Do photographs lie? - The work of Jem Southam and Todd Hido
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- čas přidán 4. 05. 2024
- I'm uploading this as part of my University hand in for the documents and fiction module.
This may be of interest to some of you anyway, and take it with a pinch of salt. This is just my opinion after all.
Here I'm mainly exploring the works of Jem Southam and Todd Hido with their respective bodies of work "The Red River" and "A Road Divided" but I also touch on Stephen Shore, Paul Graham, Walker Evans and Robert Adams as well as a few others.
All photographs belong to their respective photographers mentioned in the captions.
Soundtrack by Will Foley - / wwillfoley
Pretentious boring images masquerading as art.
Valid as any opinion. Please elaborate on it Mr. Wigtwizzle! I'd also be interested in hearing your definition of what defines art.
They're not like the Disneyesque oversaturated/pgotographh into the sun/ super wide angle chocolate box landscapes that most people make and think is creative, simply mimicking bad art. No feeling, no soul, no individuality, no originality or uniqueness. It's very difficult to make an image with presence and emotions of the inner world, which it sounds like you have never been to.
You assume frontstandard that because I am critical I perhaps like chocolate box and sunsets and therefore this is my take on photographic art. No - Bill Brandt, Man Ray, Fan Ho, Phil Penman, Michael Kenna, Ernst Hass, Edward Weston, Cole Thompson etc. are more my style. As someone who went to art school in the 60s and worked as a professional graphic designer and photographer it appears to me that when in my opinion, boring images,by the likes of Robert Adams, Stephen Shore, John Gossage, Jen Southam, Richard Long, are regarded as art and something to aspire to then true photographic artistry, craftsmanship and a visceral emotional response to a great image will be lost. However, I do apologise to Todd Hido as I do regard his work as having merit and I did not mean to lump him in with my rant. As to images with presence and the emotions of an inner world whatever floats your boat I suppose. Kind regards.
Interesting debate. I'm not sure where I stand on this; I would never call the photographs I make 'art' but I believe photographs do belong in galleries, they have a language and as I mentioned they communicate ideas, as does art.
I've got lots to think about. Thank you for sharing your opinion Mr. Wigtwizzle.
photography is not an art anyway
I love photos like the ones you showed at the beginning of the video! thanks for sharing.
Well spoken. It would take me a lot of effort to compose a script like that, I appreciate being able to sit back and just listen to it with those wonderful images. Thank you.
That was just superb. Thought-provoking and introspective. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed! Got another on the hob sizzling away, keep your eyes peeled!
Bravo! This is what photography on CZcams needs more of, creative criticism and historical analysis. Excellent.
+1
Brilliant presentation thank you for time and effort to construct this narrative.
Let's hope whoever grades it at university feels the same! Thank you Peter!
"Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth."
Pablo Picasso
Absolutely. With the advent of digital cameras, light room and all the rest of post picture taking you can get a photo to tell you what ever you want.
Haven’t watched the video yet, but was attracted by the title. That said, shouldn’t the question be, “Should photographs lie?”
Glad the title is attractive. Possibly, that's an even harder question to answer - not that I believe I hit a definitive answer in this video, regarding the photographs I'm talking about anyway. I think the goal of this video was to open the question up to debate. But the nature of photography is that of a facade anyway, or a visage, it's 'of the world' but it isn't 'the world' unlike the chair I'm sitting on is. I could photograph this chair and the photograph would be littered with micro-decisions that made me photograph it in that way even if I intended it as a photographic document of that chair, it's completely impossible to remove decision making from photography, so I believe that my photograph would still be more akin to a personal anecdote of that chair. If you know what I mean? I think photographs can be 'intended documents' however they are still only visual gestures towards the contents of themselves probably with emotional weight, they find themselves attached to real life places, events or people. Should we make these? Yes.
If you haven't seen Jem Southam's lecture at "On Landscape" here on CZcams, I highly recommend watching, he actually breaks down this image you use in your video essay and discusses his idea of a "Clamour Of Voices" which I think you would would find really interesting in regards to your talk. Pleasure to have discovered your channel, cheers!
I'll definitely be checking this out! I wish I found this before as this would have been a perfect reference, thank you! A pleasure to have you on this channel sir!
Yes it's excellent and the plates he presents are simply stunning.
If you haven't read Tim Carpenter's book "To Photograph Is To Learn How To Die" it's a must.
This is a wonderful video, very thought provoking. I've only recently discovered Todd Hido's work, but Jim Southam was unknown to me. (I'm sure it's reciprocal). Fascinating, thank you so much for the effort you took to make this. Love your presentation style, quite quirky!
Thanks! I'm glad you got something new from this, Jem's work is outstandingly beautiful and he's able to document and hone in on real nuances within the British landscape. Truly one of the favourites! My pleasure, I just submitted it as part of a university module. Hoping to make many more!
Thank you so much for sharing the work of these two great photographers. ❤❤❤
That was very well done, very well said. Much to think about. Thank you
Thanks very interesting.
Brilliant Joe
Excellent, thank you! This will stay with me throughout the day.
Ahh brilliant news Stefan! Glad to hear you've enjoyed it - plenty more where this came from.
I’ve just discovered your channel I’m from Northern Spain I subscribed it’s very interesting for me as a large format analogue photographer
They'll be plenty of large format content coming up! Stick around!
Hi, been following Jem Southam for many years The Red River is my most favourite photo book.I would agree with you in that he is very overlooked and a very important photographer of the era. I also enjoyed your analysis. Best Wishes.
Thanks for your comment Geoff, someone recently commented that it might be getting re-published - wouldn't that be something! You'll be happy to know they're pushing Southam's work at Brighton University quite frequently. I remember the first time I came across his work through his Rockfalls. Absolutely changed the way I looked at the coast! Glad you enjoyed.
I'll be turning down the colour and contrast after watching this, thanks
Bleakness is beautiful!
🖤🤍amazing video, I enjoyed soundtracking it.
Will Foley on the Mbira next time
Where have you been? An actual cogent, intelligent presentation on photorgaphy.
Rambling about East Sussex, Ben! Making photographs and talking to people! Thank you for your comment, stick around for more!
Brilliant! Who was that quote at the end by please? I couldn't make out the name.
Glad you enjoyed - Abigail Solomon-Godeau!
@@joecharrington Thanks Joe
Wonderful discussion!
Great. Keep going.
Glad you enjoyed Roger, plenty more coming!
Great video. Good luck with the grades.
Photographs can never lie. The viewer can... 😊
Well maybe, I think photographs can carry insincere narratives that deceive the viewer, maybe they carry the photographers original intended narrative but that doesn't come through. Photographers can craft fantasy through the abstraction of reality and interpolation, and for that reason I believe their photographs can lie, and I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just not the truth. But then, is any photograph??
Lovely commentary
Thanks Joe 🤝
„Reality is thus no more …“ who's that citatation from? Solomon (…?) thx
Solomon-Godeau!
@@joecharrington Abigail Solomon-Godeau, okay, got it, thx Joe!
The ordinary world for ordinary people ❤
David Bate is a genius! Picked up his book "Photography" this year and it has some real nuggets of wisdom in there!
@@joecharrington will have to check it out!
Great video joe.
Great watch, very interesting
Thanks Mike glad you enjoyed 🤝
I do not get it?
What don't you get? I'm happy to explain my opinions :))
Well, I was just wondering whether is it a gradual progress of the photographic history, or something else?
Though, wonderfully done.
As far as the photography and lay: it doea NOT lay till the birth of Photoshop.
@@tomislavstanich9379 This is primarily a video on photography as documents and fictions using two photographs as a means for discussion - as it's for a university module I had to include a brief development of photography for context. Granted, I would have liked to have gone more in depth on this history of photography up until photoshop but this would warrant a whole video!
Cool, ... great.
@tomislavstanich9379 photography manipulation was a thing long before digital never mind photoshop.