Re: [Leica] Salgado/Nachtwey

["Bob Walkden" <bobwalkden@hotmail.com>]

Hi,

I've had both of these books for several weeks/months now so I'll be very 
interested to hear your views, and those of others, when you've had a little 
longer to assimilate them.

I'm particularly interested in critical views since we mostly hear nothing 
but praise for these guys.

I'll try and share my views too, of course, but not right now since I'm at 
work :-(

Cheers,

Bob

>From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
>
>Having finally acquired both Inferno and Migrations, and having spent a 
>good
>deal of time with both this weekend, a few thoughts -
>
>If one reads the essays by the two photographers one is struck by how
>similar their outlooks and views of their own self-proclaimed mission - to
>bear witness and force society  to confront the evils that beset us;
>
>I don't see how one can really look at Nachwey's work and come away saying
>that he is removed from his subjects, somehow using or looking down on the,
>trying to enhance his own reputation, etc. He is staring into the face of
>misery, evil and death, and shoving it into our faces;
>
>I would argue that while Nachtwey is the more impassioned of the two,
>Salgado is the better artist. This is not to say that Nachtwey isn't a
>really terrific photographer, in terms of how he frames, etc., etc., but
>Salgado's work is definitely more technically impressive - but not so much
>so that, as some have charged, the beauty of the work detracts from its
>impact.
>
>All in all, two amazing works by two of the outstanding photo
>commentators/documentarians of our age.
>
>B. D.
>

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