my ignorance is showing

[JoeFriday]

being a relative newcomer to RF photography, I don't know many of the key artists of RF history.. who are the more influential photographers that employed rangefinders in their craft?

don't be afraid to list even the most obvious

 

[jtzordon]

I'm anxious to hear your responses as well!

 

[TPPhotog]

A starting point is just about every photographer on the Magnum Photography Site where the pictures are in 35mm format. There may be some exceptions but you will recognise a lot of iconic photographers over there 🙂

 

[wilt]

being a relative newcomer to RF photography, I don't know many of the key artists of RF history.. who are the more influential photographers that employed rangefinders in their craft?

don't be afraid to list even the most obvious

Well, I'll start with three very obvious old school names:
Garry Winogrand
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Christer Strömholm

And another question: great photobloggers using rangefinders? At least two of my favourites among the photoblogging crowd use rangefinders:

Shadowtones.net / Oxana Diakonashvili
Radio Uruguay / Dmitri Goutnik

 

[kiev4a]

My opinion:
David Douglas Duncan
Robert Capa
Eddie Adams (although I'm not sure how much he shot with rangefinders)

 

[Richard Black]

A wonderful book that presents an overall view of rangefinders, and some of their viewfinders, couldn't pass that one up, is by our very own Roger Hicks. It is published in Great Britain, I think, cause I don't have the book with me where I am. (work). Covers the subject well and has some great photos of the equipment. Great source, although, I might have taken exception with his ratings on some FSU lenses. Just joking, I can't afford Leicas!

 

[kiev4a]

Look for work by David Douglas Duncan, Philip Jones Griffiths and Tim Page, also Cartier-Bresson (over-rated, in my opinion), George Rodger, Sebastio Selgado and William Klein to name but a few. And don't forget Alberto Korda...

Regards,

Bill

I agree with your assessment of Cartier-Bresson.

 

[BJ Bignell]

I don't know any famous names, but I do know of an excellent street photographer named Grant: http://streetzen.net/

Those of you familiar with the Leica forum at photo.net may remember Grant and his work; he contributed a lot there, but was eventually banned. His site also has links to some other great work by edmo and Takaaki, among others. Not sure if they're all RF users, but if you're into street photos, it's worth checking out.

 

[Little Prince]

I have to agree with Richard on Roger Hicks' book. Having little knowledge of the RF world in general I am quite pleased with this book. There are also some cool tips. It is published by GMC (Guild of Master Craftsmen).

I don't know much about the work of the 'greats' either except for one or two obvious names and even less about what equipment they used.

 

[gns]

Influential + used rangefinders...
Cartier-Bresson
Frank
Winogrand
Although limiting the discussion of influencial artists to those just using specific equipment is...well, limiting. For instance, in the above lineage, the omission of Walker Evans is pretty huge.

 

[kmack]

Don't forget Weegee .
4x5 Speed Graphic camera preset at f/16 at 1/200 of a second with a flash

I think he is within, at least, the sprit of the rangefinder photography forum philosophy.

 

[doubs43]

I can't believe we've gotten this far without a mention of the "LIFE" photographers. One of the original crew was Alfred Eisenstadt who covered world events during the years prior to WW2 and for many years afterward. His picture of the Sailor kissing the Nurse in Times Square has to be one of the most famous images ever made.

Already mentioned is David Douglas Duncan whose work in the Korean War introduced the US to Nikkor lenses and the fact that the Japanese were making quality photo equipment.

Walker

 

[Bertram2]

being a relative newcomer to RF photography, I don't know many of the key artists of RF history.. who are the more influential photographers that employed rangefinders in their craft?
don't be afraid to list even the most obvious

Joe,

sorry, no simple answer: It is difficlult to name "key-arists", a word which I understand as the hall of fame for RF photographers and is difficult to explain what "RF photography is"., if it exists at all

It is difficult because the RF camera was one of the three standard tools for pros until the middle of the 60s, beside the Rolleiflex and the 4X5" press cameras.
RFs were used by almost all travel photogs who were "photo reporters" in those days, shooting docu for magazines.

HCB had a good understanding for marketing and making himself beeing a Leica man was part of his strategy. At least this strategy was successful enuff to make
Leicas beeing synonymous for RFs and himself beeing the most famous RF shooter.

If his work is overated ? Don't know, depends on who is talking about it. Makes no sense to talk about him as a key artist and I doubt if it makes sense to use this word at all . His work has a place in my heart but I never would say he was the best of the photogs of his time.

Ronis, Doisneau, Brassai and Kertesz , later Capa and also many ( non_RF ) pros of the later Magnum members were at least as impressing as he was, not to forget Ara Gueler from Turkey and some others , whose names are almost forgotten today.

And I doubt if "RF-photography" really exists, for me personally this is a misleading and too much tool related approach to the work of pro photogs of a long historic period.

Today RF shooting is a niche , the members have undoubtedly many things in common and one can speak of community more or less.

But this has nothing to do with the professional reality of the days of HCB and his companions. Art, craft and the documentary impact are much more interesting to discuss than what tools they used. There is NO artistic band of RF style which keeps them together in a "vitual" community up til today, that band was the power of their "photographic language" solely .

Sorry again, no answer from me, but ou know now why not 😉

Bertram

 

[gns]

William Eggleston belongs on my list above.

 

[bmattock]

I know this may seem outrageous, but I was just thinking about your question, and I realized that I don't know any famous or influential photographers who used a rangefinder camera. That is not to say that I am not influenced by famous, well-regarded, or influential photographers - I am.

What I think I mean, and without giving offense, is that I have never asked myself that question when looking at work I admired. I simply did not care what camera they used.

Oh, often I might ask myself how they achieved some effect or angle or tried to imagine where they were standing or how they were holding the camera, etc - technical details that I might use to better my own photography. But as to which camera they used? Never thought to ask - didn't see it as even slightly important.

I guess I would think about it about as much as I would ask myself what brand paintbrush Picasso used. It may matter to some - I just admire the work.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[kiev4a]

I can't believe we've gotten this far without a mention of the "LIFE" photographers. One of the original crew was Alfred Eisenstadt who covered world events during the years prior to WW2 and for many years afterward. His picture of the Sailor kissing the Nurse in Times Square has to be one of the most famous images ever made.

Already mentioned is David Douglas Duncan whose work in the Korean War introduced the US to Nikkor lenses and the fact that the Japanese were making quality photo equipment.

Walker

Yep, Eisenstadt definately deserves inclusion.

 

[DaveSee]

I rarely judge on the tools, but the images hence... a few folks that have left
memorable "views" on film--and in mind!--Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Robert Frank,
Diane Arbus, Selgado... but this is what fuels the present: shameful plug as it may
seem, I'm inspired by folks here too!

Having worked in the "art industry," the venue provided here is rich with "key figures."
Time was you had to visit galleries, or hope a serial publication editor got it right, if at all.
Oddly echoing Jorge's recent digital/film thread: without *some* digital, many important
images would be lost... at least in the evanescent present!

IMHO, key photogs work on images and, importantly, getting these images shown to others
too... as a fine RF rig is stored in a collector's safe, so too a fine image not shared: wasted.

Would I have the time to view the 'net's offerings, I'd share these "key figures" too! Some
have listed links already. Again a testament of the key figures here!

rgds,
Dave

 

[Roman]

About Salgado: AFAIK he does own M-Leicas, but shot most of his pics with Leica R SLRs (nowadays he is using Pentax MF cameras).

Roman

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Your ignorance is showing? 😱 How indecent of you. You have not been trained in the martial arts of B.S. (Business Salesmanship) 😉

Not one single photographer is an influence for me. I think I'd like to keep it that way.

 

[wlewisiii]

I agree with what's been said so far. I'd also like to suggest that looking at images that are different than what an individual photographer is known for is also very helpful. For example, take Ansel Adams' portrait photography - the shots of Stieglitz coming down a staircase or O'Keeffe & Cox or Carolyn Anspacher are very different than one might expect if all you know is his landscapes. Likewise Capa shot more than people shooting at each other.

Look for the other things that are out there. It's sometimes more interesting than the famous materials.

William