Time - photographs of the year 2006

[TimF]

None of mine here. D'OH!!!!

[mertonia]

If i could ever take just one shot of the quality shown in this series i would be delighted.

peter

[Done_rundleCams]

Thanks Tim and how do you know you haven't Peter

Cheers,

Jack

[Almark]

very few do not feature WAR

[TimF]

A sign of our times sadly. I'd say 13 are war related - a couple of others some might also include in that.

[rags4983]

War and sex sells, simply. Yeah they are good even outstanding but there isn't any reason to say that you can never take a pic as good. I am as critical as anyone of my own work but some people have said that some things I have done are great, maybe you just have to appreciate your own work sometimes. We all continue to learn.

[mertonia]

Hi

Unlike sex, i am not sure that war pictures sell particularly well. I think some war photographers are aware of this; Don McCullin at the Sunday Times could be a good example of these difficulties.
Some of Salgado's work on extreme poverty caused by war would not be exhibited never mind sold in his earlier days. So many photographs that show the pain of the world do not have a ready paying audience.

I think the Time shots are superb. It is not that some of the photographs were difficult and dangerous to take (just because a shot is difficult to get does not necessarily make it a good shot). However in extreme conditions these photographers get consistently good results and this is the difference between an amateur and a top pro. Excellent composition, capturing that moment in time that tells a story, all completed in difficult situations - I think these are a few of the hallmarks of a Master.

I think we are all capable of taking a decent or an excellent photograph, but with Salgado, McCurry, McCullin and Stoddart is the sheer consistency of their excellence.

peter

[TimF]

Unlike sex, i am not sure that war pictures sell particularly well. I think some war photographers are aware of this; Don McCullin at the Sunday Times could be a good example of these difficulties.
Some of Salgado's work on extreme poverty caused by war would not be exhibited never mind sold in his earlier days. So many photographs that show the pain of the world do not have a ready paying audience.

There used to be more mainstream outlets for such pictures in the Sunday supplements etc, but increasingly advertisers are calling the shots, and they don't want pictures of the kind of human misery that exists in reality to intrude upon the fantasy worlds they want their customers to imagine is the norm.

Maybe that's true of much of the public too? I couldn't say. It certainly isn't for me.

[mertonia]

Hi Tim

i suspect that you are right - too much power in the hands of advertisers serving us helpings of bland lifestyle images.

peter

[SonnyCorle]

it's a shame there are not more without war and destruction as the defining emotion