Let me preface this by saying Steve McCurry doesn’t need me to defend to him; this is more a defence of the idea behind the work he is about to embark on, which appeared in a recent article in the Guardian online. Later I followed a link tweeted by @_charlene decrying Steve McCurry’s decision use the last few rolls of Kodachrome film to do portraits of 30 celebrities in their home cities.
There’s a whole generation of photographers who came to know McCurry through his most famous image, the Afghan Girl. I’m not one of them. Having taken up photography recently–relative to those around me–I am more familiar with his current work and find I’m drawn to his use of colour especially since he doesn’t really think about colour when he’s working. In another interview he did with The Outdoor Photographer, his approach is explained in this way: “Though his work isn’t about color, McCurry doesn’t ignore it. In fact, he seeks situations with particular tonalities and he deals with them deliberately—as long as the image doesn’t become about color.” In his new venture, McCurry talks about how this will be the first time in his career he will be “choreographing the image”. Whether or not you agree that this is the first time he will be staging scenes is not the point I’d like to make. It is that artists need to continue to innovate and there are many ways to do this but photographing the same thing in the same way is not one of them.
Let me step into my other world to illustrate this. There was an article in the Summer issue of our local Human Resources magazine titled “HR’s Big Lie – Best Practices“. It caught my eye because I once worked with a senior manager who would regularly send us off on a fool’s errand of finding all the best practices throughout the organization in an effort to build our own workplace. The premise of the HR article was this: “Best Practices don’t make HR better. Best Practices make HR the same. Innovation, creativity and thought leadership make HR better. So, if all you’re doing is picking up HR Best Practices from your competition, from other industries, from peers, you aren’t pushing HR forward, you’re actually pushing HR to the middle.“ This is something that I feel happens in photography too. In this world where so much information is at our fingertips, we can all drink from the same jug of kool-aid and come out with, well the same tasting images. Something familiar to all of us. We pat ourselves on the back thinking we’re subscribing to best practices. I am as guilty of this as the next person–maybe even more so–but I am learning that to nuture and uncover your own vision, you need to break away from the crowd and find your own voice. I need to push myself forward in a different direction and not to the middle. It isn’t going to be easy and frankly I’m not sure where to start but start I must. This is why I find inspiration in what Steve McCurry is doing. Even the article that laments McCurry’s decision to photograph celebrities, recognizes the need to be “sharp, varied and inventive.“
As my friend Ray says: “Inspiration without your own imagination is imitation“. Let’s applaud Steve McCurry for doing something other travel photographers might find uncomfortable because the value is not in that he is photographing celebrities but it is that he is doing something different. I have no doubt that his portraits of Robert de Niro and Martin Scorsese will be unfamiliar but what I’m really looking forward to is what they will do for the work for which he is most well-known.
What’s your opinion on Steve McCurry’s latest project? Whether you love or hate it, ask yourself why.
Sabrina, I love that you wrote this.
If we look at history – in any field – true innovation and creativity, that is daring to think differently, was only ever recognized – and applauded -long after the fact. Peers, so-called experts and society at large taking their cue from ‘the expert critics’ vehemently rejected and laughed at any radical new ideas geniuses have given birth to. We can go as far back as Gallileo and his radical notion that the Earth was not the center of the Universe and look at how he was punished for daring to promote that view. Or Einstein. He did not have the accreditation his scientist colleagues had and was ridiculed and discredited for all of his ‘unsubstantiated’ findings. Let’s move into the art world and consider Picasso, Jackson Pollack, de Kooning. Their new styles of painting was certainly not embraced when they started experimenting with it. What about writers like Henry Miller and John Steinbeck whose works were banned at the time and are now considered giants? And in the photography world we find ‘black sheep’ as well.
The point is that it takes a tremendous amount of courage to do something new – and to let the world know about it. Instead of masking our fear of change by going into attack (read criticize) mode, we should instead be inspired to dig deep and find our own particular well of creativity – or at the very least recognize and acknowlege the courage it takes to do something new and put it out into the world for everyone to see. I applaud you for doing that.
Welcome Christine, thanks for stopping by my blog.
Your examples are right on the money. There are so many stories of people who came up with new ideas like Guttenberg who combined the wine press and the coin punch to create the printing press and movable type. Imagine if he had stayed within the box!
It does take courage to step outside the box. It’s probably easier for Steve McCurry to do that in this case but it is nevertheless a good message for the rest of us.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Christine Krieg. Christine Krieg said: aspirations 4 #innovation + #creativity? Read this! RT @SabrinaHenry: "In Defence of Steve McCurry" http://tinyurl.com/393rsmx [...]
When I read that post, I was absolutely appalled. I think that one photographer criticizing another publicly is extremely unfortunate, particularly when the one doing the criticizing has about half a percent of the name recognition of Steve McCurry – name recognition which he earned the very, very hard way – like by sneaking into a war zone!
And what’s wrong with celebrities? I have no interest in photographing them. I’ve met quite a few, and they strike me as normal people with needy turned to eleven. Some are great. Some aren’t. Just like every other group.
Anyhow, to directly answer your question… I neither love nor hate McCurry’s latest project. I’m completely indifferent to it. But I absolutely HATE that public criticism of him. And what’s with bloggers who don’t permit comments? That seems like a soapbox to me!
You know Jeffrey, I noticed too that there was no place for comments and I refrained from making some remarks about that within my own post (although it didn’t stop me from thinking them).
I agree with you on public criticism. It’s never been the kind of voice I listen to and I am very grateful that I’ve found a group of photographers who uplift and care about each other.
I agree completely with Jeffrey. Honestly, I have no problem with any photographer shooting anything they want – as long as they get out and shoot and not live their lives on Internet forums like DPReview.
By the way, those may have been HIS last few rolls of Kodachrome, but they certainly aren’t THE last rolls of Kodachrome. I still have some in my fridge plus they’re readily available on eBay.
Mark
Thanks for the clarification, Mark. I fell into the trap of believing what I read or probably it’s more accurate to say that I didn’t bother to take the time to check the facts. I was more incensed with what I had read and wanted to have my say as soon as I could.
Here’s an update just in case anyone is still reading this post. This was the last roll of Kodachrome and you can find out more here…
http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_15996/contentdetail.htm?
contentguid=81Xt0xiN
What I found interesting about the whole thing was how upset the Travel Photographer was about Steve McCurry “defecting.” It didn’t seem to be much of a defect at all: A master of portraiture (among other things)… shooting portraits.
I’m in total agreement with Jeffery on the criticism, especially, when it seems more or less unfounded by a perceived category (why does everyone have to be a ____ photographer? Why is versatility a bad thing?). Evolution is a beautiful thing!
Thanks for sharing that link Charlene.
Like you mentioned, there’s nothing wrong with diversity. In fact creativity requires it. To borrow a phrase from David duChemin, sometimes you need to stir the paint. And as Mark said, as long you are out there photographing, that’s all we’re interested in.
Am in agreement with Jeffrey too about Steve – he can do what he likes – no need to prove himself – his film, his choice. I like your post Sabrina – although I do not totally agree with the kool-aid analogy. As a wine taster/geek I know that when you taste something and I taste something, we do not taste the same flavours/acids/tannis etc – each person is unique and has her/his own way of seeing and interpreting. How we interpret and how we decide to demonstrate that interpretation is what we have that is unique
This is the kind of blog where you can disagree, Maureen. I don’t mind at all as long as it is done in a respectful way and you’re always respectful. I don’t disagree with your wine analogy; I think I just wasn’t very clear with my kool-aid analogy.
For many of us, we don’t have the language to explain what we’re tasting so we borrow from those who express it better or best. At some point though we need to be able to talk about in our own way, at least if we want to be seen as individual artists. All I’m saying is that some of us stop at borrowing, which is fine (and easier) if that’s what you choose to do but I’ve decided don’t want to do that. I want to develop my own way of expressing myself. I want to be able to sit down with you over a glass of wine and have an invigorating conversation about what we are both tasting.
Can’t believe this kind of conversation even needs to happen. Not sure whether to roll my eyes or just sigh and go have a stiff drink. Maybe both.
The fact that The Travel Photographer weighs in on this isn’t a surprise, there’s a lot of sour grapes going on over there these days. But the rest of the world even suggesting that McCurry “should” shoot this or that is ridiculous, like a bunch of us clamouring that Picasso stop with the political “Guernica” and return to his weird cube ladies. Sorry, but artists – whether they be poets or songwriters, painter or photographers – are for listening to, not making requests of. As Cockburn says in Maybe The Poet, ” you and he may not agree but you need him to show you new ways to see.”
Art is not a democracy and artists speak for no one but themselves first. Good for Steve for doing something new after all these years. Sheesh. Ever notice how artists just can’t please people? They do the same old work year in and year out and people bitch that they’ve done nothing new. They do new work and people bitch that the artist has abandoned his roots. Give me a break. Perhaps people like the Travel Photographer and others should spend less time telling the world what Steve should be shooting and more time working on their own craft in silence. Lord knows I need to shut up often enough.
Still, wouldn’t it be nice if our own work reached so deeply that people had an opinion when we shifted our gaze to other subjects?
Amen David. McCurry can do whatever he wants and it doesn’t bother me one bit. I dabble in a lot of different stuff so why not Steve McCurry? Who doesn’t try new things every once in a while?
Thanks for popping in, David. As they say, there is no sure way to succeed but there certainly is a way to fail and that is to try to please all of the people all of the time. I’m glad that Steve McCurry is walking to the beat of his own drum because that’s the only way we’ll get to hear new music. I don’t think anyone wants to hear the Welch’s jingle all the time
3rd time I erased what I wrote about this guys rant, so I guess his blather is beyond my rational comprehension. Let alone a publishable reaction, as far as I can see we just learned a great deal about the guy that wrote this and I for one feel a little sorry for him. I can’t come up with any other reaction that makes sense.
Sabrina I think you said what needed to be said and said it very well. The value in this is, that whatever Steve McCurry shoots it will have his unique perspective and vision for us to experience. The value in his work not any one particular subject or place but what he shows us. I for one am absolutely sure I will learn something worth knowing from his new work and it won’t be about how or what he shot it with.
Thanks Ray for your comments as always but you should take some credit for my views on this. After all we’ve spent (not) enough time discussing the importance of artists having their own voice.
And isn’t it just like you to have some compassion for one who started this all? As I said in one of my earlier comments, I am fortunate to be in a community of caring photographers and that includes you.
Hi Sabrina,
Great to see another blogger talking about this issue…I also wrote something about this article in today’s post. So I’m going to copy & paste what I said about this:
“You see, some people are criticizing Steve because of this project, but I’m not. I think we have to expand our skills as photographers all the time, without losing sight of what we are passionate about. Steve is passionate about people, portraits, and telling stories, and I don’t think he is getting far from that vision by doing this type of project. He has changed the subjects and the surroundings, but not his photography. I know you like the Afghan girl, who doesn’t! I’m sure Steve is growing as a photographer during this time, and I’m sure that he will able to pull off some amazing work once again.”
Thanks.
Thanks for dropping by Heber.
I read your piece on this issue and was pleased to see that there are others who feel the same way. I know that not everyone will agree and I’m fine with that too. What I’m not ok with is personal attacks on any photographer not just someone of Steve McCurry’s stature.
Add me to the list of people who doesn’t think McCurry needs to justify himself, or that what he shoots is any business of ours.
Steve is 60 years old and about to embark on something that is new (to him. If anything, we should be celebrating the fact that he’s not resting on his laurels, and is seeking new fields of creativity and photography. Kudos to him.
If only, when I get to 60, I will be exploring new frontiers in my own photography, I will be a happy camper, Craig. Sometimes we stop for a while on this journey but it should never end.
Thanks for signing the petition
In with Anger out with Love
Ok the anger bit. If it were not frustrating enough to suggest that McCurry’s photographic evolution needed to focus on multimedia, twitter and a few other tools, Tewfic el Sawy, aka The Travel Photographer, uses his blog to pontificate, bleat opinions as if they were mantras, all without allowing comments or dialogue. This is not a “fire and forget” world anymore. We have moved beyond the cold-war style “take it or leave it” editorial world to a world that is web 2.0 enriched, community focused world and arguably more aware. Suggesting that McCurry’e evolution should focus on Videography, soundslides or Twitter is akin to a Neolith suggesting Einstein focus on his sums. If, Mr EL Sawy, you are troubled by McCurry’s decision, then why not perhaps re-read to the interview and this time actually read it objectively. Or even contact the guy or his office for clarity. McCurry is clear on his motivation and it is not, as el Sawy suggests, money nor does it herald “the dimming of a star.”
As is so often in this world, the Great’s have an unstudied air and just get on and “do” things. The mediocre copy and just “don’t’ achieve things. I wonder whether Mr El Sawy’s star has ever shined. If so never to the brightness of Steve McCurry’s
Out with Love: Sabrina – ever the objective purveyor of photographic nuggets, insights and informed opinion – thank you for sharing the platform of your blog, for challenging us, for sharing your thoughts and for allowing me this free therapy session!
Oh and Mr Travel Photographer – if you read this….As someone that is living in Cairo that has come to love your mother country and appreciate the Egyptians for their openness, objectivity, humor (and, yes, their disorganization), Shame on you.
Isn’t it on Sunday’s when people take to their soap boxes at Speaker’s Corner? Thanks for bringing your box over here, Marco and yes, you can use my couch any time.
To me, the whole point of a blog is to invite a discussion not just to have my say. I could not imagine having no comments. I grow and learn from the interaction and hope others will too. It does sadden me that, as David says, we even need to have this discussion but it’s better than sweeping it under the proverbial rug. Mind changers never do their work in silence.
McCurry’s star is dimming? Give me a break. This man is a living legend and he will leave this world as one of the greatest photographers ever. If the man wants to push his craft further and innovate and do something different, please let him do it and please don’t criticize him. As Mr. duChemin said, maybe people should stop criticizing him and worry more about their own craft. God knows how Mr. El Sawy needs to improve his.
It seems silly to try to argue that a photographer with as many years of experience and an incredible body of work should have to justify moving in a new direction with their work. I’m sure the new direction he is taking will produce beautiful work.
Hey Sabrina, interesting post. I agree with you on your points. Steve Mccurry is pretty much a “God” in the world of travel/documentary photography, he can indeed do whatever he pleases and yes, it takes some bravery to do something fairly different at his age. I actually think that his work will be awesome.
The thing that I don’t understand is why many are attacking Tewfic El Sawy.
I didn’t feel like he was criticizing Mccurry as such, just publicly voicing his disappointment and opinions, to which he is entitled. He also doesn’t seem to actually be suggesting that Steve should do this or that, at least I don’t see it that way, maybe I’ve missed something.
Anyway, Steve Mccurry is a living legend and The Travel Photographer is one of the better blogs out there, as far as spotlighting the work of some very talented photographers, some of whom I have become a big fan of. Can’t we all just get along and be happy?
Hi Mitchell, nice to see you here. I try to be objective and in writing this post I went back several times to re-read the post by El Sawy. There were several sentences that bothered me no matter how I read them.
One of them I mentioned in my post and it isn’t clear unless you read both the Guardian article and El Sawy’s post. It is the contention that this is the first time Steve McCurry has “choreographed an image”. El Sway calls this quote by McCurry into question directly. There maybe a good explanation for this discrepancy for example, the Guardian writer might have got the quote wrong, it might have been taken out of context, etc. In cases like this I would like to have given Steve the benefit of the doubt rather than infer he is not telling the truth.
Another point which I did not mention is the closing line, the last three words in brackets “if we’re lucky”. To me, it is difficult to read these words any other way because of the context in which they are written. All photographers have images that are “happy accidents” but you don’t build the kind of career Steve McCurry has on luck. There’s plenty of hard work mixed with blood and tears in his photographs.
I do appreciate you for raising the points you have and yesterday I thought about how the same post written with a different voice would sound, one with a kinder tone and less disappointment veiled in criticism. I believe it can be done and I’d like to challenge someone to do that. Maybe you’ll take up the challenge?
Writing, like photography, depends very much on your voice. Just as your choice of lens, apperture, filters, etc will change any image you create, the words one chooses will change what we say or intend to say. As I said in my earlier comments, I believe I’m in a community of caring photographers but they are all human and can be forgiven for their moments. What I wouldn’t accept is if they lived their lives always in this space. Perhaps this is a clue to understanding their response.
All my friends are talking here. Oh what fun!
Steve wasn’t my “hero” before, but now he’s a candidate: Since I was 25 I’ve been attempting to observe the decades we will live as humans, eg. what do we share that defines our 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s. I’m 30, I’m doing the “having children” thing and trying to change the world. I recently heard a 55 year old leader of an organization say when he was 30 he wanted to change the world (he did) but now he sees a more meaningful life pursuit, changing himself.
In my 20s I had been been involved in various settings, whether leisure or business, to observe people over 50. At the risk of greatly over simplifying, I’ve found two paths many take. 1. Progress is slowed, no longer pursued with passion, and opinions get solidified b/c there’s so much life experience to” back them up.” 2. They have insatiable appetites for learning and progress, for change. They are open and believe the best is still ahead of them.
I told my wife to observe me in my 50s and smack me if I’m on the first path. When I listed the men and women I admire, I found that path #2 was something they all had in common.
Steve McCurry’s move to do this project is admirable and worthy of being an example to us all. May he find success and joy in it.
This is a good example of how we box people. We place them in a box of our design and expect them to stay put. When someone steps out of the box or walks along the edge we get nervous. When we really need to nurture people to move out to the edge.
I’ve actually gotten to the place, since I’m over 60 now, where I try and filter what I read. If it’s title has a negative tone or once I see where it’s going, I move on to something else.
Again, you have a well written post and a major reason I enjoy coming here.
Wow, what fun. I wish I had written this post, it sure has generated a lot of traffic
I will have to say though, I was not that bothered by Tewfic’s post as a whole. I did not read into it all the things that some of you read. At least until the last paragraph. That is where he hit a nerve.
“..let’s learn multimedia,…(snip)… If not, we’ll be left inhaling exhaust fumes and waiting for celebrities to show up (if we’re lucky). ”
This is phrased like Steve McCurry is some washed up has been lying in a gutter! Oh, to be in McCurry’s (photographic) shoes at his age! I can only pray.
But, honestly, over all I felt Tewfic was just writing his own real disappointment for someone who he feel has “sold out”. Let’s give Tewfic the grace we want him to give McCurry! It is his blog and he can write what he wants, when he wants, without any of us having to agree… and I don’t.
Thanks Sabrina for posting this and everyone for the discussion.
Humanly speaking it’s understandable yet also unfair for us to discourage a change of direction / focus / style by an artist we admire. I recently experienced this when a friend moved on from an amazing style of painting, which I think he had far from exhausted. But he’s exploring and learning new things.
Visual art is alive and dynamic. To stay in safe territory (not that we can describe Steve McCurry’s photography with these words) rather than choosing new challenges could lead to a loss of enthusiasm for the craft.
Sometimes when I feel tired, only physical exercise (not more rest) will give me a needed boost of energy. It’s counterintuitive, the way creativity can be.
Here’s to great images including the ones we didn’t know we’d ever make. And here’s to photographers like Steve who know when to persevere and when to try new things.
You make a good point Barry. I’ve found some things in art to be counter intuitive, at first but when we think about them more deeply they actually make sense.