Comments on: Meyerowitz on the World Trade Center Archive http://2point8.whileseated.org/2006/10/16/meyerowitz-on-the/ A wide-open view of the practice of street photography by Michael David Murphy, While Seated. Thu, 17 May 2012 10:22:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: admin http://2point8.whileseated.org/2006/10/16/meyerowitz-on-the/comment-page-1/#comment-1921 admin Sat, 21 Oct 2006 02:33:37 +0000 http://2point8.whileseated.org/?p=88#comment-1921 Cary - I was going to mention the lack of sharpness in many of the images in the book. I figured it was a printing problem, too. I mean, if you go to the trouble of shooting large format, don't you want your main subject to be in focus? Cary - I was going to mention the lack of sharpness in many of the images in the book. I figured it was a printing problem, too. I mean, if you go to the trouble of shooting large format, don’t you want your main subject to be in focus?

]]> By: Cary http://2point8.whileseated.org/2006/10/16/meyerowitz-on-the/comment-page-1/#comment-1902 Cary Thu, 19 Oct 2006 16:27:18 +0000 http://2point8.whileseated.org/?p=88#comment-1902 Nice comment Stephen. I appreciate Joel Meyerowitz a great deal. I've heard him speak on a few occasions and agree that he's a highly articulate individual. I saw his "Looking South" show right after 9/11 and was sure not to miss his "The City Resilient" large format prints when they were displayed at 195 Broadway, a block from Ground Zero. The effect of seeing prints displayed so large was indescribable. That experience rattled around in my head for weeks. It really stitched into my brain the scale of the destruction. So I was very anxious to see his book of said photographs. Several weeks ago I noticed it in a window display at McNally Robinson on Prince Street and went in to take a look. In all honesty, I was disappointed that I was disappointed by it. On countless occasions, looking at a picture, I felt myself wondering, "Didn't I just see this photo 25-50 pages back?" More than that I felt the images lacked sharpness, as if the printing was off, because I was so prepared to see crystal clear detail. It seemed a lot of the full-page shots were shot on 35mm film at wide open apertures. I could be comparing apples and oranges (the exhibit vs. the book) and I'll definitely give it another look next time I see it. I've heard him talk of the importance of looking at "humble, evidentiary work," a term that really stuck with me, and I applaud his efforts to take on this task--I think it was right up his alley. Still, I felt the book was edited poorly, very much underedited--in particular when it came to pictures taken ON the pile. I wonder what a similar attempt might have looked like were it taken up by Robert Polidori. Perhaps what I'm yearning to see is a compilation of pictures taken before 9/11. I was at the foot of the towers a handful of times, and on top of them only once, but I remembered kicking myself for not taking more pictures of the Austin Tobin plaza below. Nice comment Stephen. I appreciate Joel Meyerowitz a great deal. I’ve heard him speak on a few occasions and agree that he’s a highly articulate individual. I saw his “Looking South” show right after 9/11 and was sure not to miss his “The City Resilient” large format prints when they were displayed at 195 Broadway, a block from Ground Zero. The effect of seeing prints displayed so large was indescribable. That experience rattled around in my head for weeks. It really stitched into my brain the scale of the destruction.

So I was very anxious to see his book of said photographs. Several weeks ago I noticed it in a window display at McNally Robinson on Prince Street and went in to take a look. In all honesty, I was disappointed that I was disappointed by it. On countless occasions, looking at a picture, I felt myself wondering, “Didn’t I just see this photo 25-50 pages back?” More than that I felt the images lacked sharpness, as if the printing was off, because I was so prepared to see crystal clear detail. It seemed a lot of the full-page shots were shot on 35mm film at wide open apertures.

I could be comparing apples and oranges (the exhibit vs. the book) and I’ll definitely give it another look next time I see it. I’ve heard him talk of the importance of looking at “humble, evidentiary work,” a term that really stuck with me, and I applaud his efforts to take on this task–I think it was right up his alley. Still, I felt the book was edited poorly, very much underedited–in particular when it came to pictures taken ON the pile. I wonder what a similar attempt might have looked like were it taken up by Robert Polidori. Perhaps what I’m yearning to see is a compilation of pictures taken before 9/11. I was at the foot of the towers a handful of times, and on top of them only once, but I remembered kicking myself for not taking more pictures of the Austin Tobin plaza below.

]]> By: stephen http://2point8.whileseated.org/2006/10/16/meyerowitz-on-the/comment-page-1/#comment-1873 stephen Tue, 17 Oct 2006 20:49:16 +0000 http://2point8.whileseated.org/?p=88#comment-1873 This is indeed a great talk; I saw him when he came to DC. At the dicussion I attended, also in reference to how this project fits in with the rest of his career, he discussed how both his getting older and his appreciation for photographic archives led to his feeling compelled to do work with a social and historical function, and how different this was from all of his previous work. He talked of needing to minimize the self in this project as much as possible, a very different approach for someone with a career in art rather than editiorial photography. He said he'd like to do more work with this kind of practical social utility. A very interesting discussion, and apart from being highly thoughtful and articulate, he's also pretty entertaining. Thanks for your comments on this. This is indeed a great talk; I saw him when he came to DC. At the dicussion I attended, also in reference to how this project fits in with the rest of his career, he discussed how both his getting older and his appreciation for photographic archives led to his feeling compelled to do work with a social and historical function, and how different this was from all of his previous work. He talked of needing to minimize the self in this project as much as possible, a very different approach for someone with a career in art rather than editiorial photography. He said he’d like to do more work with this kind of practical social utility.

A very interesting discussion, and apart from being highly thoughtful and articulate, he’s also pretty entertaining.

Thanks for your comments on this.

]]> By: Juan Buhler http://2point8.whileseated.org/2006/10/16/meyerowitz-on-the/comment-page-1/#comment-1861 Juan Buhler Tue, 17 Oct 2006 07:14:42 +0000 http://2point8.whileseated.org/?p=88#comment-1861 Hmm. I was there too. We need some kind of photoblogger pin, or something to recognize each other. It would have been great to say hi. Hmm. I was there too. We need some kind of photoblogger pin, or something to recognize each other. It would have been great to say hi.

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