Once upon a time...

[L David Tomei]

Originally Posted by Phantomas

You got old, that's what happened. Everything old is great, everything new sucks. Heard that before. The reason why you had so many "legends" in the past is that photography was not as accessible as it is today. With prolifiration in photography one has to fight a lot harder to stand out. In those days it was easy. Got a camera? Attended an event of significance? You're the man. That is not to dismiss importance or effectiveness of the images of that era, but I'm much more impressed by the reportage photos of modern photographers than those of Capa, for example (no disrespect to Robert).
You had great old photographers, you have great modern photographers. Maybe you should open your eyes a little and look around. Of course they might not be your cup of tea, but that doesn't mean they are less valid.

Everything old sucks and everything new is great... heard that before too. Neither way is accurate, of course.

It's a tough world out there for photographers, same as it has been in the past. So good luck. BTW, I like your B&W images but, frankly, I wouldn't know whether most were shot in 1950 or 2012. Actually, I think that's good, but what do I know... I'm just some old guy.

[furcafe]

It sounds as if you answered your own question of "I wonder why (or what happened) that the great majority of the photographic legends fell upon the lot of low-technology decades." It has less to do w/technology & more w/the fact that the "legends" were present @ the creation, i.e., they pioneered the methods & photographic language that everybody still uses today. Still photography is a mature art, so the big steps have already been taken & only refinement is left. I think today's future "legends" are probably working in video, etc.

The

Originally Posted by BobYIL

I hope and wish the new photographers around would enjoy the same popularity and respect as the ones above; for what has been accomplished so far would stay as being the milestones of photography if not also as being some reference points against which the new ones would be assessed. I’m afraid that it’s the same with painting, classical music, sculpture and most of the other branches of art too. If you want to be more respected than Beethoven or Renoir are , then compose or paint something greater than what they have accomplished. (BTW, this has nothing to do with nostalgia or getting old, but has a lot to do with love and interest about photography.)

[BobYIL]

Originally Posted by furcafe

It sounds as if you answered your own question of "I wonder why (or what happened) that the great majority of the photographic legends fell upon the lot of low-technology decades." It has less to do w/technology & more w/the fact that the "legends" were present @ the creation, i.e., they pioneered the methods & photographic language that everybody still uses today. Still photography is a mature art, so the big steps have already been taken & only refinement is left. I think today's future "legends" are probably working in video, etc.

The

I hold a different view for these. Before all these photographers had to endure a long "ordeal" in order to achieve the ability to see and capture what to be regarded as "great" and to maintain it as a discipline to turn out great pictures all the time; like the daily rehearsals of concert pianists.. and these all by mastering the impeccable use of low-tech gear at hand; by not making the financial side of their profession as being the first priority. (Once Marc Riboud has told me about the life of Joseph Koudelka in his early years by Magnum, overnighting in sleeping bags at public parks, surviving on a diet of yoghurt and potato chips.)

Today the talents are after the monetary priorities first in order to maintain their social style or obligations or whatever they see they deserve. And most of them are after quick money. How many talents would venture to sacrifice a few years of his life by living like a homeless in our day just for a probability to be regarded at the end as nothing but an artist?