November 11, 2011

A gleam in the eye


I use a fast shutter speed–Elliott Erwitt (in response to being asked how he manages to find time for personal work)
Although the history of photography has generally balked at allowing humor into its pantheon, Elliott Erwitt steadfastly pursues a wry, off-kilter view of the benign indignity of life. With a gleam in his eye and a twinkle in his lens, he seems to tell us sweetly, sadly, rather resignedly that a little absurdity, a bit of imbalance is about what we should expect from life. "Everything's serious," he says, and promptly adds, "Everything's not serious." Erwitt apparently has the inside track on the way circumstances undermine our efforts to be respectable and to maintain order in the world. He is probably the only man who has ever noticed museum-goers studiously contemplating an empty frame, or a cannon poking its muzzle out over the trees at a bus stop. He also has the distinction of knowing more about the real nature of a dog's life than anyone but cats; he claims that he habitually barks at dogs, which might explain their many vivid responses to his camera. Erwitt's irreverent, raised eyebrow view of the world should make perfectly clear that a sense of humor can be a weighty piece of photographic equipment.


Eliott Erwitt turned 83 in July of this year; he’s been taking photos for over six decades, all around the World, and has published or been included in over 20 books. He’s worked for the US Army, the FSA and Magnum Photos, as well as being a freelance commercial photographer. He has photographed some of the most iconic people and dogs throughout his illustrious career; but he hasn’t retired yet.
 for Mona

3 comments:

Tartanscot said...

Unwillingly Monina wakes,
Feels the sun with terror,
One unwilling step she takes,
Shuddering to the mirror.

Shining like the morning star,
Like the twilight shining,
Haunted by a calendar,
Monina is a-pining.

Silly girl, silver girl,
Draw the mirror toward you;
Time who makes the years to whirl
Adorned as he adored you.

Time is timelessness for you;
Calendars for the human;
What's a year, or thirty, to
Loveliness made woman?

Oh, Night will not see thirty again,
Yet soft her wing, Monina;
Pick up your glass and tell me, then--
How old is Spring, Monina?

~after Ogden Nash

Unknown said...

1. SHOCK & DENIAL
2. PAIN & GUILT
3. ANGER & BARGAINING-
4. "DEPRESSION", REFLECTION, LONELINESS-
5. THE UPWARD TURN
6. RECONSTRUCTION & WORKING THROUGH
7. ACCEPTANCE & HOPE

The end of breakfast, and things are warming-up down at the ‘chalet’

-later and thank you for your kind remembrances.

Ms. Edna (squared) said...

Dearest friend,
what are the saddest words in the English language~
If Only,
Never Again,
Kept Waiting,
Too Late,
No Answer,
Just Because.
I think If Only is the saddest.
So enjoy life to the fullest. Rock those boats...