First of all... he's got hundreds and hundreds of photos in his various books... so he certainly didn't only have 100 good photos. Not to mention, I'm sure he had plenty of good photos that he never printed or bothered with.
Second, I'm sure Arbus and Friedlander (especially Friedlander) have shot an enormous amount of frames as well.
Third, many people here have rolls laying around that they haven't developed yet. The man died early... from cancer ... he most likely thought he was going to get to those rolls.
Finally... he had a lot more time to make those thousands of rolls than most of us do... it was his career.
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Pickett Wilson
Veteran
He was shooting like a mad man every day and left 432,000 photos he never saw. I'm thinking he probably wasn't going to get to them in this lifetime. 
Ah, to have the luxury of spending your days burning dozens of rolls of film you were never going to look at!
Ah, to have the luxury of spending your days burning dozens of rolls of film you were never going to look at!
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Andy Kibber
Well-known
Surely it can be both.
I find it difficult to get worked up about someone's ratio of good to bad pictures or, more broadly, their method of working. I take a gander at what they've got on offer and I respond to it.
David R Munson
写真のオタク
For the point of argument, I would like to point out Nobuyoshi Araki. The man is known to top 50 rolls in a day sometimes, has published more than 300 books, and having just turned 70 is still going with more passion, energy, and enthusiasm than almost any other photographer out there of any age.
I fail to see this as a bad thing. Nor can I see all the images made by Winogrand that he never saw as time or resources ill-spent. If you are passionate about something and have the opportunity to do it as much as you were able, why not do it like the world's on fire and the only way to put it out is to do your thing like mad?
I fail to see this as a bad thing. Nor can I see all the images made by Winogrand that he never saw as time or resources ill-spent. If you are passionate about something and have the opportunity to do it as much as you were able, why not do it like the world's on fire and the only way to put it out is to do your thing like mad?
Good point, Araki-san has to be right up there with Winogrand with total images made in his lifetime. However, I guess Araki has always done many different types of photography... where as Winogrand is known for one style.
FrankS
Registered User
He was shooting like a mad man every day and left 432,000 photos he never saw. I'm thinking he probably wasn't going to get to them in this lifetime.
Ah, to have the luxury of spending your days burning dozens of rolls of film you were never going to look at!
You're kidding, right? Would you really wish that on yourself? Burning rolls of film, knowing (either consciously or intuitively/subliminally) that you were going to die soon?
David R Munson
写真のオタク
That is very true. Araki's range is pretty extraordinary.
I can't think of any other way I'd rather spend my last days.
cidereye
Film Freak
He was shooting like a mad man every day and left 432,000 photos he never saw. I'm thinking he probably wasn't going to get to them in this lifetime.
Ah, to have the luxury of spending your days burning dozens of rolls of film you were never going to look at!
423,000 !?!
And there's me getting stressed I have 7 films awaiting processing.
DougFord
on the good foot
I dig his photography.
I like his “I photograph where I am” quote.
Given his output, mayhap ‘ I photograph when I’m awake’ woulda worked as well.
I like his “I photograph where I am” quote.
Given his output, mayhap ‘ I photograph when I’m awake’ woulda worked as well.
atlcruiser
Part Yeti
For me at least the act of "seeing" and "taking" the photo is not always tied to looking at the result.
I am struck by his enjoyment and carefree attitude as he shoots. I can only hope to get that much enjoyment from my shooting.
I am struck by his enjoyment and carefree attitude as he shoots. I can only hope to get that much enjoyment from my shooting.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
Listening to the way Winogrand reacted to various questions reminds me of Lou Reed in a lot of ways. Not a lot of tolerance or patience but plenty of self conviction!
It's fun to watch him working the streets and I liked his comment about never shooting from the hip ... always through the viewfinder. I have absolutely no time for street shots done from the hip ... if you didn't see it through the viewfinder when you shot it ... it's not a photograph in my book!
It's fun to watch him working the streets and I liked his comment about never shooting from the hip ... always through the viewfinder. I have absolutely no time for street shots done from the hip ... if you didn't see it through the viewfinder when you shot it ... it's not a photograph in my book!
Juan Valdenebro
Truth is beauty
You mean all those beautiful photographs I've made with finderless cameras, are not even photographs? I'm not sure about you and me, but for sure Garry was wrong...
Cheers,
Juan
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
[/B]
You mean all those beautiful photographs I've made with finderless cameras, are not even photographs? I'm not sure about you and me, but for sure Garry was wrong...
Cheers,
Juan
I think with wider lenses it's an option but not one I personally would take ... but for you it's ok obviously so who am I to tell you how you should photograph!
What bugs me is when I see street shots in the gallery that are all from the hip ... repeatedly from one individual. We perceive the world from eye level in the street and that's the way I want it transmitted to me via a photograph.
I still think Winogrand was correct in his opinion about this!
maggieo
More Deadly
So, not a fan of TLRs or Hasselblads?
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
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!
Carterofmars
Well-known
That is a great link. Thanks for that.
Juan Valdenebro
Truth is beauty
I think with wider lenses it's an option but not one I personally would take ... but for you it's ok obviously so who am I to tell you how you should photograph!
What bugs me is when I see street shots in the gallery that are all from the hip ... repeatedly from one individual. We perceive the world from eye level in the street and that's the way I want it transmitted to me via a photograph.
I still think Winogrand was correct in his opinion about this!
Not even when using any finder to compose, eye level is a stone-Moses-God law...
Even less when being in front of an interesting scene with a finderless camera, or when the situation requires not using the camera at eye level: respect for subjects, risk for the photographer, etc... And of course Garry did it lots of times... He was just answering to someone having fun at him...
Cheers,
Juan
yanidel
Well-known
Definitely one of my favorite photographer, and the only collector book I own is from him.
Yet after watching and reading a lot about him, I came to the conclusion that he liked to talk a lot and was a bit full of s... at times.
Yet after watching and reading a lot about him, I came to the conclusion that he liked to talk a lot and was a bit full of s... at times.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
I never said it was a law that others needed to follow ... I said it was my personal preference.
As usual Juan ... ten out of ten for eloquence but less for observation and comprehension! :angel:
As usual Juan ... ten out of ten for eloquence but less for observation and comprehension! :angel:
Juan Valdenebro
Truth is beauty
As always Keith, what matters is the quality of the images Keith, Garry or Juan can get without looking through the finder as a rule always... They can be great too! You shouldn't deny yourself those possible images...
Comprehension is what I show when shooting even without using the finder... Garry's words are another thing I show comprehension for... I've seen him on video shooting without using the finder... I respect your opinion, though...
Cheers,
Juan