Garry Winogrand & Ralph Eugene Meatyeard

Garry Winogrand
Garry Winogrand was mainly known for being a street photograph with a majority of his images taking place during the 1960's (even though some to this day are still not developed). He soon published a book called, The Animals, which was a collection of images from Coney Island and Bronx Zoo showing the interactions between animals and humans. After receiving many awards for his photographs, he went on to teach photography classes at the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Texas at Austin where he later passed away. To me, Winogrand seems like a cookie-cutter example of being at the right place at the right time. His images are so entertaining to look at because his was able to photogenically capture the environmental feel you get while walking down the street. You can tell he didn't try and pose anyone, yet the composition is still very on point and every thing seems to stay very well balanced in his images. The photograph below would have to be my favorite. I personally think the thing that makes this picture really work and stand out to me is the lighting coming from behind the girls and the way it crosses in front of them. This isn't something that happens often, or for very long for that matter. He really was always at the right place at the right time.

Ralph Eugene Meatyard

Meatyard was not the typical photograph who starts taking pictures of anything and every thing from a very young age;  he didn't get his first camera until the 1950's to take pictures of his son. He was soon sucked into the photography world and began joining photography clubs and attending summer workshops. He had his own darkroom where he did most of his work which was inspired by the jazz era. He continued taking pictures right up until his death in 1972. I don't really care for Meatyard's work overall. He has a lot of pictures of people in masks which I've tried to figure out some type of meaning for them for awhile now and I can't think of anything, I just don't get them. Plus, they're kind of creepy looking. Then his motion pictures in the woods are just a bit too blurry for me. Yes, I do understand it's the woods and every thing, but I feel the image looses something when the camera is moved around that much. Some of his other motion images like the child jumping out the window and the other child standing in front of the decaying window, just seem to lack a story and interest in me. His pictures just don't grab my attention like I wish they would. Out of all his photographs though, I did enjoy this one, maybe because it made me giggle. It shows a funny story, even though it's a sad situation. The guy has a hook for a hand, but in the other hand he is holding a mannequin hand. The way he is holding that fake hand almost makes it look as if some woman is standing outside the frame, but once you look closely you can see it's a fake hand along with his. Unlike the rest of Meatyard's photographs, I felt like this one was very creative and had a cute little story to it. Plus the title is called, "Hands," I mean what's not to love?!

Stephen Shore & William Eggleston

Stephen Shore
Stephen is a self-taught photographer who started taking his first few photographs at the young age of nine. By the time Shore was 24, he was the second living photographer to have a solo exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Since then, he has published many books and taken a few trips cross country photographing his journey as he goes. I really enjoy all of Shore's work. His images are perfect examples for not only what we're learning in class right now, but everything we've learned in class so far. I really like how every thing in his photographs are in focus. Even though it almost makes them look like snap snots, he pulls it off to make them look beautiful. He also has a very creative way of showing space along with the place. A perfect example, is this picture. The place itself is very crowded yet yet Shore does an excellent job framing the image with the trucks and including all the food in front of the building, yet is still able to show the building. This photograph shows the environment in it's whole and is very successful when it comes to space and place.

William Eggleston

While growing up, William was always interested in visual media but didn't really get into photography until he was introduced to it while attending college. He started photographing in black and white but then moved on to color in the mid 1960's. Soon after, in the early 1970's Eggleston taught at Harvard and while there he made his first portfolio. Since then he published numerous photography books and portfolios. I'm kind of on the edge when it comes to Eggleston's photographs. I really like his point of views because he photographs places I would never think of. Looking at his photographs gives me ideas of things I could try in the future next time I shoot. On the other hand though, sometime I don't understand why he puts certain things in certain parts of the frame. Every once in awhile there will be a picture with the subject in the middle and I really don't care for it. Compared to the rest of his work, those images don't look like he took them. My favorite photograph of his has to be this one. I love how the fabric of the old woman's dress and the coach clash yet it makes such a classy picture. This picture can be so dated just by what she's wearing and what she's sitting on. I don't think Eggleston posed her either, making this photo more like a snap shot, but he seemed to make it work and it came out awesome.

Joel Meyerowitz & John Phahl

Joel Meyerowitz
Joel is a New York photographer who was one of the first to start shooting in color despite not many people supporting him at first. He continued to shoot in color and became one of the first photographers to shoot in color exclusively. All together, in his life he has written 16 books on photography which have become very well known. He was also one of the first and only photographers at the site of 9/11 right when it happened. When it comes to Meyerowitz's images, there are some I really enjoy, and others I don't care for at all. I don't love all his work, but, I do love a handful of it. I love how his photographs are so simple, yet so elegant. He has a bunch of things I personally think anyone could take a picture of, but I don't think anyone could pull it off like he does. I also don't think many people would have a creative eye like Meyerowitz. My favorite picture by him has to be this diner picture. I like how the cars date the pictures, but the quality and resolution of the picture make it look like it was taken yesterday. I also enjoy the way the colors work with one another. You have the yellow lights coming from the diner, the red sign and then the blue sky in the background. They all are very balanced and one isn't overtaking the other. Overall, it's a very well thought out photograph.

John Phahl
I couldn't find out much about John except he is also a New York photographer, and has been taking pictures the past 30 year. I read that he is now a photography professor but I was unable to find out at what college. I really admire John's work and I think it mainly is because it's so creative. It's something I never would have thought of doing and the final result always looks fantastic! He finds unique ways to make nature more interesting but only adds simple changes so nature keeps it's natural beauty. My favorite photograph of his has to the be this one with the palm trees. Everything is perfectly lined up and it must have taken him a lot of time to get it just perfect. Then the way the cool palms are up against the cool blue sky really make the beach pop out to me. I absolutely love it.