The night before last I went to watch my youngest sing at a do for a local beauty queen (not the lady on the left) in East Orange, New Jersey.To me it was significant – and rather sad, to be honest – that I was the only white face at that gathering. In my view the U.S. is definitely more divided on racial lines than the U.K.
Anyhow, now I’m down in Delray Beach, Florida to entertain with voice and gesture at the annual Early-to-Rise event. I think they’re also going to give me an award for staying out of jail for so long.
Meanwhile, back to the matter of photography. The other day Rupert Suren was very dismissive of Joanne Stowell’s work.
“What professional,” he asked, “cuts off the head of a subject?”
Over the years Rupert has given me quite a few laughs, as he has an fair old fund of knowledge and quite a way with words.
But to be honest Rupert I really don’t see much future for you as an expert on photography after that rather acerbic (that’s polite for bloody rude) statement.
You really are talking through your lens-cap. As Joanne said, using as an example one of the most famous photographs by one of the very best photographers of the last few decades:
“Someone should tell Helmut Newton he was not professional. Cutting Catherine Deneuve’s head and feet off………. I ask you!”
The fact is, there are scores of examples of such slices off life, as I’m sure Joanne will be delighted to demonstrate.
Hey Drayton
Hope you are enjoying Delray Beach. As I mentioned at the Lebanese restaurant in London, I used to live there years ago. So – I am rather envious of you. Just thought I'd let you know that 🙂
Best, Michael Leander
Hi Drayton
Another rather sad fact is that here in the UK I frequently find that I am the only blcak face in many crowds – professional and Social. Ypou are right that Amaerica still has many problems, but the UK still has much to do!
As for the comment on photography, a certain genius responsible for thousands of iconic jazz images for Blue Note – Reid Miles – always use to cut the head off his subject much to the annoyance of Francis Wolf.
You are right, Don. The difference is one of degree, and the depressing thing is that I fear things are not getting that much better. Mind you, they have changed. I still recall how shocked my parents were back in 1955 when I used to spend my time with a Ghanaian conga drummer called Bizi.
It was not my intention to be bloody rude about your photographer Joanne. I kicked off my comments by noting how gorgeous she was having had a look at her website which I thought was a fairly complimentary start.
I have been an admirer of Helmut Newton for years and have many of his books, calendars and diaries. He really is an incredible artist with the camera. However, not every genius is right all the time just as not every dolt is wrong all the time. The photograph of Catherine Deneuve frankly does no justice to his genius or her beauty. You can justify cutting off heads or feet if there is an artistic reason, perhaps concentrating on a beautiful bottom or lovely breasts (that’s you and I out), but to fairly consistently crop heads on portrait photographs is nether artistic or technically clever. Mind you, that’s only my opinion.
Newton’s book SUMO is an ode to a genius and is worth every penny as is his book White Women. I think that the only photographer whom I would put in the same class would be Andre de Dienes.
On a lower tier I would probably include Roy Stuart, Doris Kloster, Eric Kroll and Bunny Yeager. Perhaps behind them are John Dietrich and Christophe Mourthe and probably off at a tangent would be the brilliant Japanese ‘photographic’ artist Hajime Sorayama.
With the utmost respect, Joanne is not up with these guys yet but at least she is following a star.
P.S. I’m sure that the inspiration for the Virgin Atlantic TV ad came from Newton’s photograph ‘Sie kommen’ (taken in Paris in 1981).
I think I'll leave it to you and Joanne to fight this one out, Rupert. I am glad to note, through, that you share my taste in fetishistic photographers:-) I should say that the picture you think is her is actually of Sophie Viney, a composer who attended a EADIM, where you meet a better class of delegate. But Joanne is just as lovely – and very funny, too.
Drayton
Regarding these photographic portraits with the heads and legs missing. It is interesting that you are prepared to tolerate work with no legs and no evidence of thinking equipment. It's the exact opposite of your preferences in advertising.