Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/12/05

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Subject: [Leica] Salgado' s work--reflection
From: bdcolen at comcast.net (B. D. Colen)
Date: Mon Dec 5 07:23:38 2005

Well he certainly had a highly refined social conscience, though I don't
know how one squares that with his current project on primates, and with the
fact that he has described this as his final project.

Staged? Come on - other than the children's portrait series, which is
probably the least impressive stuff he's done, I can't imagine questioning
the reality of the work. And it has nothing to do with luck, and everything
to do with 'being there,' and having an incredible eye. Take a look at the
amazing shot toward the beginning of Migrations (at least I think that's the
book it's in) of the legs and feet hanging over the couplers between two
moving freight cars. Luck? I'd call that life-risking dedication to getting
the shot you realize must be there.

As to best living photographer - that all depends on your taste and
definition. I think Nachtwey is dead even with Salgado, but that's my taste
and definition.


On 12/5/05 7:37 AM, "Bill Smith" <wrs111445@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Gerry:
>    
>   I guess the only thing I could say critical about some of his work ( I 
> saw
> 173 in this showing) is that I had this strange feeling that it was 
> "staged"
> or "choreographed". I hate to say that, but can anyone be that lucky/ 
> talented
> to get those shots? On the other hand, maybe he just shot a ton of film. 
> Who
> knows. Only Salgado I guess. But that doesn't take anything away from the
> impact of the images.
>    
>   Maybe he's a Breeson with a highly refined social conscience or is that 
> pure
> blasphemy on LUG?
>    
>   Bill
>    
>   
> 
> Gerry Walden <gwpics@googlemail.com> wrote:
>   On 05/12/05, Bill Smith wrote:
>> Yesterday I had the priviledge to see a rather extensive showing of 
>> Salgado's
>> work in a suburb of Seoul, Korea. To say I was overwhelmed is an
>> understatement. His sensitivity to the poor human condition of some and
>> indeed suffering on several continents and ability to record it on film 
>> (?)
>> on powerful portraits are amazing.
>> 
>> I will never forget many of those haunting images.
>> 
>> Bill
> 
> I am sure that is the same exhibition I saw in Paris a couple of years
> ago and the work is fabulous, and I don't mind admitting that some of
> the images bought tears to my eyes for their beauty. And I think that
> is one of the problems with Salgados work - he has the ability to take
> a poor child on the edge of starvation and elevate the image to a work
> of art. Having said that, I don't want to decry from his work in any
> way what so ever. For me he is probably the greatest living
> photographer with a very strong humanitarian message and fantastic
> prints which have to be icons of their time. I have one hanging on my
> wall (a mere reproduction I am afraid) as i type this, and it brings
> me a mixture of pleasure and pain every single time I look at it.
> 
> Gerry
> 
> --
> Gerry Walden LBPPA
> Web: www.gwpics.com
> Stock: www.digitalrailroad.net
> Tel: +44 (0)23 8046 3076
> 
> 
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In reply to: Message from wrs111445 at yahoo.com (Bill Smith) ([Leica] Salgado' s work--reflection)