Alec Soth, Technique

[Bill_1856]

I've just recently been exposed to the LF work of Alec Soth, although I've never actually seen any prints, only what's on the Web. The colors appear to be very unsaturated, and I wonder if they're just printed that way, or because they're (intentionally) overexposed and the highlights washed out.

[tim atherton]

I haven't seen any prints in person (Julian or Chris Jordan may have?), only magazine reproductions. The magazine work looks pretty close to what I see on his website - I think it's in part making a choice for a more natural look - using low saturation colour negative, and also chosing to photogrpah at the more "normal" times of the day, rather than just waiting for golden light at sunrise or sunset. That is to say, how things look most of the time. It's a different aesthetic than the "antelope canyon" velvia type of shot. It's very similar to aspects of work of others such as Shore, Sternfeld, Eggleston, Struth, Meyerowitz,Beahan/McPhe, Cooke etc - all the New Color/New Topographics photographers and those who follow on from them. It's an understated approach rather than an in your face type of one.

I note he has just been taken on by Magnum - an iteresting addition to their stable.

[Jerry Flynn]

I have seen some of the prints (I live in Minneapolis, Alec's home town) and can say the prints are the way you have seen them in reproduction.

The current show consists of 16X20 and larger prints.

[Darin Cozine]

In case anyone else was wondering, here is his website:

http://www.alecsoth.com/

[Jessica Blindt]

I've been lucky enough to have received a critique by Alec Soth before and viewed many many of his prints. All I have to say, is they are beautiful and he is a very nice fellow.

[dan otranto]

I emailed Mr Soth for the exact same question and he replied that the sleeping stuff is 8x10 and overexposed on portra NC but not altered digitally. I imagine he prints on kodak portra paper too or some other low contrast paper. All of the stuff outdoors at least seems to be photographed on overcast days. The bogota project was altered digitally however and desaturated. I think the sleeping work are the best looking color photographs Ive ever seen. Id also like to say he is an incredible photographer and has become one of my favorites-