Edward Weston died this morning...

... in the book I'm reading at least.

I found one passage very inspiring - minus the cats of course - from a philosophical and photographic point of view and thought it apt to key it here.

Nancy Newhall (then curator at MoMA) wrote about her introduction to the Westons (Edward and Charis - his second wife) by Ansel Adams...

It was dark when we reached Carmel... Charis, her long hair loose and shining, came out to greet us ... There were jubilations and embraces. Then we all went into that wide-roofed room and the firelight. Supper was a celebration. Afterward, Charis showed us the half-finished text of California and the West. Then Edward set up a simple easel, adjusted the light, put on a green eyeshade, and began showing up some of the photographs selected for the book. They were brilliant; the variety of vision was astonishing... When the prints were safely back in the cabinets, Charis opened the firewood hatch and called. Cats began to leap in, so fast they became a torrent, cats of all sizes, colors, and ages... The Weston way of life, we learned, involved the minimum time and effort in the kitchen or at the dishpan. Breakfast was coffee; you could help yourself to fruit and bread and honey if you liked. Lunch was eaten in the hand - a hunk of cheese, a few dates, an avocado. Around four o'clock, when light gets bleak in the west, there was a cry for "Coffee!" At nightfall, all hands dropped work and joyously collaborated to make supper a feast. I found this simplicity and freedom exhilirating...

I read an interesting interview with Charis (at 93) whilst looking for a particular image of her. This is an extract from the rather beautiful looking Photoicon Magazine.

I've been meaning to post for quite a while about Simon Norfolk and through my snooping I stumbled on the following from PDN...



There was a two part presentation he gave at Host in July 07 that is fascinating and entertaining viewing.

Joel Peter-Witkin was an early hero for an odd combination of reasons and I think he puts 'it' very straight about how one should work... new mantra - 'I make the work first for myself and finally for myself... and my own needs'...



Speaking of heros! Mary Ellen Mark had a profound effect on me when younger and her images - and protaganists - are burnt into my memory... truly iconic images.

For those who know her work, Streetwise is both intensely disturbing but scaringly familar.