Photo of the week: Man at window

This photo struck such a powerful chord within. He captured the harsh reality, but also the inner human characterstics of hopefulness, tinged with resignation. What a powerful experience is was to see ths - and how I wish I was in Chalon-sur-Saône to see the exhibit.

Thank you for bringing this photographer to my attention.

Love, joy and deep appreciation,

Kim

Comment posted by Kim Stacey on August 17, 2007

The photographic event to become interesting needs intelligence and simplicity alike.This picture has the second constituent but not the first,so the picture has warm feeling but not a constructive thinking behind it.This is no art,it is pure sentimentality.I'm not interested in this.I respect the photographer for his honesty,but i don't care in his products.

Comment posted by Nikos Roccos on August 17, 2007

Thanks for your comments. Nikos, I respect your opinion but I would furthermore be interested to hear if you still think the same after looking at the whole "Chicago's South Side" series from Wayne Miller, which in my opinion is very constructive.

Maybe this single photograph - taken out of context - does not transport what the whole series does...

Comment posted by Martin Fuchs on August 17, 2007

If a picture stands alone then is judged alone...If a photo to stand needs to be referred to other pictures,then this is no photography but cinema or script...

Comment posted by Nikos Roccos on August 17, 2007

I agree, a photograph that stands alone is judged alone. I was still interested how you see the whole series that is linked to twice in the post.

For the second part of your answer: "If a photo to stand needs to be referred to other pictures,then this is no photography but cinema or script..."

Well, I guess we just have two different point of views. A photo essay, a sequence of photographs has nothing to do with cinema or a script in my humble opinion. It is a way of storytelling in still images. One that oftentimes is a lot more interesting and challenging than a film could be I think.

Comment posted by Martin Fuchs on August 17, 2007

I have to be honest:i didn't know the photographer before discussing the issue we are now in.The issue is not the photographer himself but the style he represents.As far as the photo-essays are concerned ok this is a form of photography accepted,respected but in my opinion not totally convincing.Besides ,me as a photographer i'm not interested in such forms,which i consider "bastard"(sorry for the expression)forms which try ,in vain ,to compromise different-mostly incompatible -forms and styles.Photography is the sole heir of the representative painting and as such must respect the core of its existence,which is:a convincing representation of reality in one and only in one picture.That gives the picture solidity of meaning,form.Clarity,density resulted from an artistically concentrated miind.I'm dreaming of a Louvre of photos arranged the same way as let's say in Grand Gallerie...Photo essays can't live there...

Comment posted by Nikos Roccos on August 17, 2007

Ahhh, Wayne Miller! Classic Wayne Miller. These photos are of a time and place and a photo quality that are absolutely distinct. They are of the family of "The Family of Man" (which Miller, of course, assisted Edward Steichen in curating). It was an era in which "hope" was still allowed in the arts, before everything became jaded and hopeless and ugly. This, despite nearly two crushing decades of Depression and World War (and centuries of slavery and segregation). And, despite the discussion here about the merits or demerits of photo essays versus single images, I am impressed by how each image in this collection stand on their own as brilliant photos. They all have high-craft elements of artful composition, finely tuned timing (despite slow, cumbersome equipment), and deeply engaging empathy.

Empathy.

As soon as empathy gets derided as "sentimental," then we're all in trouble. That's when we start seeing photo essays on parking spots and guard towers!

Comment posted by Terry Carroll on August 17, 2007

"Photography is the sole heir of the representative painting". Says who. Thanks a lot for posting the Miller and Davidson series together. I find it interesting to be more drawn and appreciative of the Davidson series since it depicts a reality I am not unfamiliar with. The Miller series strike me as representing the Roosevelt era...the history books. Both unlock an emotional response. I would appreciate if you could continue this series...with work on the waves of immigrants in the USA...the war refugees from the immediate post-WWII years...the Chinese, and later the arrival of hundreds of thousands of Vietnamse war refugees. All in all, chapeau to you for sharing this work. Peter

Comment posted by Peter on August 17, 2007

it is a photo without context

Comment posted by abc1000 on August 17, 2007

The essence of my comments is not some aggressive mood towards the pioneers of photography.On the contrary :i respect them and some of them even i love honestly,sincerely and deeply.But all these photographers-mostly those involved in the documentary -have a rather naive concept of the picture making ,to a certain degree cause and effect of the inherent sentimentality of being present in places or events charged emotionally.This kind of photography is useful,i'd say socially functional,and no doubt must exist to offer.But we must not exaggerate it's significance for the future of photography.What lacks photography today is photographers willing-and actually practicing-to serve the formal qualities of picture making.It's the duty of a serious organization such as Magnum photos to readdress its programmatic direction.I'd say back to the essentials as told by that magic personality as H.C.B. was.To put it other way:no more the easiness of the wide-angle,grainy,sentimentalism...Enough!Some more strict formal prerequisites.

Comment posted by Nikos Roccos on August 17, 2007

Thanks for your comments peter. It is very beautiful and nice.

Comment posted by julie on May 29, 2008

I don't think you get photography Nikos. All that analysis, it's too much. Art is anything you want it to be, I could go on abou the merits of the featured photo, but it's all subjective, and a bit patronising.

Just enjoy the great work by the masters and be inspired.

Comment posted by Simon on June 4, 2008