Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/09/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Phong and Philippe. Thanks loads for the Eggleston links. I really enjoyed them. When I lived in Memphis in the late 60s Bill and I were friends and I spent a lot of time at his house looking at pictures and talking photography and music with him. He definitely changed my ideas about photography. I also attended the 1976 MoMA show mentioned in the Slate link and still have my original copy of the "Guide," along with an invitation to the opening signed by Bill's wife Rosa. A "Guide" recently sold for $750 in a Santa Fe auction. I have a few pictures of Bill from the Memphis years, and a portrait he took of me hangs on my wall. One of my portraits of him was selected for a show in New Orleans last year at the John Stinson gallery. The show featured pictures of Bill by a host of other photographers who have known him, some well-known. Mine was the oldest in the show, dating from 1968. I posted a couple of my Eggleston pictures to the Rollei gallery last year: <http://www.rollei-gallery.net/pswango/folder-3978.html>http://www.rollei-gallery.net/pswango/folder-3978.html At the opening of the N.O. show I got to meet his son Winston, who wasn't even born when I knew his dad. We had a great time swapping Memphis stories. Relating to the issue discussed in one of the links that Bill was a pure Leica shooter, I can add some info. He loved Leicas but used mostly Canon screwmount bodies when I knew him. He also used a Rolleiflex, Mamiya Universal Press 6/9cm, and a 5x7 view camera. Later a Pentax, Stylus and Contax (I'm not sure which models). Recently a Fuji 6x9, according to Winston. I would generalize by saying he preferred the 2:3 image ratio and a normal lens. I love his work but don't like to get drawn into discussions of its merit. He's had a solo show at the MoMA and received the 1998 Hasselblad Award, which puts him the company of artists like Robert Frank, Richard Avedon, and HCB. That's good enough for me. I know his work is hated by some and I hope not to start a flame war here. If one starts I won't participate in it. ;-) Phil Swango 307 Aliso Dr. SE Albuquerque, NM 87108 505-262-4085 714-908-7846 (fax) pswango@att.net