Master Photography:
Study the Masters of Photography
This is the begining of what will become its own site of resources from the masters of photography. I'm putting up putting a few of my favorites to begin with. Please let me know if you have suggestions for content, we're particularly interested in video or audio of masters talking about their work, or methods, giving classes, etc. ) Each of the masters contributed major advancements to photography and over the next few months we'll be cover them in detail. Let's start with...
Ansel Adams: "You don't take a photograph, you make it."
Listen to these great interviews with Ansel (real player is needed which you can download free)
Also watch this very informative multimedia presentation of Ansel from SFMOMA Ansel Adams at 100
Not to get too geeky right off the bat…but let’s talk about the Zone System developed by Ansel Adams and Fred Archer in 1941—a very important concept. Click on the link above and you’ll see that the spectrum goes from pure black (Zone 0) to pure white of the paper being printed on (Zone X). The idea is to cover most or all of these zones in your final print. Its use helps you to visualize the final photograph with a dynamic range of tones, which really “pops.”.jpg){kind=link}
However, more than just a tool for developing and printing (or your digital exposure and Photoshop,) it is a way to really see the light you are writing with, remember that’s the etymology of photo (light) graphy (writing.)
I suggest that you start spotting zones even while driving or walking—“that snow is zone X, the dark, dark shade is zone 0, there’s a zone VI!”
We’ll cover the Zone system in more detail, but like the cut out card for framing (see Photowalking if you haven’t yet) it’s a great tool to get used to and play with.
Henri Cartier Bresson
A brief video of this great photographer's work Another cool little video
An interview with Charlie Rose, it's long and better questions certainly could have been asked but worth a look (the begining with Richard Avedon is great)
Annie Leibovitz
A brief video with my fellow SFAI (San Francisco Art Institute) alum about how she moved into nature photography. Stay tuned folks, much more to follow...