Elliott Erwitt: Street Photographer

Steve M.

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There's a photo in the McDonalds located inside the Walmart down the road (I only shop and dine in the best of establishments), and it gets my attention every time I go in there. The photo looks like it was taken w/ maybe a Rolleiflex, as it's square, and it shows a young boy looking out of what looks like a car from the 50's, directly at the photographer. It's in B&W, and is titled Elliott Erwitt: Photographer. I actually was not that familiar with him until I googled his name, then I realized I'd been looking at his stuff all my life. Here's an interesting link to some of his shots and a few quotes by him. Good stuff.

I found the commenting by the guy on the site annoying, but you can skip through and just read the interview questions and comments. Or just look at the images, which is what it's all about. There are links below the article that let you go to other pics and interview stuff. I found Erwitt's newer work riveting as well.

http://erickimphotography.com/blog/...rwitt-has-taught-me-about-street-photography/
 
I regularly borrowed from the library the Elliott Erwitt volume of the Thames and Hudson 'Masters of Contemporary Photography' series when I was in my late teens. Years later I found my own copy and last year I read right through it again. There is a technical section at the back where he describes the planning and thinking behind some of the shots in the book. One of the most useful photographic books I've read. I just bought his 'Snaps' and look forward to it arriving in the mail.
 
Does it count that Mr. Erwitt and I have the same eye doctor? I keep running into him, not literally, all the time. Very humble, very quiet man. I love that he has an old bulb type bicycle horn on his walking cane.
 
Erwitt is easily among the greatest ten photographers of the 20th century, and my personal favorite of them all. I have most of his books, including the rare classic, "Photographs and Anti-Photographs."

Even Cartier-Bresson did not have Erwitt's quickness of eye, nor was he nearly as prolific.
 
He also has a grand sense of humor and style. He's the one who referred to Eduard Boubat as Eddie Ballbat and Henri the Magnificent as Hank Carter. he had names for some of the other magnum shooters, too, but I can't remember them.
 
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