Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/06/21

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: RE: [Leica] HCB Did It All First
From: "bdcolen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2003 09:31:58 -0400

Considering him one of the major artists of the last century - whose
tool happened to be a camera - is hardly fawning, it's simply
recognizing talent for what it is. There's a great deal of his work that
doesn't move me, and I think the whole "decisive moment" mythology is
largely a load of crap. BUT - I find I have to have real respect for
aalmost all the work, including that that doesn't 'do it' for me. And I
am particularly struck by that thought when I look at an enormous
collection, such as that in the new book.

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 Slobodan
Dimitrov
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 9:04 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] HCB Did It All First


I could hardly say that! But I always found his work bordering on the
insipid long before it was fashionable to fawn or bash. 
Slobodan Dimitrov

bdcolen wrote:
> 
> Not a thing - obviously what you produce is of a far higher order. ;-)
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of Slobodan

> Dimitrov
> Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 6:08 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: [Leica] HCB Did It All First
> 
> I wouldn't go that far! Looking at his material reminds me of one 
> trick ponies. Or more pointedly, the work has the high and lows of 
> extruded pasta. Putting the aside the vanity aspect of celebrity 
> photography, what else is in the work? Slobodan Dimitrov
> 
> bdcolen wrote:
> >
> > I've been spending a fair amount of evening time lately with the new

> > HCB compendium - and on more than one occasion my reaction has been,

> > 'oh,
> > f*&* it, time to put my equipment on Ebay.' :-)
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> > [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of 
> > Slobodan
> 
> > Dimitrov
> > Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 5:04 PM
> > To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> > Subject: Re: [Leica] HCB Did It All First
> >
> > The only thing that seeing  HCB's work did for me was to confirm my 
> > devotion to my Rollei system. Slobodan Dimitrov
> >
> > Peterson Arthur G NSSC wrote:
> > >
> > >                 I agree.  To see an exhibition of some of HCB's 
> > > portraits a several years ago at the National Portrait Gallery in 
> > > Washington proved to be an overwhelming experience.
> > >
> > >                 Art Peterson
> > >                 Alexandria, Virginia
> > >
> > >                 -----Original Message-----
> > >                 From:   Steve Unsworth
> > [mailto:mail@steveunsworth.co.uk]
> > >                 Sent:   Friday, June 20, 2003 5:31 AM
> > >                 To:     leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> > >                 Subject:        RE: [Leica] HCB Did It All First
> > >
> > >                 After Paris the exhibition that the book is based 
> > > on
> 
> > > is touring. If it comes
> > >                 anywhere near your neck of the woods go to see it.

> > > To be surrounded by the
> > >                 photographs is a completely different experience 
> > > from looking at them in a
> > >                 book. Salgado's 'Migrations' had the same effect 
> > > for
> 
> > > me.
> > >
> > >                 Steve
> > >
> > >                 -----Original Message-----
> > >                 From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> > >                 [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] 
> > > On Behalf Of Buzz Hausner
> > >                 Sent: 19 June 2003 23:44
> > >                 To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> > >                 Subject: RE: [Leica] HCB Did It All First
> > >
> > >                 I know it is no longer chic to idolize H.C.-B., 
> > > but having perused the new
> > >                 book, I would challenge any photographer I know to

> > > do the same and then go
> > >                 out and do something original!  Ask yourself if 
> > > your
> 
> > > pictures have any
> > >                 narrative content, anything approaching mystery, 
> > > surprise and delight, or if
> > >                 they make any statement which hasn't been stated 
> > > by someone else better and
> > >                 before.
> > >
> > >                         Buzz Hausner
> > >
> > >                 --
> > >                 To unsubscribe, see 
> > > http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html
> > > --
> > > To unsubscribe, see 
> > > http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html
> > --
> > To unsubscribe, see 
> > http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html
> >
> > --
> > To unsubscribe, see 
> > http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html
> --
> To unsubscribe, see 
> http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html
> 
> --
> To unsubscribe, see 
> http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html
- --
To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html

- --
To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html