HCB Appreciation

And I’m pretty sure Nikos was referring mostly to the image/subject matter first, which is why I think all the arguments that came back at him are just the usual stretches / defensive posturing you get whenever someone compares photography with other artforms (painting is usually the trigger).

Printing is my favourite part of the photographic process but give me a break.

Your comment about books comparing poorly with real prints interests me. I’m not arguing there is a right/wrong answer, but having “grown up” on good quality photo books of the work of photographers who were known to be into printing (and having become accustomed to these reproductions) I was disappointed when I finally saw these things live. Maybe disappointed is too strong a word for what I felt but anyway it was actually somewhat liberating.

snusmumriken said:

I had to back/track quite a long way, but I think all of this was because @nikos79 said “In photography you don’t create anything”, to which @MattKing replied (in effect) that if he did any printing (or alternative processes) he would know that this isn’t true.

Click to expand...

Milpool said:

And I’m pretty sure Nikos was referring mostly to the image/subject matter first, which is why I think all the arguments that came back at him are just the usual stretches / defensive posturing you get whenever someone compares photography with other artforms (painting is usually the trigger).

Printing is my favourite part of the photographic process but give me a break.

Your comment about books comparing poorly with real prints interests me. I’m not arguing there is a right/wrong answer, but having “grown up” on good quality photo books of the work of photographers who were known to be into printing (and having become accustomed to these reproductions) I was disappointed when I finally saw these things live. Maybe disappointed is too strong a word for what I felt but anyway it was actually somewhat liberating.

Click to expand...

I've seen & own some fine quality photo books. I have a friend who is an artist...& a poster/giclé reproduction (which she also sells @ $50 compared to multiple thousands for the original)....is a pale imitation of her painting.
The only real life comparison i have to offer. I have the book "The American Cowboy: A Portrait" (Jay Dusard's 1983 masterwork). It is a finely printed volume of beautiful LF portraits. I also have a silver gelatin print of the cover photo printed by Jay. They are both 'good' in their mediums....but the print viewed live has something you don't get from the book image.
As to your point about disappointment/liberation.....I also think there is a difference between seeing something (albeit in a book)....and seeing something for the very first time. The brain just processes them differently. After spending an entire day at the Louvre, a handful of things i'd never seen (Winged Victory for example), remain vividly, in my memory, while paintings like the Mona are just ticked off on the i've seen it" list

Milpool said:

And I’m pretty sure Nikos was referring mostly to the image/subject matter first, which is why I think all the arguments that came back at him are just the usual stretches / defensive posturing you get whenever someone compares photography with other artforms (painting is usually the trigger).

Printing is my favourite part of the photographic process but give me a break.

Your comment about books comparing poorly with real prints interests me. I’m not arguing there is a right/wrong answer, but having “grown up” on good quality photo books of the work of photographers who were known to be into printing (and having become accustomed to these reproductions) I was disappointed when I finally saw these things live. Maybe disappointed is too strong a word for what I felt but anyway it was actually somewhat liberating.

Click to expand...

My own experience of exhibitions is that some famous photographers were disappointing printers, but that the best prints of the best printers were stunningly beautiful. Top of the list for me were large platinum prints by Irving Penn.

Reproduction in books is worlds better nowadays than it was in HCBs day/my youth. I had a first (1952) edition of The Decisive Moment on loan when I was still a schoolboy, and compared with an exhibition of his photos in the 1960s, it seemed quite sooty and dull. Today, photobooks can be really satisfying. But they never have either the tonal range or the physical flatness of a print. And although you can typically spend more time with a book than you can in a gallery, you can’t really hang it on the wall and gaze at it.