My biggest vice is books. There, I’ve said it…but I don’t want to change it. I’ll be adding to this list often and I’d like to hear about your favorites: here are some of my favorites:
Stay This Moment, Sam Abell
Tao of Photography, Gross and Shapiro
On Reading, Andre Kertesz
In My Mind’s Eye, Seeing in Black and White, Charlie Waite
The Color of Wildness, A Retrospective (Eliot Porter)
Toward A Deeper Understanding, Paul Strand At Work
The Creation and Color Photography, Ernst Haas
The Americans, Robert Frank
London/Wales, Robert Frank
The Family of Man, Edward Steichen, editor
The Photographic Life, Sam Abell
The Life of A Photograph, Sam Abell
Hey Keron,
This may not be the most uplifting book but I think “What Matters”, David Elliot Cohen is a must read.
Rick
Hey Rick,
Thanks very much for this. I’m off to Elliott Bay Books to see if they have it.
Keron
Keron:
I started off this dark,rainy morning with your thoughts and images. Suddenly the sun rose right on my screen!
There is so much to think about. I loved the Haas and Jay quotes. It sounds just like them–especially Jay, throwing down the gauntlet. And Haas had a way with the English language. Statements would just come out of his mouth with that original, disarming simplicity and straightforward truth that only a non-native speaker can create with language. To me he was the great voice of photography and one I thought would long be with us. His early death was the costliest as it robbed us of years of priceless words as well as images. He was a great looking guy too and embodied the essence of charisma with that strong Austrian face and elegantly flowing silver not gray) hair.I only saw him in nice quality dark blue clothes. Someone told me that was his custom–dark blue for convenience and for it’s stylish look. Well, it worked for him. There is a letter that Don Arturo has that you should read. It is Haas’ letter to the Director of Photography at Life magazine declining their offer of a staff position. The letter alone is another reason that I hope the Don someday does his tribute video to Haas. There is also a photo you should see someday. It is of Haas and me in conversation, taken by a student at the Maine Photo Workshops in about 1978 when we were both teaching up there. He’s standing and I’m sitting on the hood of a car. There are a few people grouped with us. Haas is speaking (why speak when he’s nearby?) and I’m listening and smiling. I’ve got a print of it around here somewhere but I haven’t loved it as much as I should. I think I don’t like the bright sunshine and colors. I’ve always thought it would be better in black and white. When it next comes to the surface I’ll do a conversion and send one to you.
Eudora Welty and Walker Evans and you. That was a very good essay on why you took a ‘footsteps’ trip to Hale County en route to Florida. It wove together American history, the literature of the south, trave, memory and photography–yours, hers and his. The only wish I had was that you publish your image of the store along with Evan’s photo of the same store. Have you and I ever talked about William Christenberry’s work? I have followed it through the years and took interest in his recent retrospective, especially his continuous work of photographing one honky-tonk building at the same location over the years. It was fascinating to observe how the building went through so many personality changes until it finally disappeared.
Well Keron, that will have to be it for today. I’m a dismal typist and I’ve been sitting here long enough that my back is beginning to ache. One final thing: I did look at the ‘guest blog’ video of Zack Arias that Rick recommended. It was very interesting and I wrote Zack to say so. Tell Rick thanks for that. And tell yourself to keep adding to your site, I really enjoyed beginning my day with you this way. Sam
Hello Sam,
THIS is why you are the Dalai Lama of Photography….and that’s way better than that fellow that wrote the Seven Pillars of Wisdom…..
Seriously, your remembrances, and the way you recount them in such a caring and gentle way, have the effect of liquid shimmering light being poured into the heart.
Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. As ever, you’ve set the bar high.
Keron
Yes, you’ve got some great ones here.
On Reading is one of my personal all time favorites as well.
Sublime stuff!