Alex Webb went digital?

It's not always the quality that makes for good photos. I happen to think it is a pretty powerful set of photos that represent the hopelessness of many blue-collar people and towns and could care less if they were taken with digital. I grew up in a town very similar and pretty much looks the same as in the photos. You'll find towns like this all through the US.
 
kipkeston said:
Obviously the most important question is what camera did he use!?
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Obviously much more interesting is how nice is aperture click in your summarit lens.

kipkeston said:
I've got the summarit, 4th cron, 2nd cron, skopar and (previously) biogon. I think the second version summicron is my favorite of the batch. The summarit has the best mechanics however, meaning super smooth focus and nice aperture clicks.
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:bang:
 
I just looked at his portfolio - seems like a great photographer, yet this Youngstown series - well......Sarah Palin with a cell phone camera could do a better job. It's like they were taken by a whole different person.
 
his reputation supersedes him, these pictures look horrible. if he were to publish a book based on these, i guess not much a sale. Perhaps these are only for web publishing.
 
AW is called 'king of colour' - kodachrome which he uses, its colour properties and mood and how AW use it has probably contribution to whole picture of his work. I am just curious how he will be manage with digital, how new media will impact his work - that's all.

kipkeston said:
it doesn't really matter if they are terrible it matters which digital camera he used
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Probably he uses M8, because he have been using RF whole his life. Don't be hyprocite. Even if I was intrested in his digital gear you would't be so cynic, especially when you guys spend time here to produce threads about sound of aperture ring clicks, various lenses, various models of the very same lenses etc. etc... Reading your posts I could make caustic remarks as well but I don't because I respect your interests.
 
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Notice how you cannot find these images from any other way on the magnum site than by doing a specific search on Mahoning Valley, Ohio?

That's because these are not edited down content. He would never publish his work through a means such as this.


It is not a finished or edited piece.

Anyone can see that.


Any photographer, including david allen harvey will tell you that he takes just as many horrible photos as he does good images.


This is a straight dump of images. No editing or arrangement into a portfolio. Just a "working set" of images I am certain of.
 
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*Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn*

These are the images you keep on your contact sheets in your binder and far away from other peoples eyes.
 
Viewed within the context of a sample of what an American town is going through, I thought they were fine. I don't believe this story would have been served by 'wow' photos. I would love to see them in black and white to emphasize the starkness of reality.

No, these were not 'blow me away' photos but images that I feel require a more studied approach. I'd like to see his final edit. As usual ymmv.
 
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Well, just like the Majoli thread, here come the nasty comments: these pics are crap!, etc.. The guy's a well-respected Magnum photographer, so you think he'd at least get the benefit of the doubt on a photography forum, right?
 
Maybe if we knew what camera/lens/film combo he used we could suggest different gear that would result in better pictures. That's why it's so important for people to have a complete gear list in their signature.

FWIW, I personally think that he should use exactly what I bought recently and will likely sell next month.
 
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