I first became aware of Frans Lanting and his exquisite nature photography in the 1980s. Even then, looking at his early work, you were aware that in a field of photography where it was often an achievement to get any sort of image here was something very special. Since then I have followed with interest [...]

Most of my really favourite photographers are either pretty old or, in many cases, dead. Is this just the curmudgeonly view of the old git I doubtlessly am? Well, no not at all, I actually like the work of many young photographers working today and yet… Here’s the thing - for various reasons (many of [...]

This recording of a 1970 lecture given by Diane Arbus is a fascinating insight to the photographers work, philosophy and, yes, state of mind at the time. By 1971 she was dead having committed suicide.
Arbus’s work, or rather the work on which her reputation rests, consists of a rigorous, some might say unremitting, depiction of [...]

The story of Garry Winogrand (see The Strange Case Of Garry Winogrand) and the sad tail end of his career got me thinking about art and obsession in general. The image of the great artist as tortured genius struggling with their demons and yet somehow overcoming all to produce great art is now pretty firmly [...]

Garry Winogrand came to prominence in the 60’s along with Diane Arbus and Lee Friedlander mostly due to the sponsorship and nurturing of John Szarkowski, then Curator of Photography at MOMA (The Museum of Modern Art). It was he (Winogrand) who coined the famous quote “I photograph to find out what something will look like [...]

Yesterday I heard the news that Shelby Lee Adams has now got his own blog. This is something of a major event. I have loved Mr. Adam’s work for years now. For those who haven’t come across his wonderful portraits of Appalachian mountain people - his life’s work - I will just quote from the [...]

I noticed an interesting post over on Christian Patterson’s blog - Speak, See, Remember - about his joint exhibition with Bill Owens, Flesh (Owens) and Sound Affects (Patterson). Notwithstanding what I said in my earlier post, The Trouble With Color Photography, I am a great admirer of Christian’s work. For me, he is that altogether [...]

Irving Penn has been one of my best friends for over 35 years now. Truth to tell, it’s been a bit of a one sided friendship as Irving Penn doesn’t even know I exist.
I can remember the day I met Mr. Penn, so to speak, as if it were yesterday. It was 1970 and I [...]

Not so long ago the argument was pretty clear cut - color photography was fine for publication in magazines etc. but monochrome was the “art photography” medium or indeed photography’s truest medium full stop. Of course there were many reasons for that view not the least that color materials could be problematic and then there [...]

In part 1 of this post I talked about influences and how they show up in your work. I mentioned that one of the photographers I admire is Charles Jones, an obscure English gardener/photographer working in the early years of the 20th century. I was very much drawn to the simple and compelling way that [...]