Photography lecturer and publisher Eileen Rafferty describes the art movements of photography through the first photographs in the 1830's to the present day. This neglected part of the history/art of photography is quite fascinating, especially for those whose only experience is modern-day digital era. You can't see where you're going until you know where you've been.
A very interesting talk on a neglected subject. - RJ.
The work of Alfred Stieglitz, whose work spanned the 19th to the mid-20th centuries, was instrumental in developing in America the notion of photography as art. Stieglitz pioneered the genre that would become known as "street photography", finding his way around the technical problems surrounding taking pictures in low light, poor weather, and other conditions/problems outside the strict confines of studio photography.
(7/22/13) Update: Well this is embarrassing, another video taken down. Didn't think this one was a problem, isn't PBS the Public Broadcasting Service? Oh well, not to worry, you can still see the video on YouTube here. Enjoy and learn. -RJ.
This guy from DigitalRev TV is so annoying, funny, and informative all at the same time. Most of these tips are appropriate for street photography, but many are useful in general. You can follow these guys on YouTube -- just search for the DigitalRev TV channel. - RJ.
This recording of a fragment of David Foster Wallace's commencement address at Kenyon College in 2005 best sums up what I aspire to do in much of my photography. The world is filled now with amateur photographers with money to burn on expensive equipment and software and they pump out example after example of garishly over-processed "vacation" photos of beautiful sunsets, landscapes, and the like where technical quality is the only consideration. Lost in all this, I think, is the image as narrative, as story, and hopefully as art.
This, of course, transcends anything so particular as photography and has as its very point the whole of life. I for one think the water has gotten rather dirty of late. -- RJ.
(5/22/13) Update: The original link to this video has gone dry. I just found a replacement. Enjoy. - RJ.
(7/22/13) Second update: And now the replacement video link has been taken down. There are several versions of this speech on YouTube, but none as good as this particular one. Really, this video of this speech is not to be missed; it's much better than several imitators using his words on other videos. Check out this link to see the video at it's present location here. - RJ.
