Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/06/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]"I never wanted to be famous" by Steve Barbour, a self published blurb book, arrived in my mail box many weeks ago. The day it arrived I immediately opened it and went right to the photographs. By page 17 my eyes were full of tears and blurring the images. I closed the book. Not opening it again for a few days. I wanted the right time to truly take it in. When I did I again went directly to the photographs (not reading the Forward by Steve or the Preface by Ted Grant). The book feels serious, with its verso pages in black, punctuated only a with a name or two in a white san serif type face in the upper left; and the the recto pages holding mostly full bleed, black and white photographs of children from infants to teens; occasionally including parents, nurses and or doctors. Each extremely intimate and brutally honest photograph confronts you with a reality which usually only family and medical professionals experience. In this way one could compare the images to those brought back from wars and other tragedies. Steve puts you there because he was there; one hundred percent present; next to the bed; inches away from a very young suffering person; sometimes laughing; sometimes sleeping; sometimes not even appearing ill. Yet, you know they are. You can feel, hear and even smell the hospital within these pages. You can feel the intense worry of the families; the waiting for good news or bad; the fear and the hope. Most of all you can feel the tenacity of these young people and the force of will to survive. Even as I write these words my eyes begin to water again. Obviously Steve feels intense simpatico with these children, families and medical staff members. He has deep access to their world as well as broad understanding of their conditions. Many doctors more than likely feel similarly. Few have the ability, drive and compassion to turn those feelings into poignant, near perfect compositions in shades of grey and then arrange them in sequence to form a book which leaves one speechless. Steve asked me to comment on this book at least a dozen times. How can one comment when one is left speechless? You have to see this book. More than once. No words can describe its effect on your emotions. I have many books by many photographers on my shelves. I have more or less stopped buying photography books. I keep looking at them at the bookstores and when recommended on line. And I generally decide, "You don't need another book of beautiful photographs; rather, you need to go out and make beautiful photographs." This book is different because I cannot make these photographs. You cannot make these photographs. Only Dr. Steve Barbour can make these photographs and arrange them in this book. And that, my friends, makes this book very rare indeed. Steve and I had a few email conversations before the book was published. I felt that more verbal information about the children, their conditions, their outcomes, etc. may give it a broader audience appeal for publishers. I still think that may be the case. However, "I never wanted to be famous" stands, as it is, a perfect, lovingly created expression from the unique perspective of a very talented documentary photographer, who also happens to be a pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases. I consider it an honor to know you through this forum Steve. For the rest of you - if you haven't procured your copy - don't put it off another day. This one = must have. Fond regards, George george@imagist.com www.imagist.com http://www.imagist.com/blog Picture A Week - www.imagist.com/paw_07