sean_reid Posted January 30, 2007 Share #1 Posted January 30, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) When "Arrivals and Departures", a monograph of airport pictures by Garry Winogrand, was first published I didn't pay a lot of attention. So many photography books made after the death of the photographer are rehashed collections of pictures previously published. When I realized that this book primarily contained unpublished work, I ordered it right away. It just arrived this morning...what a beautiful book...I certainly recommend it. Garry Winogrand was, in my mind, one of greatest photographers of the 20th century. With a background in painting, he exploited the possibilities inherent in photography as few ever have. Its always been clear to me, from his work, that Winogrand deeply understood the relationship between the pictures that he was making and the thousands of years of visual art that had come before them. Anyone who thinks that photography revolves around technically near-perfect lenses being used with low ISO films on tripods might want to look at this book and consider what a fantastic tool for expression the Leica M and RF lenses have always been and still are; making pictures that are expressive in smoothness and in roughness, in frozen hard edges and in blurred ones, in precise drawing or sketches and in all of their glowing, back-lit, blown highlights, blocked shadows, grainy, out of focus glory. In various articles for several years now I've talked about the way in which seeing through a rangefinder window, with it's infinite depth of field, can significantly change the way in which one sees and understands the subject visually. And the subject of a picture is always everything within its frame. Some aspects of the subject are primary and some are secondary but its all subject. A rangefinder provides a way of seeing which is so different from that of an SLR groundglass that, for some photographers, it can be essential to the work. No one, to my knowledge, has ever made better use of that way of seeing and working than Winogrand. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 30, 2007 Posted January 30, 2007 Hi sean_reid, Take a look here Arrivals and Departures. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Bill Sievers Posted January 30, 2007 Share #2 Posted January 30, 2007 Its a great book. He was a master. I wonder waht happened to all those unprocessed rolls. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
photolandscape Posted January 30, 2007 Share #3 Posted January 30, 2007 Amen to everything you say Sean. As a 22 year-old kid living in Austin in 1976-77, I had the great fortune to get to know Russell Lee, the great FSA photographer, and he in turn invited me to join him for lunch with Garry Winogrand (who was teaching at the U. of Texas) at the old El Rancho Mexican restaurant. I still remember Winogrand's wild hair, slightly wild-eyed look, and his sort of staccato way of speaking. He always had an M4 with him when I saw him, and if it still had 50% of its original paint left, I'd be surprised. It was a mere extension of his incredible mind. He was very stimulating and entertaining, too. Thanks for the reminder to check out his airport book. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted January 30, 2007 Author Share #4 Posted January 30, 2007 Hi Bill, To the best of my understanding, those rolls were all processed and contact printed (probably by Thomas Consilva, Winogrand's printer, and crew) and reviewed as John Szarkowski's "Figments From the Real World" was being prepared. To my knowledge, the negatives, contact prints and probably some work prints are all at the Center for Creative Photography in Arizona. Hi Steve, Lee Friedlander worked on the selections, apparently, which may one reason that such good choices were made. The camera was absolutely an extension of his eyes and mind. And what eyes and mind they were... Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. borger Posted January 30, 2007 Share #5 Posted January 30, 2007 I agree with you Sean ... this is a much underrated Winogrand book! My favourite after "1964" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
khanosu Posted January 30, 2007 Share #6 Posted January 30, 2007 Hi Sean, This is probably the only Winogrand's book in print that I do not own. I have been thinking about buying this one for some time; your post just gave me enough execuse, I am going to order it from Amazon at once Furrukh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
innerimager Posted January 30, 2007 Share #7 Posted January 30, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) thanks Sean. I'll be getting it soon.....Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott kirkpatrick Posted January 30, 2007 Share #8 Posted January 30, 2007 Thanks for the tip. I got one. Much easier than finding a black M8. I see that 1964, which only came out in 2002 is priced outa sight now, and even Figments from the Real World carries a hefty price. Is there about an 8 year cycle on these, after which they get republished and the price drops steadily until the last few are left? If so, I'll keep an eye out for "Man in the Crowd," which I don't have and would like to, although I suspect I know many of the pictures in it from retrospectives. scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. borger Posted January 30, 2007 Share #9 Posted January 30, 2007 Thanks for the tip. I got one. Much easier than finding a black M8. I see that 1964, which only came out in 2002 is priced outa sight now, and even Figments from the Real World carries a hefty price. Is there about an 8 year cycle on these, after which they get republished and the price drops steadily until the last few are left? If so, I'll keep an eye out for "Man in the Crowd," which I don't have and would like to, although I suspect I know many of the pictures in it from retrospectives. scott Scott or anybody else who likes Winogrand, For Figments of the Real World ............. try Buchhandlung Walther Koenig: Art Aesthetics Architecture Film Photography They have it very cheap at the moment .(Euro 24) ..... it hurts my feelings everytime i see the book for that price. 1964 is a real collector item ............. i payd Euro 200 for my copy last year, which actualy was a bargain I was assured the Winogrand trust does not want the book reprinted .... that explains the insane price! Kind regards Han Borger Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carstenw Posted January 30, 2007 Share #10 Posted January 30, 2007 Thanks for the tip, Han. Just ordered one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott kirkpatrick Posted January 30, 2007 Share #11 Posted January 30, 2007 Scott or anybody else who likes Winogrand, 1964 is a real collector item ............. i payd Euro 200 for my copy last year, which actualy was a bargain I was assured the Winogrand trust does not want the book reprinted .... that explains the insane price! Sean, or somebody who follows this world, how did "1964" get made and why is it not kosher with the estate? Now I am curious. scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrycioni Posted January 30, 2007 Share #12 Posted January 30, 2007 When I bought Arrivals and Departures a couple of years ago - the immediate thought was in a post 9/11 world this type of content would be next to impossible to do. I believe that fact alone makes the images/content that much more relavent in a changing world. I own all Garry's books including 1964 and Arrivals and Departures is my favorite. Sean, thank you, I will go have yet another look at Garry's fine work in this book. Speaking of fine work - although not a Leica shooter (Nikon), a local Vancouver photographer has an exhibition currently on at the Vancouver Art Gallery it is in my opinion outstanding. His name is Fred Herzog and his images from the streets of Vancouver starting in the Mid-50s are such a joy to look at. Fred's website is : Fred Herzog Photographic Art Best to all. Terry. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lode Posted January 31, 2007 Share #13 Posted January 31, 2007 Scott or anybody else who likes Winogrand, For Figments of the Real World ............. try Buchhandlung Walther Koenig: Art Aesthetics Architecture Film Photography They have it very cheap at the moment .(Euro 24) ..... it hurts my feelings everytime i see the book for that price. Thanks. I just ordered it, and Arrivals & Departures as well (Euro 40). Kind regards, Lode Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jager Posted January 31, 2007 Share #14 Posted January 31, 2007 Just a note for those who might not notice, the link to Walther Koenig above does not use secure sockets layer and so transmitting credit card information carries a slight bit of risk. The price is certainly terrific and if I can find another way to get payment to them (unfortunately, I don't speak German), I'd like to order a copy myself. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnelson Posted January 31, 2007 Share #15 Posted January 31, 2007 There's a run on these books on Amazon tonight. Mine's on the way. Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lode Posted January 31, 2007 Share #16 Posted January 31, 2007 Just a note for those who might not notice, the link to Walther Koenig above does not use secure sockets layer and so transmitting credit card information carries a slight bit of risk. The price is certainly terrific and if I can find another way to get payment to them (unfortunately, I don't speak German), I'd like to order a copy myself. Jeff Jeff, They accept transfer by bank after delivery. Apparently normal commercial behaviour does still exist! Lode Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted January 31, 2007 Author Share #17 Posted January 31, 2007 Thanks for the tip. I got one. Much easier than finding a black M8. I see that 1964, which only came out in 2002 is priced outa sight now, and even Figments from the Real World carries a hefty price. Is there about an 8 year cycle on these, after which they get republished and the price drops steadily until the last few are left? If so, I'll keep an eye out for "Man in the Crowd," which I don't have and would like to, although I suspect I know many of the pictures in it from retrospectives. scott Maybe I should write an article about monographs, a list of what's available now that people might want to grab while they can? Many of the best (in my mind) photo monographs have not been reprinted for a long time, if ever. For example, books like Strand's "Tir A Mhurain" and Evans' "Many Are Called" sold for very high prices but have been, almost miraculously, reprinted recently. I was shocked when I saw those two books reprinted. In general, I tend to prefer books that were made while the artist was alive and which he or she had an active role in creating. So, for Winogrand, this would include: The Animals (one of my favorites), Public Relations, Stock Photographs and the daringly honestly titled "Women Are Beautiful". So they don't always get reprinted on any regular cycle and my advise it to grab whatever books one wants before they go out of print and prices soar. A library of art books that are studied regularly can do far more for one's photography than a new lens, as you well know. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted January 31, 2007 Author Share #18 Posted January 31, 2007 When I bought Arrivals and Departures a couple of years ago - the immediate thought was in a post 9/11 world this type of content would be next to impossible to do. Hi Terry, I had the same thought and I'll bet you're right. Or...to do it, one would need to get official security clearance. For the mall project, it took me several months of negotiations to get official permission. I've also thought the same about the subway project I did in the early 1990s in NYC and Budapest. What I did is now illegal in NYC, I believe. That said, while the content itself is interesting, the most beautiful thing about Winogrand's work (to my eyes) is the way that man could turn subject matter into pictures. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokysun Posted January 31, 2007 Share #19 Posted January 31, 2007 hi sean, well, i have seen gary winogrand almost in the flesh twice this past week. the university library had a bill moyers dvd, half an hour, contrasting the styles and attitudes of emmet gowan and winogrand. this includes video interviewing of both, including walking the streets of la while gary is shooting and talking. i've done a couple of searches but haven't found it anywhere else. WNET boston, 1982, made by a company called nexus, bill moyers hosting. it would be a gem for any wingrand fan. for one thing, he shoots very offhandedly, lots of pics, waves the camera a bit like a wand. and you see him loading dozens of undeveloped rolls into a drawer which he locks! i've read he had something like 60,000 undeveloped pics when he died. my question: if he shot 10,000 in airports, what are the odds of getting some good ones. you see him in the video going through the contacts of 2000 he shot in la for a show, and that many more undeveloped. his eye was for what worked from that mass, don't you think? personally, obsession seems to be the key to any fine artist. wayne Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjmcsu Posted January 31, 2007 Share #20 Posted January 31, 2007 I have ordered also but reminds me of another title I wanted my daughter to purchase for me in MADRID, but couldn't make the time to find it.I tried to find it here in US but no luck other than Abes books @ 100 dollars plus used.The store does not have a good reputation so I am reluctant to order from them. Any one have a lead please let me know & thanks in advance,(I did find it in Madrid @ Corte Ingles(Madrid) & may try to order from there if I can't find it here."Garry Winogrand. El juego de la fotografía" As an addendum received a call today for an M8 on order since October-I asked for first one in & it's black. Will pick up in the afternoon. Next up a few lenses.I've read extensively over the past few months & thanks to all for the information.Now another decision! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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