Comments on: talk to james nachtwey….

By: Roberto Bianconi

Roberto Bianconi — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 04:56:35 +0000

Hi do not understand to much about this world and don’t understand to much about people I don’t want to know what Mr. Nachtwey feel when shoot or when remember scenes of his pictures it is too personal I think that any one of us may feel the same or different sensations, but the important think it is that we are talking about one of the most important photographer in this land, same as Capa, Bresson, Smith, Majoli , Harvey and many many photographer that every days bring their lives in danger for the same or different reasons. I will be glad to this people because without their work and sacrifice we don’t can see the true. Our mass media, TV, News and other they pass to the people what they have to show and not all 100% real material. Thanks to this people that as a Russian roulette put their life in danger every days there are not money that can repay what they have been seen. People like those guys, especially in US where the true most of the times it is hidden or masked as here in Italy, must to have the full support and positive feed back to every one of us… before talking we have to know what we are talking about, we have to know history, geography, arts and religion. If I will says to you where are the Darfour region or what is the Rhodesian region. But more simple questions wher his located Cyprus ? and why they have to be separate in his own land ?

I am one not famous photographer, maybe even not a very good photographer, but I would like to have 0,5 % of the talent and the know out of this people just to try to convince the rest of the word about
injustice, suffering, poverty, desperation of these people. Human beings like us who lose the right to a decent life.

in the next few month another conflict will be start in Iran, and this could be the last one if the sense of reason do not take over, I will try to be there even if will be dangerous and if I will see those photographer as James I would like just to be the honor to shake his hand for the important work that he does every days. Hoping that my English it is not so bad, I would like to thanks everybody on this Blog and Mr. David Harvey as well.

Many thanks

Roberto Bianconi

By: Velibor Bozovic

Velibor Bozovic — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:13:35 +0000

I’m very happy to see everyone had a great time in C’ville (this blog crowd seems to make it even more exciting than last year)… Congrats to all for the show! BTW, first time in my life someone looks exactly the same as I imagined him (Panos)… thanks all for pictures.

I am leaving for Sarajevo tonight, 2.5 months in the Old World/Life… Back here in September, hopefully with photographs to share, will try to log on from Sarajevo from time to time…

Wish you all a GREAT summer.

Best,
Veba

By: An excited reader

An excited reader — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:48:14 +0000

Hello Everyone,

Where can we read Jim’s answers to some of these questions? I can’t seem to find a link to his answers.

Thanks a bunch,

An Excited Reader

By: abigail safire

abigail safire — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:16:16 +0000

David, I am interested in how you took the shot of Jim at the top of the link. What was your goal in shooting the picture, What was the locale–who was the Asian woman in pink, she seemed like a model, or even an everpresent anonymous call girl, What were you trying to show between the relationship of the two and her presence in the photo. It is a beautiful and thought provoking photo. I am trying to learn

By: abigail safire

abigail safire — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:16:03 +0000

who is the asian-appearing woman in pink in the back of the photo of Nachtwey above. it is an interesting split image in what seems to be a domestic scene. what were you trying to show with that image? where was it taken and what was the context? is there a special relationship between the two of them you were trying to show?

By: Linda O.

Linda O. — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 22:06:07 +0000

Herve– Wonder if Martin Parr was doing self exploration / self portrait work when he discovered this style of his since he empathizes with his subjects yet emphasizes their flaws…

By: Linda O.

Linda O. — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 21:52:27 +0000

James– if you’d to include portraits, maybe pick a couple just to add another layer. The woman with the cross, the kids and the first man were most interesting to me…

By: Charlie Mahoney

Charlie Mahoney — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 19:43:39 +0000

JAMES:

I really loved your initial work on this story, but these portraits are not at the same level. Without knowing you, I hate to be so direct, but that’s my opinion. That being said, I generally do not like portraits, especially medium format or verticals with the subject dead on in the middle. It’s a type of photography that has never appealed to me, so take my comments with a grain of salt. The images I like more than others were the ones of the woman with the cross and the kids. The adults just look either uncomfortable, awkward or bored.

Incidentally, I’d like your feedback on an edit I am working on. Would it be okay to email it to you? It’s your chance for revenge.

Thanks.
Charlie

By: Michael Kircher

Michael Kircher — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 19:38:40 +0000

HERVE…

Enjoy a crepe (or two) for me!

By: Herve

Herve — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:38:12 +0000

Err, James, always the dissenter here, I guess, but not crazy about your use of space in these portraits. Some looked more like (sorry, sorry!) cropping and the same distances, roughly, and centering, which works so well with an uniform studio-like background, tend here to flatten the impact of the whole series that looks like a mere afterthought to your project.

As usual: IMO only.

By: Herve

Herve — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:24:00 +0000

Michael, yes, these are great corners of the city with still a feel of neighborood about them. I just hope the weather changes. It’s just been rain all over, lately.

By: Michael Kircher

Michael Kircher — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:10:23 +0000

James…nevermind! It appears to be an Internet Explorer problem. Looks fine on Safari! My bad…or I should say IE’s Bad!

By: Michael Kircher

Michael Kircher — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:07:06 +0000

James Chance…

Nice series. I love the two little girls, the mom looking off page, the dude with the bandana, and I prefer the 2nd “couple” shot to the 1st.

Also, if I may make a suggestion. And forgive me if you are already aware of this. But your images have that pixelated messy look about them. But not when you click on them to bring them up in another page. There they look just fine. It looks as if they are 500 X 500 pixels. But on the main page they are 600 X 600. Which seems to suggest your program is bumping them up too much. Is it possible to scan them in initially at 600 X 600? That way they’ll look just as nice on the main page as they do on the pop-up page. Just a suggestion.

Peace,
MK

By: JChance

JChance — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 17:53:22 +0000

Hello ALL!

Just put a new post on my blog. Its a series of medium format portraits shot in the cemetery. Would love to hear what you think. In particular would like know personal favorites and which you prefer out of the two images of the couple.

http://www.jameschance.com/multimedia/jcimageblog/imageblog.php

Cheers!

James

By: Michael Kircher

Michael Kircher — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 17:38:38 +0000

HERVE…

Remember, for good or for ill, I did Paris and Normandie with only a 20mm, 35mm, and 50mm. I was scared to death to be without my expensive zooms, but it really was freeing!

And far be it for me to make suggestions to you about your city of birth…but Ile St-Louis and the Marais were my absolute faves!

By: mike

mike — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 11:10:33 +0000

Rock on, Mr. Harvey… I’m printing right now for the review I signed up for in C’ville… What are the odds I’ll have a chance to show my work to you next week?

By: david alan harvey

david alan harvey — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 10:54:53 +0000

ALL……

ok, now i am WIRED!!! for the upcoming week or so i am in a very nice classic Virginia house with wifi and hot water!!

i have story i want to post and i have many comments to read, but Mike and i drove down from New York in his Jeep Wrangler and it is 3am and i am beat to hell…

i should be up early for a new post….

cheers, david

By: Herve

Herve — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 10:46:59 +0000

Aboslutely, Linda.

The “perspective of the West” is very basic ethno-centrism. Sometimes benign, sometimes less benign.

It is interesting to see that even people whose passion is photography, or photo-journalism, people who debunk the myth of “reality” in photos, can actually interpretate so literally, so surely, the uncertain reality (by their own premises) shown in some photos…

By: Linda O.

Linda O. — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 09:18:07 +0000

Herve– Now maybe I as using the wrong words!? I am in agreement with you because when I wrote “abject physical poverty” I meant from the perspective of the West when someone looks to us as poor we project they must be miserable, desperate… but when we see James Chance’s pictures we see a brilliant spirit despite what we in the West would be considered unbearable. Do I make sense now?

By: Herve

Herve — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 08:49:45 +0000

????? I thought David’s Bday was a few months ago, I remember copying that Beatles song then….

Linda, in many ways, Parr takes off the veil too, by keeping people within all the consumerist trappings we may consider they hide behind. He is definitely enphasis over empathy, by a mile! The controversy (which made him succesful too) is probably along the lines that he is neither negative, nor positive. I have read little about him, but It seems people really want to know what’s his take on the people he photographs.

I am in disagreement about abject physical poverty for the cemetary people. That means misery, and there is quite a difference between misery and poverty. I think misery annihilates evrything, joy, love, hope (all things James talked about)…. Not so poverty.