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Jeff Worsnop
19th February 2009, 10:06 PM
I'm going to do a landscape photo course on four Saturdays in June.
In preparation I should like to look at and try to properly appreciate the work of a couple of American landscape photographers. Not Ansell Adams or Weston but lesser known, at least in England, and if possible contemporary.
I should be very grateful for any advice with names please.
Thanks for your attention.
Cheers
Jeff

Trevor Crone
19th February 2009, 11:19 PM
Brad Cole, wonderful book, 'The Last Dream'. Mostly coastal photography.

Martin Aislabie
20th February 2009, 09:27 AM
John Sexton?

Quiet Light is a fabulous book

Martin

Steven Taylor
20th February 2009, 10:49 AM
The New Topographics, not really contemporary now, the exhibition was in 1975, but very relevant. In particular look at Lewis Baltz and Robert Adams. This exhibition was fundamental to the change in American Landscape representation ... the shift from Timothy O'Sulivan/Ansel Adams grand view of the wilderness. I would also recommend Robert Adams book "Beauty in Photography/In Defense (American) of Traditional Values". Especially, in the context of this course, the first essay, "Truth and Landscape". The essay puts into words, beautifully; Adams is also an English professor, the rationale behind this shift in attitude.

The other important name that springs to mind is Richard Misrach.
Steven
Ps I love the work of John Sexton, but I don't think he will get a mention on this course because, like most of us, his work will be seen as derivative.

Bill
20th February 2009, 11:47 AM
I'd like to add George Tice. His book "Stone Walls and Grey Skies" was photographed in England while he was photographer in residence at the museum in Bradford.

Bill

Jeff Worsnop
20th February 2009, 12:11 PM
Many thanks for the quick replies.
Plenty of references to follow and books to order from the library.
Cheers
Jeff

Trevor Crone
20th February 2009, 04:41 PM
Jeff, another contempory Ameriacan photographer worth looking at is Joel Sternfeld. His most recent book is "Oxbow Archive". I have one of his books, "American Prospects", which I find a wonderful source of inspiration. One of my all time favourite images is his, 'Exhausted Renegade Elephant', so wonderful yet surreal.

Steven Taylor
20th February 2009, 04:49 PM
Jeff, another contempory Ameriacan photographer worth looking at is Joel Sternfeld. His most recent book is "Oxbow Archive". I have one of his books, "American Prospects", which I find a wonderful source of inspiration.


And Stephen Shore.

What am I thinking, I've missed Lee Freidlander.
Steven

Victor Krag
20th February 2009, 06:48 PM
Hi from California.

John Sexton (former Adams assist.)
Wynn Bullock
Brad Cole ( Alright Trevor!)
Roman Loranc
Paul Kozal
Paul Caponigro
Morley Baer
Clyde Butcher
Michael A. Smith
Huntington Witherill (though he later went digi due to allergies, I've heard)
Henry Gilpin
Alan Ross (former Adams assist.)
John Wimberly (some landscapes)
Patrick Jablonski
Jeff Nixon
Bruce Barnbaum

I'm sure I've forgot a few too many.

Les McLean
20th February 2009, 07:02 PM
Harry Callahan, particularly his Cape Cod work
Wynn Bullock
William Garnett
Bruce Barnbaum, his book Visual Symphony is in my opinion a masterpiece
but sadly no longer available as it is sold out
Chip Forelli

Mark Burley
21st February 2009, 01:38 AM
Wyn Bullock, George Tice, Paul Capronigro and Lewis Baltz sprang to mind quickly - then I thought that Minor White should have a mention too...

Jeff Worsnop
26th February 2009, 08:02 PM
Got the George Tice book a couple of days ago.
Enjoyable writing and now getting to know the pictures better. It is so much better to have layers of meanings and subtlety conveyed in apparently simple photographs than the "wham bang, lets move on in 10 seconds to the next image", approach so prevalent around here (at my camera club this week about 300 images from a "salon" were projected in one session with a short interlude)
Looking forward to getting my hands on the other books. The only problem is that they are too expensive to buy (except the Tice book) and Lancashire Library don't stock them so they have to be inter library loans that can take an age to arrive.
Cheers
Jeff

Trevor Crone
26th February 2009, 08:18 PM
Jeff, if you like Tice's style of photography, he certainly is one of my favourite photographers, you might like to see if you can track down some of his other works. Although sadly some are getting scarce and expensive.

I would certainly recommend these;

Urban Landscapes
Urban Romantic
Paterson 1 and 2.