Make Great Photos from ANYTHING William Eggleston

[@bencompson]

I enjoyed this video. And I love Eggleston's work. I think a lot of it is truly brilliant. But one of the things I like about it is that a lot of it is terrible. Unredeemably bad. Yet he still puts it out there. Sometimes I wonder if he is an artist AND marketing genius like Dali and Picasso or if, as he suggests, he truly doesn't care one way or other. What I find suspicious is not his willingness to put out bad or mediocre work but those who gush over every one of his snapshots as if they are all masterpieces of even good. But it is not his fault if someone treats his work like an expensive fad. After all, it took some rich highbrow rubes to make Jackson Pollock famous, right?

[@developingtank]

This is a very good take and I agree with everything you’re saying here. Those bad photos are kind of what intrigued me about him in the first place. He is clearly capable of taking excellent shots as well, but I think more than anything his photos speak to the process of making photos. It’s more interesting to me to see a full body of work that showcases the good and bad instead of only the best of the best. The fact that some of the bad photos are held in such high regard or are over analyzed speaks to so many things right, wrong, weird, stupid, intelligent, hilarious, and ridiculous about the photography and art world as a whole. Do you think his work would be held in high regard if it was found posthumously like many other well known artists or would it be disregarded entirely?

[@bencompson]

@@developingtank I think his photography would stand the test of time. To me the good stuff is immediately revelatory. It hooks me right away and even after years of admiring his work his good photos still draw me in. And since his methods and gear are so simple it can be tempting to say "anyone could do that" but other than some really good copy cats not many people have. I've tried. Failed. It isn't easy. I think trailblazers like Eggleston can run the risk of appearing common after years of other people being inspired and doing similar work. But that's the risk of all great trailblazers in art. If you know a little about the history of photographic art, which you talked about in this video, he really was a trailblazer in almost all aspects of his work. I think, though, that even if he wasn't such an iconoclast his images would still capture the imagination. Thanks again for the great video.

[@robertkerner4833]

Thank you for this comment. I'm just becoming aware of his work and feel like some of it is awful but people gush over it because they want to be seen gushing over it. There's a video of someone analyzing an underexposed table centerpiece and going on about all of the meaning in the photo. It's a terrible photo and the "expert" is making excuses for it. There's a lot going on with this guy: smoking, alcohol, drugs, womanizing and probably a bit of ASD. I'm drawn to him and his photos in the same way I slow down to look at a car crash.

[@bencompson]

@@robertkerner4833 I will admit that I see more in his photos than morbid curiosity. Some of it may be nostalgia. Some of it may take me to a familiar place that I have forgotten about. Some of it, removed from the context of his better work, takes me to the bottom of that shoe box full of pictures in Mom's attic.

[@anthonymiller8979]

One of the best insights on Eggleston I have seen. I like hearing his motivations for doing what he did. While mainly a B&W shooter myself I am always drawn to the saturated photos of Eggleston.

[@developingtank]

Thank you! I also shoot a lot of b&w and I’m similarly drawn to his photos.

[@JoeLopez]

I am so glad I found this channel. I love how you are showcasing these photographers. You are spending my money on new photo books 😎

[@developingtank]

Glad to hear you’re enjoying them

[@vidalcuervo8257]

Hugely appreciate your channel. Both tone and content, and choices of subjects. Might I suggest, as you ask for some favourite photographers to illustrate : French photographer Dolores Marat, and Sally Mann. Might be nice to talk about two women photographers of huge renown and unique style (Americans say "female" photographers. In my country that terme refers to animals. I'll stick with "women" photographers). Many thanks

[@developingtank]

Thank you for the comment and recommendations. I’ve had Sally Mann on my list to cover for a while, but I’m unfamiliar with Dolores Marat, so thanks especially for that recommendation.

[@KieranOCarroll]

Thank you. Your channel is without doubt one of the more well produced, enlightening and entertaining in the photography genre. Much appreciate your efforts to deliver this material. Slainte!

[@developingtank]

Thanks for the kind words. I’m putting a lot of effort in all of those categories and always glad to see someone enjoying it. 🙏

[@catherinejoanpiazza420]

This was really good. Nicely put together and well researched. I initially did not care for Eggleston's work. Maybe I've evolved more as a photographer but whatever has happened, I now love his photos even to the point of buying some of his books.

[@developingtank]

Thank you. I feel similar about his work. To me, appreciating Eggleston’s work is something that can only come with tons of exposure to photography.

[@JoeLopez]

I am really enjoy this series. The amount of research you’ve done is apparent and how you’ve put that together with the photos is a pleasure to watch. Keep up the great work.

[@developingtank]

Thanks Joe, I appreciate these kinds of comments and they help me to keep going, because like you said these do take a lot to put together.

[@fuelediowa]

I love the statement about not understanding digital cameras. Having a great understanding of the equipment you use is better than the next best new thing.

[@developingtank]

Agreed. I like that he doesn’t have a highbrow bs view for using film.

[@dodahlberg]

Interesting fact: He had a long term relationship with Viva, one of Warhol's superstars. She lived in the Chelsea Hotel so he was a regular there. For all his highbrow, southern gemtlemanly ways, he dabbled in downtown, off-beat social circles, too.

[@developingtank]

I came across that a bit in my research, but different accounts made different claims about how much involvement he had with that crew, so I didn’t cover it. Do you know much about Viva? Reading about her for this was the first time I came across her at all.

[@k.tanaka8979]

As someone who knows Eggleston's work and has met him I can say that this is an excellent, plain-language backgrounder for his published work. Should be "Start Here" for anyone interested in exploring him further. There have been mountains of bullshit heaped around him. This gets the newbie on an accurate starting course.

[@developingtank]

I appreciate that. Especially considering that is the vantage point I came from when doing the research to make it. There are too many “hot takes” on art these days. I just want to gain a better understanding of it.

[@decemberist]

Great video. Eggleston's a weird one for me - I find that I appreciate his intention and process more than the results. "Guide" was the first photo book I purchased where I was kinda disappointed at the end. But somehow I'm still a fan?

[@developingtank]

I’m pretty much where you’re at with his work, but I appreciate the photos in the context of the time and place they’re taken.

[@bomshooting577]

I love your video! I hope for more Eggleston content like this ! Cheers man!

[@developingtank]

Another different Eggleston based video is coming soon. Thanks for checking it out!

[@emanonmuc7762]

Thanks a lot. Reminds me to by a book from him.

[@developingtank]

So many choices

[@gregorylagrange]

To me the appeal of Eggleston comes from the collective aspect of nostalgia. A box of snap shots. Many photos are nothing on their own, and some photos are by themselves distinguished by subject matter and by photographic fundamentals like composition. The tricycle photo for one. People fall into two categories. "oh remember those? they don't make those anymore." (along with knowing why) Or, "what is that? When was that a thing to have?" (along with wondering why it's no longer a thing) Add in the way the tricycle is shot, you get the mundane made into the Americana icon. Most of his other stuff is pieces of nostalgia of how things were. Changes in how cars look, how people dress, knowing the photo is old and thinking about how people lived. If you gave a group of kids their first camera, they'll go and take pictures of anything. None of them will be considered more than snapshots at the time. Collect them and hold on to them until everyday design elements change drastically, you get your art.

[@developingtank]

The aging of street photos is something I consider when taking my own for this reason. A lot of cherished street work is loved because of the nostalgia factor.

[@wearetrackclub]

Great insights! Love how you put this together. Nice presentation and really informational 🙌

[@developingtank]

Thanks so much!

[@scotskinner4350]

It seems the trick to me is knowing what is mundane and what is mundane that can be art. Not everything mundane can be art.

[@developingtank]

Agree to disagree.

[@AlFirous]

Art is subjective, what you call art may not be art for other people, and vice versa.

[@developingtank]

Exactly

[@Mostlyphotography83]

"The only pictures I like are the ones I've taken" -- That's humbleness in a nutshell. In my case, I do appreciate other people's work but I don't like my own photos. The same applies when I cook, haha.

[@developingtank]

Two areas I’m trying to change myself

[@m.s.g1890]

Great, information dense video here. And interesting/thought-provoking info too. I've never really made up my mind about William Eggleston. I really like balanced photos like HCB's, and often think that Eggleston was aiming for that but didn't really have an eye for composition. Many of his pics look way off to me eg the pic at 7:06 and the one after. Also, the way the colour of the film emulsions is rendered adds a lot to the photos. If many of his shots were taken on a smartphone, I wonder if they'd still have any charm/mystery/atmosphere? I really enjoyed the video, anyway, and can see that you must have put a lot of work into it. Well done. Subbed.

[@developingtank]

Thanks a lot for the detailed comment. I often wonder if the greats would be held in such high regard if they were taking photos with modern technology. I find that there are a lot of street photographers these days who make technically excellent work, but that it doesn’t have a lot of that same charm for whatever reason. Definitely a topic we could speculate on forever without coming to a solid resolution. Thanks for the sub and kind words 🙏

[@m.s.g1890]

Yes, absolutely agree. Martin Parr's work has never had the same feel since he quit the colour film with flash combo. Highly saturated film with it's own colour characteristics + flash is really like adding special effects to each photo. Thanks for the reply, and keep it up, friend!@@developingtank

[@developingtank]

Sorry, didn't see this until now. I haven't seen Martin Parr's work outside of his more iconic stuff with his signature style. Going to look into it now. @@m.s.g1890

[@kevinsolie2208]

Great episode.

[@developingtank]

Appreciate it 🫡

[@fellowcitizen]

Excellent video. Subscribed!

[@developingtank]

Thank you 🫡

[@Caballeroshot]

I appreciate his contribution to photography as he has created a volume of work documenting the south in a very unique way. Making images that are absolutely unique that honestly every film photographer tries to replicate shooting mundane objects or scenes. I don't know that I could credit him as being a true artist though, for that it takes some need of self preservation. Perhaps the cliched starving artist not the silver spoon wealthy southern aristocrat capable of working on his art without worry of acceptance or success because his family's old plantation money gives him a cushy net to fall onto.

[@developingtank]

You don’t think the rich or well off can be true artists?

[@Caballeroshot]

@@developingtank Sure they can, I just don't identify with their work nor do I feel their path to finding their style can be credited in the same way as someone else who had to choose between a meal or buying supplies to create their work.

[@JustinPhillip]

Claiming your photography is the only thing worth to look at when all you do is take mundane landscape shots is pretty bold 😅

[@developingtank]

lmao I thought the same thing

[@adama4791]

TLDR: I think his statement is saying my work is worthwhile and I (eggleston) like it, not my work is the ONLY worthy work I think a more charitable reading of the exact quote isn’t quite so bold. “Half of what’s out there is worthless” implies half (or some decent portion has worth). Something can have worth but you still don’t like it. Therefore I feel like you can disconnect that statement from “the only work I like is my own”.

[@developingtank]

This is the New York Times interview it’s taken from for context. It seems clear that he isn’t saying generously that half of all photography is good by saying half is worthless. It’s a statement that slacks off most photography… “I mention that for decades people have studied his compositions, the geometry of his images, which seem to grow more complex the more you look. But this sort of analysis of his work strikes Eggleston as “nonsense.” Photography is second nature to him - intuitive not analytical. “I know they’re there, the angles and compositions,” he says. “Every little minute thing works with every other one there. All of these images are composed. They’re little paintings to me.” But one wouldn’t call him a fan, exactly, of photography. “Oh, half of what’s out there is worthless,” he scoffs. “The only pictures I like are the ones I’ve taken.” In a way, somebody like Ansel Adams strikes me as the very antithesis of Eggleston, so I ask what he thinks of him. “We didn’t know each other,” he says, “but if we did, I’d tell him the same thing: ‘I hate your work.’ ” I had read, though, that he admired Henri Cartier-Bresson, the French photographer famed for his work capturing “the decisive moment,” who said one thing Eggleston recalls with fondness: “You know, William, color is bullshit.” I ask if the remark dented his confidence. “Oh, no. I just said, ‘Please excuse me,’ and left the table. I went to another table and partied.””

[@arneheeringa96]

How about the colour photography of Saul Leiter and Ernst Haas? As well as S.M. Prokhudin-Gorski and Autochrome.

[@developingtank]

How about them? What’s your point?

[@arneheeringa96]

@@developingtank it sounded like Eggleston was the first colour photographer, which he wasn't. I saw you have made films about Leiter and Haas, which I found through the search button. I didn't find films about Prokhudin-Gorski or the Autochrome Photographers (there was a project of documenting the world which photographs are now in a museum in Paris). Would this be interesting for you to make a film about?

[@developingtank]

@arneheeringa96 ah, potentially. I’ll look into it. Usually it comes down to how difficult they’ll be to research.

[@arneheeringa96]

@@developingtank That would be wonderful. Thorough research is always a problem. Do you know Daniel Minor's channel? He always stresses the importance to do thorough research.

[@developingtank]

@arneheeringa96 I’m not familiar with

[@quang5DCameras]

"I still use Film, I never use Digital. It's Not the waiting process of Film that I like. I have a lot of Digital Cameras but I never use them..." William Eggleston

[@developingtank]

🖖

[@shumyinghon]

when one is famous, everything one shoot seem easily be regarded artistic or great.

[@developingtank]

I guess that answers why they’re famous in the first place, aye?

[@quang5DCameras]

Most people nowadays only want the lastest New Camera coming out and they forget about old cameras that can take Insane Outstanding pictures. They think New Cameras it's always the Best. I never Understand these People mentality.

[@developingtank]

I see a lot of camera talk without seeing a lot of photos. I don’t understand these people either.

[@JoeLopez]

That Detroit flag, are you from the area?

[@developingtank]

Originally, yes, but I haven’t lived there for nearly a decade

[@outtathyme5679]

I’d argue Saul Leiter was the “father” of color photography

[@developingtank]

Watch my Saul Leiter video for the counter argument.

[@kronkite1530]

I love Leiter’s work, as with Haas, Herzog and Gruyert, but Keld Helmer Peterson pre-dates all, publishing the fantastic “122 Color Photographs” made in the 1940s. Would be a great subject, given his long and very varied career.

[@FREDYTHEFOX1]

😎📸👍🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@developingtank]

🫡🫡🫡🫡

[@TheTattooedTaoist]

His work is great but man does he sound like a jerk.

[@developingtank]

That’s how I felt doing the research for this video. There was one article that pointed out that he is always written that way, but is really charismatic. So, it’s kind of hard to really know either way.

[@DivvyDeluxe]

He kinda sounds like a douchey rich kid who never grew up

[@developingtank]

😂😂😂

[@DivvyDeluxe]

@@developingtank Love your work devtank! I mean some of Eggleston's work is good, yes. He did push color photography into the paradigm, yes. But he somehow says non-pretentious shit in the most pretentious way, all while acting like a trust fund baby.

[@developingtank]

@@DivvyDeluxe oh yeah, I’m laughing because I agree with you