Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/01/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 09:29 PM 1/30/98 +0100, you wrote: >photographs in that classical 30's and 50's tradition that define the >golden age of photography. The simplicity of handling and dedication to one Erwin, I am with you except for this statement. This is the golden age of photography. The best work is being done now by the greats. Sebastiao Salgado, BIll Allard, Sam Abell, etc. Their work is as good as anyone's in the past, and they do it with more honesty than was done in the past by many of the greats, who because of different times didn't have the ethical standards that are now common place. (Margaret Bourke-White, Gene Smith, and many others used to manipulate situations to get the pictures that we photojournalists nowadays love, but wish had been more candid). On top of that, the best lenses are here today, and the best films are here today. And the best photographers too. One may disagree that the best photographers are around today. I'll concede that talent doesn't change as the generations pass. But lessons learned translate to new and different approaches. Because of the tools, their work is more beautiful, and more amazing because of what can be done with them that couldn't in the past. So, these are the good old days, and they will continue to improve. Except that publications have less use for the type of photography that makes journalism unique and great. Thus more and more work is going to end up on the Internet, or on museum walls. Less and less in publications more concerned with trying to please Wall Street (or whatever investors they have to deal with around the world) than the readers. ========== Eric Welch St. Joseph, MO http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch You're only young once; you can be immature f'ever