WES is my favorite photographer of all time. Ralph Gibson said that not only was he an exceptional camera handler, his mastery was in his knowledge and usage of lenses/ focal lengths and no one was better in the dark room. His ability to make the horror of war look like a fine art image is always mind blowing. I cannot praise his genius enough. Thank you for sharing.
Smith's photographs have the quality of drawing the viewer in to the point that the viewer can almost feel like they are inside the image and not just viewing, but participating. When that happens, the viewer wants to stay there and observe everything. Excellent images.
Your videos give me exactly what many others miss. Most focus on the tech of the camera, lenses and constantly make you feel like you are not well equipped. Your videos are about the only true thing about photography. The picture. The atmosphere. The emotions. In our work or hobby we get too caught up in comparing ourselves to others and try to imitate others in their work instead of finding and going our own creative way.And that's an awful shame. Because there are so many creative photographers who unfortunately only create the same content over and over again. Instagram has not taught us individuality in our work but to follow the crowd and show what everyone thinks they want to see. Your way of seeing pictures and working out the subtleties in them is something I miss in many photographers and their content. It gives me the feeling and the confidence again that what I want to see and say in my pictures is just as important and, above all, worth seeing. And I learn a lot about the work of so many photographers I don't know. Thank you for that!
Little known fact: Burt Shavatz of Burt's Bees worked for Life Magazine long before his girlfriend started the Bee business. I knew Burt when we lived in New Paltz, NY. As a photographer, I was interested in learning firsthand what it was like to work at Life and I would ask him about it. Then, he told me that he printed the photos that W. Eugen Smith shot for Life. Photographers did not do their own processing and printing of photos that were for the magazine. It was interesting to get some insight into W. Eugen Smith during his time at Life. He and Diane Arbus were my inspirations when I first started and are still my two favorites. Burt was quite a character and I always enjoyed talking with him.
I was fortunate to be a photographer for a small Florida weekly that used photo essay style layouts on the front pages of each section. I could spend time getting a series of photos to help carry the story line. Then print newspapers fell to the internet and my little weekly started losing revenue and I was forced back into a previous career. But it was a great gig for the decade (1998-2008) that it lasted!!
Thanks! Can't wait to see MINAMATA with Johnny Depp impersonating Smith. The story about the Japanese village of fishermen suffering from quicksilver pollution. Not yet available on DVD... And: never seen so many picture from the "doctor" series! Really a masterpiece of human photo journalism. Shows also how fast he was able to shoot sometimes. Because nobody could wait for him.
Thank you for reviewing Eugene Smith's work. However, the last part on narrative, I think, could use more examination. Each phjournstc may have a different process for developing a narrative, and I would like to hear your thoughts on "process." For example, do you think Salgado goes about developing his narrative the same way W. E. Smith does? And how about using linear time as a factor in choosing events to cover to tell "a story." And should the "process" be flexible enough to encompass serendipity? In what way flexible? You might also talk about "thematic" photographic work. Would you approach thematic work (such as drug addiction) the same as a singular subject (such as "A Day in the life of a particular NYC secretary)? All this focus on process is not to produce "cookie cutter" approaches, but to give a foundation on which to build individualistic vision. Just as no two writers will produce the same book or story, no two photogs will produce the same images put together in the same way. As impactful as the single image can be, let's get beyond the single image.
The figure to ground relationships in his image are almost always very clear. His images read well. The eye is immediately drawn to the subject of the image.
It should be remembered that Smith spent many months with his subjects and was considered by almost all of his editors to be, at the very least “challenging” to work with… he would never believe that he had done enough to portray the reality that he experienced first hand. Smith was a humanitarian at heart… it’s interesting to see another comment naming Salgado and reflecting on the “process” of creating a narrative… personally I don’t believe that either worked towards a predefined narrative, I believe they do what any good photojournalist does and photographs life as it unfolds before them. Each photographer, with time and reflection, develops their own way of working… choice of focal length, viewpoint, how to use contrast, colour and tone. Above all by looking through their own images and learns from them they hone their “eye”
This is the viewer who mentioned "process." From reading about Smith's "Country Doctor" I understand that prep work included sending "scouts" out to research the community before Smith arrived--months before. Perhaps and almost surely he made on-the-spot decisions about lenses, etc., but his approach, I do not believe. was haphazard or completely impromptu. Likewise, his well known Minamata photo of the mother bathing a child was staged in the sense that it was carefully lit and not or not only a result of being at the right place at the right time. I think this involves process. What do you think about how Smith achieved continuity in his story-line--was he an informed, experienced, and active observer, or did he rely mostly on phenomenal photographic skills and serendipity?
@@landesnorm I believe Dr. Ceriani was the suggested by the Colorado medical society after a request from the American medical association… Life magazine and Smith had no say in the matter… I can imagine Smith and Ceriani being fairly similar in outlook, and both were dedicated professionals. I believe Smith did what the very best photojournalists do, they work hard to merge into the background of a situation and make the best images of what is happening in front of them and trying to avoid influencing the situation, and, to shoot images as they happen without thinking of the edit that would come much later... By the time this series of images was shot Smith had been making images for fifteen years, many at a very high level… One area which is overlooked by many is actually looking at your own images and critiquing them, something Smith did to such an extent it made life extremely difficult for the picture editors. Regards Mike
@@mikedevlin2048 Hmmm, I see. Well, do you think that the LIFE editors and Smith, presumably, garnered some info, perhaps as much as possible, about the community and the doctor before sending Smith? I am not suggesting that a narrative was written in stone before Smith started working in the field, rather a general feel of a possible trajectory for a story may have been suggested to Smith early on in the project. If that was so, Smith could have changed that trajectory based upon his observations in the field. As for Smith's approach in the field, I think the photos speak for themselves and support your belief that Smith followed accepted journalistic methods of non-interference. At this point, I would like to call attention to the influence that intuition may play in anticipating photos. Perhaps Smith had a developed intuition in this area which allowed or even compelled him to be at the right place at the right time. Some of his proof sheets are published, and they may offer some insight into his methods. Regards, Norm L
I like your lyric way you talk. And it cannot be never emphasized enough that story telling is the core skill of all communication. Most of contemporary photographers aren't skilled at this. Thanks a lot.
Thank you very much for this video, Alex. I just love B&W photography. An amazing photographer Eugene Smith. You did a heck of a job, my friend. Antoine.
Hi Alex, Thank you very much for sharing this video, i always learn new things i didn't know. I didn't know about Central Framing, and Leading space. These photography Techniques i didn't know. I will use these techniques in my photography. Another great video, thank you.
Dear Alex, thanks for all the videos and insight. What I'd wish for maybe, would be a video series that is maybe more hands-on. So for example in this video you mention a lot of compositional aspects. That might be overwhelming - I can understand all of it, but I don't practice it. - so I don't really learn it but have the illusion of having learned it. How about for example a video on "central framing" or something else and combining it with a weekly/monthly task. Where you have to practice it by shooting and putting effort on certain sub-aspects - maybe with a checklist. Thanks for considering, Chris
Good point. Another thing I missed in this video was examples of any given current topic. I feel the decision to only use one album for a video about a whole spectrum of elements is questionable. I would have preferred that when explaining for example field of view: there would be images with more focus on field of view
I noted that for both the Country Doctor and Spanish Village essays (and possibly others) you showed a number of images that did not appear in Life. It was cool to see them for the first time. I tracked Country Doctor to the Life Magazine web page I assume others are there.
@@ThePhotographicEye turns our I was wrong about Spanish Village, it was complete in the magazine. Makes you wonder what you would see rooting around in his proof sheets😁
An interesting point is the issue of "creating" the composition. This implies that the composition is set up in the correct way, and the photograph is not depicting a live untouched "capture the moment", rather an elaborate photographic effort combining the subjects, light, location, etc. This is not real journalism, rather it is "story telling" with a very specific narrative. The moment a photographer poses his subjects it moves from "news" to "art", from "journalism" to "manipulation". there is nothing wrong with it, but let's call a spade a spade. Taking this one step further, we are entering the realm of physics and Schrödinger's cat, or the "observer effect". Since a mere observer will effect the scene, an active observer, who interacts with the scene, takes an image or it, will chance the flow and the scene itself.
Very important point you bring up. Let us consider Smith and Cartier-Bresson. Both may be considered, I believe, "story tellers." Yet, both have primarily different approaches. Smith, I think, crafts his images--not all his images but enough to identify him both as a craftsperson, but of course he is more than that. Bresson, on the other hand, relies on the "decisive moment" which seems to me involves a certain amount of spontaneity. Smith produces a body of work that has groups of images that center around and have the continuity of a story. Bresson's work has a different type of continuity. Each photographers' work has images that can stand alone and tell stories within themselves. Yet Smith's--not all of Smith's--work borders between story-telling and journalism, and Bresson's work borders between reportage and "art" (whatever art may be). Bresson's work depicts the human condition at the "moment." In a way, Bresson's work is more "experiential" while Smith's work is more calculated to convey experience. Of course both are strong and emotive, but they are different.
Alex, I have a question. As I watched this wonderful video and images from Smith a curious thought emerged: Do dated images tell a better story than contemporary ones? Is there something about a nostalgic look back that is richer? Does history lend itself to story telling more than an image taken yesterday? What do you think?
Well, the thing is, the images weren't necessarily dated when they were taken. The nostalgia comes in later - and I do agree that it can sweeten the pot.
Hello! I've been watching your channel for awhile, i really like your content! Thank you! I think you would probably be interested in the tv series "mr.robot" and its unusual way of framing! It's completely different from everything I've seen!
Interestingly, all of these images are so interesting and attention grabbing yet none of them would be considered "tack sharp" by todays standard. Yet, that isn't so important here is it? Have a great weekend!
50 mm is NOT close to my vision! I think, 50 mm is a light tele, with something around 40 mm neither tele nor wide-angle. While my vision clearly is wide-angle. Between 22.5 and 28 mil in FF terms.
With MODERN FEAR .... based society ; you cannot photograph events like these being viewed here ... . People are super phobic ... in West , about imaging by anyone on the streets , I know .. in SE Asia , I enjoyed my Reportage Photography , and Street Work , the only time ever encountering oafish and rude people were former EU residents , who ran small shops ... a German in particular ... even the Yakuza in Saigon , 2016 - 17 never bothered me about photographing in their territory ... But in the West ... the Art like I see in these lovely story telling images , showing humanity and the quiet drama of life ... this is largely gone now. So afraid are people told to BE .. now. Yes I am an American , and I remember ... Life before Fear ... I am 63 , now ... I remember how it Was ... in the normal times ...
WES is my favorite photographer of all time. Ralph Gibson said that not only was he an exceptional camera handler, his mastery was in his knowledge and usage of lenses/ focal lengths and no one was better in the dark room. His ability to make the horror of war look like a fine art image is always mind blowing. I cannot praise his genius enough. Thank you for sharing.
Same for me - probably no other photographer has impressed me more.
Thanks for watching
The last photo blew me away. One image encapsulated everything you had discussed.
Always valuable to watch your videos - to remind us of the great photographers and to inspire our own work.
Thanks for watching
Smith's photographs have the quality of drawing the viewer in to the point that the viewer can almost feel like they are inside the image and not just viewing, but participating. When that happens, the viewer wants to stay there and observe everything. Excellent images.
Your videos give me exactly what many others miss. Most focus on the tech of the camera, lenses and constantly make you feel like you are not well equipped. Your videos are about the only true thing about photography. The picture. The atmosphere. The emotions. In our work or hobby we get too caught up in comparing ourselves to others and try to imitate others in their work instead of finding and going our own creative way.And that's an awful shame. Because there are so many creative photographers who unfortunately only create the same content over and over again. Instagram has not taught us individuality in our work but to follow the crowd and show what everyone thinks they want to see. Your way of seeing pictures and working out the subtleties in them is something I miss in many photographers and their content. It gives me the feeling and the confidence again that what I want to see and say in my pictures is just as important and, above all, worth seeing. And I learn a lot about the work of so many photographers I don't know. Thank you for that!
Thanks for watching
Little known fact: Burt Shavatz of Burt's Bees worked for Life Magazine long before his girlfriend started the Bee business. I knew Burt when we lived in New Paltz, NY. As a photographer, I was interested in learning firsthand what it was like to work at Life and I would ask him about it. Then, he told me that he printed the photos that W. Eugen Smith shot for Life. Photographers did not do their own processing and printing of photos that were for the magazine. It was interesting to get some insight into W. Eugen Smith during his time at Life. He and Diane Arbus were my inspirations when I first started and are still my two favorites.
Burt was quite a character and I always enjoyed talking with him.
I was fortunate to be a photographer for a small Florida weekly that used photo essay style layouts on the front pages of each section. I could spend time getting a series of photos to help carry the story line. Then print newspapers fell to the internet and my little weekly started losing revenue and I was forced back into a previous career.
But it was a great gig for the decade (1998-2008) that it lasted!!
Thanks! Can't wait to see MINAMATA with Johnny Depp impersonating Smith. The story about the Japanese village of fishermen suffering from quicksilver pollution. Not yet available on DVD... And: never seen so many picture from the "doctor" series! Really a masterpiece of human photo journalism. Shows also how fast he was able to shoot sometimes. Because nobody could wait for him.
Thank you for reviewing Eugene Smith's work. However, the last part on narrative, I think, could use more examination. Each phjournstc may have a different process for developing a narrative, and I would like to hear your thoughts on "process." For example, do you think Salgado goes about developing his narrative the same way W. E. Smith does? And how about using linear time as a factor in choosing events to cover to tell "a story." And should the "process" be flexible enough to encompass serendipity? In what way flexible? You might also talk about "thematic" photographic work. Would you approach thematic work (such as drug addiction) the same as a singular subject (such as "A Day in the life of a particular NYC secretary)? All this focus on process is not to produce "cookie cutter" approaches, but to give a foundation on which to build individualistic vision. Just as no two writers will produce the same book or story, no two photogs will produce the same images put together in the same way. As impactful as the single image can be, let's get beyond the single image.
Bautiful, thank you!
The figure to ground relationships in his image are almost always very clear. His images read well. The eye is immediately drawn to the subject of the image.
Excellent lesson, perfect choice of W. Eugene Smith to illustrate.
Wonderful.. Thank you so much
I learn little by little from every of your UA-cam videos. Thank you.
Thanks for watching
`Informative video.
Thank you. All the best. 👍📷😎
Thanks, you too!
It should be remembered that Smith spent many months with his subjects and was considered by almost all of his editors to be, at the very least “challenging” to work with… he would never believe that he had done enough to portray the reality that he experienced first hand.
Smith was a humanitarian at heart… it’s interesting to see another comment naming Salgado and reflecting on the “process” of creating a narrative… personally I don’t believe that either worked towards a predefined narrative, I believe they do what any good photojournalist does and photographs life as it unfolds before them. Each photographer, with time and reflection, develops their own way of working… choice of focal length, viewpoint, how to use contrast, colour and tone. Above all by looking through their own images and learns from them they hone their “eye”
This is the viewer who mentioned "process." From reading about Smith's "Country Doctor" I understand that prep work included sending "scouts" out to research the community before Smith arrived--months before. Perhaps and almost surely he made on-the-spot decisions about lenses, etc., but his approach, I do not believe. was haphazard or completely impromptu. Likewise, his well known Minamata photo of the mother bathing a child was staged in the sense that it was carefully lit and not or not only a result of being at the right place at the right time. I think this involves process. What do you think about how Smith achieved continuity in his story-line--was he an informed, experienced, and active observer, or did he rely mostly on phenomenal photographic skills and serendipity?
@@landesnorm I believe Dr. Ceriani was the suggested by the Colorado medical society after a request from the American medical association… Life magazine and Smith had no say in the matter…
I can imagine Smith and Ceriani being fairly similar in outlook, and both were dedicated professionals.
I believe Smith did what the very best photojournalists do, they work hard to merge into the background of a situation and make the best images of what is happening in front of them and trying to avoid influencing the situation, and, to shoot images as they happen without thinking of the edit that would come much later...
By the time this series of images was shot Smith had been making images for fifteen years, many at a very high level… One area which is overlooked by many is actually looking at your own images and critiquing them, something Smith did to such an extent it made life extremely difficult for the picture editors.
Regards
Mike
@@mikedevlin2048 Hmmm, I see. Well, do you think that the LIFE editors and Smith, presumably, garnered some info, perhaps as much as possible, about the community and the doctor before sending Smith? I am not suggesting that a narrative was written in stone before Smith started working in the field, rather a general feel of a possible trajectory for a story may have been suggested to Smith early on in the project. If that was so, Smith could have changed that trajectory based upon his observations in the field. As for Smith's approach in the field, I think the photos speak for themselves and support your belief that Smith followed accepted journalistic methods of non-interference. At this point, I would like to call attention to the influence that intuition may play in anticipating photos. Perhaps Smith had a developed intuition in this area which allowed or even compelled him to be at the right place at the right time. Some of his proof sheets are published, and they may offer some insight into his methods.
Regards, Norm L
Most insightful as always.
I like your lyric way you talk. And it cannot be never emphasized enough that story telling is the core skill of all communication. Most of contemporary photographers aren't skilled at this. Thanks a lot.
I appreciate that!
Thank you very much for this video, Alex.
I just love B&W photography.
An amazing photographer Eugene Smith.
You did a heck of a job, my friend.
Antoine.
Thank you
Hi Alex, Thank you very much for sharing this video, i always learn new things i didn't know. I didn't know about Central Framing, and Leading space. These photography Techniques i didn't know. I will use these techniques in my photography. Another great video, thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
@@ThePhotographicEye Thanks Alex 🙂
Great video Alex, illustrating compositional concepts using only examples of W. Eugene Smith is masterful.
Thank you
Dear Alex, thanks for all the videos and insight. What I'd wish for maybe, would be a video series that is maybe more hands-on. So for example in this video you mention a lot of compositional aspects. That might be overwhelming - I can understand all of it, but I don't practice it. - so I don't really learn it but have the illusion of having learned it. How about for example a video on "central framing" or something else and combining it with a weekly/monthly task. Where you have to practice it by shooting and putting effort on certain sub-aspects - maybe with a checklist. Thanks for considering, Chris
Good point. Another thing I missed in this video was examples of any given current topic. I feel the decision to only use one album for a video about a whole spectrum of elements is questionable. I would have preferred that when explaining for example field of view: there would be images with more focus on field of view
Great video, would love to see more in-depth looks at famous portfolios with the explanation of the used techniques!
Another great video. Great images, many I have not seen before. Thank you 🙏.
Glad you enjoyed it
Fantastic
fantastic! 🙏
Funny, I just watched a video on Pictorialism. I think that period was from 1890 to 1920.
I noted that for both the Country Doctor and Spanish Village essays (and possibly others) you showed a number of images that did not appear in Life. It was cool to see them for the first time. I tracked Country Doctor to the Life Magazine web page I assume others are there.
Yes, the Life page has more images from these stories which weren't published originally
@@ThePhotographicEye turns our I was wrong about Spanish Village, it was complete in the magazine. Makes you wonder what you would see rooting around in his proof sheets😁
An interesting point is the issue of "creating" the composition. This implies that the composition is set up in the correct way, and the photograph is not depicting a live untouched "capture the moment", rather an elaborate photographic effort combining the subjects, light, location, etc. This is not real journalism, rather it is "story telling" with a very specific narrative. The moment a photographer poses his subjects it moves from "news" to "art", from "journalism" to "manipulation". there is nothing wrong with it, but let's call a spade a spade.
Taking this one step further, we are entering the realm of physics and Schrödinger's cat, or the "observer effect". Since a mere observer will effect the scene, an active observer, who interacts with the scene, takes an image or it, will chance the flow and the scene itself.
Very important point you bring up. Let us consider Smith and Cartier-Bresson. Both may be considered, I believe, "story tellers." Yet, both have primarily different approaches. Smith, I think, crafts his images--not all his images but enough to identify him both as a craftsperson, but of course he is more than that. Bresson, on the other hand, relies on the "decisive moment" which seems to me involves a certain amount of spontaneity. Smith produces a body of work that has groups of images that center around and have the continuity of a story. Bresson's work has a different type of continuity. Each photographers' work has images that can stand alone and tell stories within themselves. Yet Smith's--not all of Smith's--work borders between story-telling and journalism, and Bresson's work borders between reportage and "art" (whatever art may be). Bresson's work depicts the human condition at the "moment." In a way, Bresson's work is more "experiential" while Smith's work is more calculated to convey experience. Of course both are strong and emotive, but they are different.
Alex, I have a question. As I watched this wonderful video and images from Smith a curious thought emerged: Do dated images tell a better story than contemporary ones? Is there something about a nostalgic look back that is richer? Does history lend itself to story telling more than an image taken yesterday? What do you think?
Well, the thing is, the images weren't necessarily dated when they were taken. The nostalgia comes in later - and I do agree that it can sweeten the pot.
@@Giles29 Well said.
Hello! I've been watching your channel for awhile, i really like your content! Thank you! I think you would probably be interested in the tv series "mr.robot" and its unusual way of framing! It's completely different from everything I've seen!
Another superb presentation, but when are you going to show us your own work; tell us what you intended to convey? Please consider it?
Must . . . not . . . order . . . book of W Eugene Smith photos.
Interestingly, all of these images are so interesting and attention grabbing yet none of them would be considered "tack sharp" by todays standard. Yet, that isn't so important here is it? Have a great weekend!
AND Jazz. Too bad he was so nuts. He understood the rhythms of life.
You spelled color wrong. 😂
Just kidding, great video!
🤪
Why do you have disturbing sound in the bakgrund?
50 mm is NOT close to my vision! I think, 50 mm is a light tele, with something around 40 mm neither tele nor wide-angle. While my vision clearly is wide-angle. Between 22.5 and 28 mil in FF terms.
With MODERN FEAR .... based society ; you cannot photograph events like these being viewed here ... . People are super phobic ... in West , about imaging by anyone on the streets , I know .. in SE Asia , I enjoyed my Reportage Photography , and Street Work , the only time ever encountering oafish and rude people were former EU residents , who ran small shops ... a German in particular ... even the Yakuza in Saigon , 2016 - 17 never bothered me about photographing in their territory ...
But in the West ... the Art like I see in these lovely story telling images , showing humanity and the quiet drama of life ... this is largely gone now. So afraid are people told to BE .. now.
Yes I am an American , and I remember ... Life before Fear ... I am 63 , now ... I remember how it Was ... in the normal times ...