Post by Ace on Mar 10, 2005 14:38:53 GMT -5
University Star: Gorman lecture shines light on entertainment photography
Phil Arciniega / Entertainment Writer
Texas State University
Monday night, the LBJ Student Center Teaching Theater was filled with bright, eager and anticipatory faces waiting to see their hero and renowned entertainment portrait-photographer Greg Gorman.
Carl Deal, photography lecturer at Texas State and long time friend of Gorman, introduced his colleague at the beginning of the presentation. Gorman, who graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in photojournalism, took the stage dressed in black.
Clothed in a high-profile leather coat, he began his lecture with samples of some of his most notorious images. With a keen sense of humor, Gorman started his slide show, showcasing over 30 years from his analog portfolio, which consists of pictures of celebrities ranging from Johnny Depp to Robert De Niro, Michael Jordan to Michael Jackson and even the king of the ring, Muhammad Ali.
The analog photos screamed of Gorman’s artistic style. His images, usually set to a black backdrop, embrace the subject by creating a deep contrast of shadow while always concentrating on the subject’s face. Many of the photographs shown were from Gorman’s personal collection.
He emphasized the value of not selling out to what magazine directors want but rather to “maintain (the) integrity of the photographer (in order) to get what (he or she) wants.”
He emphasized this point by showing unique pictures of stars. One such picture was of Bette Midler, who is, interestingly, usually photographed from the left side of her face.
Gorman, with the integrity of any true artist, saw his vision by way of his camera lens. He made Midler alter her positions, and he eventually created one of her album covers while, simultaneously, depicting a rare still shot of one of Hollywood’s divas.
After engaging his audience, which consisted mostly of photography and visual media students who drooled and gasped over Gorman’s masterpieces, he was ready to attack the recent debate over the transition from analog to digital photography. He stated that new technology, due to an ever-increasing amount of pixels found in standard point-and-shoot cameras, is a “great excuse for poor photography.” The discussion then turned to a very interesting and technical speech, where Gorman passionately spoke of how crucial and essential digital cameras are for the commercial medium/format of photography.
Gorman began by showing digital photographs of most his recent work with two Cirque du Soleil athletes, who were also present in the crowd. He stressed the fact that digital cameras give the photographer and his subject “instant gratification,” which is one of his main reasons for his deep love of digital photography.
He commented how frustrating it can be to set up a photo shoot using analog cameras. The photographer must first take a Polaroid portrait to preview the lighting and then wonder in anticipation if he has captured the original essence of his subject on film. In many cases, he would later find artistic success was a myth left on an instant Polaroid print.
Gorman first debuted his digital prints while shooting an analog spread for the actor Ann-Margret. At the end of the day, he asked her if she would mind him taking a few shots of her with his newly acquired digital camera. She complied with the request, and when prints were selected and chosen for the published spread, Ann-Margret chose from all of the digital prints.
He added that with heightened levels of airport security in our post Sept. 11 world, getting to a shoot with analog film and accessories is almost a lost cause. An analog photographer’s concerns range from X-ray exposure at airport security checks, to eating valuable time in an industry where photographers are lucky to have 30 minutes to capture the essence of their subjects.
Throughout the evening, Gorman excited the audience with first person accounts of actors and musicians, bringing them back from the space of untouchable legends to the grounded mass of the Earth. Gorman commented on friends like Pierce Brosnan, Elton John and Marlon Brando. He told of a 300-pound Brando mooning Depp on the set of Don Juan DeMarco.
He followed with an account of Pierce Brosnan and himself drinking wine on an anonymous beach in England. As the sun began to set, Gorman, who loves natural lighting, quickly grabbed his camera and captured a stunning photo of Brosnan on the shore. Gorman notes this photo would not have been possible with an analog camera; by the time his equipment would have been set and ready, the image would have been lost.
Gorman closed his charismatic gossip by telling the audience very nostalgically “film is dying, and at certain point, [it] will be dead.” This was a very stern statement from a photographer whose first professional photograph was of Jimi Hendrix in 1968 and who has built a more than 30-year legacy of analog photography.
With new technology comes the end of an out-dated era. Whether die-hard photographers keep the darkroom alive and well, whether film and analog photography are put on the walls of museums or if video will once again kill the radio star, digital and analog photography will still beat hard and loud.
“The images are lasting,” said Gorman, and will forever remain “a visual record of the past.”
www.gormanphotography.com/gorman.html
Phil Arciniega / Entertainment Writer
Texas State University
Monday night, the LBJ Student Center Teaching Theater was filled with bright, eager and anticipatory faces waiting to see their hero and renowned entertainment portrait-photographer Greg Gorman.
Carl Deal, photography lecturer at Texas State and long time friend of Gorman, introduced his colleague at the beginning of the presentation. Gorman, who graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in photojournalism, took the stage dressed in black.
Clothed in a high-profile leather coat, he began his lecture with samples of some of his most notorious images. With a keen sense of humor, Gorman started his slide show, showcasing over 30 years from his analog portfolio, which consists of pictures of celebrities ranging from Johnny Depp to Robert De Niro, Michael Jordan to Michael Jackson and even the king of the ring, Muhammad Ali.
The analog photos screamed of Gorman’s artistic style. His images, usually set to a black backdrop, embrace the subject by creating a deep contrast of shadow while always concentrating on the subject’s face. Many of the photographs shown were from Gorman’s personal collection.
He emphasized the value of not selling out to what magazine directors want but rather to “maintain (the) integrity of the photographer (in order) to get what (he or she) wants.”
He emphasized this point by showing unique pictures of stars. One such picture was of Bette Midler, who is, interestingly, usually photographed from the left side of her face.
Gorman, with the integrity of any true artist, saw his vision by way of his camera lens. He made Midler alter her positions, and he eventually created one of her album covers while, simultaneously, depicting a rare still shot of one of Hollywood’s divas.
After engaging his audience, which consisted mostly of photography and visual media students who drooled and gasped over Gorman’s masterpieces, he was ready to attack the recent debate over the transition from analog to digital photography. He stated that new technology, due to an ever-increasing amount of pixels found in standard point-and-shoot cameras, is a “great excuse for poor photography.” The discussion then turned to a very interesting and technical speech, where Gorman passionately spoke of how crucial and essential digital cameras are for the commercial medium/format of photography.
Gorman began by showing digital photographs of most his recent work with two Cirque du Soleil athletes, who were also present in the crowd. He stressed the fact that digital cameras give the photographer and his subject “instant gratification,” which is one of his main reasons for his deep love of digital photography.
He commented how frustrating it can be to set up a photo shoot using analog cameras. The photographer must first take a Polaroid portrait to preview the lighting and then wonder in anticipation if he has captured the original essence of his subject on film. In many cases, he would later find artistic success was a myth left on an instant Polaroid print.
Gorman first debuted his digital prints while shooting an analog spread for the actor Ann-Margret. At the end of the day, he asked her if she would mind him taking a few shots of her with his newly acquired digital camera. She complied with the request, and when prints were selected and chosen for the published spread, Ann-Margret chose from all of the digital prints.
He added that with heightened levels of airport security in our post Sept. 11 world, getting to a shoot with analog film and accessories is almost a lost cause. An analog photographer’s concerns range from X-ray exposure at airport security checks, to eating valuable time in an industry where photographers are lucky to have 30 minutes to capture the essence of their subjects.
Throughout the evening, Gorman excited the audience with first person accounts of actors and musicians, bringing them back from the space of untouchable legends to the grounded mass of the Earth. Gorman commented on friends like Pierce Brosnan, Elton John and Marlon Brando. He told of a 300-pound Brando mooning Depp on the set of Don Juan DeMarco.
He followed with an account of Pierce Brosnan and himself drinking wine on an anonymous beach in England. As the sun began to set, Gorman, who loves natural lighting, quickly grabbed his camera and captured a stunning photo of Brosnan on the shore. Gorman notes this photo would not have been possible with an analog camera; by the time his equipment would have been set and ready, the image would have been lost.
Gorman closed his charismatic gossip by telling the audience very nostalgically “film is dying, and at certain point, [it] will be dead.” This was a very stern statement from a photographer whose first professional photograph was of Jimi Hendrix in 1968 and who has built a more than 30-year legacy of analog photography.
With new technology comes the end of an out-dated era. Whether die-hard photographers keep the darkroom alive and well, whether film and analog photography are put on the walls of museums or if video will once again kill the radio star, digital and analog photography will still beat hard and loud.
“The images are lasting,” said Gorman, and will forever remain “a visual record of the past.”
www.gormanphotography.com/gorman.html
That photo on the beach he mentioned also sounds interesting. I don't remember ever having seen it online, though.
