Minor White

[philldresser]

Well I have heard Minor White mentioned on many occassions but have never actively sought out any of his work.

Today, an APUG member made reference to a particular image so I spent a little time trying to source some of his images on the web and at my local library. I only found a few images on the web which I liked immensly but found zero at the library. So can anyone point me to some good sources of his images or recommend books worthy of his work

Thanks

Phill

 

[steve]

The only book still in publication is "Rites and Passages" (I think). However, many books on Minor can be found used at Amazon and at photoeye.com.

 

[mikewhi]

The image also is on plate 134 in the book "Mirrors, Messages And Manifestations", but this one would be a lot harder to find and a lot more expensive. www.abe.com has copies of "The Eye That Shapes" in softback for $60. That's the cheapes that I've been able to find. It is a great book if you like Minor White's work. This image is not reproduced in Rites & Passages or Living Rememberance.

eBay, item #6912641727 is "Mirrors, Messages And Manifestations" currently at $79. It is without dustjacket and is listed as a First Edition, 1969. This book was also printed in 1982. It is must-have if you like his work and is a collector's item. The missing dust jacket would hurt it's re-sale value later but it is a good investment.

eBay item #6911644490 is "The Eye That Shapes", hardback 1st Ed. fine condition for a BIN of $150.

Good Luck.

-Mike

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I have _The Eye that Shapes_ in softcover and recommend it. If it's not at photoeye, try alibris.com.

 

[Stephen J. Collier]

Minor White helped to found Aperture Magazine and there is info on him in their 50th anniversary book. You might also want to go to http://www.aperture.org/ There are a fair amount of resources on him there.
Nancy Newhal, who wrote extensively on the photographers of Group f/64, wrote a book called "From Adams to Stieglitz: Pioneers of Modern Photography", in which she devotes chapters to various photographers of the early to mid-half of the 20th century. One of these chapters is dedicated to Minor White and outlines much of his career. I don't know where you looked on the web, but I know that Masters Of Photography has some good examples of his work. Well I hope this helped out.

 

[philldresser]

I don't know where you looked on the web, but I know that Masters Of Photography has some good examples of his work. Well I hope this helped out.

Stephen

Basically the Masters site was one of the few places where I could view images. I liked what I saw immensely and now will actively seek more of his work. I cant believe that I have missed him!. I have books by Ansel, Weston and various other icons, plus some modern day 'idols' but have not been exposed to Minor White.

I ordered the Rites of Passage book yesterday and will keep a look out for a copy of 'the eye'

Thanks

Phill

 

[Stephen J. Collier]

White

Minor White is one of the very under appriciated and overlooked photographers to come out of the straight photography movment. I have had a really hard time finding anything on him too.

 

[c6h6o3]

Minor White is one of the very under appriciated and overlooked photographers to come out of the straight photography movment. I have had a really hard time finding anything on him too.

Mirrors, Messages, Manifestations is a masterpiece. Get that one if you can. Much more comprehensive than Rites and Passages.

 

[roy]

I don't want to stir up anything here (!!) but I have it in my mind that the idea of the zone system was his but put into practice by Adams. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[PaulH]

I'll second c6's recommendation, it is a masterpiece. However, if you really get into Minor White, you will probably need all of the books.

Roy, I think it was Fred Archer and Ansel Adams who initiated the Zone System. Minor White wrote a little yellow book on the zone system that tried to bring it to another level, but was incomprehensible by most.

 

[c6h6o3]

I don't want to stir up anything here (!!) but I have it in my mind that the idea of the zone system was his but put into practice by Adams. Correct me if I am wrong.

"Minor wrote of our first meeting in Memorable Fancies:

Ansel met me at the train yesterday. This morning in his class at the California School of Fine Arts the whole muddled business of exposure and development fell into place. This afternoon I started teaching his Zone System. Ansel did not know it, but his gift of photographic craftsmanship was the celebration of a birthday."

- Ansel Adams An Autobiography, p. 318

 

[ChuckP]

No photographs but an interesting book is: Report: Minor White Workshops and A Dialogue Failed by Arnold Gassan. Maybe someone that actually attended one of his workshops will put up some comments.

 

[philldresser]

I ordered the yesterday and will keep a look out for a copy of 'the eye'

Recieved the Rites of Passage book this morning. I must say that most of the images are stunning. I love the abstracts, and will derive much pleasure from them. I find these abstract images inspirational and want to go shoot with my 5x4.

Phill

 

[Andy Tymon]

Minor white did a master class in the 70's at the college(derby college of higher education) I attended,although I wasn't there at that time. I asked the course leader what he remembered about the workshop and all he said he could remeber was that he had all the students up on the roof at the crack of dawn doing movement exercises to loosen up their creativity- I would have loved to have been there to see that.

Hey Phill, you might want to check out the work of photographers John Blakemore and Thomas joshua cooper(if you haven't already) as they all work within a similar tradition. I can highly reccomend a workshop with John he's a great teacher and one of these days I will get around to taking a workshop with TJC.

Andy