Salgado's Africa - good grief

M

Matthew Allen

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I know this has been discussed before, but what the heck.

I was in Waterstones today and spent a while looking through a copy of Salgado's 2007 book, Africa. All I can say is: wow. The combination of technical mastery and sheer beauty in his photos is just breathtaking. He uses light like no one else I've come across.

This book is just £30 on Amazon (and a measly $44 to you Americans) which frankly for the quality of reproduction is pretty darned good. I must get it some time so I can peruse it at my leisure...

Matthew
 
Pitxu said:
Yes,
Starving kids do tend to look better with good lighting.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's necessarily wrong to create something beautiful out of something terrible. Salgado's work has been used to raise awareness of suffering in various places and it is I think effective in doing so largely because of the skill he brings to the medium.

Matthew
 
Pitxu said:
Neither do I.

But not many talk about the "content", most prefer to talk about his "technique" or worse, "gear".
Click to expand...

I found a lot of the talk to be about his master printer in Paris and enlarging lens he's using. I admit I was curious about these details, too, as one can't overlook the technical mastery of his prints.

For some reason I found the Africa book content a bit repetitive (same as Workers) and I picked An Uncertain Grace, which I recommend, too. It's magical.
 
I've got about 40 of his African photos mounted on posterboard on my wall as an inspiration to keep on pushing that shutter button.
 
Originally Posted by Matthew Allen
I don't think it's necessarily wrong to create something beautiful out of something terrible.
Matthew


Neither do I.
But not many talk about the "content", most prefer to talk about his "technique" or worse, "gear".
(Pitxu)



I do think this poses one of the most complex issues of photography. Suppose I am a concerned photographer, I would feel a bit disappointed about Mattew's reaction. Suppose I am a formalistic photographer I would feel a bit disappointed with Pitxu's reaction. It is all upon the viewers.

But if it is all uppon the viewers, where is the power of photography ?

Well, I think both concerned and formalistic photographers may push their audiences a bit forwards with their work, but never achieve religion conversions.

Cheers,
Ruben

PS,
Of course some clever folks among you may ask me if Salgado is first of all a concerned or a formalistic photographer. I don't know, I never met him, and it doesn't matter too much.
 
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I do not think there is anything unusual about someone choosing to comment on the technique and skill rather than the content...just as doctors talk about symptoms and cases rather than Angela and Peter. I dont think it in any way suggests that the content is not moving, only that with so many ways of conveying the subject matter, Salgado has a very distinct way of doing so. I know some say that Sagado 'beautifies' horror, I would instead argue that his skill in creating 'poetic' images despite the subject matter ensures that images are inhernetly about juxtaposition, contrast, irony...pulling you in two directions at once. In some cases they also give the subjects a certain dignity, which they have been deprived of by circumstances beyond their control. I find his incredible images have a pacifiying effect, which only deepens the level at which they strike home. I do not find them sickly sweet, but somehow infused with a Karma which makes them all the more poignant.
 
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