The Life Of A Genius Photographer - Edward STEICHEN

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[@ThePhotographicEye]

Almost got carried away with this video! First edit was 45mins long!! Each stage of his career is worth an entire video to itself I reckon. What's your favourite part of his photography?

[@Loki_Highlock]

Wonderful video. I Would love to sit and watch the 45 minute version. Your videos are great, and I look forward to watching the next one.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks Loki. Perhaps when I get to 1k subs I'll do a long form video :D

[@Loki_Highlock]

@@ThePhotographicEye So soon then 😉 Can’t wait. Cheers!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

haha, lets hope so!

[@Jeff-jg7jh]

@@ThePhotographicEye The Garbo part was great. The shot of the cluster of women was beyond belief.

[@Texray1]

You are one of the most gifted speakers I have ever attended. You aren't constantly looking at an outline or notes. You just talk to us. Probably the easiest subscription on KZbin.

[@cmichaelhaugh8517]

These profiles are excellent. I’m a believer in knowing the history of your craft, plus they give me new ideas when I’m in a rut.

[@richardsimms251]

Another terrific review. Thank you. RS. Canada

[@leezalee7378]

Just wanted to say, this is such a wonderful channel and you are doing a great job. There is a purity to how you present information about these artists and their photographs. It's very refreshing and poetic in and of itself.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks Leeza for the comment. I'm really pleased you're enjoying the episodes. Look forward to sharing more great photographers with you.

[@TimLaytonDarkroomDiary]

Pictorialism all the way. Literally no one today using digital gear even things about 19th century Pictorialism. I think about it daily and use pure analog methods to create original artwork that speaks to my soul. Thanks for the video.

[@hankroarkphoto]

I cannot believe I am just discovering this series. Great stuff, and thank you for the art & art history lessons!!

[@nerwin]

"From a negative standpoint, nothing does any good" - He's so right. I love Steichen and his view on things. One of my favorite photographers.

[@guillermoperezsantos]

He is the best photographer EVER

[@ThePhotographicEye]

He certainly is up there

[@IanMcCausland]

Anyone who truly studies the history of photography will be a Steichen fan. Huge influence on the medium!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

When I was younger I preferred Stieglitz, but Steichen is a far more important figure in photography IMHO

[@kathyhouser9144]

Never knew until about him until about 15 to 20 years ago.He was my relative. My Mom was a Steichen.My grandpa was from Luxembourg So thrilled to learn about his amazing career!

[@richardsimms251]

Wow Thank you

[@VagabondKing100]

I think it is beyond critical to have these discussions on the art of photography. There is one other channel I follow for this reason. Way too much effort is spent worrying about gear and not enough on using light and creating/capturing emotion. I really appreciate your thoughts on these photographers and I am working my way through your videos. edit: His thoughts behind The Family of Man mirror my own experiences. Thank you for this.

[@julieduncan1996]

I LOVE the pictorialist vibe! I often attempt to recreate it in my own work.

[@syu9281]

I love Steichen for his pictorial style, but clear, sharp photography like Ansel Adam's has its appeal as well. IMHO, what matters most is what a picture evokes in its viewers. Each photographer has his or her own style. It is up to the photographer to find that style and be true to self.

[@malcolmrendle6622]

There was a real beauty to the portraits of the early/ mid 20th century that doesn't exist today, the use of lighting was so much better. Thank you Alex for all of the work that you put into these videos

[@grahambush3226]

Wonderful presentation. Thank you. "The Family of Man" will always be my main inspiration in photography.

[@niallmorrissey3715]

It's not interesting. Not at all. It's fascinating. You deliver it beautifully too. Thank you for this content.

[@szymonkomarnicki5649]

"The Family of Man" is absolutely amazing. I have tears in my eyes every time I look at these pictures. I am quite fortunate to have the catalogue of this exhibition (thanks to my wife's friend). What is so interesting with these pictures is that the feeling of many of them is so much more important than the technical perfection. Plenty of them are shaken or misfocused but as a whole they create this moving and deeply human constellation. Thank you Alex for this video.

[@loneshootr]

Steichen produced the images that inspired me more than any other artist in the medium - no one has ever resonated more with me in all these years. Perhaps not only because of his style but also because his humanity glows behind every image. Lovely video, thank you.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

When I was younger Steichen didn't really do it for me, but as I've grown I also see more of that humanity in there like you mentioned.

[@jerrigraham5738]

I totally agree. Beautiful comment.

[@vincentoliver]

Have only just found your KZbin channel, what a breath of fresh air you bring, at last someone who shows an appreciation for photography rather than endless chat about which camera is better than the other. I have subscribed to "The Photographic Eye" and look forward to watching more of your excellent videos.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for being here Vincent!

[@backyardbirdswildlifeofthe3202]

I took photo history at 40 years old and you cover all my favorites and greats. When one of my old timer professors told me my Lilly self portrait was liken to Immogen Cunningham. I love her work and love these videos !

[@Mindartcreativity]

Edward Steichen is from my country, Luxembourg. And in my home city we have a permanent exhibition of his work (The Bitter Years) located at the top of a water tower. The Family Of Man is also permanently located in a city in Luxembourg. I have now binge watched a lot of your videos and I must say that this is exactly what I needed. My passion for photography started diminishing last year in Fall and only a few weeks ago I started to take street photos again eventhough I have my camera every single day with me in my bag when I go to work and have many opportunities to shoot. The subjects you talk about are so important especially in our age with Instagram/social media and the hunt for likes. And this was a reason why I lost my passion. I also find it interesting that you brought up the subject of music, punk to be specific, as coincidentially I also play in a punk band. The „I dont give a sh!t attitude“ comes way easier almost naturally to me when playing guitar and writing music than when going out to take photos. It‘s just something about the instant feedback (or lack of) of instagram that put me under enormous pressure. Self-inflicted, because my mindset and focus were in the wrong place. Your videos definitely help in easing the pressure and re-kindling that fire, even re-calibrating my mindset and attitude towards photography. This is something I miss from other channels. Thank you for being real and making these videos!

[@richardsimms251]

To Mind Art Creativity Interesting comments RS. Canada

[@Smaug1]

I just LOVE your channel. Speaking of great photographers, I think we all would like to see more of YOUR work!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you

[@williamberger2178]

I haven't seen Edward's work since my photo classes 35+ years ago. Thanks for reminding me how talented he was. This type of video inspire viewers to take pictures, not just buy new equipment. Thanks for your videos.

[@fish8cat]

We are bombarded with tack sharp photo images and they begin to get tiresome. I suppose this might be what inspired the lensbaby movement where people wanted to get away from all of that, but that said, they aren't quite Pictorialism. I love the pictorialists. I try to process like that. I look for ways to shoot like that. OK, that said, let me say something about you.... you are phenomenal and I thank you for your channel. You are the art teacher I had when I was young - the one who made me think, not the one I wanted to copy. Goodness, who would want to copy, but there is so much of that now, as well. You take us on a journey that evokes thought and promotes inner creativity. You are the best!

[@adrianv6009]

I like s-o much b&w photography... I find these images absolutely stunning... GENIUS! Thank you so much for this material! 🙏

[@Sinar-P]

I've been a professional Industrial photographer for 40 years. It's wonderful to still be learning from the greats. Great video and I shall be keeping an eye out for more of your videos.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Awesome, thank you!

[@lessismore4470]

Great presentation, thank you. Greetings from Poland.

[@siomurchu]

Steichen's work is fantastic, based on this video I'm going to dig deeper. Thanks for this and all the other videos, looking forword to more.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Awesome, thank you!

[@digipak07]

Greetings from a fan in Pakistan 🇵🇰. Captivating story telling about a true genius. Difficult to do justice with the life of a very prolific photographer in under 15 minutes. You handled it very well. Keep up the great work please.

[@shyamalganguly3598]

It's a great feeling knowing a brief detour to the life of the great photographer!! It was the era when they had photographs on emulsions and they spent a lot of their time in life in dark room to chemical processing of the desired effects they needed ultimately!! The maneuvers and approach to photographs for the then creators was subject to hand crafts rather than machines, today's digitised versions of photographic results is someway difficult to be able to get to the hand crafted chemistry and in some cases, I believe, impossible to achieve the similar results digitally!! But still today's speed of transformation under deft capabilities one can have it almost done what they want ultimately!! But artists are born and they always will and with both sides film and digitised available photography will always fascinate us with speed, accuracy, and maneuvers to produce timeless images in future eras also!! Compare the frequency of master pieces then to now and had the yesteryears photographers had the same speed of production we would have much more of their classics in our hands!! That is we always lack a shortage of classical photos for want of something that isn't available at the point of time and this pushes the boundaries of innovative production of equipments a far reaching target because it too is ever changing and going beyond every time as ever!!

[@ijyoyo]

Great video! I have never seen that photos of the building. Exceptionally surprised.

[@TheCatLady74]

Absolutely fantastic! What a polymath and creative giant.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks, yes I could waffle on about him all day :D

[@dougson56]

What a brilliant series it brings into sharp focus how clinical photography has become. Thanks for producing them.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Glad you like them! It's my pleasure..

[@travelrecordmusic8265]

I am so glad I found your channel; it’s wonderfully inspiring. I’ve often found myself dabbling with black and white (pulling down the saturation on colour images) and then dismissing my efforts as ‘pretentious’ and the easy way to look ‘arty’ - even though I really enjoyed the process and how it seemed to extract or even bring meaning to competent but otherwise meaningless images. Your channel is inspiring me to shoot in black and white, with intent, rather than playing with colour images. Thank you!

[@AndrewHardacre]

What an inspirational and moving video. Thank you Alex.

[@joetagg1961]

I’ve just recently discovered your channel. I absolutely love it!! I limit myself to just 1 or 2 videos a day. I don’t what to run through them all too fast !! Thank You for sharing all your knowledge with us!!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Hi Joseph, thanks ever so much for being here. I'm really pleased to hear you're enjoying the channel.

[@muunk_photo]

I just love it! I've listened to you all afternoon. Cheers.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for listening

[@madhatter42o]

Dang. This channel is impressive. Thank you for this.

[@andreak4280]

I am thoroughly loving these videos!! Thank you so much, truly appreciated!! 😃🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@everrit]

Thanks Alex, came here to watch after your video about style.

[@johnjacob7287]

Thanks for sharing 🙏🏽 what a journey!

[@nerdyandy3101]

Great insight into more unconventional outlook on what makes a great photography. With more fuzzy photography, perhaps the overall concept is to let the viewer finish the picture to his liking with the help of his own imagination. For instance with painters, a good example could be that of Edward Hopper who leaves something unachieved in his paintings, with some undefined expectancy that various commenters qualified with such words as insoluble enigma and many other concepts, Others said there ara as many Hopper as viewers of his artwork. Once more, many thanks for re-awakening the real matter at the root of good photography that gives full swing to imagination !

[@peter_shadow7559]

This Channel is Gold

[@rodrigolopesfoto]

Awesome!! Commenting as I see!!

[@chrisfowler7669]

The Flatiron Building photo is what made me a photographer

[@thedarkriver1]

Top notch vid! What an excellent way to start the day!

[@brucerobertson6196]

Great review with all the research and commentary

[@roysummers1026]

Pictorial appears more art like. I wonder how you could get this look with digital equipment.....I will have to look this up. Great video!

[@Smaug1]

That is a STUNNING body of work, just from what you've shown. His compositions are simply world class. Adams obviously had something personal against Steichen. Maybe he made Adams feel threatened... Subscribed; can't wait to watch the others.

[@halcpt]

I really enjoyed this video - thank you -- and I must admit I am a huge fan of the pictorialist aesthetic. I think it's important to remember that the "clean, digital look" way predates modern digital sensors, and arose with photographers like Adams and the other f.64 crowd, who explicitly rejected pictorialism in favour of the sharp, "straight" aesthetic, and that kind of continues to today. But I think that no matter what the fashion, there will always be a latent "photo-secession" who use photographic imaging in a less "straight" / realistic way - whether they are using pocket 110 cameras, or 100MP Hasselblads to do it. Thanks again - I really look forward to more videos in this series.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for the comment Hal. Yes, I suppose there are many parallels to be drawn between today's obsession with pixel peeping in certain quarters and 'peak sharpness' and group f64. Perhaps it's because one can quantify these things easier than a photograph taken in a pictorialist style? Glad your enjoying the series and look forward to sharing more with you.

[@focalplaneproductions2386]

I recently stumbled onto your channel and have to say this is exactly what KZbin needed, great job. Thanks for the videos and keep them going. Cheers!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Awesome, thank you! Glad you like them

[@ViaOjo]

Outstanding video!!!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Glad you liked it!

[@JBGuarino43]

As a new photographer I very much appreciate your content on this channel subscribed after the first time I watched. First time I watched a video from eye to end. This history is fascinating and inspiring.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Awesome, thank you!

[@photom3]

Thanks for talking about what is in the frame. Lots of how to but little about what is. Photography doesn’t stand still and the history of it is important if one expects to improve.

[@normanmerrill1241]

I’ve done several paintings of his Flat Iron Bldg photo...I love B& W photos...far superior in capturing emotion, atmosphere and contemplation ...thanks

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for the lovely comment Norman, glad you liked the video

[@Vasilevskyy]

Great episode! Thank you!

[@af4od02]

Excellent. Thanks for sharing.

[@AndreiDimaReviews]

I was looking for channel like yours, happy to say I hit the jackpot! Great job!

[@firefighterps2]

Eduard Steichen is one of my very favorite photographers. His Flat Iron image is my most favorite image. Pictorialism is coming around again.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

You know, I think you may be right.

[@firefighterps2]

@@ThePhotographicEye I'm doing it for one.

[@thomashilmersen711]

I definitely agree with the pictorialist style being more organic and interesting. It is hard to replicate that, as well as the special "accidents" that often happen in analog photography, with digital tools.

[@KM-qd4kf]

First, thanks for your videos. They are informative & interesting. I thoroughly enjoy them. In response to your question about pictorialist vs digital photography I tend to think digital is like a photocopier i.e. same camera & lens combo produce fairly predictable results. When images are brought into a computer they can produce pretty amazing results. The only problem is that software proficiency determines the outcome and photography takes a back seat. So is photography real or is some sort of computer generated digital presentation or maybe it is a case of ‘s/he who has the best preset collection wins’? I like convenience of digital SLR’s. I also like authenticity so I try not to over process my images. I also bought a number of older pre digital lenses that I use on an older DSLR. I’m not looking for the sharpest image or the one with 100 megapixels. Instead I’m looking for what In can produce with a 12 megapixel DSLR, 30-40 year old lenses and minimal photo processing. These lenses are also excellent for IR photography. For sport photography its very difficult if not impossible to go past digital. I really admire sports film photographers. No second chances for them while digital just cranks them out to the maximum output of the camera being used.

[@DunkelRuhrOutdoors]

Love your work! Thank you for your wonderful videos!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for watching

[@jamesoliver6625]

Adams comment is easily understandable as a reflection of the dichotomy between the zeitgeists of New York and the environmental Western US at the time and I'm inclined to nod in agreement. I was a music student in the late 60s early 70s in Texas and we were totally convinced that NY was the most parochially insular town in the whole US as regards classical and jazz ("if it's not in New York t's not worth paying attention to") and while I wasn't into the academics of that sphere of photography at the time, I can see Adams making that comment regarding a "commercial" photographer getting that curatorial position.

[@LuminousLives]

Incredibly interesting, I love the soft, ethereal style prints.

[@huwmorgan51]

I just discovered your channel and am really enjoying it. It's nice to learn about photography and not gear for a change. Please keep up the good work.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Welcome aboard! Glad you found it helpful Huw.

[@liveinaweorg]

I'm enjoying your work, Alex which I hadn't come across till now. I glanced at my bookshelf (which I keep in order of most recently read) and see 'The Family of Man' alongside 'The Americans' and 'Redheads' - there is so much to learn from the greats such that I keep revisiting them (though Redheads is a recent JM release). Thank you for giving context to that influence in your videos.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you for watching

[@indigogabriel]

Excellent, thank you so much

[@kimchikidbear]

Definitely a thumbs up. I accidentally found your channel in my search of inspiration

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for the comment! Glad you found it helpful and enjoyable..

[@gregoryspowell]

Well done. informative and inspiring.

[@marcp.1752]

I'm a big fan of Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglitz, and Ansel Adams. Thanks for creating this Episode. I forgot to mention Henri-Cartier Bresson.

[@jimmason8502]

I tend to lean more towards the people and documentary photographers. And Ansel Adams is overrated IMO. LOL

[@marcp.1752]

@@jimmason8502 No he is not. Ansel invented the Darkroom, his very own special one, quite possible you've never read anything seriously about Ansel Adams Photography. Nowadays, all kind of Gearheads only lusting for the latest shit, but don't pay attention to Photography itself. "A photograph is often looked at, seldom looked into" ~Ansel Adams. And he's spot on.

[@brianmccutcheon2471]

I am really enjoying your talks. So educational and inspiring: Thank you

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@calmetosis]

Great video. Thank you!

[@Rodztar13]

Exceptional and informative video my friend! Liked and subscribed

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for the sub Juan! It's great to have you here and I'm pleased your enjoying the videos.

[@michaelmottlau5941]

Brilliant video - very well done! Thanks.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you

[@PeterGoode1128]

Your series on important and influential photographers is exceptional. So interesting and inspiring. I want to learn more. Your channel is providing, what I think, a much needed look at why photography is an important medium. Some of this I did learn decades ago but your presentations are reigniting my interest.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you very much! Glad you're enjoying them Peter.

[@atlantamx3]

This is amazing. Thank you

[@cunningba]

Loved Penelope Niven’s biographies of Steichen and Sandburg. Also found his early experiments with Autochrome fascinating.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for the suggestions of the books. Will look for them.

[@gastonmannlicher8077]

This series has inspired me to purchase photobooks of each artist. My photography has definitely improved just from experimenting with what I see.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Great to hear!

[@1young-geezer]

Fabulous. Far far more than I ever knew of the man, pardon my ignorance. As an isolated and self involved photo/artist, having no interest in photo history up to present times, I was very glad indeed to come upon this eye opening doc. So thank you, and I look forward to visiting your other videos, and gain insight into the grand photo/artists (as I now see them) and how they affect my eye, i.e. sight and insight.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for the comment Todd! Glad you found it helpful and enjoyable.. There's so much we can get from looking at the work of those who went before us.

[@filmic1]

Really enjoyed the two of your blogs to date. They were great. Thank you.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Glad you like them!

[@filmic1]

@@ThePhotographicEye Haven't attempted a Steichen biography yet. Almost finished Stieglitz (Whelan.)

[@fotoplaf7702]

Thanks for this video.

[@pjbassman2253]

I'm so enjoying your channel. I found you at a crucial moment as I've been in such a creative rut lately. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Wonderful to hear. Its great to know you're being inspired by these great photographers

[@CalumetVideo]

I agree! It gets my creativity flowing again.

[@TedPartrick]

What a great start for me in your series (along with the Liebowitz). I look forward to more of your videos. You ask a lot of questions, but I can only answer one. One of the best things to happen to photography is Steichen discarding Pictorialists.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Glad you like them!

[@waileemo6682]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge

[@ThePhotographicEye]

My pleasure

[@mitymous1]

This series is excellent!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for commenting, glad you like it

[@loge10]

I'm with you on pictorialism. I find most digital photography very unengaging. But then I also like the early modernists and street photographers. I think it's that most digital photography seems to be lacking in soul, and that may be the photographer, not the process.

[@paulkuntz3411]

I really appreciate what you're doing with this series. So inspiring. Thank you for all of your hard work!

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thank you Paul. It's a pleasure and I'm glad you enjoy them

[@palomarAI]

Terrific commentary! I prefer a crisp, digital look that can be softened when preferred by using legacy lenses basically, like 20-30 yr old lenses or even a bit older.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks for the comment Flightcrew. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@rajsingharora26]

Thank you for these ...........I am currently in a zone of rediscovering the early Masters of Photography & sharing this on my PhotoPage :)

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the share :D

[@josephtraub7018]

So good! Thank You!

[@marcusdekker]

I never heard of him , so thanks for informing me. Are you an actor? you do these video's really well!!

[@sam11985]

Such good videos, thank you.

[@ML-rm3vk]

both forms hard edge and plct.great video tipingyou hat to the masters.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks 👍

[@geoffmphotography9444]

Very interesting. Some new facts I didn't know. The qualities of film will always be my favourite but the cost of processing and a decent level of scanning makes it prohibitive for many.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

I also prefer the organic feel of film, and wish I hadn't gotten rid of all my gear (both cameras and darkroom stuff) over the years. Especially as I could barely give it away at the time, and now to get it back....

[@filmes24fps]

Your channel is a true gem. Thanks a lot

[@ThePhotographicEye]

You're most welcome!

[@lauraberry7213]

I prefer taking pictorial photography shots. It unleashes my creative eye more when I'm not worrying about the technology-which I'm not very good at and find stilting.

[@AlGreenLightThroughGlass]

Love the early secession work but equally appreciate work that reacted against the pictorial style - yeah I'm lookin' at you Ansel

[@ThePhotographicEye]

I find it so weird that Ansel (who often is portrayed as some lovable uncle type figure) was really actually quite spikey!

[@stufromoz8164]

Thank you for this, some fantastic images here.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

🙏

[@Just-a-bystander]

Very good. Love the footage of him speaking. Had not seen those clips before. I understand those comments by Ansel Adams more as I spent time watching this overview. I really loved the painterly quality of his early work, they evoke a soft ambiance brought out by the gum bichromate prints, and other applied chemical methods. I’ve used a few of these methods and they have a water colour feel because you literally paint on the emulsion. You leave brush marks and there is grain to the paper and the chemical residues. Adams represented a movement which used more pristine methods that essentially removed the painterly qualities in creating the prints. Perhaps Adams viewed him in such a powerful position as a threat to his movement. I hope he changed that view because he certainly proved to be a great nurturing influence on photographers and photography. Overall, excellent but I thought it felt a little choppy in terms of flow. Make longer videos. If they convey something worth watching, I’ll certainly give it the time.

[@ThePhotographicEye]

Thanks Gary. I'd like someday to explore these alternative methods too. The closest I ever got to this kind of experimentation was painting on fixer to an undeveloped sheet of paper, then putting it in dev. Hardly ground breaking, but hey ho...