Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 34

Thread: Where are Insane Genius Photographers?

  1. #1
    Tin Can's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    22,383

    Where are Insane Genius Photographers?

    This came to mind from the Van Gogh thread.

    Mr. Van Gogh clearly had 'issues'. Madness, insanity, drug abuse? Perhaps. Hit in the head as a kid? Genetics?

    But this is not about Vincent Van Gogh. It's about us and our photographer heroes.

    Some say Vivian Maier was 'crazy'. I doubt that. She was a prolific shooter, like Barry Winograd. Both oddballs, but not insane.

    Perhaps photography is too complicated and device orientated to allow madness to shine. We need to remain technically capable. Even with a cell phone.

    Or do we?

  2. #2
    Foamer
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    South Dakota
    Posts
    2,430

    Re: Where are Insane Genius Photographers?

    I like to take photos of trains at night, especially in winter during the worst winter weather the Northern Plains can dish out. A lot of people think I'm a little nuts.


    Kent in SD

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/968260...57666630589268
    In contento ed allegria
    Notte e di vogliam passar!

  3. #3
    Jim Jones's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Chillicothe Missouri USA
    Posts
    3,065

    Re: Where are Insane Genius Photographers?

    Edwin Land was a driven, but certainly not insane, inventor. George R. Laurence (http://robroy.dyndns.info/lawrence/mammoth.html) was also an inventor. Like Edison and John M Browning, he had modest schooling, but like them he had the vision of a genius.

  4. #4
    Jim Jones's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Chillicothe Missouri USA
    Posts
    3,065

    Re: Where are Insane Genius Photographers?

    Quote Originally Posted by Two23 View Post
    I like to take photos of trains at night, especially in winter during the worst winter weather the Northern Plains can dish out. A lot of people think I'm a little nuts.


    Kent in SD

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/968260...57666630589268
    Brrrr! Perhaps nuts, but an impressive series of photographs. Even the ghost of O. Winston Link should agree.

  5. #5
    bob carnie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Toronto, Ontario,
    Posts
    4,939

    Re: Where are Insane Genius Photographers?

    Quote Originally Posted by Two23 View Post
    I like to take photos of trains at night, especially in winter during the worst winter weather the Northern Plains can dish out. A lot of people think I'm a little nuts.


    Kent in SD

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/968260...57666630589268
    Hi Kent

    Impressive work.. have you ever heard of my father in law Al Paterson - he had an incredible collection of Steam and Modern Engines.

  6. #6
    Christopher Barrett's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    BERWYN, IL!
    Posts
    386

    Re: Where are Insane Genius Photographers?

    JP Witkin?

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    1,856

    Re: Where are Insane Genius Photographers?

    My point man for the years when I was starting was W Eugene Smith. Recently I've finally gotten around to reading his biography, and am learning how incredibly self-centered and driven he was. I'm not sure that he was actually crazy, but he certainly appears to have had some serious personality problems that both made relationships with other people often difficult, yet also drove his photography to a level that a more casual person might not have achieved.

    But then to counter that, I have also been reading bios of my current favorites, and many of them appear to be as smooth and mellow as could be, so I guess there are different possible paths to achievement.

    However, I do notice that too often fame falls on the obnoxious who are always intent on self-promoting and pushing themselves to the front, the fame happening in spite of not because of their work. I guess art is a lot like politics in that respect.

    It's all confusing.
    Thanks, but I'd rather just watch:
    Large format: http://flickr.com/michaeldarnton
    Mostly 35mm: http://flickr.com/mdarnton
    You want digital, color, etc?: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stradofear

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Jun 2001
    Location
    North of Chicago
    Posts
    1,756

    Re: Where are Insane Genius Photographers?

    Eadweard Muybridge? He wasn't exactly insane, but did suffer a traumatic brain injury in a stagecoach accident. He went on to have , you might say, an eventful life
    ____________________________________________

    Richard Wasserman

    https://www.rwasserman.com/

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    now in Tucson, AZ
    Posts
    3,617

    Re: Where are Insane Genius Photographers?

    Mad geniuses? W. Eugene Smith and Garry Winogrand come to mind. I won't mention some of the photographers I've worked with and for.

  10. #10
    Mark Sawyer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Stuck inside of Tucson with the Neverland Blues again...
    Posts
    6,268

    Re: Where are Insane Genius Photographers?

    Perhaps the Daguerreotypists, both old and modern? I hear they can be "mad as hatters"...
    "I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."

Similar Threads

  1. Persistent exp problem driving me insane.
    By RodinalDuchamp in forum Style & Technique
    Replies: 76
    Last Post: 23-Apr-2015, 06:56
  2. I must be insane, I started a blog
    By Darin Boville in forum On Photography
    Replies: 56
    Last Post: 1-Dec-2011, 07:19
  3. LF Aquarium Photography--insane?
    By Sylvester Graham in forum Style & Technique
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 2-Aug-2009, 11:57
  4. We MUST be insane!
    By Dorothy Blum Cooper in forum Cameras & Camera Accessories
    Replies: 19
    Last Post: 12-Dec-2006, 12:15
  5. Am I insane to reenter large format
    By Alois Lazecky in forum Cameras & Camera Accessories
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 18-Nov-2004, 08:13

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •