Most Shocking Photographers?

[bmattock]

I find myself attracted to the work of Jaroslav Rossler. It shakes me out of my doldrums. Anyone else?

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[jdos2]

I'm attracted to anything with nudes. Lewd, licencious, and vile, make me smile.

;-)

Actually, anything INTERESTING. I see so many good pictures here, DSLR forum, and all over, that truly cool is probably a tin-type, daguerreotype, or something else so far out of the ordinary I have to look at it another way.

But hey, don't stop posting nudes on my account.

 

[the lobster]

I guess the most shocking photo books I own (judging by others' reactions) would be by Joel-Peter Witkin.

 

[Allen Gilman]

Probably Larry Clark for me.

 

[RayPA]

I guess the most shocking photo books I own (judging by others' reactions) would be by Joel-Peter Witkin.

I second the Witkin move! Most other people's reaction is one of disbelief.

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

When the title said most shocking I didn't think in a positive way.

For me that would be one name only--- Maplethorpe. Amazing photographer that made some excellent photographs of many stars. One of my favorites was of Patti Smith. Also shot some awesome images of flowers, in black and white.

The problem for me were his most famous, or rather infamous, images with extreme sexual content-- hetero and homo. Some things I just don't want to know.

A great photographer none-the-less.

If I replace "shocking" with "stunning" I get Stieglitz. I wish I could have been there to see him work in person.

RayPA-- I just caught the Jonathan Richman quote, for some reason I had always attributed that to the Velvet Underground. I know... I'm wrong. I still remember the first time I heard the Modern Lovers' "With the Radio On" I grinned ear to ear. I still grin when I hear it.

 

[RML]

For me, Nobuyoshi Araki. I like his flower shots off and on. Can't get a grip on his bondage shots: sometimes fascinating, sometimes erotic, often shocking. Don't know whether to like them or feel repulsed by them.

 

[ddutchison]

Well I always get a shock when looking at anything by Diane Arbus, and Duane Michals is always good for chasing away any warm fuzzy feelings you may harboring.

Many of Richard Avedon's portraits I find very shocking. Not easy to look into those faces, that close, in that detail - especially the Vietnam Vets.

There's also Weegee, who built a career on his ability to shock. He was a rather shocking looking person himself, especially if he happened to pop off a Graflex flash gun 3 feet from your face while you were innocently watching a movie in a darkened theater (or were sleeping out on a fire escape)

 

[aizan]

i can't really think of any.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Les Krims. Early '70s.

 

[TPPhotog]

I love these kinds of threads as I always find something new. This outing I have to admit that "The Bogey Man" series by Duane Michals is amazing 🙂

 

[bmattock]

I second the Witkin move! Most other people's reaction is one of disbelief.

That's shocking, all right! Believe it or not, I had no idea. Yes, I'm staring in disbelief!

Do I like it? Well...um....

Good art can challenge one's beliefs, they say. So can bad art, so I'm still drawing a blank here.

Something to think about, anyway.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[bmattock]

Well I always get a shock when looking at anything by Diane Arbus, and Duane Michals is always good for chasing away any warm fuzzy feelings you may harboring.

Many of Richard Avedon's portraits I find very shocking. Not easy to look into those faces, that close, in that detail - especially the Vietnam Vets.

There's also Weegee, who built a career on his ability to shock. He was a rather shocking looking person himself, especially if he happened to pop off a Graflex flash gun 3 feet from your face while you were innocently watching a movie in a darkened theater (or were sleeping out on a fire escape)

Someday, I am going to have to sit down with someone who can explain to me, in simple terms, what Diane Arbus' work is supposed to be about. I am not trying to put it down - her work is obviously famous for a reason, so it must be that I'm missing something. But to me - her work just looks like snapshots, and not very good ones at that. If that's the point...well, I'm missing it.

Duane Michals? Don't know his work that well. A quick Google search doesn't show me anything that shocks me too much - in fact, a snap decision would be that he's trying too hard to be 'different'. But I'm prejudging here - so I'll reserve until I can look deeper. Thanks for the name!

Avedon? Agreed. Good stuff.

Weegee? I've always been a fan. There were others who did the same thing, but he was master of self-promotion. He was occasionally as good as he thought he was, which is saying quite a bit.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[bmattock]

Les Krims. Early '70s.

Well, it's interesting, I'll give you that! Any idea what he was trying to say?

Not putting his work down - just curious as to what the point was.

...and if anyone says "Man's inhumanity to man," I'm going to jump out a window. 😛

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[cp_ste.croix]

I like Arbus for shock and I think she was trying to make pictures of all of the typically disposable members of society, or 'freaks' as she called them. When I see pictures like that boy with the flag one, I must admit, I don't see snapshot, I see well timed and executed photography, where the pose, expression and composition of the image contribute to the power of the image. For me, Weegee has always been more of the snapshooter than Arbus, but this is just one man talking into the wind, early in the morning...

 

[johne]

How about John Spargo? Anyone one remember his work?
Johne

 

[bmattock]

How about John Spargo? Anyone one remember his work?
Johne

A social activist?

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[canonetc]

Joel Peter Witkin has my vote. An image of a semi-nude a woman holding a small squash, and at the same time had a human head strapped to the back of hers (in such a way you don't notice it at first) made my heart stop. I read somewhere he had to go to Mexico to be able to do such photographs. I guess other countries are more "liberal" in terms of art....

Andres Serrano has done a few sex and corpse shockers as well.

Overall, though, I feel shock value only lives for so long, and in many instances is only a commodity or a gimmick. How long would you want a Witkin hanging over the dinner table as you chew your asparagus? An artist has to think long and hard to create an image that will last over time.

C.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Bill, I do not know what Les Krims was trying to say. I can guess what the women who raided the art gallery showing his work, ripping up the prints, and then serving them with Maple Syrup were trying to say!

 

[Beniliam]

A recently discover was Swapan Parekh. An Indian photograph.