Of course he's gone. And, as the cliche goes 'gone and not forgotten.' His influence upon photography as an art is basic. He wrote time and again, said it many times "seeing shapes, and what happens within the movement of those shapes makes the photograph." This is the understanding of negative space Boris Bligh taught at Temple University, the Tyler Institute. His interview with Charlie Rose just finished on our PBS affiliate, KQED. Again it was said, he carried his camera with him all the time and it was 'easier than drawing.' What's all too often overlooked is his affiliation with Magnum as a founder. He was a press photographer, for income; but an artist with the camera as a dillitante. His family was very rich, but penurious and didn't at all indulge him. Though unlike Atget, C-B wanted for very little. Like many of the French artists' success stories, he was talented and attracted others of talent around themselves. While we cannot all aspire to be like him, we can learn from his gift, his natural gift of the artist. His passion for using his gift is our gift. Steve Shapiro ----- Original Message ----- From: "Guy Glorieux" <guy.glorieux@xxxxxxxxxxxx> To: "List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students" <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 8:54 PM Subject: Re: H-CB gone > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Emily L. Ferguson" <elf@xxxxxxxx> > > Sometimes I think > > one can't do what he did anymore because the world is so different. > > I wonder how he perceived the streets in our day and age. > > The fact that he pretty well had given up photography for drawing and > painting is perhaps an indication. > > Many years ago, I read a first-class article about him, not sure if it was > in the NewYorker or the Atlantic. In the article, the author told this > little story about the way he operated. It goes something like this. He > was asked by an acquaintance from a newspaper or magazine if he could make a > picture of a famous person who steadfastly refused to be photographed. > Eventually, H-CB agreed and he went with the journalist to visit the person. > > The journalist did his interview and they left without any indications that > H-CB even had brought along his camera. Once out of the building, the > journalist asked what happenerd and why he didn't take any picture. H-CB > pulled out his camera from his coat pocket and, with a happy grin on his > face, just raised two fingers of his hands... > > Best, > > Guy > >
