Thanks Alec for covering a rarer side to photography. My understanding is that Anna Fox was studying at Farnham when Martin Parr and Paul Graham were guest lecturing.
Really enjoyed your presentation once again. The breadth and intimacy of this series are impressive. It's interesting how the humour illuminates our culture shifts so clearly; pulling the vlog into uncomfortable territory.
It was gratifying to see how you expanded the discussion beyond Parr, who is deservedly famous. Too often, we forget the entire ecosystem of the arts and just focus on the big fish. Many thanks
You’re videos are usually a trigger for me to go and order a new book, maybe sponsorship could come from somewhere around that neighborhood? 🤷🏻♀️ Anything to keep this thing going 😁
Funny timing, I just published my book, The Last Laugh, of slightly humorous street photography on the Blurb store. I don’t call them funny, they’re not. It’s a similar style to Martin Parr, he’s a big influence... but I’m just an amateur having fun with a camera. Good episode Alec. Humor is a somewhat rare bird in photography, I agree. I do find a lot of street photography funny, whether intentional or not. A lot of Eastern European street I’ve seen online is so weird it’s funny. Would love to see you talk about the genre in general.
I think the good side of the Covid-19 is you have time to help many photographers. Thank you so much for your time to share all this experience. Personally, I learn a lot from your experience.
Alec I'd love to support you, but because of you, unfortunately, this month I both Encampment Wyoming! I would suggest next time you present one of your books;) by the way Keep doing what you are doing!
another great ep thanks Alec - you are probably resisting it but it would great to go into some of your own stuff too - especially outtakes or projects that you didn’t cover in the magnum course
Thanks for another great video Alec! Could you do a video about books of photography where the photograph has been manipulated? I am very interested in what one can do with the negative or print, or camera etc to mess or mangle the image. Or find a new image by accident etc. An example I know if is Stephen Gill, his books coexistence, outside in and best before end. but I would love to know of other artists doing something similar. Thanks so much!! I've watched all your videos so far and you have been by far my main source for learning about photography which I only started exploring during lockdown.
If you enjoy Blade, check out Cat High: by Terry deRoy Gruber; same thing just cats! Also for some quality contemporary comedy, check out the work of Chris Maggio . Love the videos!
Again. Laughing at someone is ego. Laughing about a situation regardless of the social context, is coming from the inner child. I think talking about humor is a very tricky topic unless aware of the subjective approach one can have. Those old books, they were probably funny at the time because they had a different perspective related to their space and time. Now we are old monkeys with tons of hours of TV and Netflix. Be aware.
It's good that you're discussing books and ideas that are outside of the realm of 'traditional' monographs. So many people tend to have a narrow focus on what they feel they 'should' be looking at and talking about. I'm a big fan of trying to seek out 'old timey' books so at least I can replenish my mind well from a new source, rather than go back to the same watering holes everyone else does. What is the 'quirkiest' book you have in what looks like an awesome library there behind you?
While there certainly is humor in the backs of men in Camera Club, it's also a pretty dark and sobering take on exploitation in the world of photo modeling -- also with a somewhat unusual second half to the book. Would be interested in hearing more of your thoughts on that book and that project behind it in general. Clearly Verene documents the club members exploiting these women both with his meta images and text. Are the club members also being exploited by Verene in a different way as unwilling subjects?
I wish I could afford to get a higher education in photography- these videos are amazing and make me feel like I have access to an institution of learning- not to mention having Alec Soth as a professor. The best photography content on UA-cam hands down
There is an interview with Anna Fox on the Martin Parr Foundation UA-cam Channel. Coincidentally, the video is the one right before the interview with you, Mr. Soth.
I think those photos that Juergen Teller took for W Magazine (you know, the weird ones that really pissed people off) were a great example of comedic photography.
I'd make t shirts to dole out, send you $40 a month and make stickers with whatever you want on them to put around my town and send to pals to hang around their towns and sponsor you. Let me know if you are interested?! Yew-Yaw camera would be the sponsor. Wooo! Love your self hangout sessions, so informative and different. Thanks.
Humor is subjective, and people have varying senses of humor. I thought Punography Too was amusing and brought a few chuckles. I enjoy puns. I didn't find the other books to be funny. Occasionally slightly amusing but no laughs or much fun. As for your choice of books, I question your sense of humor. But no one has to have one. But it helps in life.
My signed copy of Songbook arrived Thursday... but my (current) wife insists that it was a birthday present, so it remains unopened until the end of June.
When ‘The Last Resort’ was reviewed in the 80s the reviewer stated “Parr has broken the number one rule of documentary photography: do not shit on the working classes.” Great to hear these talks, please keep going! 👍
@@joeltunnah when it was shown at the Open Eye in Liverpool close to where the images were taken there wasn’t any controversy or uproar but when it was shown in London it was criticised as being exploitative. Hmm, that’s interesting. When I show the work to students today in Liverpool they show it to their parents and they say “that’s how it was.”
speaking on comedy - my frd was once given in a book fair in Singapore, a zine called "Hotdogs & Hot Dogs". The content is as it says, pictures of hotdog ads and actual dogs. Its real funny. Sadly the creator is nowhere to be found online, at all. He also did a zine of portraits of snowmen, going as far as giving them names.
Thanks Alec, love your books lectures. I like when photography approaches irony and humor. I found really superfunny "Kim Jong Il looking at things" curated by Joao Rocha (JBE Books). I suppose is also an "homage" to "Martin Parr looking at books" you shown us.
Omg The Stenographer. I did laugh out loud at The Kinsey book. Such a treat to see those Mandel baseball cards. Love Work Stations. You can’t help but wonder if it inspired the original series The Office. What a collection you have! Thank you for another great video.
I watched this on Holy Thursday, so thanks for a fun Holy Thursday . . .
3 роки тому+1
Once again, thanks for the videos. It has shown a wide range of photographic "genres" and this demonstrates your vast interest in photography. It is not only photography that at its core is democratic, but it is necessary to be democratic, to have a democratic and free spirit. I think your vast shelves demonstrate that.
At 17:20 do you mean Harold Edgerton (the recreation by Cummings)? Fun coincidence, in my history of photo presentation during my Photo 1 class I show the Edgerton photo of the bullet going through the playing card and a student raises his hand and tells me that the card in the photo was his dad’s. Turns out his dad, who is a math teacher at the school, was a student at MIT under Doc Edgerton and helped with his experiments.
Hi Alec, a question , because there are not meny photobook where color and black and white photographs are mixed and if so what is the reason, thank you. ( forgive my english i write from spain)
Never expected Alec Soth saying "smash that like button".
the first 20 seconds of this was funnier than any movie I've seen the past year.
Thanks Alec for covering a rarer side to photography. My understanding is that Anna Fox was studying at Farnham when Martin Parr and Paul Graham were guest lecturing.
Honestly Alec, this was great. When you said ”not so funny” I laughed out load :)
Me too! 😂
Edward Weston portraits... That was brilliant!
Sheep are really suited for portrait photography. They all look so distinct.
Those sheep, so funny
Really enjoyed your presentation once again. The breadth and intimacy of this series are impressive. It's interesting how the humour illuminates our culture shifts so clearly; pulling the vlog into uncomfortable territory.
It was gratifying to see how you expanded the discussion beyond Parr, who is deservedly famous. Too often, we forget the entire ecosystem of the arts and just focus on the big fish. Many thanks
The Ansel Adams raisin bread story + image made me fully laugh out loud...classic.
You are a treasure, Alec! 💛
You’re videos are usually a trigger for me to go and order a new book, maybe sponsorship could come from somewhere around that neighborhood? 🤷🏻♀️ Anything to keep this thing going 😁
Charcoal Book club sponsors all those photo podcasts I listen to. Try them.
Just keep doing you. I never miss one of these and love the loose lecture style. Reminds me of my fonder memories in college.
Funny timing, I just published my book, The Last Laugh, of slightly humorous street photography on the Blurb store. I don’t call them funny, they’re not. It’s a similar style to Martin Parr, he’s a big influence... but I’m just an amateur having fun with a camera.
Good episode Alec. Humor is a somewhat rare bird in photography, I agree. I do find a lot of street photography funny, whether intentional or not. A lot of Eastern European street I’ve seen online is so weird it’s funny. Would love to see you talk about the genre in general.
I think the good side of the Covid-19 is you have time to help many photographers. Thank you so much for your time to share all this experience. Personally, I learn a lot from your experience.
Watching these videos has inspired me to make my own blog where I talk about Photography, thank you so much for making them :)
Duane Michals would've probably fitted right in with the ending. But then again, the list could go on and on.
Bought that print of the pig from the print sale a few days ago!
alec: this is something you might have seen at your local bookstore in 1982
me, a 23yo ukrainian: yeeeah i might have.. let me think
Your voice and presentation style never fail to put me in a wonderful headspace for all things photography. Thank you.
5:54 - so cool and cute. Love it.
great timing on the bumping the mic,
Alec I'd love to support you, but because of you, unfortunately, this month I both Encampment Wyoming! I would suggest next time you present one of your books;) by the way Keep doing what you are doing!
You're the best Alex!
I am not sure if I was ready for beardless alec but I'm grateful nonetheless
another great ep thanks Alec - you are probably resisting it but it would great to go into some of your own stuff too - especially outtakes or projects that you didn’t cover in the magnum course
Thanks, but yes, I'm not focusing on my own work in these videos.
@@AlecSothUA-cam only a few thousand more books from other artists in your library to get through before you relent 😄
Nice one again Alec... but no mention for Elliot Erwitt; Duane Michels, or William Wegman. All produced some wonderful humorous photography.
Yes, of course, and many more. These talks aren't meant to be encyclopedic
@@AlecSothUA-cam Of course, I appreciate that! And your insights!
these vids can't come fast enough Alec!
How did I not know about laughter yoga??
Such a great video! Really had to laugh out loud sometimes :D
Thanks for another great video Alec! Could you do a video about books of photography where the photograph has been manipulated? I am very interested in what one can do with the negative or print, or camera etc to mess or mangle the image. Or find a new image by accident etc. An example I know if is Stephen Gill, his books coexistence, outside in and best before end. but I would love to know of other artists doing something similar.
Thanks so much!! I've watched all your videos so far and you have been by far my main source for learning about photography which I only started exploring during lockdown.
I hope to talk about Gill eventually. Thanks.
If you enjoy Blade, check out Cat High: by Terry deRoy Gruber; same thing just cats! Also for some quality contemporary comedy, check out the work of Chris Maggio . Love the videos!
Ordered! Thank you Chris.
ALEC SOTH!
What about Chema Madoz in this respect ?
Alec you should check the work by Jasanský and Polák
LOL!
Good stuff. Maybe thought you’d show a little Les Krims or Lucas Samaras... maybe they are Funny? Or maybe too conceptual? Saludos!
I wanted to talk about Krims in relation to gender, but I don't have any of his books.
You need to start doing affiliate links to the books!!!
🙌🏻⭐️
L.O.L!
You should come to an agreement with those that sell the books you suggest (e.g. amazon)
Again. Laughing at someone is ego. Laughing about a situation regardless of the social context, is coming from the inner child.
I think talking about humor is a very tricky topic unless aware of the subjective approach one can have.
Those old books, they were probably funny at the time because they had a different perspective related to their space and time.
Now we are old monkeys with tons of hours of TV and Netflix. Be aware.
Is that a sloth on your hat?
Yes :)
It's good that you're discussing books and ideas that are outside of the realm of 'traditional' monographs. So many people tend to have a narrow focus on what they feel they 'should' be looking at and talking about.
I'm a big fan of trying to seek out 'old timey' books so at least I can replenish my mind well from a new source, rather than go back to the same watering holes everyone else does.
What is the 'quirkiest' book you have in what looks like an awesome library there behind you?
Your ramblings have become part of my Saturday morning routine
Smashed it! Appreciate the bibliography on the description ❤️
While there certainly is humor in the backs of men in Camera Club, it's also a pretty dark and sobering take on exploitation in the world of photo modeling -- also with a somewhat unusual second half to the book. Would be interested in hearing more of your thoughts on that book and that project behind it in general. Clearly Verene documents the club members exploiting these women both with his meta images and text. Are the club members also being exploited by Verene in a different way as unwilling subjects?
Yes, dark humor, for sure.
I wish I could afford to get a higher education in photography- these videos are amazing and make me feel like I have access to an institution of learning- not to mention having Alec Soth as a professor. The best photography content on UA-cam hands down
There is an interview with Anna Fox on the Martin Parr Foundation UA-cam Channel. Coincidentally, the video is the one right before the interview with you, Mr. Soth.
i smashed the like button
Laughter cubs are pretty mainstream here in india among seniors. Most public parks would have these groups. First time though heard of laughter yoga.
Hi, Do you think that the cover picture of the Marsha Resnick book was referencing to the poster of the film Lolita by Stanley Kubrik?
good question
With this being a video about comedy and photography books, surly the perfect sponsor would have been Audible 😁
I think those photos that Juergen Teller took for W Magazine (you know, the weird ones that really pissed people off) were a great example of comedic photography.
So good that we get “talking to yourself“ videos 😄
I'd make t shirts to dole out, send you $40 a month and make stickers with whatever you want on them to put around my town and send to pals to hang around their towns and sponsor you. Let me know if you are interested?! Yew-Yaw camera would be the sponsor. Wooo! Love your self hangout sessions, so informative and different. Thanks.
Humor is subjective, and people have varying senses of humor. I thought Punography Too was amusing and brought a few chuckles. I enjoy puns. I didn't find the other books to be funny. Occasionally slightly amusing but no laughs or much fun. As for your choice of books, I question your sense of humor. But no one has to have one. But it helps in life.
My signed copy of Songbook arrived Thursday... but my (current) wife insists that it was a birthday present, so it remains unopened until the end of June.
When ‘The Last Resort’ was reviewed in the 80s the reviewer stated “Parr has broken the number one rule of documentary photography: do not shit on the working classes.”
Great to hear these talks, please keep going! 👍
How anyone could look at that book and think he’s shitting on anyone is beyond me.
@@joeltunnah when it was shown at the Open Eye in Liverpool close to where the images were taken there wasn’t any controversy or uproar but when it was shown in London it was criticised as being exploitative. Hmm, that’s interesting. When I show the work to students today in Liverpool they show it to their parents and they say “that’s how it was.”
Or I could make capes. Whatever image/text you want or don't want. It's all up in the air!
speaking on comedy - my frd was once given in a book fair in Singapore, a zine called "Hotdogs & Hot Dogs". The content is as it says, pictures of hotdog ads and actual dogs. Its real funny. Sadly the creator is nowhere to be found online, at all. He also did a zine of portraits of snowmen, going as far as giving them names.
Thanks Alec, love your books lectures. I like when photography approaches irony and humor. I found really superfunny "Kim Jong Il looking at things" curated by Joao Rocha (JBE Books). I suppose is also an "homage" to "Martin Parr looking at books" you shown us.
Omg The Stenographer. I did laugh out loud at The Kinsey book. Such a treat to see those Mandel baseball cards. Love Work Stations. You can’t help but wonder if it inspired the original series The Office. What a collection you have! Thank you for another great video.
I watched this on Holy Thursday, so thanks for a fun Holy Thursday . . .
Once again, thanks for the videos. It has shown a wide range of photographic "genres" and this demonstrates your vast interest in photography. It is not only photography that at its core is democratic, but it is necessary to be democratic, to have a democratic and free spirit. I think your vast shelves demonstrate that.
Hey Alec! Your voice is so relaxing! Thank you for making these videos!
Watched this on my lunch break and truly laughed out loud when you presented “The Blade!” What an amazing collection you have!
I mean, “Ladies Support Hose” I was down for, but “The Bell of the Ball”? Oof.
Thank you Alec!
Surprised you did not mention Jeff Mermelstein. No Title Here is pure gold.
Nevertheless, great video!
There are plenty of others that could have been mentioned as well. I have no intention of making these videos comprehensive or encyclopedic.
another stellar installment
I can watch this everyday
Keep going alec, love this !
back again listening on my way to shooting
At 17:20 do you mean Harold Edgerton (the recreation by Cummings)? Fun coincidence, in my history of photo presentation during my Photo 1 class I show the Edgerton photo of the bullet going through the playing card and a student raises his hand and tells me that the card in the photo was his dad’s. Turns out his dad, who is a math teacher at the school, was a student at MIT under Doc Edgerton and helped with his experiments.
Ugh, yeah, brain fart
Smashed! ; )
I was waiting for some Jeff Mermelstein ☹
The fact that people get annoyed when I don't mention specific photographers is ridiculous.
🤣👉👏👏👏
The link is broken. Is the print sold out?
Yes, sale ended last Sunday. Thanks.
Hi Alec, a question , because there are not meny photobook where color and black and white photographs are mixed and if so what is the reason, thank you. ( forgive my english i write from spain)
Did you check out the "serendipity" by Vineet Vohra? To me, it qualifies as humor and comedy somewhat.
Feel like you should talk about helmut when talking about gender, good work!
Ed Panar- Animals that saw me comes to mind when I think of humor in photography
I had a few Panar books out, but didn't get to them. These videos would run for hours if I attempted to be comprehensive
best youtube show! What about the top of weirdest photobooks in your library?
I’d have to think about that.
Please turn this on a podcast
odd without the images, no?
@@AlecSothUA-cam maybe, but you can put a link to the images I guess. Just hearing you talk about photos is great as it is!
ASMR channel of the year. I'm always excited to see one of these newly posted, thank you so much, Alex!
I smashed that like button so hard I broke my screen.
Sorry who's this?