Steichen Reconsidered in All His Exposures

[darr]

Steichen Reconsidered in All His Exposures
By ALAN RIDING
Published: October 17, 2007

A retrospective at the Jeu de Paume in Paris, “Steichen: Lives in Photography,” is offering fresh occasion to measure his legacy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/17/arts/design/17stei.html?ex=1350360000&en=a437235ac47c56ab&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

[Walter Calahan]

Thanks.

[Dick Hilker]

Thanks -- I was especially interested in the comment that Steichen sought a painterly style in his photographs. A recurring observation about my own modest efforts is that they "look like paintings." This is something I've taken as a compliment, inasmuch as I'm not especially creative and, at least subconsciously, do try to emulate traditional artistic style. I wonder if it's because of my advanced age or because younger photographers are seeking new stylistic frontiers to conquer.

When I grew up I wanted to be a photographer and I'm still trying. Better hurry, though!

[Bruce Watson]

Thanks for posting. Steichen is one of the great photographic pioneers. That he had to work for a living, unlike Stieglitz apparently, makes his accomplishments all that more amazing. On top of that, his ability to remake himself, climb brand new learning curves, and become the best in the world again and again, well... what more can one say? A photographer's photographer.

[russyoung]

it is an ill informed review:
"He achieved Impressionist effects by blurring his lenses with petroleum jelly..."
when he used several types of soft focus lens as well as saliva running down the lens...there is no evidence whatsoever he used Vaseline...
Russ

[Scott Davis]

Steichen was using Pinkham & Smith Visual Quality lenses much like his mentor, F. Holland Day, did. Petroleum jelly was not a factor; as a matter of fact, as we all well know, nobody puts petroleum jelly directly on a lens itself anyway - if you must, you put it on a cheapie UV filter.

[Christopher Nisperos]

Steichen was using Pinkham & Smith Visual Quality lenses much like his mentor, F. Holland Day, did. Petroleum jelly was not a factor; as a matter of fact, as we all well know, nobody puts petroleum jelly directly on a lens itself anyway - if you must, you put it on a cheapie UV filter.

Unquestionably, Steichen contributed greatly to photography, but I have trouble being a huge fan. Hard to completely hate him though. Many good images come to mind —I particularly like the portrait of J.P. Morgan. However, alot of his earlier photography, dark and without details —indeed, quite "vaseliney"— gets on my nerves in spite of the b'zillions of dollars it now attracts. Obviously, don't look to me for reliable advice on what to collect! Yes, yes, I know: "aesthetic of the era", etc. etc. Sorry, I just can't get into it. Call it my problem, if you want. Must be. Afterall, everyone else likes it so much (or claims to)!

The irony of the current Paris show is that Family of Man has never been exhibited here. For France, that honor went to Toulouse, at Jean Dieuzaide's Galerie Chateau d'Eau, the first real photo gallery in France.

Tiniest bit off-thread, but—speaking of Dieuzaide, it should also be noted (and France to be scolded for) the following: Ansel Adams actually helped save the famous Arles festival from going bankrupt and —especially— helped put it on the cultural map (This, I have from two of the founders own mouths). In the eary 1970's, Dieuzaide and other founders of the festival thought that his attendace would give credibility and needed attention to the event. They pooled their money and paid for his airfare. The rest is history. In spite of this, the French Deputy Minister of Culture who in charge of the Arles festival (and who, ostensibly, got her job thanks to the same festival, if I understand correctly), has seemingly never deemed it useful or interesting to exhibit Adams in a goverment museum. Can you spell "n-grate"?

To be sure, I have seen a small Adams exhibition here. It was sponsored by Polaroid at a photo-galleryists convention.

Best,

Christopher
Paris

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..