BBC Photography Series--The Genius of Photography (incl. international broadcasts)

[celluloidpropaganda]

Just checked the Ovation site - they're running another marathon on Sunday the 25th, looks like.

 

[Steve Roberts]

I don't know about everyone else, but I thought last night's fifth episode was pretty lacklustre (no pun intended). I'm afraid that all the esoterics and pontificating, people "seeing themselves" when they look through the viewfinder, etc. is way over the top for my tastes. That Joel chap is far too intense about it all and Martin Parr's occasional inputs come as a welcome relief to me (although I know some won't agree with that). In my cynical, conservative way I found the item about the photographer's documenting of his alcoholic father's life a case of the King's New Clothes if ever there was one. So what does episode six hold? Surely some serious attention to Bailey, Lichfield and Snowdon is long overdue.
On a different note, there was a programme on one of the Beeb channels last Sunday in which Arthur Edwards set out to photograph the Queen using a Box Brownie. It was (inevitably) all a bit staged and contrived, but the down-to-earth words of Mr Edwards were quite refreshing to hear.

Have a good weekend,

Steve

 

[Paul.]

It was that lacklustre I fell asleep Steve. Too much pontificateing for my taste.
Regards Paul.

 

[pentaxuser]

Lacklustre. Yes that's the word I was looking for. Exacerbated by it being a bits and pieces programme. No real depth, unlike the others. Probably not that poor, just not up to the standard it has set itself up to now.

pentaxuser

 

[Monophoto]

The same series aired this week in the US on the digital channel OvationTV. In addition, they had a program on Photographers at Work, and a series on cinematography to round out the week. Each program has run at least twice so far, and some will air again tonight.

 

[Steve Smith]

I don't know about everyone else, but I thought last night's fifth episode was pretty lacklustre.

I don't mind that I missed it now!#


Steve.

 

[Confusion Circle]

Is there a torrent for this?

 

[SeamusARyan]

yes, just google it

I haven't posted a link because I think it's up to each individual if they want to find it, I'm not recommending or condemning the whole torrents thing one way or the other

 

[Andy K]

What the hell? I just switched on and caught the second half of the final programme in the series! It was on a day early!

Most interesting thing was Sally Mann using wet plate collodion.

 

[mikeg]

I think you're a week late Andy. Last night was the last repeat of the final programme. The first showing was last Thursday, so there's no more episodes.

Excellent series overall, I thought. My favourites were ep. 2 August Sander, and all of ep. 5 particularly Arbus, Goldin, Sherman, LorcaDiCorsa and the guy who took the Tulsa photos.

Mike

 

[Steve Roberts]

Excellent series overall, I thought. My favourites were ep. 2 August Sander, and all of ep. 5 particularly Arbus, Goldin, Sherman, LorcaDiCorsa and the guy who took the Tulsa photos.

Mike

I'd only go as far to call it an "OK" series - the first two episodes and the last one kept me interested, but I thought the series sagged in the middle with some over-long, slef-indulgent pieces. Of course it's all subjective and seemed to have been made with a view to flogging it to the US market. Three little-known British chaps called Bailey, Snowdon and Lichfield were completely short-changed.

Steve

 

[mikeg]

Talking of Bailey, Nick Robinson on his BBC blog (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/) reports this story:

"My favourite story of the week comes from the studios of David Bailey where the daddy of all photographers was taking pictures of the PM for the magazine GQ. "Do you ever use digital instead of film?" asked Brown's right hand woman Sue Nye. "Nah" drawled Bailey "digital's like socialism - it flattens everything out and makes everything the same". Bailey's laughter at his own joke was met, I'm told, by an explanation that that's not really what socialism was…"

Mike

 

[Andy K]

Talking of Bailey, Nick Robinson on his BBC blog (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/) reports this story:

"My favourite story of the week comes from the studios of David Bailey where the daddy of all photographers was taking pictures of the PM for the magazine GQ. "Do you ever use digital instead of film?" asked Brown's right hand woman Sue Nye. "Nah" drawled Bailey "digital's like socialism - it flattens everything out and makes everything the same". Bailey's laughter at his own joke was met, I'm told, by an explanation that that's not really what socialism was…"

Mike

Saw that too, gave me a smile. Would love to have seen the faces of Broon and his entourage!

 

[DaveOttawa]

On TVO (Ontario) 17 Jan

For those of us in the UK and anyone else who can receive BBC4 via satellite or cable, the BBC are running a six part series called 'The Genius of Photography'.

Details here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/01_january/17/bbcfour_ah.shtml (scroll down to bottom of page).

And here: http://www.walltowall.co.uk/catalogue_detail.aspx?w2wprogram=15

There is also a feature in this week's Amateur Photographer magazine.


Steve.

May have been posted in this thread before but in case not is on TVO starting Thursday, January 17 at 10:00 PM, 6 episodes.

 

[DaveOttawa]

The Genius of Photography on TVO 17th Jan

FYI:
"In the course of our 170 year relationship, photography has delighted us, served us, moved us, outraged us and occasionally disappointed us. But mainly, it has intrigued us by showing the secret strangeness that lies beneath the world of appearances. And that is photography's true genius.

Follow the story of photography in BBC Four's six-part series 'The Genius of Photography'. See some of the most famous photographs ever taken and find out more about what made them so very special."

On TVO starting Thursday, January 17 at 10:00 PM, 6 episodes.

Info here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/photography/genius/

 

[richard ide]

Really appreciate the heads up.

Thank you

 

[Doubrovsky]

Thank you

 

[Uncle Bill]

Thanks for the heads up! This look like a really cool doc.

 

[Brian Gatien]

Thanks Dave. In my calendar.
Brian

 

[Sportera]

I want to see more of this series! saw it on ovation tv in november, wish I could buy it!

 

[Mike Wilde]

heads up appreciated

I e-mailed this information to my local photo grpup, and one of those members e-mailed another group he leads. So far about 20-30 thanks e-mails from those heads up people - that I am passing back to the APUG team.

 

[Krockmitaine]

Thanks for the heads up.
I won't miss it!

Marc

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

The Genius of Photography starts Sun ABC2

Hi all,

From the ABC website -

"The Genius Of Photography is a landmark series exploring the key events and images that have marked the development of photography - it chronicles the journey from camera obscura to the digital image. At the heart of the series is a quest to understand what makes a truly great photograph. This new six-part series screens exclusively on ABC2.

Episode one, Fixing The Shadows tells the story of the beginnings of photography, the inventions, and how it became an integral part of the modern world. It describes the remarkable achievements of the pioneer photographers."

It starts on Sunday at 8.30 pm on ABC2

 

[munz6869]

Finally, a reason for ABC2 - hurrah!!

Marc

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

Yeah, pity the HDD recorder doesn't tune ABC2 though, so I don't have an easy way to record it.