|
Something happened when I took your picture. I became enchanted by the sight of you, standing there. looking at the book, perfect in that gentle light. I took the photograph over and over, again and again, compulsively, knowing that when I stopped and set the camera down, the moment would be lost, as the dream dies when one awakens, and I could not bear to let it go. Duane Michaels
|
Some photographers are afraid to approach strangers, how do you deal with this issue?
The photographer must first believe that the instrument in his hands– the camera–is an affirming tool, the same way a surgeon relates to a scalpel in an operating room. Fear dissipates when the photographer is convinced that he is validating the moment with his camera. The photographer is there because the moment contains some redeeming value. That is a powerful message to communicate to the subject, and is often conveyed non-verbally. By signaling acceptance with every gesture, the subject's defenses fall, and the subject will, more often than not, invite the photographer closer. The photographer is a guest, and must remember that, once he is allowed into the subject's private domain.
I was in central Mexico, photographing in a graveyard, during All Souls Day. A hundred yards away was an elderly woman arranging petals on a grave. I wanted to take the photo up close so I decided to stand in silence until she noticed me. When she did, I took a few steps forward, and lowered my head in respect, to bond with her grief. After a few minutes, she signaled me to take her photograph. The resulting image was one that only a family member could have made, and I became that person to her. Not every moment between photographer and subject offers as much interaction, but the idea is the same–make the subject more important that the photograph, and you will often be surprised at the gifts you will receive.
Can you recall the first time you wanted to get a camera?
It was in 1969, my senior year of high school. I was walking at night with a friend up a hill, in Princeton, New Jersey. When we reached the top, my friend paused next to an magnificent oak that overlooked a graveyard. A full moon was seated in the sky–its light sprinkled over countless branches. It was a transformative moment. John said, "Abe, this beauty can only be captured with a camera." I was struck by the power of that statement, and a week later I spent my savings on a camera.
Which photographers have touched your life?
Lewis Hine, E.J. Bellocq, Robert Frank, W. Eugene Smith, Dorothea Lange, Irving Penn, and Gordon Parks.
What are your favorite photography books?
- Thomas Merton's Geography of Holiness, 1968, Pilgrim Press.
- E.J. Bellocq's Storyville Portraits, 1970, Museum of Modern Art.
- Irvin Penn's Worlds In A Small Room, 1974, Penguin Books.
- Gordon Parks' Arias in Silence, 1994, Little, Brown and Company.
Which people inspire you?
- Dorothy Day, an activist committed to nonviolence and co-founder of The Catholic Worker Movement. Dorothy lived a life of voluntary poverty and offered hospitality to the homeless.
- Hellen Keller, blind and deaf since 19 months old, triumphed over overwhelming odds, and become a woman of luminous intelligence and remarkable accomplishment. - Fred Rogers, of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood on television. He was an ordained Presbyterian minister with a charge to give young people a foundation for a good life. He dealt with the death of pets and divorce, while teaching children to love themselves and others.
- Paul Gauguin, a post-impressionist artist. who was a stockbroker, and became a full time artist at 33. He turned to primitive cultures for inspiration, and traveled to Tahitti, where his paintings reflected the Pacific Islands' brilliant colors. His images of Polynesian women are among the most beautiful paintings of the modern age.
- Mary Oliver, poet, whose connection with nature and sublime vision, offers praise to the world unlike any other soul I know. Her poems read like blessings, reaching very deep into my heart. Mary's work celebrates what is truly important in this life.
This interview addresses frequently asked questions, based on a conversation with David M. Grossman.
|