“The Tetons and the Snake River” Ansel Adams, 1942

Many people believe that the epoch of photography can be divided into two parts: before Adams and after Adams. During the Pre-Adams period, photography was not even considered as an independent art. Photos looked like pictures with the help of various manipulations.
Adams refrain any manipulations with his pictures, declaring the art of photography as the “poetry of the reality”. His works proved the value of “pure photography”. When there appeared rather compact portable cameras he persistently stuck to the bulky equipment and old-fashioned wide-screen cameras.
Adams showed the Americans the beauty of their nature. In 1936 he made the series of pictures that were directed to Washington in order to help to save the Kings canyon in California. As a result, this area was declared a National Park.

“Gandhi” Margaret Bourke-White, 1946

One of the most influential people of the XX century, Gandhi, did not like to be photographed, though in 1946 a staff member of Life, Margaret Bourke-White, was allowed taking his picture against the spinning wheel – the symbol of struggle for independence of India. Before the photographer was admitted to make photo session, she had to learn how to spin – that was the requirement of Gandhi’s surroundings.
Managed with this, two more tasks were waiting for the photographer. At the beginning it was found out that nobody was permitted to speak with Gandhi – he had “the day of silence”, which He used to spend speechless. As Gandhi could not stand a bright light, Margaret was allowed to make only three shots (with flash).
One more problem was also a moist atmosphere of India, which affected the camera, that’s why two first pictures were poor, but the third one turned out to be great. It is the very shot, that formed the image of India for the million of people. The photo became the last portrait of Gandhi during his lifetime – two years later He was killed…

“Le Violon d’Ingres” Man Ray, 1924

Before the epoch of digital photography and Photoshop has come, it was the epoch of Man Ray, one of the most outstanding and distinctive photographer in the world who made endless experiments with photos.

The picture “Le Violon d’Ingres” (the Violin D'Ingres) is his early and probably the most well-known work. This shot represents a kind of visual pun, simultaneously emphasizing the resemblance of a female body with the violin, sending the viewer to the association with the French artist Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, who depicted naked women and accompanied the show of his pictures playing the violin.

The masterpiece of the intellectual-dadaist Man Ray outstripped its time. Having defined the photography as the means of the artistic interpretation of reality, Man Ray anticipated our revolution in digital photographing.

In a Village part.II

Some more pics from the village made by me:)

“Migrant Mother” Dorothea Lange, 1936

Thanks to the legendary photographer Dorothea Lange, over many years Florence Owen Thompson has been literally an embodiment of the Great Depression. Lange made this shot while visiting the camp of vegetable pickers in California (February, 1936) with the aim to show the whole world the fortitude and inflexibility of the proud nation in hard times.

The history of Dorothea’s life turned out to be as magnetic as her portrait. In her 32 she has been a mother of seven children and a widow already (her husband died from tuberculosis). Being practically without means in a work camp for emigres, her family ate the meat of birds, winging by children and farm vegetables – the same was about other 2500 camp workers.

The publishing of the photo came as a bombshell. The Thomson’s story, appeared on the covers of the most authoritative editions, found an immediate response around the public. The Farm Security Administration immediately sent food and essentials to the camp. Unfortunately, the Thomson’s family had already left the lived-in place and received nothing from the government. It should be mentioned that nobody knew even the name of that woman on the shot. Only 40 years later after the shot’s publishing, in 1976 Thomson “disclosed” herself, giving the interview to one of the central newspaper.

Kiss by the Hotel de Ville

The most famous photo by Robert Doisneau “Le baiser de l'hotel de ville” (Kiss by the Hotel de Ville) was made in 1950 for “Life” journal.

It is one of the most outstanding photos ever, the symbol of Paris, youth, love and spring.

The picture looks rather accidentally, as if the lovers do not suspect of the photographer’s presence; even if one can reveal some kind of theatricality in their poses, the general spontaneity of the scene, “careless” composition, seems not to rule out the idea of staging.

In the same 1950th the picture was published in “Life” in a warm company of other six Paris kisses. Negative and proves got, as they had to, into the RAFO agency’s archives. They have been here for more than 30 years. The photo became world-famous in 1986 when it served as a picture for the poster.

For the next 20 years “Le baiser de l'hotel de ville” has been published on 2.5 million postcards, on a half a million posters, say nothing of different calendars, postage stamps, T-shirts, curtains, furnishing and numerous photo albums. I think it won’t be an exaggeration to say that Doisneau made much more money due to this one picture, than due to all other photos taken together!

Some days ago i dropped across the one awesome link...What can come out of combining Homer Simpson and Macro? watch it...it derserves it! Really, i've got much pleasure, scrolling down the page:) Wish the same to u...