Concepts Interview With Ian Berry (A Small Voice Podcast)

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Harlequin565

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So I just listened to this. An hour long interview with someone who has made a career from photojournalism and "telling stories" with photography.

I really enjoyed listening to it - especially the anecdote whereby Cartier-Bresson didn't enjoy his first meeting with Berry, and because all he took were a bunch of prints to the meeting, CB "hated" him. Whereas all CB really wanted him to show, were contact sheets so he could see how Berry "thought". That was the benchmark for inclusion to Magnum, not the single collection of prints. It was all about the thinking process and the ideas behind them. When Berry finally supplied contact sheets, CB seemed to welcome him with open arms.

I think that gave me a bit of faith that "historic" Magnum really did care about the photographs, and more importantly, the storytelling.

I think what had me concerned was mentioned towards the end of the interview when Ben started to ask him about Magnum politics, and there was mention of how "woke" Magnum has now become. About how he is being approached by 'Fine Art' photographers looking to get into Magnum so that they can get gallery space and 'kudos'. The two points were so close together I wondered if Berry was trying to make a point in that it won't be long before Magnum is reduced to having to accept those kinds of photographers, in order to be 'inclusive'.

It's one of the only things that I've listened to/read recently that's got me concerned about 'proper' photojournalism and its descent into the miasma of Instagram likes and woke nonsense.

I'm not sure what I was trying to say, or whether this is more of a "hot topics" post, or a "Talk Photography" post, so I thought I'd tuck it away in Photographic Concepts in the hope that it could fade away quietly or at least have reasoned discussion. Either way - this particular podcast is worth a listen. In my opinion of course!
 
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Harlequin565 said:
So I just listened to this. An hour long interview with someone who has made a career from photojournalism and "telling stories" with photography.

I really enjoyed listening to it - especially the anecdote whereby Cartier-Bresson hated his first meeting with Berry and because all he took were a bunch of prints to the meeting, CB "hated" him. Whereas all CB really wanted him to show, were contact sheets so he could see how Berry "thought". That was the benchmark for inclusion to Magnum, not the single collection of prints. It was all about the thinking process and the ideas behind them. When Berry finally supplied contact sheets, CB seemed to welcome him with open arms.

I think that gave me a bit of faith that "historic" Magnum really did care about the photographs, and more importantly, the storytelling.

I think what had me concerned was mentioned towards the end of the interview when Ben started to ask him about Magnum politics, and there was mention of how "woke" Magnum has now become. About how he is being approached by 'Fine Art' photographers looking to get into Magnum so that they can get gallery space and 'kudos'. The two points were so close together I wondered if Berry was trying to make a point in that it won't be long before Magnum is reduced to having to accept those kinds of photographers, in order to be 'inclusive'.

It's one of the only things that I've listened to/read recently that's got me concerned about 'proper' photojournalism and its descent into the miasma of Instagram likes and woke nonsense.

I'm not sure what I was trying to say, or whether this is more of a "hot topics" post, or a "Talk Photography" post, so I thought I'd tuck it away in Photographic Concepts in the hope that it could fade away quietly or at least have reasoned discussion. Either way - this particular podcast is worth a listen. In my opinion of course!
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I've just bookmarked this to listen to after the cricket finishes as Ian Berry's always been one of my favourite photographers and always worth listening to. (y)

Magnum has been moving away from 'traditional' photojournalism for some time. A quick look at their current members shows that. I think the days of the big photojournalist agencies are over.
 
Harlequin565 said:
I agree. And with those days going, so will the talent...
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Maybe. Or individuals might find new ways of getting their work exposed. Although I'm not sure that will be to the mass audience it used to have with Sunday supplements and other magazines.

Much of what I see passing for documentary photography in books these days seems impenetrable to me. There's no clear storytelling. It's trying to be poetic or metaphoric, and catering to a more art based audience. I think you have to be more direct if you want to get through to the masses, which should be the intention if you think you have something important to say and show.

Just my opinion.
 
Ed Sutton said:
I think you have to be more direct if you want to get through to the masses
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Is this a nice way of saying "less pretentious" or "less narcissistic"?
 
Harlequin565 said:
Is this a nice way of saying "less pretentious" or "less narcissistic"?
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You might think that. I couldn't possibly comment. :)

I just think that you have to be pretty literal (which doesn't mean you can't still make good pictures that stand up in another context and throw in some 'art') if you want to engage the non-photo population.
 
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