| Author |
Message |
Tom Williams (Surrey,UK) (thomasw)
Intermediate Member
Username: thomasw
Post Number: 95
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 - 02:38 pm: |   |
As some my Leica chums will know, yesterday we had a very special guest poster. During such an enjoyable lunch that I got home at about 1:00am this morning I had a great idea and now I'd like to run it by you guys (and gals).
Firstly i'd like to to say "hi" to the two crazy numbsculls from the AOP who took up the offer I posted on here to join us. (You never know who is reading what you post!)
Back to the point...
My guest was quite taken with the site which I think came across in what he posted, so I put the idea to him that he get involved somehow. I thought it would be a great idea for him to participate in a live web chat through the forum. Perhaps an hour or two where you guys could talk directly to him about his legendary life experiences and extraordinary work.
In the first instance though and to see if there would be sufficient interest I suggested an interview where YOU put the questions and he will answer them. The complete transcript I will post on the forum.
So now over to you...
Post your questions on this thread or feel free to send them to the email address accessable from this site.
If this process proves successful then I'm sure he will be appearing here in the not too distant future.
Furthermore, as some of you know I work with great guys like this all the time, and if this works out really well, I'm certain that I will be able to persuade many other great photographers to spend time with us here.
I look forward to reading your questions.
Tom :0>
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Martin Street (martinuk)
Senior Member
Username: martinuk
Post Number: 216
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 - 02:53 pm: | |
Tom, this sounds fantastic, thank you for this opportunity. I will email you shortly once I've organised my thoughts. |
Steve Unsworth (Manchester, UK) (stunsworth)
Senior Member
Username: stunsworth
Post Number: 3679
Registered: 09-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 - 02:58 pm: | |
What brand of UV filter would Don recommend?
Only joking, the serious question is how does he feel the current control of war journalists - 'embedding' in particular - has affected the way the public see war? Now that the military has so much control is there any possibility of anyone returning to the type of photography he did in the 60s? If he had it all to do again, what - if anything - would he do differently?
Steve
|
pkn (plk)
Senior Member
Username: plk
Post Number: 1651
Registered: 07-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 - 04:46 pm: | |
does her shite stink? |
Ken Tanaka (ken_tanaka)
Senior Member
Username: ken_tanaka
Post Number: 313
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 - 05:48 pm: | |
I must have missed this "special guest", Tom. (Perhaps it was lost in the fog of all the current non-photographic noise.)
Can you point to the thread?
-Ken- |
Andy Barton [Chester] (tess)
Senior Member
Username: tess
Post Number: 3953
Registered: 09-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 - 06:04 pm: | |
Ken
http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/discus_e/messages/2/17 6065.html?1131115928
Read past the white noise
;-) |
Ken Tanaka (ken_tanaka)
Senior Member
Username: ken_tanaka
Post Number: 314
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 - 07:08 pm: | |
Thank you, Andy.
I gather that this unnamed "Don" is Don McCullin?
For examples:
http://www.tvcameramen.com/lounge/Don_McCullin.htm
http://www.hamiltonsgallery.com/photographers/mccu llin/mccullin.html
-Ken- |
Steve Unsworth (Manchester, UK) (stunsworth)
Senior Member
Username: stunsworth
Post Number: 3680
Registered: 09-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 - 07:21 pm: | |
Ken, that's the man.
The national photographic museum here in the UK at Bradford have his Nikon that, literally, stopped a bullet.
That second link has some superb photographs. He's someone that I've admired for many years.
Steve
|
Mitch Alland (malland)
Intermediate Member
Username: malland
Post Number: 99
Registered: 06-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 - 10:09 pm: | |
Sorry, but in view of all the nonsense threads and silly discussions on this forum -- caused by the inabibility of intelligent people to refrain from responding to someone who is either childish or pathological -- it's hard to take this Don McCullin thread seriously. If this is real, and McCullin is really interested, why doesn't he participate himself directly? It sure would raise the level of the discussion.
It's McCullin's book of landcapes photographs, _Open_Skies_, dark and brooding, that got me seriously interested in photography in 1990. Incidentally, I see that this book is now selling for £300; it was originally around £18.
--Mitch/Manila |
Tim Franklin (tim)
Senior Member
Username: tim
Post Number: 423
Registered: 01-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 - 11:23 pm: | |
IMHO the "interview" idea is probably the better option, as it allows the sadly inevitable noise to be filtered out beforehand.
I shall definitely try and dream up a question. |
Tom Williams (Surrey,UK) (thomasw)
Intermediate Member
Username: thomasw
Post Number: 96
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, November 06, 2005 - 03:01 am: | |
Exactly Tim,
It's precisely because of the noise and nonsense that would inevitably occur that I thought the interview would be a good first step.
Mitch, as I said "IF" the "interview" process is a success then DM would indeed participate himself.
However, and, I should have expected this really, one (great!) question an interview does not make...way to go guys...argue, debate and pontificate until the window of opportunity disappears...
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Bill Palmer (Surrey UK) (bill)
Senior Member
Username: bill
Post Number: 2778
Registered: 01-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, November 06, 2005 - 10:57 am: | |
Tom,
This is a great idea and an honour and I for one am delighted to be given the chance to put a question or two to Don. Watch your mailbox over the next day or two.
I suggest that anyone serious about this emails you their questions. If they are all posted here, there are those who I am sure will be unable to resist the temptation to comment upon them, and try to answer them themselves among other nonsense.
Having invented and organised the first One Challenge I know what it is like to organise anything through the medium of the Forum - a bit like herding cats...! There is so much "noise" on here these days that I'm not surprised - disappointed, but not surprised - by Mitch's cynicism.
All power to you for organising, and thanks to Don for agreeing to participate in this way.
Regards,
Bill |
Thorsten Overgaard, Denmark (overgaardcom)
Senior Member
Username: overgaardcom
Post Number: 2069
Registered: 06-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, November 06, 2005 - 11:47 am: | |
Agree with Bill. And have sent a few questions. |
Tom Williams (Surrey,UK) (thomasw)
Intermediate Member
Username: thomasw
Post Number: 98
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 08, 2005 - 05:37 pm: | |
Well! In the early hours of tomorrow morning Don McCullin and I fly off on our shoot. Obviously I have an opinion or two about the apathy and disregard for the opportunity I presented here for forum members to talk to one of the most interesting photographers in the world, but it's probably best to keep my own council.
I had hoped to put your questions to Don to help pass the journey and during down time on location and post the full transcript here, accompanied by some candids taken by me and, if possible, some of Don's shots from my campaign.
To the three (Steve, Thorsten and Martin) who did indeed show an interest and submit a question or two I apologise but there is no way that I am going to insult Don with such a disappointing turn out. I have my professional relationship and a growing genuine friendship to think of.
We return on the 18th.
To all you guys heading off to Amsterdam this weekend - have a really great time...maybe next year!
Tom :0> |
Thorsten Overgaard, Denmark (overgaardcom)
Senior Member
Username: overgaardcom
Post Number: 2074
Registered: 06-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 08, 2005 - 05:57 pm: | |
No problem. Have a good trip. |
Allan Brewer (abrewer)
Senior Member
Username: abrewer
Post Number: 2600
Registered: 01-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 08, 2005 - 08:45 pm: | |
Hi Tom.
I don't have a question...or at least none as thoughtful as the "embedding" question Steve asked.
If you could, though, would you pass along that at least one member (who was unfamiliar with his work before this opportunity) came away genuinely moved by the power of his photographs to express human angst and suffering. I sincerely hope he finds peace in his landscape work.
Thanks.
Allan |
NN (snapper)
Senior Member
Username: snapper
Post Number: 488
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 08, 2005 - 09:33 pm: | |
ok sorry for being late and thanks to you Tom and to Don for the contribution to the forum.
I just would like to ask him how he feels about the value of life and of his life in particular, how much he feels lucky or smart to have survived war and if he would do everything again.
sorry if this is not exactly a photographic question, but the profession Don chose is very dangerous and this makes me think about what people who choose very dangerous professions think about them when they stop.
thank you
otherwise, very good pictures and thanks for risking for everybody to see.
Giulio |
Ken Tanaka (ken_tanaka)
Senior Member
Username: ken_tanaka
Post Number: 318
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 08, 2005 - 09:37 pm: | |
While you're at it, Tom, add my name to Allan's.
Although I do follow the works of prominent photographers, living and not, I must admit that I did not have a clue who this "mystery guest" was. Only through the grace of Google was I able to figure it out. ("british photographer don"). Mr. McCullin's name and work were new to me, perhaps he's better known in Europe.
You interpret silence as apathy, probably mistakenly in most cases. The fact is that the planet's crawling with "legendary, award-winning photographers", particularly pj's. It would be unreasonable to assume that one would be immediately known to most people, even photo enthusiasts. The little bit of Mr. McCullin's work I've seen is interesting. No, I would not have specific questions for him but I would certainly find his reminiscences fascinating.
Actually, my greatest interest would be his recollection of following and shooting the Beatles. They remain my all-time favorite group and I have become somewhat of a buff on their history. It must have been quite a wild ride to follow them, although I suspect he may not have immediately realized just how big of a tiger was attached to that tail in his hands.
-Ken- |
Tim Franklin (tim)
Senior Member
Username: tim
Post Number: 436
Registered: 01-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 08, 2005 - 09:53 pm: | |
Sorry to hear of the poor reaction Tom. I guess its perhaps in part because Don must have been asked the same question so many times over the years, and it is genuinely difficult to think up something that isn't frankly insulting or trivial.
For better or worse though, here's mine: There has developed in the UK over the last year or two an aura of paranoia and suspicion towards photographers in many areas - both from among the public, some of whom seem to believe that anyone - or maybe that should be any man - with a camera in the vicinity of children is some kind of pervert, and this is coupled with harrasment of photographers by so-called security types.
Does Don have any views on this, and any suggestions on how photographers can combat this attitude before it becomes irreversible? |
Bill Palmer (Surrey UK) (bill)
Senior Member
Username: bill
Post Number: 2788
Registered: 01-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 08, 2005 - 10:12 pm: | |
Tom, my apologies to both you and Don. I had not realised that there was such a tight deadline.
Regards,
Bill |
Derek Stanton (derek_stanton)
Senior Member
Username: derek_stanton
Post Number: 408
Registered: 01-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 08, 2005 - 11:44 pm: | |
I'm sorry i didn't contribute a question. I was, however, extremely enthusiastic about the opportunity to read the interview/responses to the questions i assumed were being asked by other forum members.
My apologies. It wasn't due to apathy, though. I was kind of busy at the time, and just couldn't immediately come up with questions i thought were worthy of being posed to such an accomplished photographer. |
Andy Barton [Chester] (tess)
Senior Member
Username: tess
Post Number: 3970
Registered: 09-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 09, 2005 - 11:14 am: | |
I'm with Derek on this one. If this was a one off opportunity, then the questions needed to be pertinent and relevant.
Apathy was not involved. |
James Earley (jameslondon)
Senior Member
Username: jameslondon
Post Number: 1235
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 09, 2005 - 11:15 am: | |
Tom,
Please pass on my regards to Don - have been a fan for some time.
On the topic of a Q&A post firstly, the title of this thread doesn't help - unless you read every thread on here how would many people know of this opportunity?
I would suggest trying again - if Don is agreeable. Post a new thread inviting questions for him, with a set deadline, and take it from there.
I would be interested to hear his views on the morality of photographing wars, death and destruction and human suffering. How/why is this different to regular street photography where we are often seen as being intrusive and acting illegally. What are his tips/methods for getting the picture he wants in such situations.
Regards |
Mitch Alland (malland)
Advanced Member
Username: malland
Post Number: 101
Registered: 06-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, November 10, 2005 - 04:49 am: | |
Question for McCullin
I see that for his landscapes McCullin has used medium-format, which I understand that he has also used for his Africa book. However, I must say that I like the 35mm aesthetic: recently I saw two photographs taken of the same scene (landscape with water) taken using HP5 (maybe FP4) with a 6x7 and a 35mm camera -- I much preferred the 35mm version because the water had more "bite" and the 35mm picture had more "character". How does McCullin feel about the 35mm aesthetic vs medium format?
--Mitch/Manila |
