Intimacy.
Intimacy.
Inner calm and peace. About 30 years ago Mr. Caponigro gave me one of his prints (Death Valley) in exchange for one of mine. I felt very honoured, much later I understood that his generous gesture was meant as an encouragement for me, to keep on working. It still gives me inspiration and tremendous moral support when I am involved with the art and craft of photography.
I now give the occasional print to youngsters who are at the beginning of their photographic path and I hope this will give them some direction into a lifelong love for photography.
Hans Berkhout
www.gelsilver.blogspot.ca
This is one of the most beautiful prints I have seen:
pair
but the other still life pictures are not so interesting.
my black and white photos of the Mendocino Coast: jonshiu.zenfolio.com
One of the things about Caponigro's work I find fascinating is watching his changes through the years. His more recent photographs seem more quiet and introspective; perhaps that comes with his stage in life...
His current body work also seems a bit more formulaic when seen as a whole, which is often seen as a negative for artists, but in his case, it seems more deliberate and conscious decision to work that way, and I can respect that. Sort of watching him work through the process of still life, working towards an end he hasn't quite yet achieved, but the steps along the way are thoughtful and beautiful, better than most ever attain.
I'm interested in the thought that his musical background has influenced his photography; he certainly isn't the only major photographer with this connection to music, and I wonder just how the grounding in one influences the art of the other, especially in the conception and composition of the image.
That he can suggest the ethereal or metaphysical in something so grounded in the sciences of chemistry, optics, and industrial technology as photography is captivating for me.
I respond to his work. Others do, but with a different response. And some do not respond strongly, or at all. It could just be my misperception, but this disparity in response seems fairly pronounced regarding his work, more than for most photographers'. Could be that I'm over-analizing, (I do that.) Or maybe Jorge is right- I'll go take a pill now...
"I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."
Sense of space.
Stillness...
Len Metcalf
Leonard Murray Metcalf BA Dip Ed MEd
Len's gallery lenmetcalf.com
Lens School
Lens Journal
Just as on might marvel at a singer's or musician's ability to hit a note, I am astounded by Paul Caponigro's ability to render tones magnificantly. The highlights are never harsh, and one can just see into the deepest shadows...
I generally like his photographs and admire his technical ability but I've never gotten all the metaphysical/art-speak stuff others say they see in his work. Which isn't a criticism of those who see it, I just don't. I also was kind of let-down when I leanred that his most famous photograph, the white running deer, was actually a set up situation. It probably shouldn't have an impact, a great photograph is a great photograph regardless of how it was obtained, but somehow knowing that those deer weren't really out there running in the wild does reduce the emotional impact of the photograph (to me, maybe not to others).
Brian Ellis
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
>I also was kind of let-down when I leanred that his most famous photograph, the white running deer, was actually a set up situation.
Where did you hear that story?
Reminds me of an exhibit I saw at the Detroit Institute of Arts recently...Scheeler was the name of the photographer, I believe. Reminicent because I have the same reaction to both photographers' respective works: fantastic print quality, but quite dull subject matter. I appreciate them because they help to stoke the desire to work with big film. In short: I don't see the artistry. Speaks to the subjectivity with respect to viewing art.
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