seeing the change since weston shot it/there

[Mark Sawyer]

"Mark, as for "aquired taste" and such, that reminds me of a Saturday Night Live skit where a family had an aquired taste things like grossly sour milk or a chair that hurt the person sitting on it. What is the sense of that? I would rather follow (relatively speaking) in the footsteps of Arthur Fellig (Weegee the Magnificent) than 99% of the modern "master" photographers. Instead of pursuing the obscure and inscrutable, why not persue that which will make the viewer stand up with eyes open wide? "

Brian- Adams has published more than twenty books, has a long exhibition record in some very impressive galleries, etc. etc., and is considered by most in the photographic "art world" to be a noteworthy modern photographer. While you certainly have every right to ignore or argue against his work, at some point you should acknowledge that, or at least start to wonder if, while his work may hold nothing for you, it holds something real and significant for others who react honestly and positively to his work. We're not just gulping sour milk for comedic effect, (I hope... )

But WeeGee/Fellig was a great photographer too. By all means, let him open your eyes, inspire your work... but don't bog yourself down in frustrated attacks on what you don't like. While it's good to argue aesthetics and criticism, I think this is just a spot where we won't influence or educate each others' positions very much.

[Brian C. Miller]

Wow! You guys go all over the place, don't you? :-) Poor Robert Adams gets ignored completely, and the "argument" shifts over to paintings and even plays.

Paddy, I'm not suprised that Tolstoy didn't like Wassily Kadinsky. Autumn in Bavaria looks OK, but I don't care for his improvisations and compositions. If you like Kadinsky, perhaps you might also enjoy Schönberg's atonal 12-tone compositions.

Tim, isn't defending Robert Adams' work by bringing up Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus a bit far off the mark? I can't even see a straw man argument here.

Mark, are you confusing Robert Adams with Ansel Adams? If one wall was Robert's photos and the other wall was Ansel's, would you confuse the two? One favors the dramatic, the other favors the bland and banal. I haven't read Robert's books, but the titles and reviews look interesting. I'll see what the public library has in it.

[Mark Sawyer]

"Mark, are you confusing Robert Adams with Ansel Adams?"

Only when I drink Samuel Adams! Nope, I was writing about Robert Adams; he's quite prolific, but works less exactingly perfect than Ansel Adams. I like both their work.

I don't think of Robert Adams' imagery as "bland and banal," but more quiet and contemplative. AA's work often seems like it should be unveiled from behind a red velvet curtain with a clash of cymbals followed by a big "TAA-DAAA!!!" Weegee's high-society photos might deserve more of a rim-shot on the drums. For viewing RA's work, maybe something from "A Prairie Home Companion," which some also find bland and banal...

Robert Adams has a little book of photographs of cottonwood trees, called simply, "Cottonwoods." It's a good introduction to his work, and has an interview which covers what he's trying to do and thinking about in his own words. Very inexpensive at amazon.com, ($0.97, plus shipping). Worth the risk...

[Brian C. Miller]

Mark, I lived in St. Paul when Garrison Kiellor was the local public radio host (1980?). And during that time I worked on a truck farm which had a 1948 International Harvester tractor, which saw daily use. I did "bean walking," too. So when it comes to knowing some places that time forgot, I've met one or two! :-)

My view of "quiet and contemplative" would be like the Japanese Zen paintings. Or something that you can simply look at and know that its supposed to be quiet-like, like leaf and clouds. With RA, I don't know what the subject is supposed to be. There is no impact. They really look like somebody who has just picked up a camera, and is photographing things because its neat to photograph anything at all.