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sparrow6224
Joined: 08 Aug 2009 Posts: 2
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Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 6:26 pm Post subject: W. Eugene Smith - opinions, comments? |
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sparrow6224 wrote:
Hi. I am writing an essay about the photojournalist Eugene Smith. I'd love to hear opinions and comments from this knowledgeable community. The best site to view his work on is the Magnum site, as he was one of them. Check him out here:
http://www.magnumphotos.com/archive/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.PhotographerDetail_VPage&l1=0&pid=2K7O3R139C2T&nm=W.%20Eugene%20Smith
PS I'm also a MF practitioner, using Minolta XE-7, X-570, etc. and Rokkor MC and MD lenses.
Thanks for all comments |
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sparrow6224
Joined: 08 Aug 2009 Posts: 2
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ManualFocus-G
Joined: 29 Dec 2008 Posts: 6624 Location: United Kingdom
Expire: 2014-11-24
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Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:55 am Post subject: |
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ManualFocus-G wrote:
Wow, there's some amazing photos in there! The war photos are superb! _________________ Graham - Moderator
Shooter of choice: Fujifilm X-T20 with M42, PB and C/Y lenses
See my Flickr photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/manualfocus-g |
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scsambrook
Joined: 29 Mar 2009 Posts: 2167 Location: Glasgow Scotland
Expire: 2011-11-18
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:32 pm Post subject: W Eugene Smith |
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scsambrook wrote:
Yes. His war photos are indeed impressive but there's hardly any of his work that isn't tremendously evocative. I find the Welsh pictures particularly interesting, and I'm also struck by the Country Doctor set as well. But the most gripping ones for me are those from Minamata. Hard not to be moved by the images, and harder still not to be moved by the dedication of the photographer himself in making the photographs. It's well worth getting hold of the book that was published in the mid-70s, long out of print but UK libraries should be able to borrow one for you.
And on a slightly lighter note, he did it all without the benefits of Photoshop or knowledge of MTF curves ... _________________ Stephen
Equipment: Pentax DSLR for casual shooting, Lumix G1 and Fuji XE-1 for playing with old lenses, and Leica M8 because I still like the optical rangefinder system. |
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Farside
Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 6549 Location: Ireland
Expire: 2013-12-27
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 6:05 am Post subject: |
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Farside wrote:
I recall the shit kicked up about Minimata at the time - it became a by-word for unacceptable environmental pollution in the 70s because Eugene Smith and others brought it to the attention of a wider audience. Offhand, I don't recall what happened to the Chisso senior management, but I suspect they carried on with their careers. Looking at those pics again, nearly forty years after I first saw them, I sincerely hope the bastards responsible are roasting slowly in hell.
More generally, last year the BBC did a programme on Eugene Smith and his Welsh foray. I have it on disk if anyone wants a look. _________________ Dave - Moderator
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madamasu
Joined: 03 Feb 2009 Posts: 597 Location: Frankfurt/Main Germany
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Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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madamasu wrote:
Farside wrote:
Quote: |
Looking at those pics again, nearly forty years after I first saw them, I sincerely hope the bastards responsible are roasting slowly in hell. |
And with them the heads of Union Carbide/DOW Chemical, responsible for the Bhopal deaster and the heads of Grünenthal, the firm that produced the sleeping-pills containing thalidomide, in Germany known as Contergan, which led to thousands of children born without arms and other limbs.
Roasting in hell may be too nice for them.
For W. Eugene Smith and his work I have the greatest respect. I have the book documenting a small part of his gigantic Pittsburgh project called 'Dream Street - W. Eugene Smith's Pittsburgh Project', which I was lucky enough to get for almost no money at an antiquarian bookseller here, who also sells so-called modern antiquarian books, i.e. books that are new, unused, but don't sell at the full price. An incredible book. Try to get it.
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cooltouch
Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas
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Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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cooltouch wrote:
To me, W. Eugene Smith is one of the giants of the photographic community. I consider his "The Walk to Paradise Garden" to be one of the greatest photographic images ever recorded. _________________ Michael
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PaulC
Joined: 23 Dec 2008 Posts: 2318
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 11:38 am Post subject: |
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PaulC wrote:
His work's superb. Fantastic use of contrast and line. MAny of those images don't capture the full tonal range of the scene, they have filled blacks or blown whites that either direct attention to the subject or in some cases render the subject a virtual silhouette.
Perhaps the reason that most black and white shot today seems to lack impact is that years of using colour have taught us that there should be visible detail in all parts of an image and that impact comes from colour contrast and saturation.
I can imagine a lot of those pictures completely losing their impact if they were in colour. _________________ View or buy my photos at:
http://shutterstock.com/g/paulcowan |
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Orio
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 29545 Location: West Emilia
Expire: 2012-12-04
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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Orio wrote:
Black and White as powerful as it can be.
His pictures should be studied by anyone who wants to shoot and print B&W film. _________________ Orio, Administrator
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StanW
Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 36 Location: Invercargill, New Zealand
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 8:31 am Post subject: |
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StanW wrote:
From what I've read, his negatives were appalimgly difficult to print. _________________ Alive and clicking in the Roaring Forties
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PaulC
Joined: 23 Dec 2008 Posts: 2318
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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PaulC wrote:
StanW wrote: |
From what I've read, his negatives were appalimgly difficult to print. |
Really? What was the issue with them? _________________ View or buy my photos at:
http://shutterstock.com/g/paulcowan |
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StanW
Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 36 Location: Invercargill, New Zealand
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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StanW wrote:
Huge variations in exposure (density) was the usual problem. It seems he rarely had time to worry about the ideal exposure.
Haveyou read "Master of the Photographic Essay"? It's the fullest account of his work that I've seen, _________________ Alive and clicking in the Roaring Forties
Cameras of many shapes and sizes |
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PaulC
Joined: 23 Dec 2008 Posts: 2318
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 6:46 am Post subject: |
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PaulC wrote:
StanW wrote: |
Huge variations in exposure (density) was the usual problem. It seems he rarely had time to worry about the ideal exposure.
Haveyou read "Master of the Photographic Essay"? It's the fullest account of his work that I've seen, |
Thanks, I'll see if I can get a copy.
****
It's a curious coincidence, but the photographer whose work sparked the thread about pollution in China a few topics below this turns out to have been funded by the W Eugene Smith Fund . _________________ View or buy my photos at:
http://shutterstock.com/g/paulcowan |
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fish4570
Joined: 06 Jan 2010 Posts: 4514 Location: At the confluence of the Locust Fork of the Warrior River and Black Creek, Alabama
Expire: 2012-03-21
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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fish4570 wrote:
great photographic heart and eye. he was either one of the greatest photo printers ever, or his assistants were ... _________________ Paul
I chase Light
http://blackcreekjournal.blogspot.com/ |
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