Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/06/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Example: 1)Eddie Adams Pulitzer photo from Vietnam of the South Vietnamese = shooting the Viet Cong prisoner. 2)Einstadets "KISS" photo from the end of WWII. 3)Eugene Smiths "Country Doctor" essay in LIFE magazine. To me the term has always related to an image that elicits a strong = emotional response AND communicates something immediately. The term, = AFAIK, is generally used to relate to news/documentary work where = communication is important and the immediacy of the image helps it = achieve its purpose. Sometimes one image alone doesn't make the grade as = powerful, but when used together in a grouping such as many of Eugene = Smith's essays they become VERY powerful. Imagine your snake on the boot image but make it a cobra with fanned = head about to strike a small child and the look of horror on the child's = face as he sees the snake rearing in his face. There you have a = powerful image. The image must convey emotion and relate to some = visceral instinct/feeling we all share to be powerful. Harrison McClary http://people.delphi.com/hmphoto - -----Original Message----- From: Alan Hull [SMTP:hull@vaggeryd.mail.telia.com] Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 1998 1:50 AM To: LUG Subject: [Leica] Powerful image LUG-niks I keep seeing references on the LUG to powerful images. In particular to photographs by Bresson, Capa, Grant etc. What is a powerful image?=20 A powerful image to me (for instance) is to look down and see a snake slithering over my boot. Assuming I had the presence of mind to take a photograph of that event, the resulting picture would be quite bland as no attempt at composition could be made. =20 I can understand a spectacular picture, (when you say WOW). But what on earth is a powerful one? Alan Hull