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David Bridburg

5 Years Ago

Karl Lagerfeld As The Contemporary Photographer

https://news.artnet.com/exhibitions/karl-lagerfeld-galerie-gmurzynska-1471624?utm_content=from_&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=US%2010%3A20%20a.m.%20newsletter%20for%202%2F22%2F19&utm_term=New%20US%20Newsletter%20List

Karl Lagerfeld was an European top fashion designer, recently deceased. He is lesser known for his photography. There are many great images on the link.

Dave

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M G Whittingham

5 Years Ago

Last November, I was in Paris during Paris Photo. Everywhere I walked there were ads for his photography. He must have spent a fortune....

 

David Bridburg

5 Years Ago

Or his gallery did.

Dave

 

Judy Kay

5 Years Ago

He left his fortune to his cat!

 

Jessica Jenney

5 Years Ago

Yes, his beloved cat Choupette is getting around 300 million!

 

Mario Carta

5 Years Ago

The ultimate act of greed and selfishness is to leave a cat 300 million dollars, in my opinion, a fortune like that could have been left for a myriad of greater good.

 

David Bridburg

5 Years Ago

.....and what do y'all think of his photography?

Dave

 

Edward Fielding

5 Years Ago

He had access the most beautiful people in the world wearing the most interesting outfits with zillion of assistants and makeup artists plus great locations... what is not to like?

 

David Bridburg

5 Years Ago

So are you giving him credit or taking it away?

I think he had that access because his raw talents were found elsewhere first.

Dave

 

Mario Carta

5 Years Ago

David, I saw a few of his photos and those did not jump out at me as something extravagant, I did not dislike them. It's all about the name and brand he established in my opinion.

 

David Bridburg

5 Years Ago

Mario,

His images are very main stream stylish photos. He often is experimenting with the point of view. My main professor at UCONN would say "fluff".

He is not taking the bigger risks or thinking up any 'truly" profound new approaches.

His photos are excellent. JMO

Dave

 

M G Whittingham

5 Years Ago

Just to add to Edward's point. He also had access to the best fashion photographers in the world who could provide him with lots of advice, critiques, etc. I also doubt that he spent hours in front of a computer developing his own photos - probably had assistants do that.

After all that, good but not great.

 

David Bridburg

5 Years Ago

Guys,

He was a top designer. I think you are wrongly assuming he needed pointers on how to use a camera etc.......that is a big leap.

Dave

 

Richard Reeve

5 Years Ago

At the risk of being shouted down, I must admit to being totally underwhelmed by them... but then there were just a few on that link and from what I saw I am not going to bother to look for more...

As always, JMHO

~Richard
http://www.reevephotos.com

 

David Smith

5 Years Ago

In looking at them I don't think he had much outside help. My opinion is meh, seen it before, will see it again.

Now I do know of one celebrity who hired a team to help him photograph his friends with a 8x10 view camera and published a coffee table book of them in the early 80's.

All he did was push the cable release, he had a camera tech to set up the camera, reload film holders, check focus, and even cock the shutter. Also hired a cinematographer buddy of his do the lighting.

 

Robert Frank Gabriel

5 Years Ago

He is lucky he kept his day job as a fashion designer. His photographs are mediocre at best.

Try looking at a "real" fashion photographer. Richard Avedon (May 15, 1923 – October 1, 2004) was an American fashion and portrait photographer. An obituary published in The New York Times said that "his fashion and portrait photographs helped define America's image of style, beauty and culture for the last half-century".

 

David Bridburg

5 Years Ago

Robert,

Totally agree with you that Avedon was an innovative artist.

But how many other people are?

Dave

 

Chuck De La Rosa

5 Years Ago

Some of his work is OK. I'm not motivated to say "wow" though.

David B., being a fashion designer is a big difference from photography. In other words, it's not a big leap.

 

David Bridburg

5 Years Ago

Chuck,

It is a big difference, but not a big leap? I am not following that.

My grandfather's generation were high end women's tailors in London and then Gramps on his own in Dublin. Those men drew what they made first. Also published hand drawn creations in magazines to run ads.

I'd venture that people with tailoring skills of all sorts, make better artists generally speaking. Systems wise there are relationships there. Including deciding on aesthetics for an audience.

Dave

 

Chuck De La Rosa

5 Years Ago

He was a top designer. I think you are wrongly assuming he needed pointers on how to use a camera etc.......that is a big leap.

David B., you are the one that said big leap. I'm saying it's not a big leap to come to the conclusion that he needed pointers. Excelling at one medium does not automatically make one good at another. Having fashion design skills and credentials doesn't translate to being a photographer. It's OK that he dabbled in it, but he was by no means a great photographer.

 

David Bridburg

5 Years Ago

Chuck,

We all took some lessons. I am not sure why that is an issue.

Dave

Edit: I had been responding to a few comments on how much handholding was being assumed. And the intent of at least one of those comments that someone else might as well have pointed the camera. Being a top designer, he is probably better at pointing the camera than any of his instructors. Or was.

 

This discussion is closed.