Let me cut to the chase. If you can make it you should high tail over to Fotogafiska before these shows end on September 29^th (FYI, that also happens to be the day that the photographic museum shuts its doors at the Flatiron district address and looks for a new home). But more to the point, in my opinion, what really matters is the Vivian Maier exhibit! Simply stated, it is one of the most meaningful shows I’ve seen in a long, long time and capped off a summer full of terrific exhibits I was able to see!!

Things didn’t start out well. After being cooped up with Covid and post virus quarantining I needed to get out and quickly determined to go to New York before it was too late. So, last Monday I got up early, drove to Hamilton Station in New Jersey and caught the 8:33 train. It was a gorgeous day and I was feeling much better, so instead of taking the subway I decided to walk to Park Avenue South, only find that Fotografiska was closed … despite what their website and signage on the building entrance said!

#$%^#$%^&*(!?

After a little pounding on the glass door, someone came out and told me they were now closed on Mondays. Good to know.

#$%%^&$%^&*?

I was a little bit mad, so I turned around, walked back to Penn Station and caught the next train back to Jersey.

Not to be deterred, I called Fotografiska the next day and confirmed they would be opened the remainder of the week. So, on Wednesday, I repeated the drill. I got up early, drove to the Hamilton again, and caught the 8:33 train. It wasn’t gorgeous like Monday, but the walk was still nice and I arrived 15 minutes before the museum opened. When the doors opened I went to the front desk with a determined look, and to their credit the cost of my ticket was waived!

My main interest was to see the Vivian Maier show and as indicated above; it didn’t disappoint! The show was composed of self-portraits, wonderful street scenes of ordinary life … people interacting with each other and their environments, made during the Fifties and Sixties in New York and Chicago.  There were also a group of pictures made of children at play and several landscapes made in and around Paris, the beaches in New York and Chicago and several other locations. Also included in the show were images of portions of people’s bodies, such as hands and the back of heads, or hands holding things like a purse, a hat or a cigar. These fragments actually said quite a lot about the individuals they were attached to even though we don’t know anything else about them!  Finally, there were images that captured the street surface itself and artifacts found on it, along with some pictures of doorways and windowsills. The important thing was that Maier got close to all her subjects. That’s because: one, she was a great photographer, and two, she was limited to using the 80mm lens on her Rolleiflex 2.8F TLR.

The vast majority of the tastefully sized photos were black and white, but there were a handful of color images made with a Leica IIIc and a 90mm Elmar lens. Both cameras were on display at the show along with one of her signature hats! What is amazing is that these images were but a tiny sample of the more than 150,000 negatives Maier produced during her lifetime.  Everything I saw was incredibly powerful!  Perhaps the thing that illustrated just what an accomplished and empathetic photographer Maier was were her proof sheets on display, each of which contained a number of incredible pictures!!  Finally, if all of this wasn’t enough, there were the movies she made on the street later in her life.

Ann Morin, curator of this fabulous show, said the following about Maier … “She has the faculty to understand the extraordinary in ordinary life”.

All in all an incredible and memorable show of one of the great photographers of the last century!!!

Next up, the Bruce Gilden exhibit. Okay, I’ll be honest, after finally seeing Gilden’s work in the flesh I can confirm that it’s not my cup of tea. However, it may very well be yours!

The show was composed of very large black and white street scenes and color portraits. Perhaps the problem I’m having is how Gilden’s images are in such stark contrast to Vivian Maier’s pictures of people. To me, they simply lacked the sense of humanity and inner understanding of the human subject that Maier was able to extract and display in an empathetic manner. This having been said, Gilden’s work is visually powerful and I’m sure many find it very compelling.   I’m glad I had the chance to see it.

Stay well,

Michael

I apologize! Somehow, with all the shows I’ve seen this summer I forgot to write this one up! I was reading the Washington Post about a blockbuster impressionist show that just opened at the National Gallery of Art and someone commented on the Mary Cassatt exhibit that just closed in Philly.

Hmm, I went to that @#$%$!?

In July, I went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to see three exhibits … Mary Cassatt at Work, Transformations: American Photographs from the 1970s, and In the Right Place: Photographs by Barbara Crane, Melissa Shook, and Carol Taback.  This triple header, not to mention a wonderful bonus exhibit of Gee’s Bend Quilts alone justified the cost of my annual membership!!!

The main event was the Cassatt show. I’m a sucker for impressionist art and Mary Cassatt is one of my favorites! And I’ve always felt that you can learn a lot about light and composition from paintings … especially so with impressionist works.

To say that Cassatt was an incredibly creative woman would be an understatement, and both she and the work she created were at the forefront of social change. The exhibit included over 130 works of oil and pastel paintings, color prints, prints from black and white ink drawings and etchings, all made on a special printing press. A wonderfully diverse and exciting show to say the least! It travels next the de Young in San Francisco, so you can catch it if you’re on the west coast or to plan to be this fall!

After enjoying Mary Cassatt at Work I moved on to see Transformations: American Photographs from the 1970s. The very diverse exhibit, drawn from the Museum’s collection highlighted a fascinating decade in America’s recent history and a time when photographic art was changing rapidly. The show containing both black and white and color prints made from 35mm, medium format and large format negatives included images by Joel Meyerowitz, Robert Adams, William Wegman, Lee Friedlander and Lucas Samarus. Interesting enough, there were older images printed in the Seventies including Ansel Adams’ Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park, 1937 and Timothy H. O’Sullivan’s Shoshone Falls, Snake River, Idaho Territory, 1874 (printed by Chicago Albumen Works).

All in all a great exhibit that showcased just part of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s photographic collection!

Last up, Photographs by Barbara Crane, Melissa Shook, and Carol Taback. Following a theme, this all black and white exhibit showcased three photographic series, also made in the Seventies. The three series were made in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago, and all were vastly different from each other. I’ll admit I had never heard of these artists before, but I am glad I saw their work!

Barbara Chane’s pictures were taken in front of a doorway to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, all of people entering or leaving the building.  A very simple idea, yet powerful as it produced a body of work that created a real sense of place and time! Melissa Shook’s series was made up entirely of small square jewel-like self-portraits, head shots, nudes, etc. Again, a simple concept, yet effective, giving me an intimate understanding of this person at a particular time in her life.  Finally, Carol Taback’s series included collages made of multiple strips of small images captured in a commercial photo booth located in Philadelphia’s Woolworth’s department store. The pictures included nudes and individual and group portraits. While the vision was more complex, the concept was just as simple and effective as the other two series.

For me, this last exhibit served as a powerful example of what can be accomplished with a clear idea, highly focused vision and great execution. While the individual pictures were not necessarily blockbusters, each series stood as a powerful body of work with its own message. There was much to learn from this exhibit that could be applied to personal projects and I’m glad I was able to see it!

All in all a great outing, full of surprises!

Stay well,

Michael

Last Tuesday I felt fine until all of a sudden I started shivering just after I finished my monthly Monalog Zoom meeting.  I’m normally cold in my house and end up wearing sweatshirts or sweaters all year long. It’s either too cold because it’s freezing in the winter, or it’s too cold because my wife has the air on too high! But this was unusual. It lasted about two hours then all was well. I woke the next morning after a fitful night of sleep but felt pretty normal and good enough to make a trip visit a friend in Maryland.  He’s 81 years old, so just to be on the safe side, I decided to wear an N95 mask and sanitize my hands before I walked in the door. Good thing I did!  On the way home I had a few minor coughs … no big deal. When I got there and a few more coughs later, my loving wife told me I looked like #%^$*. She told me to take the test, and there it was … my second go round with Covid.

#$@$%^&*

Turns out it wasn’t as bad as the first time around, nevertheless by Friday I was getting ready to pull my hair out. What to do? Be creative!  While not 100% I decided to go into my darkroom and start to chip away at this year’s negatives. Great idea! Get ahead vs. my usual year-end printing ritual. I took things a little bit easier and continued working part of the day on Saturday and Sunday. A bit of a struggle but am very happy with the results!

So my week didn’t turn out exactly as planned, but once reasonably able I turned to my creative self and made the best of a bad situation. In fact, doing so was a good learning experience. There’s always time for creativity, even when things aren’t as you planned or hoped for. In fact, maybe these are the times for you to try to be creative!  Don’t stress it … just try something. What’s the alternative? Sitting around feeling sorry for yourself or watching the Gameshow Network all day?  Much better to do something, even if it’s just going over proof sheets to see if there are any gems you’ve missed.

I ended up working on some things that, who knows, may lead to a whole new creative avenue going forward, while at the same time thinking about and trying some new approaches to using my Focomats.

In a few days, things should be back to normal and I’ll be looking for time. I’d prefer not to be sick, but this time I used my downtime creatively … and well!

Stay well,

Michael

Several months ago I exchanged emails and a very nice phone call with a reader that was interested in my thoughts concerning the work of her late husband. While he was an accomplished photographer, she was finding it difficult for anyone to review and talk to about his life work. She told me that he spent endless hours in his darkroom to produce his black and white images, but was rarely interested in exhibiting, let alone selling his work. When he died suddenly and unexpectedly she was in a quandary about what to do. Now she was grappling with the intrinsic value of her late husband’s work.

This is a difficult issue if there was one! And as I have been thinking more and more about scheduling my visit to New York City to see the Vivien Maier exhibit before it closes I also began to think about my dialog with my reader. As photographers we all at some time think about the value of our work, be it monetary or intrinsic. For many this issue becomes consuming, especially as we get older.

The fact is that few of us will ever sell very much or get meaningful exhibits of our work. There are many reasons for this that go beyond the quality of the work. Most are oblivious to the realities of the art world and what’s necessary to overcome them, or simply refuse to try to do what is takes to overcome them. Many soldier on, frustrated and seeking affirmation of their work in some manner. Yet some do not seem to require this affirmation and Vivien Maier appears to be an example. During her life she made over 100,000 negatives and yet few knew she existed, that is until she passed away and her life’s work was discovered almost by accident.

I have met and known many photographers that require affirmation of their work through, sales, exhibition and other means. I also know many fine photographers that just don’t worry about it. Maybe they did before, but not now. This is where I am in my photographic life now, and to tell you the truth I feel so much better. I’m even starting to come to grips with what will or will not come of my negatives once I’m gone. What I care about, and what my reader was trying to deal with is the intrinsic value of the work … to us.  And that is what really matters isn’t it? For others, trying to determine the intrinsic value of our photography is a difficult thing. Not going to happen, and yet again, no affirmation.   But good work is good work, and good work that his personally meaningful is even better work! And that my friends can be very self-affirming.

Stay well,

Michael

A couple of weeks ago I took the train New York, then hopped on the subway to see the show, Paul McCartney 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm. What could I do … I’m a huge Beatles fan, so there was no doubt I would end up in Brooklyn! I had never been to the Brooklyn Museum of Art before and it couldn’t have been easier. The 2 Train left me off about fifty yards or so from the museum’s entrance. Nice, and once I had the logistics settled I walked a block or two and found a spot for a bagel and cream cheese. All good.

At the entrance to the show a quote from Sir Paul said “I’m not setting out to be seen as a master photographer, more an occasional photographer who happened to be at the right place at the right time. We were just wondering at the world, just excited about all these little things that were making up our lives.”  Well, there you have it. So the question is does famous make you good?

It turns out that in 2020 nearly one thousand photographs were “rediscovered” in Paul McCartney’s archive. All were taken with a Pentax 35mm camera he acquired in the fall of 1963. How do I know that? The signage on the wall said so, but what was really wonderful to see for all you gearheads (like me) was Paul’s camera in a glass enclosure, a well-worn black Pentax SV, sporting a 55mm f/2.0 Takumar lens. Yes, all of the pictures were made with one camera and one lens. Almost all the pictures were black and white, Tri-X being his film of choice. And how did I know that?  From the contact sheets on display, containing Paul’s markings!

Simple but incredibly effective!

None of the prints of the pictures he made of the other Beatles, George Martin and Brian Epstein, the many fans, the press, and the venues and streets in Paris, New York, Washington, DC and Miami made while touring were cropped. The pictures made in Miami were in color. All were either inkjet or chromogenic prints, the exception being four silver gelatin prints made in the darkroom.

The show was huge and also contained other photographs, including earlier ones of Paul’s family made by his brother Mike, as well as others by photographers such as the great Harry Benson. Included in the show was his famous 1964 picture of the Beatles having a pillow fight in their Paris hotel room.

So back to my question.  Does famous make you good?

In short, not in the case of Paul McCartney. He didn’t need to be a member of arguably the greatest rock and roll band ever to deserve a show in a topflight museum. In fact, I really think Paul could have had a pretty wonderful photographic career if that’s what he chose to do … but I’m sure glad he didn’t!

I don’t know if McCartney is a “genius”, but I do know he is an incredible and talented “creative”, who at age 82 shows no sign of slowing down. One of those that can do it all and do it all well. He’s a singer, songwriter, musician, author, painter … and yes a fine photographer! Frustrating for those that are prone to jealousy? Yes. Inspiring for those that aspire to be creative in their lives? Yes!

The Brooklyn show ended on August 18^th, but if you live in the US you can catch it in September through mid-January 2025 at the Portland Museum of Art and the De Young Museum in San Francisco beginning in March.

Stay well,

Michael

Despite the horrible drive, my trip to the Addison Gallery of American Art was well worth it! As wonderful as the Robert Frank and Todd Webb: Across America, 1955 show was, it was the sister show A Long Arc: Photography and the American South Since 1845 that turned out to be the real surprise! I’ll cut to the chase; it was a stunner!!!

Here is a partial list of the great photographers who’s images were represented in this tour de force of all things American South: William Henry Jackson, Louse Hine, Walker Evans, Dorthea Lange, Mike Disfarmer, Margaret Bourke-White, Emmet Gowin, Arthur Rothstein, Russell Lee, Edward Weston, Clarence John Laughlin, Eudora Welty, Louise Dahl-Wolf, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Marion Post Wolcott, Robert Frank, Lee Friedlander, Garry Winogrand, Danny Lyon, Leonard Freed, Gordon Parks, Elliott Erwitt, Bruce Davidson, Harry Benson, Diane Arbus, Burk Uzzle, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Sally Mann, Alex Webb, William Eggleston, William Christenberry, and Nicholas Nixon.

I think you get the picture … no pun intended!

There were Ambrotypes and Albumen prints, Cyanotypes, Platinum and Silver Gelatin prints, Chloride and Chromogenic prints, Chromolithographs and more. The vast majority of prints were black and white, but there were also a number of color prints as you might imagine. As we marched closer to the present time many of the prints of course got larger. But in the case of this show large print sizes were not masquerading mediocre work!

There are a number of reviews online so you can get much more analysis of this huge and diverse star studded show. But suffice to say it was one of the best shows I’ve seen in a while … and that says a lot! In a way I was glad to have a long ride home to think about all of it. The Robert Frank, Todd Webb exhibit way easily grasped, but several hours into my drive I still could not fully get my head wrapped around all I saw … and experienced.

Like the Robert Frank, Todd Webb show, A Long Arc: Photography and the American South Since 1845 closed at the Addison Gallery on July 31^st. I don’t know if it is currently showing, but I see it will open on October 5th at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia. I’ll be visiting my grandchildren there around that time. Maybe I’ll go see it again if they let me!

Stay well,

Michael

I recently read a terrific piece written by the great Dan Milnor entitled It Doesn’t Matter. You can check it out on his website at https://shifter.media/creative-it-doesnt-matter/.  In it he makes a persuasive argument that what really matters is the picture, not whether it was created by film or digital means, and those of us who think about or promote our work as film-based first are barking up the wrong tree.

Here is a portion of what Dan says and as much as I support film and all analogue processes I think he pretty much nails it.

“Speaking of today, all these years later, we still have people trying to sell us on their use of film. Let me be the first and last to say, “Nobody cares.” This is such an old, tired, dead story. The same can be said of those hyping the fact they made their photobook from iPhone images. There is NOTHING novel about this. NOTHING. If you are leading your conversation with your camera brand, or the fact you are using film, or that you are using an iPhone, you are screaming from the rooftops that you, my friend, are an amateur. (Nothing wrong with being an amateur but talking about this nonsense isn’t helping you.)

The vast majority, I’m talking 90% of all the film photography I see today, is subpar. Based more on the fact it was made on film than the light, timing and composition of the work itself. These essential building blocks of good photography often ignored entirely as the geeks orgy out over emulsion cliches. The vast majority of film work I see is static. Frozen. Derivative. …. Film photography has brought us the blizzard of mundane. However, before you go putting a nail in the coffin of film photography, there are exceptions to this rule. One of the best portrait photographers working in the celebrity space shoots film but you would never know it. He doesn’t talk about it. He just makes great work. He’s a professional. There are good photographers using film who focus on what matters; the work. Prosumers focus on materials. Pros focus on the take.”

Harsh? Yes. Accurate? Pretty much so.

I think the worst culprits are the technically perfect and/or extremely large black and white analog pictures. Both that are devoid of any heart and soul and are mediocre at best. I know this and so do you, and I can think of a number of photographers whose work falls in this category.

All the above having been said, does it mean black and white analog photography doesn’t matter anymore? Of course not!  It does matter for the many reasons I’ve discussed here over the years and continue to believe are true. Here are a few. The look and feel of the print that you can see into, the craft that goes into making it, the total effort it takes to produce great analog images in a world of digitalia gone mad.  Yes it matters!  But … what matters most is the picture itself. Is it meaningful to you? If not, it won’t be to anyone else who sees it. Does it speak to you? When you look at it does it make you smile, laugh or cry? Do you care about it? If not, well find another way to spend your time.

Think about it. I haven’t stopped since I read Dan’s piece.

Stay well,

Michael

I was lucky enough to take two of John Sexton’s workshops when I was much younger. Later, I would come down and visit with John when I had to be in Silicon Valley for business.  It goes without saying that John is a gifted photographer, but I can also tell you without hesitation that he’s a tremendous teacher and a lot of fun to be around. During one of the workshops John asked us if we would like to visit Ansel Adams’ home. Really? There I was standing on the hallowed ground in the holy temple that was his darkroom. And while I didn’t kneel down and kiss the floor, it was a profound and mind-altering experience I have never forgotten!!!!

While I haven’t seen John in some years we have stayed in touch and I always look forward to receiving his wonderfully informative newsletter. The above is apropos because the latest newsletter contains a marvelous and humorous essay chronicling John’s first day on the job as Ansel’s Technical Assistant. With John’s kind permission I am posting it here as I’m sure you will enjoy reading it as much as I have!  Thanks John!

If you would like to see John’s entire newsletter, you can do so here: http://www.johnsexton.com/newsletter07-2024.html Finally, if you would like to subscribe to John’s newsletter you can do it here: Subscribe to John’s Newsletter

MY FIRST DAY WORKING FOR ANSEL ADAMS 45 YEARS AGO!

It is hard for me to believe that 45 years have passed since one of the most significant changes in my life. This change involved leaving my home in Southern California, with my newlywed wife of two weeks, along with all our possessions to move to Monterey, California. The reason for this move was my employment status had changed.

On Monday, July 23, 1979, I started a new job as Ansel Adams’ Technical Assistant. I was both excited, and a bit nervous, when I pulled into Ansel and Virginia’s driveway that morning. I had no idea how our friendship and working relationship would evolve, and we had never discussed how long my tenure might be in this position. I could never have imagined the profound impact it would have on me as a photographer and on every aspect of my life. I certainly anticipated learning a great deal about the craft and aesthetics of photography, which I did, but I learned so much more.

In addition to his amazing talent as a photographer and printmaker, Ansel was a charismatic character. He was a dedicated, ethical, honest to a fault, and extremely hardworking. He strove for perfection in his photography and tolerated excellence. Ansel seamlessly combined his commitment for preserving the planet with his passion for photography. He used his photographic skills to convey his close relationship with, and respect for, the natural environment and the irreplaceable value of the wilderness experience. Ansel’s photographs came from his heart, and his mastery of photography came from a keen mind and decades of practice. These qualities together created a compelling legacy of images that still inspire legions of people today, more than 42 years after his passing.

My job included a variety of tasks, from putting out the trash on Thursday evenings to assisting Ansel on the largest printing project of his life, The Museum Set, and conducting technical research and testing for the revision of Ansel’s books, The Negative and The Print. Just over three months after I began working for Ansel full-time, I had the honor of assisting him when he made the official portraits of President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Mondale. We worked with both his 4×5″ view camera and the massive 20×24″ Polaroid camera.

In 1980, Ansel asked me to take over the directorship of his annual Yosemite workshops and to also be an instructor. This was a great honor, as my initial learning experience with Ansel was attending his 1973 workshop as a student—just seven years before and that experience had changed my life.

I am comfortable saying that Ansel and I had a wonderful friendship and working relationship. We spent countless hours together in the darkroom, and I had the opportunity to travel with him on many of his trips, helping with lectures, attending exhibitions, and assisting during book signings. At Brentano’s bookstore in New York City in September 1979 the line was so long it snaked around the block! A few weeks after I began, David Hume Kennerly’s iconic portrait of Ansel appeared on the cover of Time magazine—the only time a photographer has appeared on the cover of Time! His reputation then expanded to an even larger audience.

From time-to-time people have asked me what the qualifications were for being asked by Ansel to be his assistant. (I did NOT apply for the position!). Well, based on this Polaroid SX-70 it would appear that I satisfactorily met the following criteria:

– Beard
– Glasses
– Enjoy refreshing beverages (for medicinal purposed only!)
– Wear a bolo tie
– Wear a cowboy hat (borrowed for the photograph, but evidently that counts!)

(Sorry, this picture could not transfer from John’s newsletter. Please see the link above.  Michael Marks)

Ansel and John at Workshop Party in Yosemite
Photographer Unknown

Despite his fame, Ansel’s name and phone number were always listed in the phone book. Almost every day, a photographer would arrive at 5 p.m. with their portfolio nervously in hand, hoping to share it with Ansel and seek his honest comments. I remember the first time I visited Ansel at his home in September 1973. It was an amazing experience, and I tried to visit three or four times a year with new work as the years passed and our friendship grew.

Ansel was a wonderful and generous mentor. He had no secrets and loved to share and encourage others in their photography. He believed in my abilities as a teacher so much that he proposed I work a four-day week. If I worked five days a week, I would accumulate a week off every month. He wanted me to continue teaching my own workshop programs and those offered by the Friends of Photography, in addition to his own workshops.

One of the joys of the job was laughing and telling jokes with Ansel. Everyone who knew him well agrees that Ansel loved to laugh. It may have been a type of release valve for the intensity with which he approached his photography, environmental activism, writing, teaching, and many other things. Ansel often said his least favorite day of the week was Sunday–as he didn’t have anyone around to help him, so he couldn’t get as much done that day!

When I arrived at Ansel’s that first morning, I found a one-page letter on my desk outlining my new responsibilities. This humorous and cherished note served as my ‘job description.’ One excerpt reads, It will be a Godsend if things are put in their Right Places and so listed. I have all the “stock” to open a Flea Market!! The image was made as we gathered Ansel’s photographic equipment in preparation for our departure to his annual Yosemite Workshops, and might offer evidence to support his statement.

(Sorry, this picture could not transfer from John’s newsletter. Please see the link above. Michael Marks)

Packing for Ansel’s annual Yosemite Workshops
©John Sexton. All rights reserved.

After 45 years, I remain grateful for the wonderful experience I had serving as his assistant from 1979 until late 1982. When we decided it was time for me to go out on my own, and for Chris Rainier to take over as Photographic Assistant, Ansel proposed creating a new position for me as his Technical Consultant. Ansel and I continued to work on projects together, from time to time I processed film for him, and I tried to help him in every possible way while pursuing my own photography. I remained his consultant until he passed away April 22, 1984. Over the years, I have also served as Special Projects Consultant to The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust.

Reflecting on the experiences I’ve had since receiving the unexpected job offer from Ansel early in the morning of March 15, 1979, I realize how fortunate I have been. This opportunity, combined with the privilege of pursuing my own photographic career and teaching photography for over half a century, makes me feel incredibly lucky. As Ansel often said, The harder you work, the luckier you get!

Stay well,

Michael