Members of the Forum were asked to choose two published photographs by established photographers and create two pictures inspired by them. I suggested that they may choose to: copy the subject; follow the style; consider the same theme; or use the image as a metaphor for something they wanted to explore. Each pair of pictures was presented for group discussion. I chose Sergio Lorrain and Charles Jones.
Sergio Larrain
Sergio Larrain (1931 – 2012) was a Chilean photographer. He was a member of Magnum Photos during the 1960s. He is considered the most important Chilean photographer. His main work was in street photography, often of abandoned street children, with innovative use of shadows and angles. He created thoughtful and poetic images in a short career. One of most important bodies of work is a very personal exploration of street life and bars in Valparaiso, collaboration with writer Pablo Neruda. Valparaiso is a very hilly city – he made many pictures of people going up and down – I used this as inspiration, which was difficult to follow in a flat place like Cambridge.
Charles Jones
Charles Harry Jones (1866 – 1959) was an English gardener and photographer, noted for his still lifes of fruit and vegetables. The photographs were probably made between 1895 and 1910. Jones’ work was never exhibited in his lifetime, and was largely unknown, until the photographic prints were discovered by accident in 1981. Jones isolated his vegetables, fruits and flowers against neutral dark or light backgrounds, in the manner of formal studio portraits. He used long exposures and small apertures to give depth of field. The work is important in: emphasising the sculptural qualities of vegetables; and recording heritage varieties. I’ve tried to create a companion image of a pomegranate and tora.
Other photographers whose work was chosen by the Forum included: Ansel Adams, Bernd and Hilla Becher, Martin Bond, Bill Brandt, Lena Bruce, Henri Cartier Bresson, Robert Doisneau, Louis Daguerre, Ellsworth Kelly, Andre Kertesz, Andrew Locking, Paul Miguel, Justin Minns, Marek Mis, Paul Moore, Martin Parr, Nicephore Niepce, Justin Partyka, Charles Sheeler, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Linnaeus Tripe, Pep Ventosa, Ami Vitale, Andy Warhol. See www.zimbushboy.online for photos.