Garry Winogrand...

This is a little off subject but it explains how some photographers that shoot a lot feel it's can be a benefit in not printing shots too soon. Back in 1970, I did a masters thesis on DAVE HEATH. There is not much on the internet now about him but he also was a street photographer but different than Winnogrand. The reason I mention this is that I saw him at a Photography conference in Boulder, Colorado and spoke to him briefly and he had just shot 108 36exp rolls of film in a day and a half. He said that he was a year behind in his printing. He said that he liked it that way because he could look at his contacts and approach them fresh and couldn't remember the actual circumstances around shooting it. He could then approach each image on a purely visual basis and wasn't confused by emotional ties to it. There is a little info on him at the George Eastman House. One of his most famous photographs, "The Veneful Sister," sold for $40,000 in the past few years. - Jim
 
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barnwulf said:
Shooting a lot of film and printing at a much later date can have some advantages. Back in 1970, I did a masters thesis on DAVE HEATH. There is not much on the internet now about him but he also was a street photographer but different than Winnogrand. The reason I mention this is that I saw him at a Photography conference in Boulder, Colorado and spoke to him briefly and he had just shot 108 36exp rolls of film in a day and a half. He said that he was a year behind in his printing. He said that he liked it that way because he could look at his contacts and approach them fresh and couldn't remember the actual circumstances around shooting it. He could then approach each image on a purely visual basis and wasn't confused by emotional ties to it. There is a little info on him at the George Eastman House. One of his most famous photographs, "The Veneful Sister," sold for $40,000 in the past few years. - Jim
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Great!

And the quote by Giacometti is so related to all arts and crafts: they end up being a space for freedom and joy even beyond results...

Cheers,

Juan
 
These guys just shot photographs and didn't need to go to school for it. Dave Heath never finished high school but was amazing and just had a feel for shooting photographs. Winnogrand has been one of my favorites since the 1960s. These guys just had it in them. It just came out quite naturally. - Jim
 
I quite like this idea of leaving an exposed roll of film for development in the future rather than straight away. I often look at photos I shot a while ago that I really liked and can't see much in them now ... the emotional attachment thing is a trap that is easy to fall into.

Everything I shoot is always developed immediately ... maybe I need to chill out! :p
 
The problem that a lot of people have is that they think too much about what they are about to shoot or what they want to shoot. They work at it a bit too hard, I am guilty of this and have to keep reminding myself to just walk with my camera and let it happen. Winnogrand just was able to feel the moment. So did Bresson. It takes a lot of shooting to be able to get into this mode. A lot of people never can do it. - Jim
 
I remember a shooting trip I did a few years ago when I was shooting landscapes. I came back and had my film processed and looked at one roll and was disappointed to see that I didn't like anything on it. I set it back for a month of two and looked at again and found two or three shots that I ended up printing. My expectations were too focused the first time I looked at the results and I wasn't able to see what I had until later.
 
barnwulf,

Great posting! Time heals our anxious first looks at recent shots... Later we find those rolls really included our perceptions then, and we find some frames can express what we might have thought they couldn't at first sight...

Cheers,

Juan
 
Most pros can't do. I am always anxious to look at what I have but need to go back a month or two later two for a second look. I am sure that Winnogrand, Frank, Freedlander shot a lot of work. I think Winnogrand was the most prolific of all of them. Stephen Gandy has some pictures of Winnogrand's M4 on his website. Patterns of the sprocket holes are visable on the film pressure plate.
 
I'm trying to remember a Winogrand quote.. it was something like..

"When I look at a photograph, I don't ask it to tell me anything about it self"

I think he meant, beyond the obvious visual presented. Is there someone on this thread who knows the correct quote? I couldn't find it in a search of Garry's quotes. I think it was from an interview at ICP in the 70s
 
on a related note, anybody know of a way to take a look at the out of print Winogrand 1964 book without giving up an arm and a leg?
 
Keith said:
Not for street photography no Maggie.

People can shoot how they want ... all I'm saying is I agrree with Winogrand's perspective on the subject ... it's a personal thing I guess!
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No worries, I just curious about your preferences.

I can't say I've thought much about it, myself, but I must like it, because there's a bunch of Arbus stuff that I like that she did on the streets.
 
maggieo said:
No worries, I just curious about your preferences.

I can't say I've thought much about it, myself, but I must like it, because there's a bunch of Arbus stuff that I like that she did on the streets.
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I too like Arbus's images ... gut wrenchingly stark a lot of the time! :)

Good thing Winogrand didn't use a TLR ... he would have spent more time reloading than shooting!
 
On Wingrand and use of viewfinders: article by Mason Resnick

I tried to mimic Winogrand's shooting technique. I went up to people, took their pictures, smiled, nodded, just like the master. Nobody complained; a few smiled back! I tried shooting without looking through the viewfinder, but when Winogrand saw this, he sternly told me never to shoot without looking. "You'll lose control over your framing," he warned. I couldn't believe he had time to look in his viewfinder, and watched him closely. Indeed, Winogrand always looked in the viewfinder at the moment he shot. It was only for a split second, but I could see him adjust his camera's position slightly and focus before he pressed the shutter release. He was precise, fast, in control.
 
unfortunately the university library system here in Hong Kong doesn't have it...

someday, I hope all out-of-print photography books will be available in the form of high quality scans and PDFs.
 
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