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| March 1 2018 |
My career as a magazine photographer has been a balance of
dealing with some of the best art directors around and with some that insisted
in using words I had no concept for.
When I showed my portraits that were attempts to fashion to the latter art directors they would use an expression, “Your photos need to show attitude”.
When I showed my well lit portraits to them they often said,
“These are too well lit. You need to be edgy.”
When I showed those portraits in which it was obvious I had
used a stylist and talked at length with my subjects they would say, “You need
to be a fly on the wall and shoot.”
There was no way I could ever satisfy them. Now being 75 and
obsolete, redundant & retired I need not shoot anything where I have to
please any of those guys. I must interject that I did deal with a fantastic
woman magazine art director called Barbara Solowan. She would send me faxes
with her drawings. Once the instructions were, “Make believe it is a cover for
Vanity Fair.”
For many years I have been dealing with a personal interest
in shooting images that are erotic. In my waning life I have found that Eros is
more subtle. This means that fewer private parts (if any) have to show. I have
discovered in shooting that if the message is confusing and difficult to
interpret, it is all for the better. I believe that I have found (finally!) an awareness of what those
guys meant when they said, “Shoot edgy.”
I still don't know what they meant by "attitude".
I still don't know what they meant by "attitude".