Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/08/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Smith's real problem was that he was probably certifiable, and was a major substance abuser - alcohol and amphetamines. There is little doubt that he was a creative genius, nor is there any question that he invented the photo essay. And beyond that, there is little question that he produced the most outstanding photo stories life ever published, including Country Doctor, Nurse Midwife, Spanish Village, Albert Schweitzer, and a number of others - and this isn't meant to suggest that there weren't some other brilliant photo stories in Life, including several by Larry Burrows. But Smith's problem at Life at less to do with fights over film format and far more to do with fights over the editing and use of his work - Smith felt that the photographer should have control over how his photos were used, and what words were used with them, while the editors of Life felt that the photographer was at best a craftsman supplying a product which the magazine would then shape as it saw fit - and that is probably the attitude of most editors today - at best. Paris Match was a great magazine, sometimes known here as the French Life...I remember plowing through copies in my school library in high school even though I couldn't speak a word of French - great photography....And there were also a couple of great German magazines along the same lines.... BTW, I haven't heard of major newspapers over here dumping their photo staffs, but the magazines have largely done just that, at best now listing a small group of "contributing photographers." As to magazines that publish interesting and important photography...check out Aperture, and Double Take for a start... B. D. - -----Original Message----- From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Daniel Ridings Sent: Saturday, August 10, 2002 1:26 AM To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us Subject: RE: [Leica] OT: photojournalism Hi B.D. It's not much better here when it comes to finding anything in general circulation. "eight photojournalism" isn't sold on the newsstands anywhere. I'm not sure how it is now, but Paris Match used to be the equivalent. It still exists but I expect that the content is far from being anything like it used to be. Another tendency happening on both sides of the pond seems to be that newspapers quit carrying a staff of photographers and turn to various pools of photographers for their photos instead. One paper here, Expressen, has traditionally won many awards for their photographic coverage through the years. Last year they fired all their photographers. The only people left in the photo department are the editors who buy pictures externally. Anyway, you said there were several small publications out there dedicated to or favoring photojournalism. I'd be happy to get info on any of them. >And, btw, while there was a lot of drech in Life, Smith was hardly the only >worldclass photographer who shot for Life in its glory days..... Yeah, I know. He was fairly instrumental, though, in turning the "reportage" into something of an art. My old teacher in journalism had a student that made it into Life before they were shut down, Sean Callahan. Smith had less than a positive reputation that seemed to hang on and get propagated even among those who never worked with him. Just to be on topic :) part of his bad reputation among editors was because he fought them to use 35mm instead of medium/large format, and Leicas at that :) Daniel _________________________________________________________________ Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html