Learning Composition with W. Eugene Smith

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you so much for watching and supporting the channel!

[@ericerickson6537]

When I first started traveling to NYC I would go to 52nd street to hear the great jazz musicians. It was the beginning of the end of that era. By the 80s they were all gone from that street. It was wonderful while it lasted. The street was 52nd for the best music from WW2 till the 70s.

[@markielinhart]

Thanks for this Tatiana. Whether photographer, painter or filmmaker, light and shade is what makes an image work. Also thanks for the music✌️🇦🇺

[@G.Patrick_Johnson]

Great Series! I have been a photographer since the 1980's, and finding people such as yourself who understand photography as an art of painting with light is always refreshing. Thank You!

[@Daniel_Zalman]

This is one of the few channels on photography that's actually about photography! The other one that I enjoy is The Photographic Eye.

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you so much for watching! 🙏🏻

[@mike747overseas]

I‘ll second that!!!

[@artemisXsidecross]

Your writing and editing is a pleasure to see and hear. A photographer without editing control is a mere pawn for someone else.

[@bngr_bngr]

There is a difference between editing photographs and choosing which pictures are published. If Smith had full control, we would never have seen any of his photographs.

[@artemisXsidecross]

@@bngr_bngr Good art, literature, and photography can easily be sidelined by editors and gate keepers, but not erased. Human Melville’s Billy Budd manuscript was found in a breadbox after his death.

[@bngr_bngr]

@@artemisXsidecross in Smith’s case, he lacked the ability to edit his own work. He thought every photograph he took was a masterpiece. If one looks at his contact sheets. That was not the case.

[@theowlfromduolingo7982]

Yes very calming imo

[@davidgates3044]

Thank you for curating the work of Smith and many other photographic artists and sharing your thoughts about their work and vision. Looking at the works of the masters helps me think about what I am trying to say and show with my own work. Frankly more useful than a textbook on composition.

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks so much for watching and for sharing your thoughts 💭 all the best!

[@taniadina32]

I love E. Smith. Thank you T!

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you for watching!

[@NirmalveerSingh]

You are so consistent with your videos, I love it

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks so much! 🙏🏻

[@tedgoldman9121]

E Smith is my inspiration as a storyteller and I take every opportunity to learn about him. Your video is outstanding!!

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you so much Ted!

[@bartverweij4589]

Thank you for posting this video Tatiana, besides the fact they are beautifully made and offer us a lot of information they are also calming. Thank you so much.

[@TatianaHopper]

Glad it was helpful and calming, thanks so much for watching!

[@alexowain]

Reminds me a little of Cassavettes’ first film ‘Shadows’. Thanks T, another banger!

[@TatianaHopper]

Agree actually, love his movies by the way!

[@JoeJoe4P]

I love this video! For the Black and White images, the enhanced contrast, and for the peek into 1950’s-1960’s Jazz! Such a talented photographer! Thank you!

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks so much for watching my friend, I really appreciate it 🙏🏻

[@TedPartrick]

These studies of individual photographers and their works are highlights of my education, and this one is another great one.

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you so much Ted! I’m glad you enjoy the videos and have them in great consideration it means a lot, take care!

[@deancalico944]

Your videos do something for my soul, and they seem to magically show up at just the right time for me. Your analysis of the subject is deep and profound and at the same time very simple. Your inspiring presentations transport my mind into a heavenly realm.

[@Joseph_Greco]

Great video and subject matter! There's also a great documentary about that book with interviews with musicians of the period and audio from the tapes. The whole project is absolutely mesmerizing. Smith was an absolute genius. His image of Monk with the cigarette is one of my all time favorites. In regard to composition, cropping, burning etc. I like the way Ansel Adams put it. Adams was a classically trained pianist and he said the negative was equivalent to the musical score and the print was the performance. In other words you compose the image in the camera and the print represents the emotion or message the artist is trying to convey to the audience and it can be manipulated to any degree the artist chooses. ✌

[@TatianaHopper]

Great quoting there Joseph totally fitting and I greatly appreciate it, thanks for much for sharing your knowledge and for taking your time to watch and comment 🙏🏻

[@DavidBrookover]

The work and thought process that go into your videos are extraordinary. Excellence defined.

[@TatianaHopper]

Glad you think so David thanks so much for your kind words!

[@aes53]

As always, such a classy, professional production. For what it's worth, he used a flashbulb for Spanish Wake.

[@TatianaHopper]

I love that image so so much I think it has to be my favourite of Eugene Smith. Probably one of those art pieces I’d have hanging in my house if I were a wealthy art collector. But since I’m not I’ll probably get a cheaper print of it 😅

[@fernandosocorro4175]

Another wonderful video. Very much agree with your comments re composition and simplicity. Thank you.

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you so much Fernando! Glad you agree and enjoyed the video!

[@HaiTomVlog]

I always enjoy learning from your videos, thank you

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@benwebster4330]

Thx for this. I have been eyeing this book for a minute and leaning more about Smith is great.

[@DarrylEbanks]

I absolutely love the intent and love you give every episode. This was amazing. Thanks!

[@TatianaHopper]

Glad you enjoy it Darry! Thanks so much for watching and commenting 🙏🏻

[@anguyen800]

Your writing about each famous photographers is stellar and precise to the point of learning objective . Thank you and I wi;; keep learning .

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you so much Ann, really appreciate it!

[@winedemonium]

"...composition motivated by what you want to show". An important lesson. Interestingly with this video I feel like you began your idea for making this with 'focusing on light', and ended with 'learning composition'. Of course, in revealing the lessons from Eugen Smith, which you do so eloquently, the two relate. But I wonder if the process of making this video led you from a starting angle to a finishing angle that relate but that are a little different. Once again, thank you for such an enlightening video Tatiana.

[@Tomservoca]

Gene Smith is one of my guiding lights. If, in my remaining time earth, I make one image that is even 80% of one of Gene’s I feel that I’ve accomplished something in my life.

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks for watching Tom and well I look at his photography kind of the same, I which I could only rub past his greatness one day :)

[@SilveradoNomads]

Great video, as always. Ive been evolving my style for years and I cant get enough of other photographers work. Its interesting to see how our flaws intersect to create our unique vision of the world around us.

[@TatianaHopper]

Great point and totally agreed. Thanks for watching!

[@mid90s75]

Love this jazz & Eugene smith, great choice of intro music I wasn’t familiar with them! Cheers

[@L1stener]

Love this. What's the music playing at the intro?

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks so much glad you enjoyed it!

[@TatianaHopper]

@@L1stenercheck the video’s description :)

[@richardrizzo_photography]

Thanks!

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks so much!

[@richardrizzo_photography]

Excellent video Tatiana, I'm a big fan of Smith's and appreciate your creative interpretation of his work. Thank you. 😎❤

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks so much Rich! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@dash.-6836]

thank you so much for all of these video essays!

[@TatianaHopper]

Glad you like them! Thank you so much 😊

[@rancavil]

I loved the video; it was great! I love W.E. Smith's work, particularly how he used to capture light to create expressive and timeless low-light photos. For me, light in deep darkness can capture better human emotions and expressions. Thank you again for sharing his beautiful work.

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts I actually agree when I see Simth’s or even other photographers like Don McCullin who have some images of complete darkness around the subject I always think they convey the emotion much deeper. I really have learned to love those deep contrasts!

[@williamshaffer9216]

A wonderful presentation!!!

[@TatianaHopper]

Glad you liked it!

[@mariobravo8253]

< Jaw Drop > : your Videos are themselves works of art. Love how they build up. Excelent Music 🎶 choices as well 👏

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you so much! 🤍

[@freddylopez7536]

Wonderful once again. Thank you.

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks so much Freddy!

[@josephasghar]

Lovely. You took me to another place with this one.

[@TatianaHopper]

Hopefully to 1960s jazzy NYC ;)

[@smokinitro]

Well researched and produced as always Tatiana. Thank you. " .. the stench ..." LOL

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks so much for watching ✌🏻

[@Selkirkwater]

Always well done, Tatiana!

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you so much!

[@tonydesarzec907]

Another wonderful video. Thank you.

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you so much for watching Tony!

[@tonydesarzec907]

@@TatianaHopper I love the 'Jazz Loft Project' Tatiana. A fabulous book. Have you managed to see the film 'Minamata' starring Johnny Depp as Gene Smith? I enjoyed it. It's well worth a watch.

[@davidsharp3675]

Thank you for a super video on Eugene’s powerful photography. Just discovered your chanel and loving it

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you for watching David and welcome aboard :)

[@silvestersze9968]

I might purchase this book. This’s a great video in your words. 🎉

[@TatianaHopper]

Hope you do and that you enjoy it as much as I do!

[@thegreatvanziniphotos5976]

Nicely done, once again.

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks so much!

[@teacherdude]

Once again, thank you for posting this, I will definitely add yours and Smith's ideas into the elements I want to incorporate my Summer In The City project.

[@TatianaHopper]

Go for it! Best of luck with it 🤝🏻

[@hamshanksproductions7161]

Another great film. Regards.

[@TatianaHopper]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@themistoclesmeneses6289]

Congratulations !! Great video !

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you 🙏🏻

[@hoagyguitarmichael]

Great video. It made me realize how similar Smith was to some Japanese photographers in his use of contrast.

[@TatianaHopper]

I think you’re right actually!

[@chilecayenne]

Hola Tatiana!! Great to see another great video!! Wow..this was quite the eye opener...very interesting. This has given me some good ideas on trying to see things next time I go out. I recently just got the Light Lens Lab Speed Panchro 50mm f/2 lens to go on my M10M. I'm thinking that this "cinema" lens repro on B&W would work very well using some of these ideas from your Smith presentation!!! Ugh...just SOOOO hot and humid down here in New Orleans...gotta try to find a way around this and get out and shoot a bit... Hope you have a GREAT week...take care!! CC

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks so much for watching my friend! That sounds like a great combo and I hope you do eventually get around to shoot and enjoy it, I know warm and humid weather is generally a hard one. Keep safe and take care!

[@toine1915]

Hello, Tatiana. Great video, lady. What a wonderful combination of the jazz world and the photography world together. Also, a dangerous combination because the photographer knows what kind of world he is stepping into. It's a world of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. In this world, you have to be very strong in your shoes, which was not the case with Eugene Smith at the time. But if you look at the work he delivered, he remains a great photographer. In his work, you can almost see the state of mind he was in when he took a certain photo. That dark work is just what I really like. Paint with light that is what we as photographers do especially in b&w. This is for me the reason only to work in b&w. Another beautiful video, I watched it with great pleasure. Antoine.

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting Toine so glad you enjoyed specially my comment on painting with light. Totally get what you said about this jazz world I watched Ken Burns’ jazz show which was 10 episodes long on the history of jazz and that’s the impression the show gave of this world particularly at this moment in time. Thanks again!

[@filmic1]

Thank you! (I watched 'Minamata'.... very heavy.) I always thought that the pithy meme 'Occam's razor ' was appropriate for photography. Reflecting on Robert Capa's comment 'if your image isn't good enough, you're not close enough' I get this vibe when looking at photographs up to 2000. Dunno.... just my notion.

[@TatianaHopper]

Interesting thought, definitely worth to think and consider, will do that, thanks for watching and commenting your thoughts 💭

[@gargle99]

A great vid. Watched it twice

[@TatianaHopper]

Thank you 🙏🏻

[@ChristineWilsonPhotography]

What a great video, nice insight to an amazing photographer 😊

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@scotskinner4350]

Thanks for another nice video.

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks for watching Scott!

[@avemarcus]

just bought two weeks ago. It`s brilliant album!

[@TatianaHopper]

Glad you did and that you enjoyed it

[@avemarcus]

@@TatianaHopper one place, many years...this is awesome.

[@PeterEvansPeteTakesPictures]

Are you secretly collaborating with publishers in releasing these videos on my payday? Another great one, I love your illustrative selection of images in this one. Man, the one from across the room of the man at the piano by the window...! I love W. Eugene Smith, he scratches the same itch that Koudelka does, but with the advantage of extensively documenting Pittsburgh, a city I'm also inexplicably fascinated by - despite being a Brit. I always try to channel Smith when I hit a darkened club where I've been asked to shoot the scene. I'm not precious about my edits but they'll be getting black and white, damnitt.

[@TatianaHopper]

Ahah I promise I’m not secretly collaborating with them or am I ? 🤔 thanks so much for watching and for sharing your thoughts!

[@VladArges]

This video is just exactly what I needed. I'm working on my photo-project and I took a lot of inspiration from your video.

[@TatianaHopper]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching!

[@martingreenberg870]

Thank you for this video. Something that is capturing my interest is the point of view of some of the images. Clearly the images are made out the window. This POV provides a different look. Saul Leiter created images in color from his apartment. Pair the B&W Smith images and color Leiter images and there is a similar feeling. To me. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)

[@TatianaHopper]

Great observation Martin and I totally agree and can see where you’re coming from, thanks so much for watching!

[@johna.benigno4172]

As usual, Tatiana, a compelling look into Smith's work and life. I do have a question. What is visual complicity?

[@TatianaHopper]

It’s Simplicity :) thanks for watching I really appreciate it!

[@johna.benigno4172]

LOL -- silly me!

[@Indrikmyneur]

Great video and presentation, as always. I'd have just one note: I'm not a fan of cropping photos by the Ken Burns effect, especially when the topic is composition. I'd appreciate seeing the whole photo as the author intended, at least for a while. Other than that, thanks for revealing more of the story of Eugene Smith.

[@jimshaw5450]

Thanks

[@TatianaHopper]

🙏🏻

[@andrewharris7439]

Hi Tatiana, Could you dive into the work of Chris Killip please.

[@silvestersze9968]

I always put likes on your videos. 😊

[@TatianaHopper]

Thanks so much Silvester!

[@jedidiah357]

Keep this shit comin’

[@TatianaHopper]

🫡

[@Vasilevskyy]

Amazing video. What music sounds at the beginning of this video?

[@TatianaHopper]

Link is in the video’s description :)

[@Vasilevskyy]

@@TatianaHopper oops, sorry didn't notice. Thanx again for your content - amazing videos

[@cwl82108]

Simplicity or complexity also serve the purpose of the photo

[@TatianaHopper]

Agreed!

[@bobhopper609]

Maybe Luigi Ghirri one day?

[@TooLooseLeTrek]

Ralph Meatyard

[@urosnovakovic4649]

You are getting BBC good in the montage 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@RakeshDas-qx4xd]

Mam, Can you give me a camera?

[@nitablackwood6301]

Might sound crazy but after watching JLP it made me dislike this guy a lot lol. Some of his photos are cool though.

[@TatianaHopper]

Yeah I guess he wasn’t let say someone who had his personal life kinda together, I found out a lot as I read about him but judging the photographs which is what I’m interested in I can definitely see his passion and talent :)

[@youngloudandscotty]

It's GREN-itch not GREEN-wich Village.