Willy Ronis and HCB

[hoot]

the one in the middle is one of his most famous, fom his Belleville book he published in the 50s.
Last year I did some walks across Belleville, searching for houses and facilities which have survived the pretty radical urban renewal in the 80s, but this place has vanished completely , incredible, as if it never had existed . They have built the Parc Belleville there.
I went down the stairs leading into the park, , sat on a bank and mourned for a world which has disappeared for ever. Merde! Les spéculateurs ont gagné.

Amen to that... I sometimes say that places immortalized with so much talent should immediately be placed "unter Denkmalschutz".

 

[Bertram2]

Amen to that... I sometimes say that places immortalized with so much talent should immediately be placed "unter Denkmalschutz".

Some tried it and could stop the renewal of the quarters finally, too late for many places tho.
What got lost is to be seen in this book, available via amazon.fr only. No prob tho, if you got an Amazon accout they deliver as usual.
The front photo is made looking from the Menilmontant station of the Petit Ceinture ( die alte Ringbahn ). This station is one of those which still exists and is a Restaurant and in-place for music today.

bertram

 

[Beniliam]

I dont know this Ronis photo Bertram. Thanks!!!

 

[RML]

Bertram, do you have an ISBN number for that book?

 

[Bertram2]

Bertram, do you have an ISBN number for that book?

ISBN = 2-84230-081-5

Regards,
Bertram

 

[CraigK]

I was recently in Paris and took the time to see the Ronis exhibit ...twice! It was one of the best I have seen in years. They even had his cameras on display and some of his colour work. IMHO Ronis' work is VERY French, Parisian, sentimental, sweet.... thephotographic equivalent of a brilliant melody you can hum all day long.

Coincidentaly, my first visit to the exhibit was on the same day that I met with Anne Cartier Bresson, niece of the great HBC, at her office not far from city hall. I was there to discuss alt processes workshops I may give at her atelier. Needless to say the DSLR I had in my suitcase for the work I was doing in France stayed in the hotel. I carried an M4-P and 50 'cron to the exhibit and the meeting.

In 3or 4 days wandering the streets of Paris, a city I know fairly well, I managed to shoot about a dozen rolls of film. I may have one or two keepers from the bunch....nothing even close to anything Ronis or HBC managed to create. I am not much of a street shooter and have always maintained that it is the easiest style of photography to do badly and the hardest to do well.

 

[Bertram2]

I dont know this Ronis photo Bertram. Thanks!!!

You're welcome ! There are many photos in this book you haven't seen yet, i bet !
Different from what I had seen before in Ronis books , in this book there are also more documentary photos of the places itself, without people, quite Atget like, as if he had known that the quarter soon would be devasted and wanted to save it for the eternity. In Paris it got something like a cult book I was told.

Regards,
Bertram

 

[pesphoto]

Im not familiar with Willy Ronis. Thanks for the interesting thread. Gonna check out his work.

 

[pesphoto]

As far as Bresson, here is one of my favorites. I think because its a photo that I look at and wish I had taken .

 

[Beniliam]

This last photo is part of the book of America In Passing ( L´Amerique) of HCB.
I love too this photo ... 🙂

 

[Beniliam]

Dont forget this spanish photograph Cristina Garcia Rodero. I think that it was the first spanish photograph in the Magnum Agence. Her photos are outstanding...

http://www.magnumphotos.com/c/htm/TreePf_MAG.aspx?Stat=Photographers_Portfolio&E=29YL534XKF6D

 

[pesphoto]

Thanks for that link. Her images are amazing I agree. Especially the the ones with the waterfall, so dramatic.

 

[Beniliam]

Probabbly the work that I love of Cristina Garcia Rodero for her sensibility and her humanity are in other photos ... Maybe one of the best photo books of the story of the photojournalism in Spain is: España Oculta- Hidden Spain. Photos done in towns during popular celebrations along years... Have a magical appearance, purity...

Some photos of España Oculta:

http://librodenotas.com/almacen/Archivos/003804.html

 

[pesphoto]

beautiful and moving work.

 

[Bertram2]

Some photos of España Oculta:
http://librodenotas.com/almacen/Archivos/003804.html

I did not know her ! Strong, very strong impression, on par with the very best photogs, a real discovery ! Thanks !

Bertram

 

[Alec]

Yes, I concur the (free) Ronis exhibition is downright excellent.

To Ronnie and all : it is prolonged until 27 May (at least one decent decision from the Mayor of Paris). Does anyone here have an excuse for me to visit it once again?

Sidenote: Willy Ronis' gear on display is as modest as the man himself, including a humble Foca and a mid-range Pentax ME (?) SLR with a 50mm. That did not stop him from shooting the memorable pictures around.

 

[Bertram2]

Yes, I concur the (free)
Sidenote: Willy Ronis' gear on display is as modest as the man himself, including a humble Foca and a mid-range Pentax ME (?) SLR with a 50mm. That did not stop him from shooting the memorable pictures around.

He did not even hesitate to use a 3,5/35-50 zoom later , from the 70s on most of his photos are shot with this combo, as I read.

bertram

 

[Beniliam]

Yesterday I see in one free newspaper that there are one great exhibition (130 photographies) in Madrid of Willy Ronis until June. 🙂

 

[telenous]

I shuffled through a book with his photos yesterday. Very senstive and unassuming, I liked his work very much.

 

[Alec]

For those of you who understand spoken French (or don't, but like the music anyway), here is a recent video interview of Master Ronis :
http://www.lexpress.fr/mag/arts/dossier/photographe/dossier.asp?ida=435314