Naturalism and Artifice, Thinking About Pictorialism

My friend the photo collector Don Camera is a force of nature, and what he told me about the period in the history of photography called Pictorialism one afternoon touched on several points that I have been thinking about ever since. He also lent me a superb book filled with great examples. Is Pictorialism really over, or might it be ready for a comeback?

[@richardcressey5854]

'Pictorialism is far from dead' It's alive and thriving in the advertising and fashion industries. If only Photoshop had been available to O J Rejlander and Henry Peach Robinson. This is a really valuable video.

[@lyva]

Sometimes limitations breed creativity :)

[@geoffreypiltz271]

Rejlander's composite photos are amazing productions. The Photoshopping of its time.

[@JohnLarryGroff]

Brilliant! Thank you for this marvelous study that inspires me want to learn and appreciate this artform even more.

[@ahoyhere8113]

this is wonderful… put words to a feeling i couldn’t express, and taught me a bunch of places to learn more and appreciate more.

[@peterhart8275]

Another wonderful and informative film John, thanks very much.

[@RoryPattonDreamerOfDunsidhe]

Eye opening and inspiring. I think I need to study this further. I had never heard of Pictorialism and only found this because I accidentally clicked on the wrong thumbnail. Thank you.😎

[@houdinididiit]

Thanks. That was a pleasure to watch. And to boot... refreshing compared to the hyper clinical look that most photographers strive for in digital.

[@divinerdetective44]

Watching this 5 years after it was posted, and I love the style of this photographic genre. Your friend must have been a very good friend indeed to lend his book, I can tell you it's big bucks online.💲💲💲 I even can't get a copy through my local library or inter library loan, must be pretty special.

[@stephenlangton6711]

Thanks to Don Camera for his insights and passions..and making this work come alive for us today...

[@gongorelocksmagiincommand]

the absence of clarity and the kind of messiness that comes with this sort of photography is wholly indispensable to me. And I adore it.

[@alexfxlll]

End quote is beautiful! I couldn’t agree more

[@DanielRustad]

Oh John, this is wonderful! You constantly open my eyes to new things. Or old in this case. :)

[@JohnThornton]

Thanks Daniel! I hadn't seen this before visiting my friend's house. I love it!

[@elrico1364]

exceptionally beautiful stuff !

[@c10_c10]

Fantastic video! Very informative and educational.

[@PerMoenCaptain]

Thank you for a great vid,so inpiriring for me.

[@brandonLirvinSF]

This is a must see for anyone getting into photography as an art.

[@letmebereal]

Good stuff, love the music.

[@lordoftheflings]

wow. fantastic video. Thanks!

[@smk1189]

Great Job. Thank you.

[@filmic1]

I really enjoyed that. I worked my way through Whelan's 'Alfred Stieglitz, A Biography". This lecture is quite reflective of this. Haven't had the courage to dive into Edward Steichen's tome yet.

[@jensarne5773]

Thank you very much!

[@lymemj]

Thank you for this video. I am studying a Bachelor in Photography at SNHU and this week our topic is "Pictorialism". Your video is interesting and has many outstanding samples. Appreciate it! (Pictorialism will never die with photographers that want to be artistic, my opinion!)

[@JRileyStewart]

Helpful review. Well done.

[@testcardII]

These photographs are precious 🤍

[@oldschoolcollodion]

That digital image with the coal maker, so good

[@samanthacamera1544]

This is fantastic! I really hope pictorialism is not dead.

[@rodolfolarrea8493]

he is the funniest guy i have seen in a while … fantastics photographic work

[@MarylandDroneMedia]

Beautiful

[@arcofprado]

your videos have far to little views. This level of editing and research paired with stunning artwork merit hundreds of thousands of views. Your are creating QUALITY content!!!! Thank you!!!

[@JohnThornton]

God bless you Martin, you are far too kind! I love making my movies about art and artists, it is so nice of you to give me some encouragement!

[@suzannabienkowski2033]

Absolutely amazing!! Thank you kindly. I remember studying that one b/w photo, where a pepper is portrayed something akin to the human body. Or was it vice versa? Been too long really. Watching this body of work, again and again, I find I can learn something new every single time. I even shared it with others. Great job! Keep up the good work.

[@BrunoChalifour]

Great reflection on Pictorialism and above all thank you for all the examples. Probably the first time we are allowed to see so many. But please, write the credits at the bottom of each image and not just a "partial list" at the end that does not mean anything as there is no way for the viewer to associate photograph and photographer. It would show respect to the photographers (and the law) and help educate your audience. Two little things that should be clarified: 1-Léonard Misonne cannot be "considered one of the inspirers of what would become Pictorialism. He started photography in the 1890s and only dedicated himself to the medium from 1896 on. Julia Margaret Cameron's work had long been known. P.H. Emerson had published "Photography, a Pictorial Art" in 1866. Pictorialist circles had already been created in Austria and Englan in 1891. In fact Misonne learnt part of his technique with French Pictorialist Constant Puyot around 1910 and carbon printing with the renowned Fresson (also in Paris). 2-John Heartfield's political collages have far more to do with the Russian avant-garde of the 1910s-1920s than any Pictorial influence. Some key arguments are that his work uses collages and not combined printing in the darkroom; it is essentially political (something that almost no Pictorialist was); it is totally anchored in contemporary/modern life (especially politics) which, as presented in this video, was far from most Pictorialists' preoccupations. I would argue that Heartfield's work has simply nothing to do with pictorialism as a current in photography.

[@geoffreypiltz271]

Landscape remains the single most popular subject among the wider public.

[@johnmartin4650]

Excellent stuff……thank you…..dec. 2022 ..

[@thomaseriksson6256]

Good one thanks

[@sputumtube]

It's funny that many of these images can be re-created with even the simplest digital photo-software. I once used Arcsoft Photostudio 5 and created some very 'dreamy' images by just slightly 'de-focusing' and adding 'grain'.

[@PeacePham1991]

Is it accurate to say that most fine art photographers do today is pictorialism? Of course the photos they produce now don't look similar to the pictorialistic photos from back then because we now use different tools and techniques (or use the same techniques but in a different way) but in term of the definition, we also do emphasis on the beauty of the subject, tonality (colors), composition, lighting... rather than just simple documented photographs, or straight-out-of-the-camera photos

[@warpedmotion]

Thanks for the intersting video. I am wondering does anyone know who created the image at 6:56 in.

[@mark-de-leeuw]

Love the end quote ' Pictorialism is far from death'.

[@suzannabienkowski2033]

Agree! Most excellent quote, and one that I copied and will cherish, as well as pass on to others.

[@Moodboard39]

Never dead

[@suzannabienkowski2033]

And Luc Sante.

[@eljin00]

Pictorialism is not what the artist envisions but rather what the artist sees.

[@Moodboard39]

Abstract, symbolism

[@HalkerVeil]

I don't know why but I feel like I just want to have a beer with these guys.

[@Moodboard39]

No more bud light lol

[@galerie291parisphotographi4]

Exposition PICTORIALISME du 27 octobre au 1er décembre du mercredi au samedi de 14h30 à 20h Galerie 291 Paris 32 rue de la Gaité 75014 métro Gaité

[@JohnThornton]

Bonne chance et Merci!

[@sigvardbjorkman]

Photo at 10:11?

[@sigvardbjorkman]

Any link to a pinterest board of these photos or something like that? Great video by the way!

[@_H_2023]

This is what will kill digital photography, the desire to make everything so pin , pin sharp - 13:12

[@withadogthroughlife903]

Отвратительный голос у рассказчика 😢