As someone who has grown up around photography, I always felt I knew quite a bit about its practitioners. I had books by Steichen, Adams, Weston, Cartier-Bresson. I used to cut Richard Avedon's lawn as a teenager. I used to work with Fritz Henle's daughter. I knew all there was.
Then one day I ran across a 1930s compilation of gravures. I discovered a whole new world. The world of Brassai, Drtikol, Ruzicka, Kertesz, Blumenfeld and so many more. Many of them east Europeans. I think everyone in Hungary must have been born with a camera in their hand and an amazing sense of composition.
My love of photography was rekindled. I devoured all I could. I collected all the work I could find.
In this blog, I hope to share what I have found with those of you that are unfamiliar with this world, To share with others their magnificent work, and discover the influence these great photographers of the early 20th century have on todays artists with a camera.
The accompanying photo is by Robert Frank one of the century's most influential photographers, who photographed american life but was actually Swiss. His book "The Americans" is one of the most influential (and expensive) photography books published. More on him in a future post.
Then one day I ran across a 1930s compilation of gravures. I discovered a whole new world. The world of Brassai, Drtikol, Ruzicka, Kertesz, Blumenfeld and so many more. Many of them east Europeans. I think everyone in Hungary must have been born with a camera in their hand and an amazing sense of composition.
My love of photography was rekindled. I devoured all I could. I collected all the work I could find.
In this blog, I hope to share what I have found with those of you that are unfamiliar with this world, To share with others their magnificent work, and discover the influence these great photographers of the early 20th century have on todays artists with a camera.
The accompanying photo is by Robert Frank one of the century's most influential photographers, who photographed american life but was actually Swiss. His book "The Americans" is one of the most influential (and expensive) photography books published. More on him in a future post.
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