Robert Adams: Why People Photograph

Curt · Sep 9, 2007

I bought an Aperture book "Why People Photograph" by Robert Adams. If you have read this book, maybe you can share your reaction to it. For me it was the break that I needed. Sometime in the early hours I discovered that I am among the few people living that has a clear and unique insight into life, its trials, successes and failures, its exclusive and coherent manifestation of connectivity to art and nature that no man can possibly imagine. In a flash I have seen and simplified the lives of the top photographers of our time and distilled their lives into a grain of truth never before known.

All that I need to write my new book is a short bio. of each photographer and I will clarify their existence to the mass audience for all time. If you feel you have such a talent let us know about it.

Nicole · Sep 9, 2007

Hi Curt, would you care to explain a little further.

Tony Egan · Sep 9, 2007

Curt,
I first read this book about three months ago and have just started to read it again, this time making a few notes as I go. I thoroughly enjoyed the lucid and poetic writing and have adopted a few of his conclusions for myself e.g. people (I) photograph to "keep intact an affection for life". What a lovely, succinct way to put it. I found his homage to the disappearing "real" American West was in parts a little too sentimental but heartfelt and persuasive nonetheless.

I would say compulsory reading for anyone serious about photography.

photomc · Sep 9, 2007

Read this one years ago, and just started re-reading it again along with Beauty in Photography. Like Tony, these are two books that I would say should be compulsory reading for the serious photographer. Not a big fan of his photography (after White Churches of the Plains), but the guy writes really well.

Shawn Rahman · Sep 9, 2007

Curt said:
Sometime in the early hours I discovered that I am among the few people living that has a clear and unique insight into life, its trials, successes and failures, its exclusive and coherent manifestation of connectivity to art and nature that no man can possibly imagine. In a flash I have seen and simplified the lives of the top photographers of our time and distilled their lives into a grain of truth never before known.

Thank you. You are truly a gift to humanity.

Now what exactly did you mean by all of this? And what does this have to do with Adams' superb book?

Curt · Sep 9, 2007

"A part of what brought Strand to make the New England pictures as presumably psychological." "Those to whom I talked who knew him describe him as difficult-which suggests, as do his three marriages, that like most artists he was driven by inner and idiosyncratic burdens." "But of these we can know little in the absence of a major biography."

So let me speculate, assume and draw conclusions about people with little biographical or first hand contact with the individuals but from second hand comments and assumptions. This book is filled with speculation, assumptions and judgments.

Vaughn · Sep 9, 2007

hkr said:
Now what exactly did you mean by all of this? And what does this have to do with Adams' superb book?

I think it means Curt did not like the book and he saw this dislike as an opportunity to sharpen his satirical wit.

As a book discussing art and the reasons people make it, I find it quite acceptable to have the pages filled with speculations, assumptions and judgments. I certainly do not expect statistics, controlled experiments and exact measurements on the subject of art. The book needs to be judged by the quality of thought (and the quality of the writing) behind the speculations, assumptions and judgments. And Adams has done a fine job. One may not agree with all his speculations, assumptions and judgments, but to only read books one agrees 100% with sounds a bit boring.

Vaughn

doughowk · Sep 9, 2007

I agree with Adams in that, lacking writings by the photographer himself on his images, we can use those images to speculate on his motivations. Adams background in literature would make such a leap of insight obvious.

juan · Sep 10, 2007

When I become famous, just remember that my motivation in photography as a whole, and in any particular image, is simply because I like it.
juan

Vaughn · Sep 10, 2007

juan said:
When I become famous, just remember that my motivation in photography as a whole, and in any particular image, is simply because I like it.
juan

But that will leave future generations wondering why you liked it.

Vaughn

Roger Hicks · Sep 10, 2007

Vaughn said:
But that will leave future generations wondering why you liked it.

Vaughn

Why worry about posterity? What has it ever done for us?

Black Dog · Sep 10, 2007

About as much as the Romans...

mark · Sep 10, 2007

Black Dog said:
About as much as the Romans...

And the Chinese

The Moors

copake_ham · Sep 10, 2007

But did the "ancients" when they were "current" worry about posterity?

I doubt it.

I think the average Greek, Chinese, Moor, Roman, Egyptian, Jew etc. just went about life not planning on leaving anything for posterity.

It's just that they did; as will we....

rhphoto · Sep 10, 2007

Personally I think Robert Adams is one of our great contemporary landscape photographers. I've been up close to many of his prints and they are technically flawless and in the aggregate, a profound body of work. Anyone with his dedication to the medium and depth of experience I would at least give a listen to. Adams doesn't seem to wax sentimental in his photography, even if he might in his writing.

Vaughn · Sep 11, 2007

Roger Hicks said:
Why worry about posterity? What has it ever done for us?

When having dinner, I like to sit on my posterity...or is that posterior?

Vaughn

bjorke · Sep 11, 2007

copake_ham said:
I think the average Greek, Chinese, Moor, Roman, Egyptian, Jew etc. just went about life...

It's not the average people you have to worry about.

Thomas Jefferson to John Adams in 1813 said:
One of the questions... on which our parties took different sides was on the improvability of the human mind in science, in ethics, in government, etc. Those who advocated reformation of institutions pari passu with the progress of science maintained that no definite limits could be assigned to that progress. The enemies of reform, on the other hand, denied improvement and advocated steady adherence to the principles, practices and institutions of our fathers, which they represented as the consummation of wisdom and acme of excellence, beyond which the human mind could never advance... [They predicted that] freedom of inquiry... will produce nothing more worthy of transmission to posterity than the principles, institutions and systems of education received from their ancestors... [But we] possess... too much science not to see how much is still ahead of [us], unexplained and unexplored. [Our] own consciousness must place [us] as far before our ancestors as in the rear of our posterity.

copake_ham · Sep 11, 2007

bjorke said:
It's not the average people you have to worry about.

Ah, but we know as much, perhaps more, about the ancient peoples from the objects and handicrafts that they left behind than from the writings of their most learned classes.

Consider that the fire at the Library of Alexandria destroyed vast quantities of ancient knowledge. As a result, many of those who focused on recording their knowledge for posterity actually contributed less to it than a common artisan who molded a simple amphora that survived to the present day.

mammolo · Sep 11, 2007

Gosh, I do not feel I am up to the task of judging Robert Adams' writings. What I do know is that they have made me become a better photographer.

This cannot be said - and it is not an abrasive remark, but rather a plain statement of what happened to me - of the many essays that I have read over the years on photography, its aesthetic, composition, etc written by critics. I may enjoy reading them but they really did not help me better as a photographer.

If I have to list what helped me improve as a photographer I have to say (a) studying classical contemporary music, (b) looking at other photographers' work, and (c) a few crucial readings with those of Robert Adams' at the very top.

Personally I cannot think of a better sign of appreciation.

Cheers!

panastasia · Sep 11, 2007

copake_ham said:
But did the "ancients" when they were "current" worry about posterity?

I doubt it.

I think the average Greek, Chinese, Moor, Roman, Egyptian, Jew etc. just went about life not planning on leaving anything for posterity.

It's just that they did; as will we....

Those ancients that did in writing, many times, glossed and modified much that was true because they liked telling a good story (deception) - we can wonder about what was real. The Craftsmen didn't tell their secrets.

A news reporter tells his stories daily, and gives his perspective (analysis). What is that worth?

It's the uncertainty that makes life interesting.

eddym · Sep 11, 2007

That settles it!

copake_ham said:
As a result, many of those who focused on recording their knowledge for posterity actually contributed less to it than a common artisan who molded a simple amphora that survived to the present day.

I'm going to take a class in amphora-making!!

Robert Adams: Why People Photograph

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