large format cameras, as well as the more wieldy 35mm, the photographs showcase his artistic versatility. They depict intimate moments with friends and family members, as well as everyday life on the city streets.

Ellison's photographic compositions reflect the essence of his iconic writing. His fictional works maintained a deep-rooted connection to reality, and his photographs explore the intricacies of black identity, reflecting the themes that made his debut novel so compelling. Through his lens, viewers are invited to contemplate and reflect on a portrait of America during the period, which rejected the mythical idea of a melting pot that authorities were attempting to push as a means of 'asserting order'.

Ralph Ellison, “Untitled” (New York City), circa 1948.Credit...The Ralph and Fanny Ellison Charitable Trust

Ralph Ellison’s “Untitled” (New York City), 1940s, captures fun, or is it terror?Credit...The Ralph and Fanny Ellison Charitable Trust

“Untitled” (New York City), a photograph of men on a Harlem street corner in the 1940s by Ralph Ellison, the author of the 1952 landmark novel, “Invisible Man.”Credit...The Ralph and Fanny Ellison Charitable Trust

**1940s, a woman is being taken into custody by policemen. They raise the unsettling question that reverberates through “Invisible Man.” In this crazy world, how can we tell what is going on?**

Ellison's photographs are a valuable addition to the record. However, "Invisible Man" dives much deeper and offers a scathing examination of how the poison of racism has infiltrated American culture. This work of art is both hilarious and horrifying, effectively capturing the tragicomedy of not being recognized for one's true self due to the color of their skin. While some of Ellison's photographs are powerful and striking, they do not match the depth and brilliance of his book, which is considered one of the greatest American novels of the 20th century. If there were a photographic version of "Invisible Man," it would most likely need to be staged, hovering between naturalism and surrealism, by an artist with the same sublime gift for creating images that Ellison possessed for words.

The second section shows a more introspective Ellison, with photographs taken in the 1970s through the 90s, as he grappled with completing his second novel, Juneteenth, published after his death.
The book’s latter section features color polaroids taken in the latter decades of Ellison's life as he worked on his second novel. These images depict small details, flowers, fruit, and small ornaments, revealing Ellison’s quieter, more reflective side. It is as if he was looking inward for inspiration rather than to the streets around him that previously gave him such.

“Untitled” (Fanny McConnell Ellison), 1944/1950, a portrait of his wife Fanny, by Ralph Ellison.Credit...The Ralph and Fanny Ellison Charitable Trust

Fanny McConnell Ellison

From 730 Riverside Drive in Hamilton Heights, located in the northwest corner of Harlem, he mostly took Polaroids from inside his apartment. He shared the apartment with his wife, Fanny, until he passed away in 1994. One of the photographs features a potted orchid on a windowsill, which overlooks a blurry view of the Hudson. This image strongly suggests a retreat from the turbulence of everyday life.

Ralph Ellison, “Untitled,” a Polaroid image of an orchid, taken from his Riverside Drive apartment window, 1972/1994.Credit...The Ralph and Fanny Ellison Charitable Trust

**Fanny McConnell Ellison took this untitled portrait of her husband, Ralph Ellison, at St. Nicholas Park, New York City, 1940s.**
**Credit...The Ralph and Fanny Ellison Charitable Trust**

It's not commonly known that Gordon Parks, a successful photographer by the mid-1940s, and Ralph Ellison, who was working on his celebrated novel "Invisible Man" (1952), were actually friends.

The two men had a shared vision of racial injustice, which inspired them to collaborate on two important projects in 1948 and 1952. Their first joint project was an essay titled "Harlem Is Nowhere," which they created for '48: The Magazine of the Year. This illustrated essay was conceived while Ellison was working on "Invisible Man" and was focused on the Lafargue Mental Hygiene Clinic - the first non-segregated psychiatric clinic in New York City. The clinic served as a case study for the social and economic conditions of the neighborhood.Parks was chosen to create the accompanying photographs, and during the winter months of 1948, the two roamed the streets of Harlem.

In 1952, they collaborated again on "A Man Becomes Invisible" for the August 25 issue of Life magazine, which promoted Ellison's newly released novel. Unfortunately, one of the two projects was lost, while the other was published only in reduced form. This book is the first publication on Parks' and Ellison's collaboration on these two projects, and it provides an in-depth look at the artists' shared vision of Black life in America, with Harlem as its nerve center.

The book was published to coincide with an exhibition of the same name that originated at The Art Institute of Chicago from May 21 to August 28, 2016.

“A Man Becomes Invisible” was the culmination of their work together, and remains an important tribute to and interpretation of Ellison’s seminal novel. Invisible Man was described in Life as a story of “the loneliness, the horror and the disillusionment of a man who has lost faith in himself and his world”; more pointedly, it is also a stark account of America’s racial divisions, and of an unnamed Black protagonist’s awakening to his condition of invisibility within the surrounding cultures of white and Black alike. The novel quickly became one of the most acclaimed—and debated—books of the twentieth century and established Ellison as a major figure in American literature. Gordon Parks, meanwhile, was among Life’s most celebrated staff photographers, best known for his poignant and humanizing photo essays. He was also the first African American hired by the magazine. The two men held in common a desire to make visible the Black experience in postwar America, and each was able to make his work accessible to the widest possible audience, both Black and white—accomplishments that brought both praise and criticism throughout their careers. Less well known, however, is that their vision of racial injustices, coupled with a shared belief in the communicative power of photography, inspired collabo- ration on two important projects, in 1948 and 1952.

By the mid-1940s, Parks had cemented his reputation as a successful photojournalist and magazine photographer, and Ellison was working on his first major novel. They were likely introduced by members of the thriving literary and artistic circles in Harlem, who sought new ways of representing Black life in America in their words and images— depictions that would dig deeper than the sociologically and economically driven views that had filled mainstream publications in the 1930s, and would instead reveal the everyday experiences of Black individuals. Ellison had a serious interest in photography. This had drawn him to Parks, who had distinguished himself professionally while working for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) and Condé Nast, publisher of Vogue and Glamour magazines. Capitalizing on the growing popularity of the picture press, the two joined forces first in 1948, on the essay “Harlem Is Nowhere,” for ’48: The Magazine of the Year, and again in 1952 on “A Man Becomes Invisible” for Life. Neither project was published as originally intended; parts of the first were lost, while the second came out only as a fragment that merely hinted at the authors’ shared vision of Black life in America, with Harlem as its nerve center.

Michal Raz-Russo
Excerpt from “Visible Men,” Invisible Man: Gordon Parks and Ralph Ellison in Harlem

Untitled, Harlem, New York, 1952. The Gordon Parks Foundation.jpeg

Soapbox Operator, Harlem, New York, 1952. The Gordon Parks Foundation.jpeg

Off On My Own, Harlem, New York, 1948. The Gordon Parks Foundation.jpeg

Harlem Neighborhood, Harlem, New York, 1952. The Gordon Parks Foundation.jpeg

Untitled, Harlem, New York, 1952. The Art Institute of Chicago, anonymous gift.jpeg

Gordon Parks

***Ralph Ellison, New York, New York, 1947***

W. Eugene Smith - The Imperfect Perfectionist by Cameron Scott

“Available light is any damn light that is available!”

My introduction to photography took place at high school, where my development took parallel paths. In addition to spending time with the camera and in the school darkroom, I also spent a considerable amount of time in both the school and local libraries looking at the few photojournalistic picture books that were available, particularly a collection published by Time Life featuring the works of the great photographers who had graced the pages of those magazines. One of those photographers was W. Eugene Smith, and although I wouldn’t be aware at the time, his work was to have a major influence on me in later life.

W. Eugene Smith was born in Wichita, Kansas, on December 30, 1918. By the age of fifteen he already had sports photographs published in the Wichita Press, and after graduating from high school he attended the University of Notre Dame on a photography scholarship which he quit before completion. By the age of twenty he had moved to New York and was working for Newsweek magazine. However, this relationship didn’t last long, a theme that was to recur regularly throughout Smith’s troubled life.

“I didn’t write the rules. Why would I follow them?”

A perfectionist who had a reputation for being difficult to work with, he had been fired from Newsweek for refusing to work with larger format cameras in preference to 35mm. This opportunity led him to a role with Life magazine, a recently established publication which aimed to educate and entertain its audience through the use of high-quality photography in the form of photo-essays, a format in which Smith would eventually become an acknowledged master.

“I would that my photographs might be, not the coverage of a news event, but an indictment of war - the brutal corrupting viciousness of its doing to the minds and bodies of men; and, that my photographs might be a powerful emotional catalyst to the reasoning which would help this vile and criminal stupidity from beginning again”

By the time America entered WW2 Smith was considered to be one of the leading photojournalists of the day, while still only 23 years of age. He chose to leave Life magazine for a position at Parade, and on successful application to the Department Of Defence for an overseas position he found himself on the aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill where he flew with combat missions aboard the Navy’s bombers, producing some of the most powerful and iconic documentary records of the US Navy’s ariel capabilities, the most famous of which shows Avenger bombers moving to attack Japanese positions on the island of Saipan.

**US Fighter Bombers At The Battle Of Saipan**

Smith eventually left Parade and the USS Bunker Hill in favour of a position back at the Life stable, where he immediately went into combat with the US Marines, once again producing iconic images from the Pacific theatre. One particularly iconic image that features regularly in appreciations of Smith’s work comes from the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945 and depicts a group of marines sheltering amongst burnt tree stalks while munitions explode directly in front of them. This is often interpreted as showing shell fire, indeed in one book it is even entitled Sticks and Stones and Flying Bones. However, on the Magnum website it is described as depicting a US Marine demolition team destroying a cave.

Smith’s war ended after being hit by a shell and it took over a year for him to recover from his injuries.

The Battle Of Iwo Jima US Marine Demolition Team

“What use is having a great depth of field, if there is not an adequate depth of feeling?”

After the war he continued to work for Life magazine, where amongst what he considered mundane assignments, he produced some of his most celebrated photo essays which set a framework for modern photojournalism. These included The Country Doctor, a documentary following the life and work of one Dr Ernest Ceriani who had a practise in the small rural town of Kremling, Colorado. For this Smith adopted a fly on the wall approach, where he blended into the wallpaper as it were. In this essay he brought us many beautiful images that show the balance between Dr Ceriani’s life and work, and his responsibilities to the community that he served. This photo essay contains another Smith classic, where the doctor is shown in a kitchen, dressed in scrubs, holding a coffee while smoking a cigarette. His gaze is vacant, he looks empty. He has just lost a mother and her baby during childbirth.

Other Smith classic photo-essays from this period include Nurse Midwife, Spanish Village, and an essay on Albert Schweitzer

Dr Ceriani Makes A House Call

Dr Ceriani

Albert Schweitzer

Albert Schweitzer By Light

Spanish Rural Police

Spanish Village Wake

“Never have I found the limits of the photographic potential.

Every horizon, upon being reached, reveals another beckoning in the distance. Always, I am on the threshold.”

Smith’s constant drive for perfection and his demands for editorial control over his work led to many clashes with the Life hierarchy and he eventually left due to a disagreement over the layout of his Albert Schweitzer essay, turning his back on a highly lucrative salary that in today’s terms would be a six-figure sum. In 1955 he joined the renowned Magnum agency, and his first assignment took him to Pittsburgh where he had been commissioned to produce one hundred images in a three-week period for a feature on the city’s upcoming Bicentennial. For this assignment he was provided with furnished accommodation which included a fully equipped darkroom, accommodation which would also house the twenty odd pieces of luggage and hundreds of LP records and books that he had brought with him. Clearly Smith had other plans. He had decided that this project would be his magnum opus, he equated it to Beethoven’s Ninth and other major classics. It would be four weeks before the camera even made an appearance, and another year before he had finished shooting, a year in which he produced seventeen thousand negatives. He eventually pared this down to a final selection of two thousand images but had difficulty in realising the project in terms of publication. His refusal to relinquish editorial control once again led to the loss of several highly paid offers. He eventually got his wish when Popular Photography agreed to his demands by publishing eighty-eight images from the project but paid only a small fraction of what he had been previously offered, and although he had full editorial control, he was still bitterly disappointed with the final result.

“I’ve never made any picture, good or bad, without paying for it in emotional turmoil.”

The combination of self-induced pressures in trying to realise the Pittsburgh project, the financial instability he had imposed on his family and also the death of his mother drove Smith to the brink of destruction. In 1957 he left the family home and moved into a near derelict loft in the wholesale flower district of Manhattan, at 821 Sixth Avenue. He shared this loft space with various jazz musicians, and many others would visit in the early hours of the morning for jam sessions, straight from performing gigs at many of New Yorks’ most well-known venues. Some of the biggest names in jazz are featured in this body of work, including Thelonious Monk, Sonny Clark, Miles Davis, Chick Corea and the composer and arranger Hall Overton. This was eventually to lead to the body of work known as The Jazz Loft Project where Smith not only documented the sessions photographically but also wired the rooms for sound and recorded over four thousand hours of chatter and music on various reel to reel recorders. The historical significance of this has only recently been realised thanks to the research by the author Sam Stevenson. In addition to photographing the ongoings inside the loft, Smith also pointed his lens through a crack in the window to document life outside. Smith’s original plan was to use his time at the loft to finish the Pittsburgh project, but it never really happened. By now Smith was a heavy user of alcohol and amphetamines and is documented as having spent days on end in his darkroom going without sleep, all in the strive for that elusive perfection. On a purely personal note, for me this body of work is Smith’s finest. Earlier this year I purchased Stevenson’s latest edition of the book the Jazz Loft Project, which features pictures and transcriptions from the tapes that Smith recorded. On first thumb through the pictures were classic Smith, beautiful black and white images with that classic Smith humanity. The transcriptions I wasn’t so sure about, however once further study got underway it was a book I simply couldn’t put down. It’s a remarkable piece of work. There are many stunning images in it, probably the most well-known being a close crop side shot of Thelonius Monk in full flight with cigarette in mouth. However, my own particular favourite is a close crop of British jazz bassist Peter Ind, an image that I hadn’t seen before. It’s a close up shot, we don’t see the background, the other musicians or even the full instrument. It’s grainy and soft, Ind’s eyes are focused, a wisp of greased hair has fallen over his forehead, and his fingering shows that of a trained bass player rather than the death grip favoured by those from a less formal background. I’ve been there, I was a jazz bassist, so maybe that’s why this deceptively simple image appeals so much, a moment where two artists at the absolute peak of their creativity are momentarily connected by a lens.

Smith’s time at the loft ended in 1965, by which time had a made roughly forty thousand pictures in addition to the already mentioned four thousand hours of audio recordings.

Thelonious Monk Rehearsing

Jazz Bassist Peter Ind

“I try to take what voice I have and I give it to those who don’t have one at all”

Having spent time in Japan during WW2 and again in the following years, he made his final trip in 1971 accompanied by his partner Aileen Mioko. This was at the invitation of a friend who wanted him to visit the fishing village of Minamata and document a scandal involving the Chisso chemical company that had been discharging mercury into the sea. This mercury then found its way into the food chain, resulting in birth defects and neurological disorders that collectively became known as Minamata Disease. Smith’s work here lasted three years, and again he was seriously injured during a protest at the Chisso factory where he received a beating from employees of the company. The work that Smith produced during this period is breathtaking and includes another of his most celebrated images - Tomoko and Mother In Bath. This story is also told in the film of the same name starring Johhny Depp in the role of Smith.

Smith returned from Minamata in 1974, where, after a stay in New York he moved to Tucson Arizona to join the teaching faculty at the University of Arizona. By now his health had deteriorated markedly, and after a series of strokes he passed away on October 15th, 1978, leaving an archive that weighed twenty-two tones and had to be transported in two eighteen-wheeler trucks.

“Passion is in all great searches and is necessary to all creative endeavours.”

This simple appreciation by me can in no way quantify the impact that W. Eugene Smith had and continues to have on photojournalism and indeed the wider arena of photographic art. He is the photographer whose work I have studied most, from all those who continue to inspire me. The beautiful monochrome tonality of his images, not to mention the humanity contained within resonates with me. I find his life story sad and yet inspirational in equal measures, the archetypal troubled genius, the Mozart of photography.

As I write this last paragraph near the forty-fifth anniversary of Gene’s passing, I reflect on the impact that his photography has had on my own journey. Whilst the portrayal of an event in monochromatic tones is a purely individual taste in terms of greyscale tones used and their distribution throughout the final frame, there’s no doubt that the early exposure to his work has shaped what I now consider to be my own ideal monochromatic presentation. The gold standard if you will. The W Eugene Smith standard.

W. Eugene Smith Magnum

Images copyright Magnum Photos

Weegee or Arthur Fellig by Batsceba Hardy

Arthur 'Weegee' Fellig (June 12, 1899 – December 26, 1968) was a street photographer with a fascination for murders and misfits, who occupied a unique place between burlesque and film noir. He remains arguably the most renowned photographer of the 1940s and 50s, having achieved legendary status. His work is immediately recognizable and stands alone in the history of photography.

"I am a natural-born photographer, with hypo in my blood."

Arthur 'Weegee' Fellig was born on June 12, 1899 in Lemberg, Galicia, Austria-Hungary, which is now known as Zolochiv, Ukraine. His birth name was Usher Fellig, but it was changed to Arthur when he and his family immigrated to New York in 1909. He began his career as a photographer at the age of fourteen.

He was self-taught and only gained regular employment at a photography studio in 1918.

In 1935, while still a teenager, he began working as a freelance news photographer and adopted the name "Weegee". Perhaps indicative of his self-promotion, he created a catchy pseudonym and later proclaimed himself 'Weegee the Famous'.*

In 1938, he was granted permission to install a police radio in his car, which allowed him to capture sensational photographs of news events and offer them for sale to publications like the Herald-Tribune, Daily News, Post, the Sun, and PM Weekly, among others.

From 1935 -1946, he had a near monopoly on images of the violent aftermath of New York City's Prohibition era.

Weegee, known for his gritty black and white photos, is one of the most notorious photographers in street photography's history, even though he never referred to himself as a street photographer. His use of a 4×5 Speed Graphic large-format press camera and flash added a layer of drama to his already dramatic shots.

He typically used a camera preset with f/16 aperture, 1/200 second shutter speed, and flashbulbs. He would set the focus distance at ten feet, but was never sure what his photos would look like until he processed them. His style of shooting with flash in the streets has significantly influenced other photographers such as Diane Arbus, William Klein, and Bruce Gilden.

* [Weegee sounding like OUIJA board and people thought he arrived at a murder scene before it happened.]

[Cab driver with Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade clown, New York], c.1942 © Weegee Archive/International Center of Photography

[Charles Sodokoff and Arthur Webber using their top hats to hide their faces, New York], January 26, 1942 © Weegee Archive/International Center of Photography

In spite of being known for his crime and death photographs, some of his works were quite delicate, like "Boy Meets Girl - From Mars" (1955) which is known as one of the most romantic, poetic and surreal photos of its time.

**Boy meets girl - from Mars, c.1955 © Weegee Archive/International Center of Photography**

All of his photos were full of life and captured the essence of the moment. One of his most famous photographs was captured on a particularly hot summer day, in 1941, while he was perched atop a lifeguard's station in Coney Island, Brooklyn. He captured a massive crowd of bathers that were all looking up to him, and he had to scream to get their attention.

In the mid-1940s, he used infrared film to photograph moviegoers in New York cinemas. He produced a series of mesmerized kids, exhilarated teens and embracing couples, which surprisingly turned out to be moving.

[Afternoon crowd at Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York], July 21, 1940 © Weegee Archive/International Center of Photography

Lovers at the Palace Theater, c.1945 © Weegee Archive/International Center of Photography

Weegee was famous for his portraits of cabaret singers and their lively audiences at Sammy's Bowery Follies, also known as Sammy's on the Bowery. This popular venue in the Lower East Side was a meeting place for people from all walks of life - from the rich and famous to the forgotten and homeless. Weegee's unique eye for capturing the essence of his subjects is reflected in the works of many other photographers, such as Lisette Model and Diane Arbus. Weegee's own self-portraits are also a testament to his wit and character.

**[Ethel, queen of the Bowery, and man, Sammy's on the Bowery, New York], c.1943 © Weegee Archive/International Center of Photography**

Weegee became renowned for capturing the essence of New York in his edgy, black and white photographs taken with a flash. His unique style quickly gained recognition and popularity. While his crime photographs were widely published in the tabloids during the 1940s, his work was also showcased in prestigious institutions such as the New York Photo League in 1941 and The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in 1943.

Lisa Hostetler, the George Eastman House curator, highlights Weegee's photography's uniqueness. It was successful in popular media and respected by the fine-art community during his lifetime. Weegee's talent of capturing the most significant and telling moments of the events he photographed and forging a strong emotional connection between the viewer and the characters in his pictures allowed his photographs to navigate between these two realms.

Three of Weegee's books, Naked City (1945), Weegee's People (1946), and Naked Hollywood (1953), have achieved cult classic status.

Magnum Photos was established in 1947, just two years after the publication of Weegee's Naked City. Bruce Gilden, like many other Magnum photographers, was an admirer and collector of Weegee's work. When asked about his favorite Weegee pieces, he singled out "Their First Murder" (1941) as one of his all-time favorites. Gilden also greatly admired “The Critic”.

The photograph was published in PM Daily on October 9, 1941, with Weegee’s text (written on his famed typewriter).

*he Critic, November 22, 1943 © Weegee Archive/International Center of Photography*

TIME selected it as one of the 100 most iconic photos ever. The editors explained: “In 1943, Weegee turned his Speed Graphic camera’s blinding flash on the social and economic inequalities that lingered after the Great Depression. Not averse to orchestrating a shot, he dispatched his assistant, Louie Liotta, to a Bowery dive in search of an inebriated woman. He found a willing subject and took her to the Metropolitan Opera House for its Diamond Jubilee celebration. Then Liotta set her up near the entrance while Weegee watched for the arrival of Mrs. George Washington Kavanaugh and Lady Decies, two wealthy women who regularly graced society columns. When the tiara- and fur-bedecked socialites arrived for the opera, Weegee gave Liotta the signal to spring the drunk woman. With that flash, Weegee captured the stark juxtaposition of fabulous wealth and dire poverty, in a gotcha style that anticipated the commercial appeal of paparazzi decades later.”

Weegee's work is beautiful and enduring because, although he appeared to be detached, he was actually highly aware and critical of what the Situationist philosopher Guy Debord later referred to as "The Society of the Spectacle" in his 1967 book.

[After the opera, Sammy's on the Bowery, New York], 1943-45© Weegee Archive/International Center of Photography

In 1945, the renowned photographer moved to Los Angeles, where he captured glamorous portraits of celebrities. He also began his experimental Distortions series, featuring famous figures like Marilyn Monroe and Richard Nixon. During this time, he also started working with 16-millimeter film and produced several short, eccentric motion pictures in both the U.S. and Europe. In 1953, he returned to New York to teach and write about photography. In 1961, he was famously photographed mid-air by his friend Philippe Halsman, joining the ranks of other luminaries like Robert Oppenheimer, Edward Steichen, Audrey Hepburn, Salvador Dalí, Marilyn Monroe, John Steinbeck, and Aldous Huxley, all of whom had also been captured in similar shots by the Magnum photographer.

***Halsman, Philippe (1906-1979) - 1961 Weegee***

“People are so wonderful that a photographer has only to wait for that breathless moment to capture what he wants on film.”

A. Fellig (Weegee)

Famous Photographers Tell How – An Interview with Weegee (1958)

References
1. Weegee's People, Arthur Fellig, 1900-1968, DA CAPO PRESS, New York, 1975
2. Naked City, Arthur Fellig- Essential Books, 1945
3. Weegee, Aperture History of Photography Series Aperture, Inc. 1978
4. Weegee, Louis Stettner, Alfred A. Knopf, Publisher, New York, 1977
5. Weegee, Andre Laude Pantheon Books, New York, 1986
6. Weegee by Weegee, An Autobiography, Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, New York, 1961

William Eggleston by Batsceba Hardy

Which is Better? Black and White or Colour?

__________________________________________________

[4] William Eggleston

William Eggleston, born on July 27, 1939, in Memphis, Tennessee, is a renowned color photographer who has set an example of the significance of staying true to one's personal style and capturing what one loves. He is recognized for his aristocratic background and Southern charm, and is often depicted with a drink and cigarette in his hand.

At the age of 18, he got his first camera and started printing black and white photographs on his own. After using black and white film for a few years, Eggleston was introduced to color film by William Christenberry in 1965. He managed to create impactful photos that could evoke a sense of discomfort out of seemingly mundane subjects.

Eggleston, preferred to work with color slide film due to its saturated colors. He developed his style in complete isolation, and when he presented a suitcase containing his prints to John Szarkowski of New York's Museum of Modern Art in 1969, nobody had witnessed anything like it before.

In the early 1970s, Eggleston taught at Harvard and discovered the dye-transfer printing technique. Previously, this technique had only been used for commercial prints such as cigarette packaging. However, the color saturation and ink quality were unparalleled, and when Eggleston applied this technique to his own images, it resulted in some of his most celebrated work. His photography is known for its flashy colors and recurring motifs of American cars, road signs, kitsch objects, and fast-food restaurant condiments. Eggleston primarily focuses on capturing the beauty of everyday objects, marginal objects, that are often overlooked by society.

In 1976, William Eggleston held his first major photography exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. When he exhibited his hyper-saturated photographs, his style caused a stir in the photographic establishment of the time, which was still primarily focused on black and white documentary photography. Ansel Adams even wrote a letter of complaint to the MoMA, and the critics harshly criticized Eggleston. What was particularly disconcerting for them, besides his use of color, was Eggleston's attention to the banal, which followers of the 'decisive moment' deemed boring and insignificant. In photographs such as Red Ceiling, which is Eggleston's most famous photograph, there is neither action nor an identifiable subject, other than color. Eggleston's photographs may appear to be mundane, simple color recordings of his surroundings, but the light, composition, and colors are all carefully designed and executed. Eggleston believed that the critics simply didn't understand his work, which was meant to be unspectacular and a modern form of art. Despite the initial negative reviews, Eggleston's career began to gain worldwide recognition, and eventually, the critics apologized for their misguided opinions. And his "democratic gaze," has become deeply ingrained in our visual culture. Eggleston's impact has been felt by many notable photographers such as Stephen Shore, Martin Parr, and Nan Goldin, as well as filmmakers like Wim Wenders and Gus Van Sant.

His work is often described as esoteric, and he has been interviewed by many journalists who hoped to gain insight into his photographic process. However, Eggleston's explanations of his work are often deemed useless, as he prefers not to explain the meaning behind his shots.

Eggleston's focus has primarily been on using Canon and Leica rangefinders, with Kodachrome film being his preferred choice for its highly saturated colors. However, he has also used several other cameras throughout his career, including a Leica M6, M3, and R5, a Canon VT, a Contax G2, a Pentax reflex, an Olympus Stylus Epic, a Mamiya 6x9, a Fuji GW690 6x9, and a Hasselblad.

The latest retrospective at the National Portrait Gallery in London brings together all the portraits he has taken from the beginning of his career to today.

QUOTES:

“Often people ask what I’m photographing. It’s a hard question to answer. And the best I’ve come up with is, I just say, ‘Life today.'”

“I only ever take one picture of one thing. Literally. Never two. So then that picture is taken and then the next one is waiting somewhere else.”

"I want to make a picture that could stand on its own, regardless of what it was a picture of. I’ve never been a bit interested in the fact that this was a picture of a blues musician or a street corner or something. ”

“I never know beforehand. Until I see it. It just happens all at once. I take a picture very quickly and instantly forget about it.”

” I just wait until [my subject] appears, which is often where I happen to be. Might be something right across the street. Might be something on down the road. And I’m usually very pleased when I get the image back. It’s usually exactly what I saw. I don’t have any favorites. Every picture is equal but different.”

“I’ve always assumed that the abstract qualities of [my] photographs are obvious. For instance, I can turn them upside down and they’re still interesting to me as pictures. If you turn a picture that’s not well organized upside down, it won’t work.”

“Whether a photo or music, or a drawing or anything else I might do— it’s ultimately all an abstraction of my peculiar experience.”

“A picture is what it is and I’ve never noticed that it helps to talk about them, or answer specific questions about them, much less volunteer information in words. It wouldn’t make any sense to explain them. Kind of diminishes them. People always want to know when something was taken, where it was taken, and, God knows, why it was taken. It gets really ridiculous. I mean, they’re right there, whatever they are.”

” Whatever it is about pictures, photographs, it’s just about impossible to follow up with words. They don’t have anything to do with each other.”

“You become technically proficient whether you want to or not, the more you take pictures.”

“Photography just gets us out of the house.”

“I am at war with the obvious.”

“I had this notion of what I called a democratic way of looking around, that nothing was more or less important.”

“There is no particular reason to search for meaning.”

“You can take a good picture of anything. A bad one, too.”

“It quickly came to be that I grew interested in photographing whatever was there wherever I happened to be. For any reason.”

“I don’t have a burning desire to go out and document anything. It just happens when it happens. It’s not a conscious effort, nor is it a struggle. Wouldn’t do it if it was. The idea of the suffering artist has never appealed to me. Being here is suffering enough.”

” I don’t really look at other people’s photographs at all. It takes enough time to look at my own.”

” I don’t have favorites. I look at pictures democratically. To me they are all equal. ”

“I am afraid that there are more people than I can imagine who can go no further than appreciating a picture that is a rectangle with an object in the middle of it, which they can identify. ”

*Replacing the familiar strident colours with ominous washed-out tones, William Eggleston's latest works reveal an artist still evolving at the age of 70*

"He has been “at war with the obvious,” working in a “democratic forest” where everything visible is equally viable as subject matter. Trees, dirt, signs, houses, carpets, red ceilings, naked men, old men with guns, tricycles, etc. Working in this manner, he inspired many photographers to look no further than their immediate surroundings for inspiration. Then came digital cameras, and then the Internet, and then Flickr. Eggleston may have won the war with the obvious, but now the obvious is getting its revenge in the form of the millions of banal, boring, dull photographs that are bg uploaded to the web everyday. We don’t need to go far to find the ‘democratic forest,’ in fact, we may never be able to escape it." -- Bryan Formhals

[3] - Ernst Haas

Ernst Haas by Batsceba Hardy

Which is Better? Black and White or Colour?

__________________________________________________

[3] - Ernst Haas

Ernst Haas, born on March 2, 1921, in Vienna and passed away on September 12, 1986, was a renowned photojournalist and a trailblazer in the field of colour photography. He revolutionized colour photography using a 35mm camera (Leica) and primarily Kodachrome film. His images showcased an intense array of colours and light. He used various techniques to create evocative and metaphorical works. He employed shallow depth of field, selective focus, and blurred motion to transform objects from what they were to what he wanted them to be. He aimed to capture the joy of looking and human experience in his photography.

Throughout his four-decade-long career, Haas successfully bridged the gap between photojournalism and photography as a form of artistic expression. He was a pioneer in the use of colour photography and his work was widely published in magazines such as Life and Vogue. In 1962, his photographs were featured in the first-ever solo exhibition of colour photography at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He also served as the president of Magnum Photos, a cooperative representing some of the world's most influential photographers. Haas' book, The Creation, published in 1971, was a huge success, selling over 350,000 copies.

"I never really wanted to be a photographer. It slowly grew out of the compromise of a boy who desired to combine two goals— explorer or painter. I wanted to travel, see and experience. What better profession could there be than the one of a photographer, almost a painter in a hurry, overwhelmed by too many constantly changing impressions? But all my inspirational influences came much more from all the arts than from photo magazines."

Haas faced difficulties in pursuing his formal education due to the war, but he was self-taught and put in a lot of effort to learn about photography. During his time as the "school photographer" of the Max Reinhardt Film Seminar in 1941, he was able to attend technical classes and developed an interest in filmmaking that lasted throughout his life. Haas used his family's vast library, as well as museums and libraries in Vienna, to expand his knowledge. He focused on studying philosophy and poetry, which helped him shape his beliefs about the creative potential of photography.

"I see what I think

I see what I feel because I am what I see

If there is nothing to see and I still see it,

That's poetry

If there is something to see and everybody sees it

That's photography."

Haas was a free artist, poet, and philosopher not hindered by tradition or theory. In 1949, during the early stages of colour photography, Hass began experimenting with it. He had already become proficient in the formal structures and style of photojournalism and street photography, but he increasingly became interested in using colour film as a tool for the metaphorical language of the image. Having lived through the horrors of World War II in Europe, Haas saw colour as a source of pure emotional joy and physical richness, a welcome respite from the bleak grey landscape of war.

Haas believed that colour represents joy. He once said that joy is not something one thinks about, but rather something that carries a person. Haas saw his change from one material to another as a symbolic and psychological progression in response to the outside world. He considered the war years and the five bitter post-war years as the black and white or grey years. However, those times were over, and he wanted to celebrate the new times, filled with new hope, by using colour, similar to the beginning of a new spring.

In 1951, as part of his Magnum assignment, Haas moved to New York City and started capturing the city's essence through his lens, resulting in a series of photographs titled "Images of a Magic City". After two years, Life magazine featured his work as their first-ever colour essay, spanning over 24 pages across two issues - a groundbreaking achievement. Unlike other photographers of his time, he did not merely use colour to document reality. Instead, he aimed to capture the surreal quality of dreams. He imbued ordinary objects and figures with new and deeper meanings. For instance, a reflection of a storefront could reveal hidden depths of the urban landscape. Similarly, torn posters peeling off a wall could transform into an art gallery. Haas experimented with colours and tones that had never been seen before in printed colour to evoke emotions in the viewer. His work was infused with a guiding intelligence that was both enlightening and humorous.

Haas, like his fellow photographers, took to the streets with his camera. However, unlike Weegee, Klein, Model, or Arbus, he did not adopt a confrontational approach. Nor did he document society with a critical eye, as Robert Frank did. Instead, Haas pursued a more poetic style, akin to Saul Leiter, Louis Faurer, David Vestal, and Sid Grossman. He sought a photographic equivalent of gestural drawing, using techniques such as soft focus, selective depth of field, and overexposure to create a lasting impact. Haas is also known for pioneering the concept of deliberate blur. He used time exposure against a continuous color background to create a controlled blur effect.

"I am a composer / I compose pictures,"

"I photograph fiction / as you can't find what I found."

"Photography became a language with which I have learned to write both prose and poetry."

Szarkowski had written about Haas, saying that in colour photography, the colours often served as a mere decoration that stood between the viewer and the actual content of the picture. However, Ernst Haas resolved this problem by making the colour sensation the subject of his work. According to Szarkowski, no photographer has been as successful as Haas in expressing the pure physical joy of seeing.

REFLECTIONS BY HAAS

*There are two kinds of photographers: those who compose pictures and those who take them. The former work in studios. For the latter, the studio is the world.... For them, the ordinary doesn't exist: every thing in life is a source of nourishment.

*The best pictures differentiate themselves by nuances...a tiny relationship - either a harmony or a disharmony - that creates a picture.

*A picture is the expression of an impression. If the beautiful were not in us, how would we ever recognize it?

*With photography a new language has been created. Now for the first time it is possible to express reality by reality. We can look at an impression as long as we wish, we can delve into it and, so to speak, renew past experiences at will.

*I want to be remembered much more for a total vision than for a few perfect single picture.

*I am not interested in shooting new things - I am interested to see things new.

*There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.

*The most important lens you have is your legs.

*You become things, you become an atmosphere, and if you become it, which means you incorporate it within you, you can also give it back. You can put this feeling into a picture. A painter can do it. And a musician can do it and I think a photographer can do that too and that I would call the dreaming with open eyes. -

*The limitations of photography are in yourself, for what we see is only what we are.

*The camera doesn't make a bit of difference. All of them can record what you are seeing. But, you have to SEE.

*Best wide-angle lens? Two steps backward. Look for the 'ah-ha'.

*You don’t take pictures; the good ones happen to you.

*Living in a time of crusical struggle, the mechanization of men, photography for me became nothing but another example of this paradoxical problem: how to owercome, how to humanize the machine on which we are so very dependent – the camera. This mechanical instrument forces and enables us for for the first time to learn hwo to read and write stimultaneously visual aspects resulting from a discussion with reality expressed with a language of light called photography. Disinterested in scientific objectivity, I want to transform reality with a poetic conception by relating the unrelated into vision – forcing the viewer to feel what I felt as well as to think what I thought. I believe photography can be an art and I want to give everything to help achieve it. There is only you and your camera – the limitations of your photography are in yourself, for what we see is only what we are.

- Ernst Haas, The Best of Popular Photography by Harvey (V. Fondiller , ISBN: 0871650371 , Page: 97-98)

For me Ernst was sensitivity itself. He had an irresistible charm and wit, a knowledge of the world, its color, its stratis ficatious since its origin, various cultures he expressed so vividly in his photographs.He disappeared swiftly like a comet leaving behind a long trail of human understanding and with such finesse.I can hear him bursting out laughing and making fun of me if he read this.

– Henri Cartier-Bresson

In my estimation we have experienced an epoch in photography. Here is a free spirit, untrammeled by tradition and theory, who has gone out and found beauty unparalleled in photography. Some say it is an imitation of painting. Tommyrot! Show me a painter who can bring forth the power of this boy. Let us all stand and pay him tribute.

– Edward Steichen – The Museum of Modern Art, New York

The color in color photography has often seemed an irrelevant decorative screen between the viewer and the fact of the picture. Ernst Haas has resolved this conflict by making the color sensation itelf the subject matter of his world. No photographer has worked more successfully to express the sheer physical joy of seeing.

–John Szarkowski – The Museum of Modern Art, New York

He made us see his color. when some photographers take pictures, it doesn't matter whether they are working in black- and-white or color. But when Ernst shoots color, it makes all the difference in the world.

–Cornell Capa – International Center for Photography, New York

From letter dated October 5, 1961:

Dear Ernst Haas:
I wish I could tell you how much I appreciated your color photographs which you projected at the Asilomar Conference. I have seen thousands of color pictures, most I dislike for various reasons—sheer dullness to sheer decadence! The particular quality of your work was refreshment. I hope you know what I mean. The pseudo-abstract stuff which clutters so much of the contemporary art world contributes little to the spirit. Your work—although your sources were both simple natural situations and simple "junk"—possesses a direct quality of beauty which thoroughly transcends "subject." My congratulations! ( . . . )

I am very happy you exist. Photography is a better art because you exist. Can I say more? No! Please come out here and stay awhile with us. Again, thanks.

Ansel Adams

He's been incredibly copied since the very beginning. The trouble is that most of Ernst's imitators over the years have been photographically vulgar and obvious, and in a way that's reduced his work retroactively, which is a shame. But his own eye and sense of observation are undiminished. He just does it better than all of them.

– Elliot Erwitt

A writer should build sentences that are full of color and shadows. This is where painters and photographers can teach us so much. A writer can replicate the sounds of great composers or the feel of songs that move them, moving words around so that sentences bear a certain weight. So should writers look at photographs and seek to emulate the uses of light and color. Craft a sentence in the style of a photographer and see how the shapes change.

Ernst Haas taught me a great deal. His use of color is extraordinary, and he once took the camera of a child—a simple Kodak model—and created a typical, brilliant photograph. It is, he said, in the eye—the creative eye—and the means by which you capture it is quite beside the point. So whatever you write— and for whomever you write it—endow it with the most truth and artistry you can.

Haas is really remarkable. If you look at his work, you start to see elements of Richard Estes and George Tooker, two other artists you should be studying.

— Tennessee Williams – Interviewed by James Grissom, New Orleans, 1982

La Suerte de Capa, Pamplona, Spain 1956

Traffic, New York 1957

Wild Horses, Nevada 1957

Swimmers, 1984 Olympics, Los Angeles

Japan 1984

Bhutan 1974

[2] -Saul Leiter

Saul Leiter by Batsceba Hardy

Which is Better? Black and White or Colour?

__________________________________________________

[2] -Saul Leiter

Saul Leiter

or “There is another world, but it is in this one." W.B. Yeats

(December 3, 1923 – November 26, 2013)

“I spent a great deal of my life being ignored. I was always very happy that way. Being ignored is a great privilege. That is how I think I learnt to see what others do not see and to react to situations differently. I simply looked at the world, not really prepared for anything.”

Saul Leiter Self Portrait c.1949

Saul Leiter 1952 Self

String (self portrait) c.1955 Saul Leiter

"Seeing is a neglected enterprise."

Leiter was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and studied to become a Rabbi. But at age 23, he left theology school and moved to New York City to become an artist, in 1946."

He was then encouraged to pick up a camera by his friends Richard Pousette-Dart, an abstract expressionist painter, and W. Eugene Smith, a great photojournalist. So he was soon taking black and white pictures with a 35 mm Leica.

He developed his career by associating with other contemporary photographers such as Diane Arbus and, in the 1940s and 1950s, was an essential contributor to what came to be known as the New York School of Photography. But he deviated significantly from Diane’s style, finally finding his own way.

"I admired a tremendous number of photographers, but for some reason I arrived at a point of view of my own."

His early and most well-known photographs are in black and white. He blurred the subjects through the windows and framed the subjects with precise compositional choices. His black-and-white work was featured in the book "The New York School".

Although Saul Leiter was a successful fashion photographer in the 1960s, it wasn't until the 1990s that his coloured street works gained recognition. Leiter introduced colour into the world of Haute Couture, dominating the pages of Harper's Bazaar, Elle, and Vogue. However, his career in fashion was short-lived as he never found true satisfaction in it. Leiter lived a "Zen lifestyle" and never sought fame. He even claimed that deep down, he desired to avoid success.

Saul Leiter Harper's Bazaar October 1960

Jean Shrimpton Photographed by Saul Leiter 1966, August

Saul-Leiter-Vogue-UK-September-1966-

He was officially recognized as a “Color” author in 1957 at the MoMA in New York, during the conference “Color Experimental Photography in Color” and later in his life (his monograph Saul Leiter: Early Color was published in 2006), the general public discovered him and became known for his vivid, colour street photographs. The book showcases one hundred painterly images that pushed the limits of photography during the latter half of the twentieth century.

” I think I’ve said this before many times—that photography allows you to learn to look and see. You begin to see things you had never paid any attention to. And as you photograph, one of the benefits is that the world becomes a much richer, juicier, visual place. Sometimes it is almost unbearable—it is too interesting. And it isn’t always just the photos you take that matter. It is looking at the world and seeing things you never photograph that could be photographed if you had the energy to keep taking pictures every second of your life.”

He captures the vibrancy of life on the streets through his unique approach to form and his improvisational use of found colours and tones. None of his contemporaries (except Helen Levitt) have pioneered using colour like Leiter. In Saul Leiter's work, his mastery of colour is where the beauty and passion of his vision truly shine. Colour intensity is the most characteristic of his works. He employs painting techniques in his photography, using colour, shadows and detail to reveal the unseen. He was influenced by the intense colours of Abstract Expressionism and tried to bring to photography the chromaticism of this movement. He used every colour that the city offered.

Leiter expresses his artistic language of fragmentation, ambiguity and contingency through his art. His work is different because he ignores decisive moments of human intercourse and focuses instead on the "indecisive" moments - those in-between times when nothing much seems to be happening, but which resonate with a profound sense of interior drama. Human figures are always in his pictures, but rarely they are the “main characters,” the main subjects. They are depersonalized forms viewed through a filtering layer. Bold chromaticism, off-centre composition and frequent use of vertical framing are very important in his work.

Leiter has redefined the parameters of the genre of the street. His unique visual grammar includes off-centre perspectives, compressed spatial dynamics, and the breaking up of frames in exciting and unpredictable ways. Leiter works in both black and white and colour, and his colour work is even more radical in its asymmetrical visual rhythm and defiantly unsaturated tonalities inspired by Johannes Vermeer. His signature style involves photographing through condensation-flecked windows, resulting in dreamlike, impressionistic images.

Leiter was an underrated master of photography and confirmed that the most significant artists are often the most humble and self-deprecating.

Saul Leiter' fame quotes:

“I’ve never been overwhelmed with a desire to become famous. It’s not that I didn’t want to have my work appreciated, but for some reason — maybe it’s because my father disapproved of almost everything I did — in some secret place in my being was a desire to avoid success.”

“In order to build a career and to be successful, one has to be determined. One has to be ambitious. I much prefer to drink coffee, listen to music and to paint when I feel like it... Maybe I was irresponsible. But part of the pleasure of being alive is that I didn’t take everything as seriously as one should.”

“I am not immersed in self-admiration. When I am listening to Vivaldi or Japanese music or making spaghetti at three in the morning and realize that I don’t have the proper sauce for it, fame is of no use. The other way to put it is that I don’t have a talent for narcissism. Or, to put it yet another way, the mirror is not my best friend.”

"Some photographers think that by taking pictures of human misery, they are addressing a serious problem. I do not think that misery is more profound than happiness."

"My friend Henry [Wolf] once said that I had a talent for being indifferent to opportunities. He felt that I could have built more of a career, but instead I went home and drank coffee and looked out the window."

"I go out to take a walk, I see something, I take a picture. I take photographs. I have avoided profound explanations of what I do."

"When we do not know why the photographer has taken a picture and when we do not know why we are looking at it, all of a sudden we discover something that we start seeing. I like this confusion."

In the photograph "Walking" taken in 1956, both figures are blurry and seem to blend into their surroundings. The woman in the dark coat next to her lighter-dressed companion might be easily missed. The photographer is positioned inside, looking out, and the vertical reflections of different kinds make the scene complicated. It is impossible to determine the source of the reflection of the door or window that separates the subjects. The picture's vertical appearance is increased by visually compressed letters, F and E, seen in reverse. These ciphers float parallel to the light-coated woman like brackets indicating her head and middle body. Everything in the photo is uncertain and unstable, yet the components fit together to demonstrate that other levels of possibility and meaning can be discovered within every flowing moment if we pay attention. Leiter's images achieve this over and over again.

Saul Leiter Self-Portrait with Inez c. 1947

Saul Leiter Foundation

DISCOVER the COLORFUL GENIUS of Saul Leiter: Exploring His LIFE and WORK

[1] Helen Levitt

Raghubir Singh by Shubhodeep Roy

In the quiet corner of an old, dusty bookstore, I stumbled upon a treasure that would alter the course of my life forever. I was just a curious 15 or 16-year-old, the world still unfolding before me, when I turned the pages of an aging book and embarked on an enchanting journey across the diverse tapestry of India. The book was a collection of photographs by Raghubir Singh, a name that would become synonymous with the artistry of color photography in my mind.

As my fingers moved across those yellowed pages, Raghubir Singh's photographs leapt out at me with an almost palpable vibrancy. Each frame told a vivid story of a nation bursting with colors and cultures, an India that was at once ancient and modern, complex and beautiful. In that transformative moment, my perception of photography shifted dramatically. It ceased to be merely about pictures; it became a gateway to exploration, a tool for understanding, and an art form for capturing life's most exquisite moments.

One photograph, in particular, etched itself into my soul—an image captured on a rainy day. It possessed an almost lyrical quality, and within its frame, I saw not just a frozen moment in time, but an entire nation encapsulated. "Monsoon Rains" was its title, a testament to the resilience of four women huddled together in an open field amidst a monsoon shower. Singh's genius lay not just in freezing this scene but in portraying the intricate interplay of colors and emotions, revealing the untold stories within.

It felt as if the very essence of India had been distilled into that single image. My fascination with Raghubir Singh deepened with each passing day. His magnum opus, "The Grand Trunk Road," became my window to a world I had yet to explore, a highway stretching from the heart of Bengal to the border of Punjab in Pakistan. It was a journey captured through Singh's lens, documenting the ordinary and the extraordinary, the beauty hidden in the mundane, and the stories etchedinto the faces of truck drivers, dhaba owners, and street laborers. Through his photographs, I saw not just the big picture of the world but a mosaic of the human experience.

My newfound passion for photography led me to the local bookstore time and again, where I would spend hours poring over Singh's work. The book was a luxury I could hardly afford, but the thirst for his artistry drove me relentlessly. It was within those pages that I realized the person I was before encountering his work and the person I became after were two entirely distinct beings. My perspective on my nation and its people underwent a profound metamorphosis.

Raghubir Singh's photographs weren't just pictures; they were portals to India's soul. They could be stark, bold, or profoundly poetic, offering me a glimpse of my country that was both deeply personal and universally resonant. Singh had an uncanny ability to distill the essence of India into each frame, and I was captivated by his vision.

Yet, it wasn't just his captivating imagery that drew me in; it was also his unyielding dedication to color photography. In a time when black and white photography reigned supreme, Singh dared to be different. He firmly believed that high-contrast black and white images couldn't capture the rich tapestry of life and color that defined India. Instead, he championed the use of color, drawing inspiration from India's cultural and spiritual heritage. To him, color wasn't just an artistic choice; it was a reflection of India's profound philosophy, deeply rooted in the cycle of rebirth.

Singh's pursuit of color photography was revolutionary. He documented India's multifaceted realities in a way that had never been seen before. His images offered a fresh perspective on the country, a fusion of vibrant street scenes and captivating narratives. Inspired by legendary photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Eugene Atgèt, William Gedney, and Lee Friedlander, Singh crafted an Indian version of photographic modernism, challenging and redefining our understanding of the nation.

As I delved deeper into Singh's work, he became a guiding light in my photographic journey. I couldn't help but admire the man who embarked on a remarkable journey himself, traveling from Kolkata to the Pakistan border, documenting every inch of the Grand Trunk Road in an Ambassador car. His dedication to capturing the essence of India, with all its complexity and beauty, was nothing short of inspiring.

In the late 1960s, Raghubir Singh embarked on his career as a photojournalist for The National Geographic magazine. His journey was profoundly shaped by a soiled copy of Henri Cartier- Bresson's book, "Beautiful Jaipur" (1948), discovered in his parents' library. Singh's meeting withCartier-Bresson in Jaipur in 1966 marked a turning point in his life. He assisted the French photographer during several shoots, adopting and refining his aesthetic sensibilities.

While Singh's early work showcased compositional precision and discipline reminiscent of Cartier-Bresson, he firmly championed the use of color photography, a preference vehemently opposed by his mentor. Cartier-Bresson believed that black and white was the only medium for artistic expression, but Singh's argument for color photography was deeply rooted in Indian culture and spiritual heritage. To Singh, color was more than a choice; it was a reflection of the philosophical tenets of India's major religion.

His relentless pursuit of color photography was groundbreaking. In an era when color was dismissed as unserious by many photographers, Singh used it to document modern India's multifaceted realities. His images revealed a fresh perspective on the country, a blend of vibrant street scenes and captivating narratives. Inspired by the likes of Cartier-Bresson, Eugene Atgèt, William Gedney, and Lee Friedlander, Singh crafted an Indian version of photographic modernism, redefining our understanding of the nation.

Raghubir Singh's legacy endures as a pictorial atlas of India's cultural life at the close of the twentieth century. His handheld camera, color slide film, and unyielding dedication to capturing India's multifarious milieu bestowed upon us a wealth of photographs. They are complex, teeming with incident, fractured by reflections, and pulsating with opulent color. Each image tells a story, painting a vivid picture of a nation alive with tradition, diversity, and modernity.

As I reflect on my own journey, I owe a debt of gratitude to Raghubir Singh. His photographs continue to inspire me, reminding me that photography is more than capturing images; it's about storytelling, culture, and the profound beauty of everyday life. Raghubir Singh's work transcends time and place, leaving an indomitable mark on the world of photography and in my heart.

That serendipitous day in the dusty bookstore changed the course of my life, and it's a debt I can never repay. Raghubir Singh's photographs were more than pictures; they were the keys to a world waiting to be explored, understood, and shared. His legacy lives on, not only in the framesof his images but in the hearts of those he inspired to see the world through a different lens.

Some book suggestions by Raghubir Singh:

1. **"The Grand Trunk Road: A Passage Through India"** - This iconic book takes you on a visual journey along the historic Grand Trunk Road, capturing the essence of India's diverse landscapes and cultures.

2. **"A Way into India"** - In this book, Raghubir Singh offers a compelling exploration of India through his photographs, showcasing the country's rich traditions and contemporary life.3. **"Calcutta"** - Explore the vibrant streets of Calcutta through Raghubir Singh's lens, where every photograph tells a unique story of the city's people and their daily lives.

4. **"River of Colour: The India of Raghubir Singh"** - This book provides a comprehensive overview of Raghubir Singh's work, highlighting his mastery of color photography and his unique perspective on India.

5. **"Raghubir Singh's India: Reflections in Colour"** - A retrospective of his career, this book offers a deep dive into Singh's remarkable ability to capture the beauty and diversity of India through color photography. They are not only a visual treat but also a source of inspiration for photography enthusiasts and anyone interested in exploring the rich tapestry of India, They will take you into the world of Raghubir Singh, a masterful storyteller who painted India in color and left an indelible mark on the art of photography.

Shubhodeep Roy

Josef Koudelka by Shubhodeep Roy

“I tried to be a photographer. I don’t know how to talk. I’m not interested in talking. If I have something to say, perhaps it can be found in my photos. I’m not interested in explaining things in saying “why” and “how.” - Josef Koudelka

As a photographer, I've always been drawn to the masters of the craft, those who don't just take pictures but tell stories through their lens. One such luminary figure who has profoundly influenced not only my work but the entire world of photography is Josef Koudelka. His journey into the realm of photography is far from conventional. He began his professional life as an engineer in Czechoslovakia before transitioning to photography in his late twenties. It was a pivot that would change the course of his life and contribute significantly to the world of visual storytelling.

Koudelka's photographic journey began in the 1950s when he was still a student, and he continued honing his craft while working as an aeronautical engineer. However, it was in 1961 that he truly embarked on his photographic career, capturing the lives of the Roma people in Czechoslovakia and the world of theater in Prague. By 1967, he had fully committed himself to photography.

"I try to be a photographer." These words resonate with anyone who has ever felt the magnetic pull of a creative passion. Koudelka's transition from engineering to photography reminds us that it's never too late to follow our artistic calling. It's a reminder that our true passions have a way of finding us, no matter where we start.

In 1968, Koudelka found himself thrust into a historic moment when he photographed the Soviet invasion of Prague. To protect himself and his family, he published these images under the initials P. P. (Prague Photographer). Despite the risks, he was anonymously awarded the Overseas Press Club’s Robert Capa Gold Medal for these photographs in 1969.

Koudelka's courageous act of documenting a pivotal historical event, even at great personal risk, speaks volumes about the power and responsibility of photographers. His images remind us that photography is not just an art form but also a tool for bearing witness and sparking change.

What sets Koudelka apart is his unique journey. His initial foray into photography through the theater allowed him to refine his technique and develop his signature stark, contrasty style. This experience provided both the technical and financial foundation he needed later to pursue his documentary work with the Roma people.

Koudelka's transition from photographing theater to documenting the lives of the Roma is noteworthy. It highlights the importance of diversifying one's photography skills by exploring different genres. Just as Koudelka's theater work enriched his abilities in documentary photography, other photographers can benefit from diversifying their experiences to become more well-rounded artists.

Another key aspect of Koudelka's approach is his reluctance to explain his photographs. He believes in letting the images speak for themselves, allowing viewers to interpret and create their narratives. This philosophy encourages a more engaging and open-ended interaction with his work, inviting viewers to connect with it on a personal level.

In a world often filled with noise and explanations, Koudelka's approach reminds us to trust our audience. To trust that viewers can derive their meanings and emotions from our work. It's a powerful lesson in the art of subtlety.

Koudelka's mastery of various lenses for different projects is also instructive. He adapted his equipment to suit the specific needs of each project, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right tools for the job. This flexibility and willingness to experiment have enriched his body of work.

In a world where gear often takes center stage, Koudelka's approach grounds us. It reminds us that the camera is a tool, not the creator. It's a lesson in resourcefulness and adaptability.

Furthermore, Koudelka's patient approach to photography is a valuable lesson. He allows his images to "marinate" over time, revisiting them and making deliberate, thoughtful decisions about their significance and placement. This patient editing process ensures that his final body of work is cohesive and powerful.

In an age of instant gratification, Koudelka's approach teaches us that great art often requires time and reflection. It's a reminder that our initial impressions of our work may not reveal its true depth.

Koudelka's enduring passion for photography, even after nearly seven decades, demonstrates that age should not limit one's creative pursuits. He views each day as an opportunity to capture meaningful moments through his lens. This unwavering commitment to his craft serves as a reminder to all photographers to keep their passion alive and stay open to new challenges.

“Many photographers like Robert Frank and Cartier Bresson stopped photographing after 70 years because they felt that they had nothing more to say. In my case I still wake up and want to go and take photographs more than

ever before. But I can see that a certain type of photography has come to an end because the subjects don’t exist anymore. From 1961 to 1966 I took pictures of Gypsies because I loved the music and culture. They were like me in many ways. Now there are less and less of these people so I can’t really say anything else about them.

What I can do is update projects like “The Black Triangle”, as that is about a specific landscape that doesn’t exist anymore. I can show how it was before and how it is now, so people realize what’s going on. That keeps me excited.” - Josef Koudelka

Living simply has been a fundamental part of Koudelka's life. His minimalistic approach to personal belongings and his willingness to live modestly allowed him to focus on his artistic endeavors without distractions. This simplicity not only eased his path as a photographer but also kept him grounded in his pursuit of visual storytelling.

In conclusion, Josef Koudelka's photography teaches us to make our work personal, to follow our passions, and to keep shooting. He encourages photographers to embrace simplicity, prioritize their creative journey over material pursuits, and allow their images to speak for themselves. Koudelka's legacy serves as an enduring source of inspiration for photographers, reminding us that the true essence of photography lies in the raw, unfiltered emotions it captures and the stories it tells.

At the end of the day, there are many lessons we can learn from his passion, hard work, and genius. But remember, at the end of the day– he didn’t pursue his photography for the money, fame, or to impress others. He photographed for the love of it and for himself.

**Recommended Books by Josef Koudelka**

1. "Exiles" - This book features Koudelka's stunning black and white photographs taken between 1968 and 1988, capturing the lives of various exiled communities. It provides a powerful visual narrative of displacement and resilience.

2. "Gypsies" - Dive into Koudelka's immersive photographic exploration of the Roma people's lives. Originally published in 1975, this work remains a significant contribution to the world of documentary photography.

3. "Chaos" - Josef Koudelka's "Chaos" presents a series of photographs taken between 1986 and 1997, capturing moments of upheaval and change in various European countries. This book showcases his mastery of visual storytelling during turbulent times.

4. "Wall: Israeli and Palestinian Landscapes" - Explore Koudelka's recent work that delves into the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, both in terms of physical barriers and emotional divisions.

Helen Levitt by Batsceba hardy

Which is Better? Black and White or Colour?

__________________________________________________

[1] - Helen Levitt

Born – New York, 1913

Died – New York, 2009

***Helen Levitt / © Estate of Helen Levitt***

Helen Levitt was born in 1913 in a middle-class family of Russian-Jewish parents in Brooklyn, New York. She was one of the early pioneers of color street photography.

At the age of 18, she started her photography career by working in a portrait studio located in the Bronx. Her inspiration came from the works of Henri-Cartier Bresson, a French photographer, which led her to buy a 35-mm Leica camera. She then started exploring the impoverished neighbourhoods of her hometown, New York, to find subjects for her photography. She was fascinated by the games children played on Brooklyn's streets and enthusiastically captured their chalk drawings.

***Helen Levitt**: Walker Evans, New Yorkc. 1940***

About 1938, she took her portfolio (photos of the children’s chalk drawings) to photographer Walker Evans’s studio and started to grow a friendship with him, James Agee, and their friend, the art critic Janice Loeb.

She hoped to break down injustices by showing that children from all backgrounds could play together, oblivious to the divided and crime-ridden world around them.

In 1959 and 1960, Levitt received two subsequent Guggenheim Fellowships and started to work in color to shoot the streets of New York City.

Unfortunately in 1970, a burglar stole almost all of her color slide film and print (few survived), but Levitt went out back to the streets and shots her best color work.

40 of her color street photos were shown as a slide show at the New York Museum of Modern Art in 1974, one of the first color photo exhibitions in an art museum.

In recent years Levitt gave up his faithful Leica to switch to a smaller automatic Contax.

I never had a ‘project.’ I would go out and shoot, follow my eyes —what they noticed, I tried to capture with my camera, for others to see.” – Helen Levitt

“It would be mistaken to suppose that any of the best photography is come at by intellection; it is like all art, essentially the result of an intuitive process, drawing on all that the artist is rather than on anything he thinks, far less theorizes about.” – Helen Levitt

“I decided I should take pictures of working class people and contribute to the movements. Whatever movements there were Socialism, Communism, whatever was happening. And then I saw pictures of Cartier Bresson, and realized that photography could be an art and that made me ambitious.” – Helen Levitt

Color Slide Film from Helen Levitt shot in NYC shot with a Guggenheim she received in 1959 and 1960. Recorded at the MOMA in NYC.

Levitt is recognized as New York's "visual poet laureate," offering a poetic interpretation of her environment without bias or preconception. Her photographs humanise her subjects in their unique and diverse authenticity.

Levitt is renowned for her impromptu photographs, which capture the raw authenticity of working-class neighbourhoods with a touch of theatricality. As a true pioneer of Street Photography, her work has undoubtedly influenced the genre of street photography. Many try to replicate the authentic moments Levitt was a master at capturing. Levitt suggested that images are open-ended, speaking of things beyond the frame.

Although her work falls under the category of social documentary, Levitt draws inspiration from the surrealist movement.

She was an early pioneer of the New York avant-garde movement, dabbling in film-making as well.

Night Bike Panning by Frans Kemper

After my fair share of regular bike panning images, this was a logical step (up). Night Bike Panning, in the rain if possible.

Basically, bike panning is pretty simple. Let me walk you through it. Relax; it does not get too technical.

First and foremost, you need a moving bike with one or more people.

Once you have got that, it's all downhill from there (pun intended)

Shutter speed... Fast enough to freeze the moving bike and said person(s) but slow enough to blur the background. Also, be careful with the flashing-fast electric bikes; they ruin everything. My advice: stay old school...

Aperture... Wide open, my default setting (f/1.7) leaves little chance of anything sharp. However, you also do not want to go too small with your aperture. You want a separation between the bike and the background. My advice: go a little smaller, but not too small either.

Background…A slow-driving car in the same direction doesn't help a lot. It also has to be far enough from the bike to create that blurry effect and, at the same time, that kinda 3-D effect, if you know what I mean… So my advice, ask the biker to come closer a little…

And then finally, aim for the coming up bike and pan in the same direction…When a biker is in or almost in front of you, gently press the release button…Pay attention; this is MOST important. After you click, keep on panning a little bit more with the object...

Now here is a little inside trick…Wear a funny hat…Yes…People will see you, and that's when you get the great (or not so great) reactions…

So, with regular bike panning under my belt, most of the time, I needed to try my hand at night bike panning… preferably in the rain…

Here and here are my earlier bike stories on this site.

Enjoy

Frans Kemper