World's Greatest Photographer?

Tōrō

H
Tōrō

  • 4
  • 0
  • 29
Signs & fragments

A
Signs & fragments

  • 5
  • 0
  • 66
Summer corn, summer storm

D
Summer corn, summer storm

  • 2
  • 2
  • 62
Horizon, summer rain

D
Horizon, summer rain

  • 0
  • 0
  • 59

Recent Classifieds

Forum statistics

Threads
198,822
Messages
2,781,409
Members
99,718
Latest member
nesunoio
Recent bookmarks
0

warden

Subscriber
Joined
Jul 21, 2009
Messages
3,042
Location
Philadelphia
Format
Medium Format
I like Gossage too. His work reminds me of some work by Robert Adams who I also admire. I did some poking and found that Adams has written about Gossage, and the article is so on-point that it could be read as Adams writing about himself.

If you've captured Adams's attention, you are a good photographer. Below are two too long sentences from Adams about Gossage's classic book, The Pond:


"Though one grants innocence to everyone at certain stages in their lives, the sense one gets from the kind and placement of the trash around Gossage’s pond is that it wasn’t necessary to put it there, and the effect of doing so could not have been completely unanticipated; a few of the culprits may have been only willfully ignorant, but most were surely worse – those of us (I think we all do it, with varying degrees of indirection) who disfigure the landscape as a way of striking at life in general. It can be argued, justly, that society has helped people – particularly the poor – hate life, but the fact is that there is one extreme that is impermissible, not matter what the provocation, and that is a hate so unfocused that it takes in everything – the kind of wholesale detestation that is implied, for example, in the breaking of a tree for the pleasure of seeing it broken."

https://www.americansuburbx.com/2013/02/john-gossage-john-gossages-the-pond-1986.html
 
Last edited:

faberryman

Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
6,048
Location
Wherever
Format
Multi Format
I saw some interesting images, but wouldn't anoint Gossage the World's Greatest Photographer. I am not sure I would place that mantle on any individual. Nevertheless, we are each allowed to have our own personal heroes.
 

removedacct1

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2014
Messages
1,875
Location
97333
Format
Large Format
I saw some interesting images, but wouldn't anoint Gossage the World's Greatest Photographer. I am not sure I would place that mantle on any individual. Nevertheless, we are each allowed to have our own personal heroes.

Exactly: "greatest" is very subjective.
 

warden

Subscriber
Joined
Jul 21, 2009
Messages
3,042
Location
Philadelphia
Format
Medium Format
I saw some interesting images, but wouldn't anoint Gossage the World's Greatest Photographer. I am not sure I would place that mantle on any individual. Nevertheless, we are each allowed to have our own personal heroes.

I'd have a hard time even ranking an artist while they're still alive. perspective tends to come when the heart stops beating. ;-)
 

mark

Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
5,703
You mean like a well reasoned argument based on objective or subjective information, anecdotal evidence, or logic? We're not ancient Greece!

We have the internet now, and if you say something on the internet and enough people react to it, it becomes a truth. It's a lot simpler than the old ways.

You win
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
52,932
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
Michaelangelo didn't have a problem being rated.
But he is really, really dead!
I have no problem with you (chip j) finding Gossage's work inspiring.
If you are uncomfortable with trying to explain why, just drawing our attention to it is enough.
A mention or two about what you like, or what your favourite examples are, or even what you don't like are interesting, and worth posting.
Thanks for the reference.
 
OP
OP

chip j

Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2012
Messages
2,193
Location
NE Ohio
Format
35mm
I don't know how to upload images I like, and they have no titles.
 
OP
OP

chip j

Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2012
Messages
2,193
Location
NE Ohio
Format
35mm
His color work w/branches in the foreground I find awesome, as well as a lot of the architectural shots, in both b&w and color.
 

Eric Rose

Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2002
Messages
6,842
Location
T3A5V4
Format
Multi Format
Indeed thanks for sharing the link and what it is that attracts you to his photography. I'm always interested in why someone is drawn to a particular image or photographer.

Ignore those that poopoo anything they don't like or can't understand while not offering at least a trace of an intelligent reason.
 

Down Under

Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
1,086
Location
The universe
Format
Multi Format
Wow! Is this the "new"direction of Photrio for 2019?

If it is, then I'll do my part to keep the bar sufficiently low and nominate - myself. To be given an Honorary Word's Best Photographer Award. For having the good sense to not post photos...

:tongue::tongue::tongue::tongue::tongue::tongue::tongue::tongue::tongue::tongue:
 

otto.f

Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2017
Messages
350
Location
Netherlands
Format
Multi Format
I was always taught that if you can't say anything nice don't say anything... so I'm not saying anything
Well that won’t bring humanity any further and will even make it an endangered species (but that may be the best thing for Earth, who knows)
 

Sirius Glass

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
50,364
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format
I do not need a publication or trophy to know that I am the World's Greatest Photographer. I have always known it.
 

ic-racer

Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
Messages
16,546
Location
USA
Format
Multi Format
Just like the distinction between a Piano Player and a Synthesizer Player is established, I'd retain the word "Photographer" to denote film and photographic paper user. I'd use some other terms to denote iPhone, instagram and digicam users.
The best? If I mentioned who it was, I'd not be the only one the knows any more...
 

faberryman

Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
6,048
Location
Wherever
Format
Multi Format
Just like the distinction between a Piano Player and a Synthesizer Player is established, I'd retain the word "Photographer" to denote film and photographic paper user. I'd use some other terms to denote iPhone, instagram and digicam users.
Oh brother.
 

Helinophoto

Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2011
Messages
1,088
Location
Norway
Format
Multi Format
Hahahahahahahaha!

What a crock of <insert something>.
Bland, uninteresting, messy, I've seen better shots from people casually testing film.

As with Andreas Gursky's "Rein II", this is some of the things that really rubs me the wrong way in photography and art.

Crap, applauded by bumkissing idiots and sold as a commodity, for billionaires to hide their money from tax.
 
Last edited:
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.

PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:



Ilford ADOX Freestyle Photographic Stearman Press Weldon Color Lab Blue Moon Camera & Machine
Top Bottom