[Leica] I never wanted to be famous by Steve Barbour

[imagist3 at mac.com (Lottermoser George)]

"I never wanted to be famous" by Steve Barbour, a self published  
blurb book, arrived in my mail box many weeks ago. The day it arrived  
I immediately opened it and went right to the photographs. By page 17  
my eyes were full of tears and blurring the images. I closed the  
book. Not opening it again for a few days. I wanted the right time to  
truly take it in. When I did I again went directly to the photographs  
(not reading the Forward by Steve or the Preface by Ted Grant). The  
book feels serious, with its verso pages in black, punctuated only a  
with a name or two in a white san serif type face in the upper left;  
and the the recto pages holding mostly full bleed, black and white  
photographs of children from infants to teens; occasionally including  
parents, nurses and or doctors.

Each extremely intimate and brutally honest photograph confronts you  
with a reality which usually only family and medical professionals  
experience. In this way one could compare the images to those brought  
back from wars and other tragedies. Steve puts you there because he  
was there; one hundred percent present; next to the bed; inches away  
from a very young suffering person; sometimes laughing; sometimes  
sleeping; sometimes not even appearing ill. Yet, you know they are.  
You can feel, hear and even smell the hospital within these pages.  
You can feel the intense worry of the families; the waiting for good  
news or bad; the fear and the hope. Most of all you can feel the  
tenacity of these young people and the force of will to survive. Even  
as I write these words my eyes begin to water again.

Obviously Steve feels intense simpatico with these children, families  
and medical staff members. He has deep access to their world as well  
as broad understanding of their conditions. Many doctors more than  
likely feel similarly. Few have the ability, drive and compassion to  
turn those feelings into poignant, near perfect compositions in  
shades of grey and then arrange them in sequence to form a book which  
leaves one speechless.

Steve asked me to comment on this book at least a dozen times. How  
can one comment when one is left speechless? You have to see this  
book. More than once. No words can describe its effect on your emotions.

I have many books by many photographers on my shelves. I have more or  
less stopped buying photography books. I keep looking at them at the  
bookstores and when recommended on line. And I generally decide, "You  
don't need another book of beautiful photographs; rather, you need to  
go out and make beautiful photographs." This book is different  
because I cannot make these photographs. You cannot make these  
photographs. Only Dr. Steve Barbour can make these photographs and  
arrange them in this book. And that, my friends, makes this book very  
rare indeed.

Steve and I had a few email conversations before the book was  
published. I felt that more verbal information about the children,  
their conditions, their outcomes, etc. may give it a broader audience  
appeal for publishers. I still think that may be the case. However,  
"I never wanted to be famous" stands, as it is, a perfect, lovingly  
created expression from the unique perspective of a very talented  
documentary photographer, who also happens to be a pediatrician  
specializing in infectious diseases.

I consider it an honor to know you through this forum Steve.

For the rest of you - if you haven't procured your copy - don't put  
it off another day. This one = must have.

Fond regards,
George
george@imagist.com
www.imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com/blog
Picture A Week - www.imagist.com/paw_07