He claims to photograph in the style of Robert Frank

This was pretty good. He used Mexico instead of the USA like Frank did, but it came across. I love going to Mexico, I used to go once a year, but that level of enjoyment has been taken away for now.
 
Not even close to RF. He has no talent for it. Or at least not enough time to get decent photos. At tossing RF photos among his dross is just shallow.
 
He's done one of these "shoot like" videos on Vivian Maier as well. Personally, I liked the photos he took when first arriving in Mexico.
 
These self-appointed experts seem to be more in love with being youtube famous instead of putting in the real time it takes to be really good at photography. I hate to be judgmental, because it truly isn't easy to be great like Robert Frank. It is an almost unattainable goal once you consider his place in history and his impact. That said, I'm not sure why we are supposed to take his advice when his photos are mediocre at best and he himself has learned nothing from Robert Frank.
 
One of the things I love about Robert Frank's photography is the number of faces he includes in his images. You have to be willing to confront your subjects, I think, to reproduce that. The video maker photographs a lot of peoples' backs and sides and loses the chance to tell his viewers about the choices that might have oriented him 180 degrees on the other side of his subjects. Of course, it is difficult to do when being followed around by a videographer. In case you think this is too harsh, or to easy, a critique, the lack of confrontation is also my harshest critique of my own street photography.
 
To clarify, my comment relates to the man's channel, not to his clip on Robert Frank. A hard act to follow, indeed, especially when you consider Frank spent 6 months on the road, taking 28,000 pictures, of which 83 were published. Cheers, OtL
 
If you take away the title of the video, is there really any difference between this video and his Vivian Maier video?
 
This reminds me a bit of plugins that claim to replicate various types of extinct films, based on the original emulsions. What you get is nothing really like a print or slide with the original film. The same is true for replicating Frank--the simulacrum's empty and has little do do with his photography. Showing a dichotomy between wealth and poverty, between social classes isn't all that unique--hell, Weegee was doing that for the "Daily Mirror" before WWII. What make Frank's work--and by Frank's work we're really talking bout "The Americans"--different was an implied criticism of a relentlessly optimistic, stultifying postwar culture. It was of its time. It was fresh, challenging, angry and shocking because it called out America on its bull****, and much art photography as garbage, celebrated by hacks. His work was as much editing as taking pictures, since he shot hundreds of rolls of film to made the few dozen pictures in "The Americans" (and said the editing was the hardest part. ) So walking around for a day or two, snapping pictures with a Rolleiflex (he used a screwmount-type Leica to be unobtrusive,) picking a few and announcing you've made a Robert Frank-type picture is a disservice to his memory.
 
Really, how uptight can you get? I don't think the Danish guy meant the video as a super serious effort. Neither does he seem to really compare himself to RF.

He makes a nice shot here and there (during one walk) while reflecting interestingly the circumstances of Mexico. All in all, he seems rather positive and relaxed, and obviously enjoys photography.

Apparently that's not something that is appreciated here.
 
Really, how uptight can you get? I don't think the Danish guy meant the video as a super serious effort. Neither does he seem to really compare himself to RF. He makes a nice shot here and there (during one walk) while reflecting interestingly the circumstances of Mexico. All in all, he seems rather positive and relaxed, and obviously enjoys photography. Apparently that's not something that is appreciated here.
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Amen to that. Here is a young guy shooting, both digital, and film, reaching a wide audience on the internet. Give him a break. Cheers, OtL
 
thambar said:
This reminds me a bit of plugins that claim to replicate various types of extinct films, based on the original emulsions. What you get is nothing really like a print or slide with the original film. The same is true for replicating Frank--the simulacrum's empty and has little do do with his photography. Showing a dichotomy between wealth and poverty, between social classes isn't all that unique--hell, Weegee was doing that for the "Daily Mirror" before WWII. What make Frank's work--and by Frank's work we're really talking bout "The Americans"--different was an implied criticism of a relentlessly optimistic, stultifying postwar culture. It was of its time. It was fresh, challenging, angry and shocking because it called out America on its bull****, and much art photography as garbage, celebrated by hacks. His work was as much editing as taking pictures, since he shot hundreds of rolls of film to made the few dozen pictures in "The Americans" (and said the editing was the hardest part. ) So walking around for a day or two, snapping pictures with a Rolleiflex (he used a screwmount-type Leica to be unobtrusive,) picking a few and announcing you've made a Robert Frank-type picture is a disservice to his memory.
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Exactly. HCB was staying for months on his abroad assignments. It just impossible to jump from plane, bang-bang-bang, HCB style photos.

I doubt RF was non-obstructive while taken close portraits. Anyone who has tried it will doubt.
Maybe he used it because it was light to travel across USA and it has much faster lens than typical press cameras and TLRs.
Yousuf Karsh got assignment once to go across Canada and take working class glorifying pictures. He switched to Leica. And so did VM once for overseas travel.
 
jukka said:
Really, how uptight can you get? I don't think the Danish guy meant the video as a super serious effort. Neither does he seem to really compare himself to RF.

He makes a nice shot here and there (during one walk) while reflecting interestingly the circumstances of Mexico. All in all, he seems rather positive and relaxed, and obviously enjoys photography.

Apparently that's not something that is appreciated here.
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You are turning what we are saying up-side down.
I watched the video. It is called "How To Take Photos Like Robert Frank"
At :30 he is claiming to try to replicate RF's style.
And after it this danish cookie photos tossed in between world class RF's photos with no match. Nice photos of his? For sure. Just as any other nice, but nothing special photos. All this dude is doing is grabbing attention by stealing great photog name and great photog photos.

I have nothing against of YouTube video with photog walking and taking pictures while it is taken on video as well. I'm finding it really entertaining. I'm subscribed for some good and not just nice photos photogs who are posting traveling street photos. But absolutely no dirty tricks with great names and stealing someone else photos are in use by them. They are good enough to have their own name. If this particular guy would skip this and just post video from Mexico with his nicies, I doubt it will be less interesting for those who are interested in Mexico street life. Or just in street photos.
Do not steal great photogs thunder, just be yourself.
 
I can’t even photograph like myself....fifty years ago when I was 20 and didn’t know an f-stop from a door stop. Now my head is full full full of knowledge (much probably inaccurate) and my 8 year old granddaughter takes better photo’s with her iPhone than grandpa does with his fancy mirrorless.
 
jukka said:
Really, how uptight can you get? I don't think the Danish guy meant the video as a super serious effort. Neither does he seem to really compare himself to RF.
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Hmmm, what is the title of the video? And why wouldn't people be uptight when you purport to show us how to photograph like one of the most influential photographers of the last 70 years? This is a very influential book... and I'm sorry if we do not take it lightly. Why bother with the title if it isn't serious? Why not just rely on your own name and photography? Ah, because he wouldn't have a lot of followers and that is more important than photography.

He makes a nice shot here and there (during one walk) while reflecting interestingly the circumstances of Mexico.
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Yeah, but he did himself a disservice with the title... why? to gain clicks of course.

All in all, he seems rather positive and relaxed, and obviously enjoys photography.

Apparently that's not something that is appreciated here.
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We all appreciate people that are into photography, but we also appreciate grandiose claims coming from people with great work (and even then it can come off wrong). It's ok if you are entertained... but if you make a claim and put it out into the public online, back it up with a serious effort.
 
Well, if somebody saw that title, and then was disappointed when the content didn't literally show how to shoot like RF, that is, how to make art of equal caliber, I would be inclined to think that that somebody was a little naive.

Guys, it's a Youtube video (title), not something meant to be taken seriously or literally.
 
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