Windhover
Photojournalism }

walking in the light: a life in photography


PHOTO JOURNAL

I plan on sharing some thoughts on photography based on my nearly 30 years of teaching, 50 some years being around cameras, and the last 10 years freelancing. Former students might hear some echoes of comments made in class. My favorites remain the same: Eugene Smith, Father Don Doll, James Nachtwey, Jim Richardson, and of course, for pure art--Ansel Adams. This is the starting line-up, but the bench is full and plenty of other shooters are first-teamers in anyone’s book. Periodically, I may comment on a particular photo, its ripple effect in the world of writing with light. Photos, when all the planets are aligned, can become--to paraphrase Thoreau--a moment’s monument. Those of the masters don’t really NEED my words commenting on them, but I like to think about photos, and these journal comments will be my solitary standing ovation, clapping alone here in my study, to some photographs and photographers I admire.

Anyone wanting to share a response, can reach me at windhover_b@yahoo.com

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Several thoughts today:

We have been working on a Gallery show and sale here in our barn at Windhover. Friends Kathy and Carl will be showing their pottery and woodcarving, respectively. I am working on a variety of Platte County photos and photos from out West. Nov. 14 and 15 are the dates for the first of what may be several shows a year.

When I need inspiration for my shooting, I crank up the old video I have from Jim Richardson entitled “A Wide Spot in the Road,” which I saw again just yesterday. It is a video of his still photos and words about small town Kansas--mostly Cuba, Ks. which he made famous some 30 years ago when he was doing newspaper work and more recently in the pages of “National Geographic.” I used to show the video when my students were getting ready to go shoot a small town for our Heartland Photojournalism Project or at summer photo workshops. Richardson's photos are prime examples of documentary photojournalism and help keep alive the memory of what small town life can be all about. His photos make me want to be a better shooter, but also they remind me of the importance of the small moments of each day. Live in the moment, they seem to say.

And, finally, I was saddened to hear of the death of Ival Lawhon, just weeks before his induction into the Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame. The ceremony is in two days and will be poignant without Ival being there. In his early 60's Ival was an example of what a shooter can do if he works at getting better as he ages. Ival's work was as good at the end of his career as it was at any time in his life. I admire him.