Is Majoli shooting with a Holga now?

[Ray Nalley]

Magnum's got some new photos from Alex Majoli online, but many of them are pretty much ruined by flare. Is Majoli shooting with a Holga now?

http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/c.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.StoryDetail_VPage&pid=2TYRYDPQP6HU

 

[Nh3]

He goes to one of the most dangerous places in the world and yet takes artsy blurry nonsensical bs pictures with flare and other nonsense.

The pretentiousness and magnum bloat also has its limits.

 

[Avotius]

Alex Majoli is one of my favorite photographers and I think once again here is an excellent set of images. Yes some of them have flare but look how the flare sets off certain details in the image. In my opinion, still a master of his craft. Besides, if he was using a holga (which he was not) then he sure if better with a piece of crap camera then any of us are with a masters tool.

 

[Ray Nalley]

I don't think the flare does anything but detract from the photos, most of which are average at best. I've been a fan of his work too, but this is really bad.

 

[alien8]

Not familiar with this photographer but imho these are not interesting or provocative images. I've never considered technical prowess to be necessarily important in any art form, but I cannot tell these images apart from bad snapshots, for the most part. For example, a strongly tilted horizon line can lend some dynamism, or create an interesting compositional effect. But it doesn't always do that, and definitely not in images 1 and 2 for example.

 

[jan normandale]

I just went through all 68 images in the link. Either you are both joking or your comments are totally inappropriate.

 

[Ray Nalley]

How can a personal judgement about photos be inappropriate?

 

[alien8]

One more point... I think the flare in many of these images comes not from a lens or a filter but from car windows on the vehicle that the photojournalist touring the region in, or at least that's what it looks like.... I realize Afghanistan is a very dangerous place, but wow. After checking out more of these images I think some of them are quite expressive, but others seem really pointless... I wonder what what goes on during the editing process.

 

[retnull]

These photos are extraordinary.

 

[jbf]

People never surprise me as far as their responses sometimes.


Colin, you said it best. He is, as will ever continue to be, a master. Yes, he is "just a man", but that "just a man" knows what he's doing and does it beautifully.

Every single one of these images are chock full of emotion and life. And the issue with the flare, are you serious? Did you even take a moment to really look at the images? There is much more to them than simply flare.

I find it humorous just how oblivious some people are.

 

[gns]

Is it possible to view the pictures without the Magnum stamp all over them?

 

[Pablito]

I realize Afghanistan is a very dangerous place,

They were taken in PAKISTAN, it's a different "STAN"

 

[alien8]

They were taken in PAKISTAN, it's a different "STAN"

Then I suppose there's less of an excuse for not stepping out of the car?

 

[Ray Nalley]

"And the issue with the flare, are you serious?"

Yes, I'm serious. The flair seems deliberate. He's a Magnum photographer. He can afford a camera with lenses that don't flare out the photos in those situations.

 

[jbf]

He is a Magnum photographer and an artist. And in that sense, he has every right to use whatever tools he wants to create his body of work.


I guess in the same manner that majoli is using the method of his choice, you too would complain about Jackson Pollock's choice of cheap 'Sears' paint for his action paintings.

Go figure.


Just because an artist choses to go against the 'norm' for technique does not make his work any less powerful or important. He is making a deliberate choice, and IMO it works extremely well.

 

[Ray Nalley]

The problem with having a "name" is that people seem to become non-critical of your stuff.

<shrug> We all have different tastes.

 

[sirius]

Photojournalism is going through a lot of problems right now as an industry. Magnum photographers have chosen to define themselves as authors, photographers who take creative chances and present work that has emotion and an opinion. This work is very psychological. You may find the following debate on the Magnum blog with Christopher Anderson enlightening.

http://blog.magnumphotos.com/2008/02/photo_of_the_week_mitt_romney.html

I think the following photo from this series is an amazing work of art. I would wager that many of those pieces would be breathtaking when seen framed as a 20 x 30. I'm quite happy that talented artists are out there pushing the boundries of taste and what is acceptable in photography. I admire a photographer who can find his unique vision in a world hot with so many images, as I hope that I can one day refine my own.

Thanks for starting this topic! I think these kind of discussions are really important.

 

[itf]

Well, everyone has their good days, and bad. Whether this is one of his good or bad is in the eye of the beholder, but photojournalism's place is somewhat different now; it's no longer one of the main sources of information about the world and is leaning towards being another form of art. Magnum and Majoli reflect this. It seems the people who like these like them for their artistic merit, and those that don't maybe feel they don'tshow enough of Pakistan at present? I like them.

 

[Ray Nalley]

It's an interesting direction Magnum is moving in if this is so. Never thought I would see Magnum become a mecca for "art" photographers.

 

[jbf]

I think that's the entire point of Magnum. It has been a place for art photographers for quite a while. Maybe you didnt notice. 😉