- Joined
- Oct 20, 2008
- Messages
- 151
- Format
- Large Format
THIS is a book you have to read. It is about fine art photography, its marketplace, workshops and in particular, its people. Its title is "Photo Hero, A Satire of Photography", something I am seriously thinking of having printed on my business cards (Photo Hero, that is). It is a novel, believe it or not, but clearly based on people, events and practices in the real photographic art world. It is also hysterically funny.
Written by George Covington, the fellow responsible for the photography for the blind movement in recent years (no, this is not a joke: most blind people are not totally blind and they very often find that photographs help them "see" far more than they could otherwise). George himself is 95% blind but will go over a photograph with relish and at length, also producing photographs of his own in no small numbers.
George has been in the fine art photographic world for years, has been a staff member in the US House and Senate and in the Bush (1) White House. He has also lived in New York, known a number of famous photographers and even Arnold Newman said that he learned a lot from George.
George has no concern for anyone's sacred cow and is also delightfully deranged.
I checked his book out of the local library (he happens to live in the same town as myself), read it in one sitting and immediately ordered a copy from Amazon.
Forget that new book on film processing or clever printing techniques you were about to buy. Admit it, you already know 99% of it anyway. What you REALLY need is a genuinely good laugh, not to mention a shocking insight into the fine art photography world.
From the photo magazine staff that reviews prospective portfolios in the nude to a lesbian biker gang that shows up unexpectedly at a photographic workshop venue, if nothing in this book makes you fall out of your chair laughing or gasp at the disgraceful goings-on in the photographic art world, call your local newspaper; you need to add your name to tomorrow's obituaries.
I have no pecuniary relationship with George Covington or his publisher, though I might be able to shame George into buying lunch once out of this. Do yourself a favor and buy his book. When you are finished with it you are certain to do what I am going to do: read it again!
David Kachel
(shoot me an email if you buy it or check it out of the library)
Written by George Covington, the fellow responsible for the photography for the blind movement in recent years (no, this is not a joke: most blind people are not totally blind and they very often find that photographs help them "see" far more than they could otherwise). George himself is 95% blind but will go over a photograph with relish and at length, also producing photographs of his own in no small numbers.
George has been in the fine art photographic world for years, has been a staff member in the US House and Senate and in the Bush (1) White House. He has also lived in New York, known a number of famous photographers and even Arnold Newman said that he learned a lot from George.
George has no concern for anyone's sacred cow and is also delightfully deranged.
I checked his book out of the local library (he happens to live in the same town as myself), read it in one sitting and immediately ordered a copy from Amazon.
Forget that new book on film processing or clever printing techniques you were about to buy. Admit it, you already know 99% of it anyway. What you REALLY need is a genuinely good laugh, not to mention a shocking insight into the fine art photography world.
From the photo magazine staff that reviews prospective portfolios in the nude to a lesbian biker gang that shows up unexpectedly at a photographic workshop venue, if nothing in this book makes you fall out of your chair laughing or gasp at the disgraceful goings-on in the photographic art world, call your local newspaper; you need to add your name to tomorrow's obituaries.
I have no pecuniary relationship with George Covington or his publisher, though I might be able to shame George into buying lunch once out of this. Do yourself a favor and buy his book. When you are finished with it you are certain to do what I am going to do: read it again!
David Kachel
(shoot me an email if you buy it or check it out of the library)
