Jeff, This is a really hard exercise to carry through. I recall a project at Ryerson where we had to make a picture modelled from a significant photographer. This is when I discovered the "self-portrait" work of Friedlander which led me to do a lot of really interesting self-portraits (nothing to do with self-infatuation, but a lot about how the "self" intereacts with the environment, social or physical). I know that Frank, Brandt, Sudek, Callahan, White, Kertesz, Siskind, were major influences in shaping my photographic work. At the same time, there are other equally important influences coming from very little known photographers (Mann, Gooblar, Heath, Comtois, to name just a few). Ultimately, as someone said, "we are only as tall as the giants on the shoulders of which we stand". It's nice to be able to recognize this in one's work. Best regards, from Montreal, Guy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Spirer" <jeff@spirer.com> To: "List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students" <photoforum@listserver.isc.rit.edu> Sent: Friday, May 23, 2003 12:37 AM Subject: Influence > I was looking through some monographs by photographers I like the other > night and realized how much they have influenced some specific > photographs. It was an odd feeling, particularly because I hadn't seen it > before. Or maybe it was just a passing thought... > > Anyway, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to put something > together, with the result at http://www.spirer.com/tribute/index.htm. It > might be interesting. Or maybe it isn't. Or maybe other people feel the > same way and would share how their photographs reflect their influences... > > Jeff Spirer > Photos: http://www.spirer.com >
