RE: [Leica] Perhaps HCB isn't as outstanding a portraitist as he was a "street photographer - and other heretical thoughts

["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of
> Eric Welch
> Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 1999 10:02 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us;
> leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Perhaps HCB isn't as outstanding a portraitist as
> he was a "street photographer - and other heretical thoughts
>
>
> At 05:02 PM 9/29/99 +0000, B. D. Colen wrote:
> >I know, I know,
> >the photo of Goebels is truly remarkable. But that doesn't
> make Eisie a
> >"great."
> >
> >But, hey, everybody who is vaguely interest in photography
> knows who he
> >is..so...
>
>
> When looking at his body of work, I have to say that he's
> much better than
> you rate him, but he isn't as good as other "greats." Part of
> the reason
> LIFE was as powerful as it was is because of Eisie and the remarkable
> photos he took when what he did was considered remarkable. He
> was on the
> original staff of LIFE. But the profession has grown, and the
> sophistication of photography has too. We need to judge him
> by his life's
> work, not just some of it. And in that case, I'd have to rate
> him as one of
> the greats, because of who he was, not just his photos. I don't see
> anything wrong with that approach. There are others, for
> sure. But he is
> part of the growth of our profession of photojournalism. And
> as I grow in
> my understanding of that history, he stands out as a
> remarkable person as
> well as photographer.
>
> Eric Welch
> St. Joseph, MO
>
http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch

Today's subliminal thought is...

...that I will admit you're right in terms of viewing him in the context of
his times and of his contribution to a then infant profession. I guess then
I might come down on the side of admiring his work more as an historical
artifact, than as photography, given how far photography and photojournalism
have come. On the other hand, I can look at some of another earlier Lifer -
Eugene Smith's - work and be blown away by it (even with the darkroom
manipulation and some of the setting up, the Pittsburgh stuff remains
absolutely remarkable, as does some of his WWII work, etc.)

B. D.