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Photographing the Photographers
My first direct experience of Magnum was on June 24 1982, when I turned up in Paris for my first photographer's meeting, (once a year all the members get together, alternating between New York, Paris and London to decide policy for the year ahead, and look at new portfolios presented to the group). I had been voted as a Nominee, the summer before, on the first rung of the Magnum membership ladder. Round the table were some most well known photojournalists of the twentieth century, but on the table was basically a carpet of Leicas and other assorted cameras, and as the meeting went on people began photographing each other. I felt more than uneasy when I finally had the nerve to join in, but it is something that I have done ever since at subsequent meetings over the years. Rene Burri has traditionally been the one to shoot a group portrait each year, an event that is always full of fun as Rene tries to dash into the shot as the delayed action setting ticks away. I was always rather frustrated by the lighting conditions, which are normally difficult, and in my first meeting as President in London 1991, I set up two large film lights across the large table determined that this was going to be the best-lit Magnum meeting ever. It all went well until on the third day Philip Jones Griffiths started fiddling with one of the lighting stands and it came crashing down fusing the whole system. The pictures here were all taken this year in June 2007, at Milk Studios in New York, and were my way of passing some of the time during four days of intensive and sometimes difficult discussions. They are all shot on real film, using a 6x6 Mamiya camera, and with the occasional help of a chair for the camera to rest on for long exposures. Links:
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Reader comments (20)
Wow! I like them very much. I shoot a lot with Mamiya (645) (85mm/2.8, 55mm/2.8) too, Which film did you used here? These pictures are so fresh and alive! Congrats.
Comment posted by Daniel K. Gebhart on November 1, 2007
magnum photographers 'chimp' too...
Comment posted by ben roberts on November 1, 2007
Good on you, Philip, you rascal!
Comment posted by emre on November 1, 2007
Brilliant. Now I know.. if I ever do make it as a member, to learn from the greats... dress comfortable. ..and shoot with a camera that makes noise.
Great blog entry, with a rare look inside. From the early days of Magnum images of their photographers, taken by their photographers, they have always been so well captured, because unlike an outsiders view, you know these people. It comes across so well with this series. I can smell the comfort of the group, the tension of the topics, the length off time spent to make you remove your shoes, and the heat of the rooftop smoking section.
....that first image, a classic.
thanks again!
Comment posted by Joel Aron on November 1, 2007
I love shot 15!
Comment posted by Richard on November 1, 2007
Just one woman photographer visible....
Comment posted by kate kirkwood on November 1, 2007
That must have been an extraordinary feeling for you when you first "hung out" with all these greats from photography. Does it still feel special today to be part of this famous cooperative or did that "speciality" leave over time?
Comment posted by Lea Kast on November 2, 2007
Thanks for the comments, I generally use Kodak NC Portra negative film, either 160 or 400, and I put that in about the least important question in photography; 'What camera do you use?", because I know some people are curious.I do have a digital system, but I keep going back to film, as on a personal level I find the experience of shooting digital so completely different, and one that I feel is more akin to shooting a video, than shooting with film, though I do appreciate the areas it opens up, I don't particularly enjoy it.
As a group Joel is right, because we all know each other so well, the meetings are a great place to shoot, no one ever complains, however a few are very sensitive about video cameras, with sound, I never quite understood why, but respect their opinions.
I think one of the things that cements the group is the fact that we do this every year, five lost days, but five days when we can all re-connect with what each of us is up to, and of course look at the nuts and bolts of how the business is functioning. We all agree I think that we need more women in the group, and have tried hard to balance this aspect, but it will be a slow process given how long it takes to become a member.
I think I have now missed two meetings in twenty five years, many memories... such as in 2005 in Paris, someone holding up a mobile phone on Speaker, as Jean Gaumy phoned-in on a borrowed sattelite phone, from the deck of a French Submarine in the South Pacific, the boat had just surfaced for a couple of hours and was about to go submerged again for another month. (See Image LON70440)
Comment posted by Peter Marlow on November 2, 2007
I just searched "Magnum AGM" in the archive and looked through about 350 images of past meetings. Even as times change, many things remain the same. Great post...
Comment posted by Morgan Hagar on November 2, 2007
Old men in safari dress.
Comment posted by Peter on November 2, 2007
cool...
i'd like worked this...
thanks
Comment posted by beznosov on November 2, 2007
Peter (not Marlow), you wrote "Old men in safari dress". Well, I guess the human eye only sees what the human brain want's to see right?! :-) I don't see that many "safari dresses". By the way, I love Trent Parke's surfer shorts and of course Elliott's suspenders.
Comment posted by Martin Fuchs on November 2, 2007
Anybody's who's photographed indoor meeting type of events knows that it can get visually boring, but... Peter Marlow is truly the god of small details!
Comment posted by Mahesh Shantaram on November 2, 2007
haha
http://www.flickr.com/photos/69979623@N00/542921578/
Comment posted by Song on November 3, 2007
Peter I loved looking at the shots - gosh you can feel hot sweaty new york and the fatigue, - I think the photographers are getting more stylish - hard to beat Rene's continous elegance though, hope to see you soon, best Lou
Comment posted by Louise Proud on November 3, 2007
moc pěkný:)
Comment posted by Michal Bílek on November 3, 2007
that's cool ! love shot 25~i have a dream do a photographer like that!! hope i'm enought good and magnum find me~~~i'm a young man come from china~ and~this's my wabpage:www.wittmann.cdd.cn
Comment posted by cheng on November 3, 2007
i like it~like here very much~
Comment posted by Ada on November 5, 2007
I really enjoyed looking at these images! Thanks for sharing them.
Comment posted by Serge on November 8, 2007
Thanks for sharing imaging of your yearly meeting. I like also the idea to see photographer while they take pictures. Do you know if Is there any book about the subject?
Comment posted by lino sprizzi on November 11, 2007