Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/04/28

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Subject: Re: [Leica] An evening with James Nachtwey
From: Martin Howard <howard.390@osu.edu>
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 23:52:16 -0400

B. D. Colen jotted down the following:
 
> I made this observation a couple of days ago after spending some time with
> both Inferno and Migrations, but if any documentary photographer/PJ is an
> explorer of light, it's Salgado, whose work is technically superior to
> Natchwey's. 


I don't wish to detract from Salgado's work in any way, shape, or form, but
I spent an evening with his books (minus "Migrations") some weeks ago.
Something struck me: He almost works to a formula.  Wide-angle lens (28mm or
so), have a main subject close and a large vista in the background, and
shoot against the light.  Many, many of his pictures follow this pattern.
It's extremely effective if you wish to create a photograph that grabs your
attention quickly, but still offers lots of stuff to linger on.  I'm
guessing it's one of the components that make his photography so strong.

M.

- -- 
Martin Howard              | There's a culture here which dictates that
Visiting Scholar, CSEL, OSU| anyone who walks more than a few paces must
email: howard.390@osu.edu  | either be too poor to own [a car], clinically
www: http://mvhoward.i.am/ | insane, or British.    -- David Willis, BBCWS
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