Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/06/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]B.D. makes a good point about Eisie's success being a more of a trade on his personality than photographic artistry. I don't think of Eisenstaedt as a particularly brilliant photographer, but rather a pioneer in his good-natured genre. After all, he was among the first to use the 35mm format and minimal kit... the Leica and a 35mm lens in particular...to good effect for reportage. And, he was the author of some of the basic tenants of candid photography. "f8 and be there" may sound childishly simplistic and obvious, but...by golly...it works! (As witness Herr Doktor Goebbels). I admit that only a handful of Eisenstaedt's images represent great photography. But, among that small collection are instantly and universally recognizable pictures that help define at least one view (the Life Magazine view) of the past century. For that matter, several heralded photographers have achieved fame through just a few images each. I defy most people, for instance, to describe more than two (or even one) Joe Rosenthal photos or five from Eddie Adams. In my view, Eisie was great...in his way. Whether he achieved his greatness through personality or artistry really doesn't matter. Maybe his only true talent was being able to insinuate himself into the (platonic) arms of Marilyn Monroe and Sofia Loren. It still counts. He did make a difference. Just because I think that, however, doesn't make me as a "Reader's Digest" kinda guy. Personally, I think Philip Jones Griffiths...the polar opposite of Eisenstaedt... is a true master...ten times the photographer Eisie ever was. Yet, others might view Griffiths as a pretentious propagandist. It's all subjective. Just for grins, I'd be curious to know how Griffiths views Eisenstaedt. Craig Boston