Seeing “Garry Winogrand: All Things Are Photographable” and hearing Sasha Waters Freyer discuss what went into making the documentary was an eye-opening experience. Although I enjoy art, I have never heard any formal discussion or critique of photography and have often wondered how a photographer makes a mark on the medium if they do not pose their pictures or have some particular, obvious signature. In the case of Garry Winogrand, for instance, I did not know what made his work recognizable except that it was often of street scenes. After watching the film, however, by hearing expert opinions, analysis of his work, and comparisons to others in his genre of work, some of his marks become more clear to me. He often photographed complex or unusual scenes in which it is unclear to the viewer exactly what is going on. He also observed these scenes from an outside eye, but generally not in an ironic manner. He was drawn to movement and to events. Sasha Water Freyer explained at the end of the film that one her goals had been to help people engage with his work, and I believe she succeeded. For others interested in learning more about photography, I thought this was a great film!
Below are 4 of my favorite pictures from the film:
Apollo 11 Moon Shot, Cape Kennedy, Florida 1969 <– pioneer of documenting events
Los Angeles, California 1969 <– capturing unusual moments on the street
New York 1950 <– outside observer
Thank you so much for sharing this! The photos here display a delicate approach to tackle with the interactions between light and shadows. Light always captures a soft part in my heart. Also, through the windows of photography you got to see other people’s lives. Just as you said ‘from an outside eye’, sometimes we would just watch people in the streets come and go; we know that there are stories behind them, but all we can do is to wonder. For most stories, we never have the chance to reach any of them.