31 March 2010

3/30:
Watched the documentary, “War Photographer,” directed by Christian Frei and about James Nachtwey. The film was good, and Nachtwey’s photos amazing. Their visceral impact reminded me of Robert Capa’s photos, but with an emphasis on the central aspect of the frame (something that Alfred Barr mentioned about William Eggelston’s images: “the design of most of the pictures seemed to raidate from a central, Norvasc circular core,” [from the intro of “William Eggelston’s Guide”]). Thinking about Capa reminded me of an exhibit of photos by Yevgeny Khaldei that saw in Berlin a couple of years ago, someone I was completely unaware of because we learned so little about Soviet/Russian history in the American public schools where I grew up.

All three photographers were incredible humanists.