Magnum

CMoore · May 10, 2016

I am not sure if there is another, single word, in the world of photography, that carries so much weight.
What are your thoughts about Magnum as an institution and its members.?
Is it important to you as a photographer...did you ever "Want to be a Magnum Photographer".?
Has it seen better days, or is it just as relevant as it always has been.?
How do you feel about somebody that can say....."I am a full member of Magnum".?

Ko.Fe. · May 10, 2016

On previous week I watched HCB documentary, ordered book of another one with photos from the past.
I also went to see the current work of the one of "original", it was at one private gallery in Toronto. He is not even shadow of himself in the past.
Magnum is not gone, yet, but it is done for some time already. In the modern media world it is irrelevant. Magnum was about providing something exclusive from somewhere special.
Now you could find it by yourself on YouTube, which you seems to like a lot.

chip j · May 10, 2016

Magnum is a Bore. It never carried much weight w/me, not like Walker Evans always has.

Poisson Du Jour · May 11, 2016

Syndicated photographers with Magnum earn serious motza, irrespective of whatever media they use (analogue, digital are represented). Australian Trent Parke has been with Magnum for many years now and earns enough to support his family and his many and varied travels.

Theo Sulphate · May 11, 2016

I respect the photographers who are part of Magnum and I admire their work.

As for the concept of Magnum itself, I'll be polite and say I don't care for it.

CMoore · May 11, 2016

What is it about the organization that you do not care for.?

blockend · May 11, 2016

The rationale behind Magnum was to offer photographers who were hitherto at the whims and fancy of picture editors, control over how their images were used. Nothing wrong with that aspiration. Since then it has become a kind of gold standard, a quality hallmark of the work that emerges under its aegis. Some of that affirmation is deserved, other work, less so. What we can say is being a Magnum member is proof that the photographer has made interesting work at some time during their career.

In my opinion the nature of the work is too broad to make any assumptions about it, other than membership will put at least one zero on the end of a Magnum member's fee and picture sale prices.

CropDusterMan · May 11, 2016

To me, Magnum is an agency of the highest calibre. From Capa and HCB, to the great photographers in the agency today,
their level of professionalism has never strayed from their original point of being.

Ai Print · May 12, 2016

CropDusterMan said:
To me, Magnum is an agency of the highest calibre. From Capa and HCB, to the great photographers in the agency today,
their level of professionalism has never strayed from their original point of being.

Current mess with McCurry not withstanding, I agree as they are the stalwarts in the industry and continue to be dynamic in staying relevant in the very much uncertain waters of professional creation of narrative and long term documentary work.

I am personal friends with at least 6 of them and 3 of them have mentored me for close to ten years. I don't desire joining Magnum, but I am counting on improving upon my work significantly enough in the coming years to be what many might consider a candidate.

CMoore · May 12, 2016

I do not know you, so have no reason to flatter you, but.....I find things "like that" impressive.
To know people that have achieved some type of "rank" within their profession is enjoyable. To be considered by them, to be among their ilk Would Be/Is a good feeling.
Again, I am not suggesting any kind of Grandstanding/Name Dropping/Ego Stroking etc etc. Just that an accomplished group of people would recognize "you" as one of their own, is a decent occurrence in ones life.
Regardless of what Magnum may bring you in the future, I think it has already cast a bit of a warm light on your short stay in This World.
Too often, it seems, that fame is equated with success and talent.

Ai Print · May 12, 2016

I am not even remotely suggesting they are considering me one of their own & I hardly think that any of them does as far as the collective goes. I am just saying I have gotten to know a few of them reasonably well and in the case of a couple in particular, well they are my check and balance system as to how I am doing in my work in the large scope of things.

I have long held the belief that if you are more than just a "serious photographer" in the enthusiast sense, usually a professional in every sense of the word, you absolutely have to have a means to stay calibrated to the very best work that has ever been produced, whether that work is from 5 minutes ago or 50 years ago.

It's not just about the elite air in how Magnum is often perceived or the obvious benefits one could utilize in the association in self promotion. It is also equally important to me to often refer to them in much of the dialogue I have in either my own mentoring of young photographers or people I may be in passing conversation with as to why....in an age where the photograph is now as common as the thoughtless spoken word, photography should remain important.

It's part self preservation and part having my deep respect for the monetary and social value of the power of photography to continue to shape, inform and inspire our kind just as much in the future as it has in the past.

CMoore · May 12, 2016

Yeah...I understand what you are saying, and was not trying to put words in your mouth.
Magnum is just one organization of many. Generally, they have a good reputation, it is great that you are familiar with a few of their members.
They are (right this minute) probably getting ready to give you some type of big award.

calebarchie · May 12, 2016

Magnum is pretty good, I like the caramel one best.

CropDusterMan · May 12, 2016

Ai Print said:
I am personal friends with at least 6 of them and 3 of them have mentored me for close to ten years. I don't desire joining Magnum, but I am counting on improving upon my work significantly enough in the coming years to be what many might consider a candidate.

Cool that you have some qualified people to help you with editing and direction, I'm lucky in that respect too. I keep in
touch with a lot of the photographers I assisted back in NY years ago...they've been great when it came to really learning
how to edit back then...one of the things Magnum (and any good agency for that matter) judges those on who send in their work
for consideration.

Ai Print · May 12, 2016

calebarchie said:
Magnum is pretty good, I like the caramel one best.

While on assignment in S.E. Asia for three months I was given the nickname "Magnum" by my writer.

Not because the photographs I were producing were of that caliber but that the ice-cream bars were fairly ubiquitous throughout the region and I was obviously addicted to them.

pbromaghin · May 12, 2016

Ai Print said:
While on assignment in S.E. Asia for three months I was given the nickname "Magnum" by my writer.

Not because the photographs I were producing were of that caliber but that the ice-cream bars were fairly ubiquitous throughout the region and I was obviously addicted to them.

No, no, no. You're suppose to tell people it's because you look like Tom Selleck.

calebarchie · May 12, 2016

Ai Print said:
While on assignment in S.E. Asia for three months I was given the nickname "Magnum" by my writer.

Not because the photographs I were producing were of that caliber but that the ice-cream bars were fairly ubiquitous throughout the region and I was obviously addicted to them.

Golden gaytime is fantastic, my favorite.

blockend · May 13, 2016

Ai Print said:
I am not even remotely suggesting they are considering me one of their own & I hardly think that any of them does as far as the collective goes. I am just saying I have gotten to know a few of them reasonably well and in the case of a couple in particular, well they are my check and balance system as to how I am doing in my work in the large scope of things.

I have long held the belief that if you are more than just a "serious photographer" in the enthusiast sense, usually a professional in every sense of the word, you absolutely have to have a means to stay calibrated to the very best work that has ever been produced, whether that work is from 5 minutes ago or 50 years ago.

It's not just about the elite air in how Magnum is often perceived or the obvious benefits one could utilize in the association in self promotion. It is also equally important to me to often refer to them in much of the dialogue I have in either my own mentoring of young photographers or people I may be in passing conversation with as to why....in an age where the photograph is now as common as the thoughtless spoken word, photography should remain important.

It's part self preservation and part having my deep respect for the monetary and social value of the power of photography to continue to shape, inform and inspire our kind just as much in the future as it has in the past.

The thing is, Magnum isn't based on traditional photojournalism in a professional sense any more, it's a broader art house, street, documentary agency. This isn't a criticism by the way, I think it's more genuinely reflective of what's out there in terms of high quality photography, but I don't think membership is an appropriate aspiration for most working pro's. In the case of Magnum photographers like Martin Parr or Trent Parke, their best work was personally driven and had no reference to "professional" photography in any meaningful sense, it was an entirely artistic enterprise.

As so often happens with contemporary artists, Parr's style was subsequently appreciated by commercial advertisers who wanted to borrow "the look" without any of the political underpinnings, and not unreasonably Martin Parr took the money for a while, but only to support his personal creative ambitions. That sensibility is more typical of modern Magnum than outstanding commercial photography, because there aren't many outlets left for such work, and the people who are successful at it don't need an agency like Magnum to bring in the cash.

calebarchie · May 14, 2016

please welcome the newest member of magnum...

Magnum

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