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

[kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour)]

On Jun 17, 2008, at 2:47 PM, Lottermoser George wrote:
> "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.

so  George,  you liked it...

now I'm the one  left speechless, with tears.  From our conversation,  
I knew that my book moved you , that you would find the words to say  
it so eloquently, so poetically,  has touched me...

you said things that I felt, but I could not say...

I think the children in the book are touched and pleased...some who  
are gone are honored, the kids who are here have told me they are  
proud...

thank you George,

Steve



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