I’m sure it’s just the beginning.

I have to agree with the other commentators that the photographer has to move away from ‘the masters’ in the genre and develop his own style. The continual referencing by Mr Pruszynski to people such as Sobol over the last month or so, will inevitably cause people to compare. Unfortunately, that it was what happened here.

Anyway, here are a few observations that I made while watching the piece.

To begin, I felt that the photos were to formally/rigourously posed. It seemed that the photographer positioned his subjects (wife and baby) in the large majority of the photographs according to some preconceieved idea (perhaps under a strong influence from his mentors?). There just didn’t seem to be any fleeting moments that were intuitively caught on the run that signalled the author’s own unique style. In this genre, that to me is where true talent lies – the ability to observe then capture an emotion or moment in a split second. That is what separates photographers from agencies like Magnum with the rest of us. The only photo that did demonstrate this was the photo in the taxi of his wife sleeping. I felt that this was the best of the piece as it wasn’t planned and shot over and over.

This overly formal posing is also evident on the flickr set. I had a look at the flickr set as suggested by Rafal and it seems that for example in the great majority he positioned his baby in the middle of an open space in a shopping arcade then photographed conitinually from several angles. There are no great moments caught on the run. Hence, I have to agree with David Alan Harvey that the photographers persistant suggestion to look at his flickr set was wrong. This was the final cut/edit and ‘one’ has to learn to live with it.

Also, I wasn’t overly impressed by the ‘noise’. I felt that the flash didn’t help the highlights and in a few cases they seemed blown. But, that could be just nitpicking on my behalf.

I disagree with some other commentators that he was pimping out his wife. They are both in a mature relationship and it takes two to tango. That comment just felt plain wrong. I can see some trace/evidence of love in their relationship, but I didn’t feel that the photographer captured it in a daily setting away from the bedroom. Sex can sometimes obscure peoples true emotions as they get caught up in the act. I want to see real love through emotions that are validated by facial expressions in arenas out of the bedroom. Of course, harder said than done…

Anyway, I look forward to watching the photographer mature and hopefully catch those forever fleeting moments such as Sally Mann or Larry Towell.

Cheers,
Johan

I’m just saying, a guy who doesn’t know you judges your character publicly (quite harshly), to a pretty large audience, an invite to respond should maybe be offered.

I doubt he’d want to “play” either.

The certitude with which you say things really annoys the shit out of me, Jim. Like talking to a teenager sometimes.

o, fuck it, never mind…..

i’ve reach the point (epiphany) where it’s better for me to just show work and work on my writing, as a way to deal with these issues….

so,

näkemiin ja katso u myöhemmin

b

p.s. Herve, im so happy you’ve returned from T-land…enjoy reading thoughts, both supportive and provocative….

After all the ethical posturing, only seems fair to at least invite Jacob here to weigh in on the exploitation issue…

:-))))

I think these essays probably stay up too long, though. David needs to toss us another bit of beef to chew on. :)

Again, I have no opnion so far Sabine” was exploitive. Sure could be, and also not by intention. But you seem to know Sobol better than us. I catch myself being exploitive easily, with a camera, while I travel. I don’t mean it, I love the world, I love people, but I love stealing their spirits, so to speak. MAKE IT MINE forever. Open discussion with no end, really. the egg and the hen, etc…

One thing, a lot of great art would not exist if we go by the morales of exploitiveness. Shit,it’s not a perfect world, I have a feeling that is the reason for art actually (and a few other things, like Panos single-handedly, ahah, the search for an untied, unsubmissve, undrenched, japanese porn actress….Yeee haaaw?)