Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Well, I have to say that I wouldn't necessarily expect HCB's photos of the rich and famous to be his best. On the contrary. Nonetheless, his photographs of Giacometi (the portrait with him crossing the street in the rain, not unlike many of his sculptures) and Sartre are very striking. The more I see of HCB, the more I am struck by the sheer numbers of great photographs he has taken. Looking through the Artless Art, there are an amazing number of brilliant images which I'd never seen before. >>> "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net> 1/March/1999 10:51am >>> Oh, shit.....A chance to start another flame war!!!! I have always held HCB in awe....but...I have recently been spending time staring at the pages of Henri Cartier Bresson: Photoportraits, which Buzz was kind enough to lend me. I have to tell you, the vast majority of the many many portraits in the book are really mundane. There are exceptions : Faulkner, Sarte, Camus, HCB's little daughter, Giacometi - But by and large, the only vaguely interesting "portraits" are the street portraits of unknowns, many of which are classic HCB. But most of the portraits that were taken as "portraits" of the famous and infamous tend to look very similar, be shot from similar angles...they're just not very good...especially when compared to his other work... That said, Yes, he certainly has to be at the top of any Leica list...or any other list, for that matter... 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 Gareth Jolly Sent: Sunday, February 28, 1999 8:48 PM To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us Subject: [Leica] back to Leica dialogue! -Reply 16: Who is considered the greatest all round Leica photographer to date? Can't answer the rest, but have to put in a vote for Henri Cartier Bresson. Gareth Jolly