Elliot Porter's B&W work at the Getty

[david b]

I will be in LA at the Getty on Sunday. Anyone else going to be around to see the Elliot Porter show?

 

[david b]

So no one is going or has been to this show?

 

[wildbill]

My wife mentioned it today so we may head down there on Sunday.
vinny

 

[Bill Mitchell]

Although technically perfect, IMO his B&W is even more boring than his color work.

 

[blaze-on]

My wife mentioned it today so we may head down there on Sunday.
vinny

I forgot...congrats on the nuptials Vinnie..!!

 

[david b]

well if anyone goes, I'll be the guy with long hair and a hasselblad.

 

[pharquarx]

I went today, always great to go to the Getty, I think, I feel, I believe that their photography presentations are always worth while. I have seen Cameron's work, Lange's work, and on and on there.

The Porter exhibits are spread out in four rooms, one presenting his bird work, one his black and white and two large rooms with his color work. An exhibit worth seeing, especially the color work that he is so well known for and, a photographer worth learning from. I still feel that his work, while dated is among the best, his photos are alive with detail across the entire print. I further feel that his work is only surpassed today in terms of originality by the likes of Muench and Dykinga.

I find it interesting to see the "fresh and contemporary" offerings of today are, many times, a regurgitation of the style of landscape and detail work that Porter was first to do extremely well in color. I offered to one such individual on one occassion that the individual's work reminded me of Eliot Porter. This individual responded as though insulted. I just got back from two weeks in Iceland and am currently working up my efforts. I would be very pleased if someone compared me to the master that Porter was. His work endures.

P.S. did not see any long haired, underfed, photographers toting a hassy today,

ctr

 

[david b]

Well, I went on Sunday afternoon from about 2:30 to 4:30pm. It was a very enjoyable show accept for the large, greasy nose prints that were left on some of the glass barriers, which inturn casted a shadow onto the images.
What kind of moron puts his nose onto the glass?

Anyway, it was a good show. It didn't knock my socks off but I was happy to see the work in person. The colors seemed to be "off".

I also grabbed a bunch of the show cards, which are several pages. If anyone would like one, PM me your mailing address and I will send them out in the middle of August when I get home again. I have about 10, I think.

I did see one person using a Hasselblad, and another well dress man using what looked like a couple of Mamiya 7 cameras with the 50 or 43 lens. Before I knew it, this person was gone. Oh well.

 

[tim atherton]

It was a very enjoyable show accept for the large, greasy nose prints that were left on some of the glass barriers, which inturn casted a shadow onto the images.
What kind of moron puts his nose onto the glass?

He he - who do you think? Analogue grain sniffers!

Who else wants to get that close other than the guys who spend all their time shooting USAF resolution charts

 

[blaze-on]

I saw the show yesterday and anyone who has not seen his color prints in person and who shoots color should see them. I disagree with david b as the color was IMHO, perfect. Very subtle yet authoritive use of color. No oversaturation skyscape sunset stuff. Great compositions make all the difference.

The dye subs have a depth that can not be duplicated by digital output, at least I haven't seen anything close.

Like most work seen only in books, publications or web, they pale when viewing the real deal.

The B&W's I thought subtle as far as contrast, yet they still emphasized compositional elements well.

A worthwhile show.

 

[Bill Mitchell]

The dye subs have a depth that can not be duplicated by digital output, at least I haven't seen anything close.

As an old-time Dye printer, I disagree. Anything that could be done with Dye printings can be done better (and a lot easier) with current digital printing techniques. The fact that most color photographs are printed to look like Velvia shots of Neon signs is not the fault of the medium.