Lou Reed - Photography and gear

[Paul T.]

Jeff Bridges has a pretty good portfolio.

 

[Jamie123]

Not having really delved into the work of a lot of them, I do have to say that Matthew Modine's stuff in his diary from Full Metal Jacket is pretty good.

Yeah his FMJ stuff was pretty decent. Some very good stuff in there. I like how he said in the interview how Kubrick called his Rolleiflex an "old piece of junk" and advised him to get the latest and greatest Minolta. Priceless 🙂

 

[Jodorowsky]

I guess for him cameras are like heroin or a white heat, white lightning.

I don't know about cheap scotch, but round my way, White Lightning is a very cheap cider. White Light, man.

 

[johannielscom]

And still I'm going to buy the book. I might not like all that I see, but I've had that with Steve McCurry and Richard Avedon books as well.

He's produced a consistent body of work, with a conceptual vision embedded in it. Something to get me interested, to say the least.

I might even disagree on any image that's in there, but then that is what I get from it: how would I have taken that shot?

All in all, I like the sense of emptiness that's in all the shots, with only the one with a human in there. My thing is shooting portraits, but even in those I like a sense of emptiness and loneliness, so having a book with landscapes in B&W should appealing to me.

And, only seventy dollars in my hand 😀

 

[Carlsen Highway]

Don't forget Sammy Davis junior and his Rolleiflex.

 

[Andy Kibber]

Jeff Bridges has a pretty good portfolio.

I remember being impressed by his panoramic stuff.

 

[Jodorowsky]

He's a hack. Most of his images could be taken by anyone--even someone who wasn't told that what they were holding was a camera or that by pressing the button a photo would be taken. Add to this the fact that he uses an array of ultra high-end cameras to take these crappy photos.....

And, for some reason, he's actually on the jury for the 2010 New York Photo Festival!

Jesus. That's a bit harsh. What do people expect him to use? A Yashica Electro, or something-just til he's paid his dues? Will he be allowed to spend his hard earned money on whatever the hell he likes once he's made 'explore' on flickr? You don't have to buy his book, but the guys got enough artistic integrity to only release what he thinks is worthy.

 

[bob338]

Dear Lou Reed,

Your music stinks and so do 3 out of 4 of your stupid pictures. Possibly even 4 out of 4, but we're still working that out.

Way More Creative And Artistic And Good At Photos Than You,
RFF

ps - can we have your autograph?

lovely.

what does his music have to do with his photography?

and whoever posted that Reed rode on the coattails of Cale and Warhol, are you kidding? Warhol gave them money, exposure, encouragement and one record cover(andy did the banana, billy name did wl/wh and s/t.) that's it. he had nothing to do with their music, ever.
and while i agree that the two Cale era albums were the best, the Velvets went on to much more success after he was booted. i am a Cale fan, but to say that Lou attached himself to John's cart is ridiculous. John is a very talented musician who was lucky enough to have been in one of the greatest groups of all time. Lou's group.

my .02

bob

 

[robin a]

Dear Lou Reed,

Your music stinks and so do 3 out of 4 of your stupid pictures. Possibly even 4 out of 4, but we're still working that out.

Way More Creative And Artistic And Good At Photos Than You,
RFF

ps - can we have your autograph?

That's funny.............................

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Lou and Laurie are both wonderful creators.

I would bet there must be something interesting on any selection of images shot by them...

My job is going inside the images. Not talking about them...

I don't see him as a rock star making some shots. I see him as a photographer...

Cheers,

Juan

 

[photogdave]

I'd strike Lagerfeld from that list as he's not a celebrity with a camera but a working commercial photographer. Ok, ok, he mostly shoots for Chanel, i.e. hires himself but it's still professional. As an "art photographer" I find him terrible.
Also I'd strike Wim Wenders as he's a director and as such photography is part of his trade (to some extent).

We could add John Mayer to the list aswell. Also, I once saw Audrey Tatou use an M8 at an interview. She couldn't get it to work, though, so I don't know if I'd put her on the list 🙂

I'd definitely kick Bryan Adams off that list!
As already mentioned, Jeff Bridges and Sammy Davis Jr. have done great work.

 

[NickTrop]

Sorry, Lou... your solo stuff never did it for me. But I LOVE the Velvet Underground, and now even more having learned you're a camera buff!!! And, yes, guitars and cameras follow the same obsessive gear pattern. Guitar sites also use the term "gas"... Pedals, after market pick ups, the same kind of "wars": Strats vs Les Pauls, humbucker vs single coil pups... etc.

And the same kind of silliness...

This f1.4 50mm lens of this manufacture that costs 10X as much as this one is FAR superior despite having the exact same lens design since the 30's on account of its super duper multi-coating which blessed by a Rabbi on the first full moon of the year... blah, blah blah... giving it its magical bokeh qualities...

vs...

This $200 guitar pickup - despite being the exact same lowtech design as your lowly "stock" pickup, is awesome, the stock ones that came with your guitar have no "quack", "bite", "crunch", "twang", "beef", and certainly are not "vintage-y" sounding... blah, blah, blah...

Hilarious because guitar pickups are all just cheap magnets with wires wrapped around them dipped in wax, essentially all the same just some are "overwound" or use "Alnico" vs. "ceramic" magnets which cost pennies apiece no matter which kind they are. They give these pickups a "name" and bestow sonic "mojo" to these wire wrapped wax dipped magnets...

Swear, the after market pickup folks must have all worked in the Leica marketing department... But photographers like guitarists all seem to bite... Photographers searching to find that distinctive look in their gear... Guitarists looking for that distinctive sound, also following the same dead end of gear... both obviously overlooking the obvious, praying for a magic shortcut that doesn't exist in any gear, regardless of price, as far as their stylistic goals are concerned. Suckers are born every minute, and photographers and musicians are not exempt.
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[Trius]

I love Lou Reed's cow tipping technique.

 

[smiling gecko]

...yeah!!

...yeah!!

...ditto for previous poster about jeff bridges...his widelux (sp?) work is very nice.

i think wim wenders still photography stands well on it's own, regardless of his being a film maker.

breathe, relax and enjoy

happy trails,
kenneth

 

[marknyc]

Love Lou, but these shots are not for me.

As far as celeb photogs go, Jessica Lange just published a book that is pretty cool

http://nymag.com/arts/books/features/52153/

And Andy Summers (of the band The Police) is pretty darn good, as is Dennis Hopper.

 

[thomasw_]

A lot of folks dislike Lou's music, but I have been a big fan of the Velvet Underground for just over 30 years -- Dylan, Led Zeppelin and VU were among my first favourite musicians. No comment on Lou's images, though, as I haven't seen enough to form an opinion.

As for the photographer 'celebrity' whose pictures I like? No question for me, the Mountain Goats' lead singer's wife, Lalitree Darnielle; and she is quite good.

 

[emraphoto]

Hey Lou (if you're out there). It may seem overwhelming, the amount of harsh criticism here. Were all pretty damn good really. Might I suggest you take to heart the criticism from folks who have actually put a book out themselves? Of course the non self published version!

I reckon that would seperate the wheat from the chaff.

Cheers
John

PS see you in New York!

 

[Trius]

John speaks truth.

 

[DougFord]

Love Lou, but these shots are not for me.

As far as celeb photogs go, Jessica Lange just published a book that is pretty cool

http://nymag.com/arts/books/features/52153/

And Andy Summers (of the band The Police) is pretty darn good, as is Dennis Hopper.

Jessica Lange? OK, searched and found the gallery that exhibits her work. Among the wealth of others.
Choose>exhibits>previous>scroll down.
http://www.howardgreenberg.com/

 

[DougFord]

Hey Lou (if you're out there). It may seem overwhelming, the amount of harsh criticism here. Were all pretty damn good really. Might I suggest you take to heart the criticism from folks who have actually put a book out themselves? Of course the non self published version!

I reckon that would seperate the wheat from the chaff.

Cheers
John

PS see you in New York!

What’s wrong with RFF members voicing their opinions?
Are you demeaning the RFF members that have decided to self-publish their own books?
Do you honestly believe that without his celebrity status that Steidl would have published his work?
There’s your wheat, there’s your chaff.
I’ll reserve my opinion of Lou’s photography. 🙂