Why are there there so few posts on UHH about well-known photographers (living or dead)?
This thread is a place to post about the photographers you admire (present company excepted)
and their work.
Or, if you believe photography is a technology (rather than an art, craft or tradition), then it's a place to
post about your favorite engineer or programmer.
Please, no posts about your favorite corporation, brand or product--we get enough of that.
G Brown
Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK
That is a great point.
The internet is full of great images, however individual sites seem to be a small selection of peoples work. The magazines that used to promote 'great talent' have mainly gone. Art in the media seems to leave photography out of their coverage as it is rarely controversial enough.
If you look through links and resources people here have highlighted great work - but they never seem to become 'great names'. Perhaps the mass appeal of photography reduces 'hero's' to 'also ran'.
We have 'celebrity photographers' that have millions 'following' them on facebook - but are their images great or just 'of different places' and so merely 'interesting' to browse. Technique seems to be 'what they are teaching' rather than 'apparent in their work'.
As a final thought - who are the Photography critics these days? Critics who wrote books and articles in the past 'created' well known names. Now that everyone can be an expert no-one wants to be a critic.
I suppose if you get National Geographic or similar long established magazines (on or off-line) their editors will set a standard. BUT they have been accused of using stock images and non copyright work....Multiple Freelance rather than a great photographer working every day building up a recognized portfolio of printed work.
Professionals in most fields have lost their status. They may still get paid the best money, of a poor lot, but few get famous (rather than celebrity) as there is no longer 'that small pond' in which to be a 'big fish'. Celebrities have a very short 'life' these days.
It has been said many times - Young people do not have the Icons that previous generations revered. That is the cost of worldwide access and instant information...it brings people down to commonality.
Hope you do get some links that inspire you
I have mentioned one of my photography "heroes" here,
Frank Lee Ruggles. But unless someone is motivated to click on a link and explore, what purpose is there is talking about photographers?
That said, I learned a lot from Frank by taking some of his courses. As a former Official Photographer for the National Park Service, a position held only by twelve other former photographers (Ansel Adams was #7), Ruggles' work has been displayed in numerous galleries, and his book, "Chasing Light" is available in most National Park gift stores.
There is a young photographer calling self "The Photo Extremist." He plays his camera equipment and with imagination creativity and dexterity, reminding me of a theater organ virtuoso.
One looks at his photos and say, "how did he do that?" and he tells in detail. He is an inspiring educator.
https://photoextremist.com/
lev29
Loc: Born and living in MA.
Thanks for posting. Galen Rowell is one of my idols.
tdekany wrote:
Art Wolfe is my favorite
For all types of subject matter, Art is unmatched. He's able to deliver spellbinding portraiture to captivating nature photography. He's a true artist. He's not about gear and camera settings. Art is about art.
Haydon wrote:
For all types of subject matter, Art is unmatched. He's able to deliver spellbinding portraiture to captivating nature photography. He's a true artist. He's not about gear and camera settings. Art is about art.
I don’t think I have seen a shot from him that wasn’t top notch. Of course I haven’t seen all of his.
wdross
Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado
Bipod wrote:
Why are there there so few posts on UHH about well-known photographers (living or dead)?
This thread is a place to post about the photographers you admire (present company excepted)
and their work.
Or, if you believe photography is a technology (rather than an art, craft or tradition), then it's a place to
post about your favorite engineer or programmer.
Please, no posts about your favorite corporation, brand or product--we get enough of that.
Why are there there so few posts on UHH about well... (
show quote)
I love looking at other photographer' photographs. I am amazed by Ansel Adams manipulation of a photo. He would have been in seventh heaven with all the photoshopping tools at his disposal. And there are rank beginners with very good photos that I enjoy looking at.
But having said that, it is like my teacher told us. It is alright to emulate the photos that one sees to learn how to do them. After that learning, his question was "What are you going to do now?!? What are you going shoot different?" He wanted to see some creativity, not just more copies of someone else's shot.
Just checked out Ruggles' work. Thanks for the introduction to this photog.
Along with the camera manufacturers, there is a company that makes a device that will tell you when a scene is ideal to photograph. It's called Arsenal. Between the auto capabilities of today's cameras and a device such as Arsenal, a lot of people have been converted from photographer to equipment porter.
On occasion, in the For Your Consideration section, someone will post a number of links to various famous photographers. Personally, I enjoy those links as the information is very interesting to read.
--Bob
Bipod wrote:
Why are there there so few posts on UHH about well-known photographers (living or dead)?
This thread is a place to post about the photographers you admire (present company excepted)
and their work.
Or, if you believe photography is a technology (rather than an art, craft or tradition), then it's a place to
post about your favorite engineer or programmer.
Please, no posts about your favorite corporation, brand or product--we get enough of that.
Why are there there so few posts on UHH about well... (
show quote)
rmalarz wrote:
...On occasion, in the For Your Consideration section, someone will post a number of links to various famous photographers. Personally, I enjoy those links as the information is very interesting to read.
Those are the "Monthly Masters' Critique" that MinnieV hosts. I linked to Galen Rowell's above. Here was October's:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-556509-1.htmlAnd one on Albert Bierstadt's influence on modern landscape photography:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-551350-1.html.
If you enjoy portraits, google Richard Avedon. His images are powerful and timeless.
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