Avedon as realizing the ultimate beauty is the human and human form. HCB thought it was geometry, surrealism.
Avedon as more prolific. HCB gave up after around 30 years. Avedon went well into his 80s, towards his death.
Avedon as being bolder with his artistic vision. Avedon as admitting that his photos were about himself, whereas HCB had the pretense that he was the “objective outside observerâ€. Also the difference between HCB’s portrait of the duke and duchess vs Avedon’s depiction.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA. Prague. August 1968. Protesting the Warsaw Pact troops Invasion at St. Wenceslas monument.
IRELAND. Connacht. Aran Islands. 1977.
SPAIN. Villanueva de los Castilleros. 1978.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA. Prague. Play: Nightingale for Dinner
(Rossignol ‡ dÓner/Nachtigall zum Abendessen)
Play written and directed by Josef TOPOL.
Theatre Beyond the Gate (Divadlo Za Branou/ThÈ‚tre derriËre la Porte/Theater vor dem Tor).
1967.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA. Prague. 1969. Theatre Divadlo Za Branou (Beyond the Gate). “Lorenzaccio”, a play written by Alfred de MUSSET and directed by Otomar KREJCA.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA. Prague. 1964. Theatre On the Balustrade. “King Ubu”, a play written by the French playwright Alfred JARRY.
FRANCE. 1987.
FRANCE. Paris. 1986.
IRELAND. Croagh Patrick Pilgrimage. 1972.
FRANCE. Brittany. 1973.
Gipsies.
PORTUGAL. 1976.
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA. Serbia. Belgrade. 1994. Women demonstrating for peace in Sarajevo.
IRELAND. 1976.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA. Straznice. 1966. Festival of gypsy music.
We all have this romantic notion of the photographer: nomadic and wandering, lightweight, simple lifestyle— extreme delight in making beautiful images.
Where does this notion come from, and is it a good one? Or bad?
When I was getting my feet wet in photography and street photography, I came across the Leica camera (the camera that Henri Cartier-Bresson globe-trotted with). I was confused. Why is the Leica M camera worth $7,000+? And the lenses often $2500+?
To ‘entertain’ literally means “to hold the attention” [of x].
Many of us like to be ‘entertained’ (by others). Generally speaking, entertainment is seen as a passive act.
My thoughts and questions:
Why do we get bored, and why do we want to BE entertained (passive receiving), instead of actively entertaining ourselves (by producing, making, and creating)?
If you want to make great photographs while elevating your photographic skills, technique, and artistic vision, I cordially invite you to my upcoming NEW ORLEANS Street Photography Experience (Feb 29-30th, 2020).
O yeah, and the FOOD, coffee, sights, culture, drinks, atmosphere (and beignet deep-fried donuts) are out-of-this-world!
The eternal joy of creation (and destruction), just like Heractlius‘ child — continually building sand-castles, only to break them down again, or let them wash back into the ocean!
If you need the ultimate everyday “daily driver”, “daily carry”, and want to be inspired and motivated everyday to shoot new photos, RICOH GR III x ERIC KIM is the answer.
Assuming you have a luxury good or tool with the apex quality, craftsmanship and beauty, it is more “sustainableâ€because you’re more likely to own it forever and not throw it away.
What makes a genius? I don’t believe that certain individuals are born genetically different from us, “born” to be geniuses. No–a genius is simply someone with monster-like courage, a relentless vision, and someone who is brave enough NOT to compromise their ideals.
When I was 20 years old, I discovered this camera called ‘Leica’. It was fascinating to me (Henri Cartier-Bresson shot with it, and many of the masters).
I had all these romantic notions of it, and my dream was to buy a Leica M9, and in 2011 I bought one (used). Since then I’ve tested practically all the Leica cameras, and I’ve also shot with a Leica M6 (thanks to my buddy Todd), and I also traded my Leica M9 for a film Leica MP.
Let me try to use this essay as the most honest appraisal I can have for the Leica camera (M-series), and Leica in general as a brand.
Whenever I meet people who are “Marxist”, super anti capitalist or anti system, yet watch Netflix, shop at Whole Foods, and order stuff on Amazon, I get super suspicious.
One of the cameras which is truly great is the older Leica M9. To me, it’s far more interesting, sexy, and beautiful than the newer Leica M240, and even the newest Leica M10.
You are always different, and the river is always different!
This means:
You can keep repeating the same thing over and over again, and not repeat yourself, because you and the circumstances will always be different.
In photography it is impossible to repeat yourself, even if you shoot the same places over and over again. The photons of light will always be different. Even the subjects you photograph, they are always aging (slowly dying), and the molecules of the world, others, and yourself is always changing.
Thus in photography: you never photograph the same thing twice (your subject and yourself is always different!)
In photography we need a motivation, a spark, a DRIVE to make a photograph.
But what if there isn’t anything interesting to photograph? What if we aren’t motivated to make photos? Should we “force” ourselves to shoot, THEN find inspiration? Or should we just not make photos?
Or should we discover new ways of living in order to make photos? What is the philosophical under-pinnings of NOT being motivated to shoot?
Susan Sontag’s “On Photography†is one of the worst texts you can ever assign to an aspiring photographer, photography student, photography beginner, or lover of photography.
