RIP: Arnold Newman died today

[david b]

I loved his work.

PDN Link

 

[naturephoto1]

I loved his work.

PDN Link

That is too bad, he will always be remembered by me for his wonderful B&W portraits.

Rich

 

[lee]

I saw and heard him speak at the Houston Museum of Fine Art several years ago. He did a slide show and told stories about how he came to make those famous images. He was one of my influences when I was starting out. He will be missed.

lee\c

 

[SuzanneR]

I loved his work.

PDN Link

Agreed... he will be missed, and leaves an impressive body of work to remember him by.

 

[papagene]

This is indeed sad news. I loved his work and had the chance to see an exhibit of his prints at the Worcester Art Museum.

gene

 

[André E.C.]

A great loss, the master of available light!
Even when he used "tons" of light, the result always looked natural, that`s not at the reach of many.

André

 

[Curt]

I think Longfellow said it best in a "Psalm of Life";



Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time


He sure did leave some wonderful footprints for all to see.


Curt

 

[Robert Brummitt]

I met Mr. Newman during an Ansel Adams workshop. He had a strong influence on me as well. I will always remember him.
But his work will be with us forever and thats the best gift to photography.

 

[Early Riser]

A long time ago I had the privilege to assist Arnold Newman. It was an experience that greatly influenced my commitment to my work and my understanding of what it takes to be a photographer.

Arnold Newman was a true master of the portrait and many of the elements that we see and take as a given in contemporary portraiture are directly attributable to his style and vision. The body of work he leaves will inspire many, for many years to come.

 

[abeku]

His work has always been an inspiration for me, a great loss.

 

[Ed Sukach]

One of the Great Lights in photography has been extinguished.

A sad day.

 

[Thomassauerwein]

A great influence on me as well. He and Jeanloup Sief arew the reason for my addiction to photography. A sad day but his work and influence lives on.

 

[Rob Skeoch]

When I was in college in the 80's he was my favorite photographer... I think because his style meant you didn't have to haul lights around.
After I graduated I flew to NYC to spend an afternoon with him and show him my great college portraits. He was very kind with his time.
-Rob Skeoch

 

[Davec101]

He has had a great influence on my work, a truly great photographer. I would have loved to have met him.

 

[Jim Chinn]

When I first became interested in photography I went to the university library to see what books were on the shelf. Along with books with images by Adams, Weston and Kertesz was a compilation of Newman's work. I guess ever since then I always looked at all portraiture through the prism of his work and methods.

"Environmental portraiture" has been around for a long time but I guess he was the original master of the genre. The images of Igor Stravinsky sitting with his hand against his head, small compared to the black sillohuette of the open piano lid, and Piet Modrian standing next to his easel, a perfect reflection of his later work imeadiately came to mind upon hearing about his death.

Thousands have adopted his style and methods, meticulously try to copy his technical skill and have pushed the genre far enough that his work today is considered quite conservative and formal. But most of what we see today in contemporary portrait photography goes back to him.