Three Photographers

I'm slowly regaining a long lost interest in photography. A couple month ago, I dusted off my old Super Speed Graphic 4x5 camera (upgraded with a Schneider Super Angulon lens). Inspiration from the following photographs may be enough to push me over the edge and actually start shooting.
Edward Burtynsky | Neal Rantoul | Bernd + Hilla Becher

Edward Burtynsky

http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/
Edward Burtynsky is a Canadian photographer who shoots large format color photographs. Most of his subjects include industrial and urban landscapes - recycling yards, mine tailings, quarries, refineries, and other portraits of "nature transformed through industry".

He has two published folios, Burtynsky - China and Manufactured Landscapes.

My favorite photos from Burtynsky's site are the ship wrecking yards in India. These are some of the most dangerous and contaminated work zones in the world, but he makes them look absolutely beautiful.

Neal Rantoul

http://nealrantoul.com/
Neal Rantoul is a career artist and teacher. He's been the head of Northeastern University's photo department since 1981 and was my photo teacher throughout my five years at Northeastern. His work is generally American landscapes shot with a large format view camera. He works in both color and black and white.

I have a 14x20 print of Neal's hanging above my living room couch. It's a black and white close up shot of a rusted out pick-up truck. I'm amazed by how much detail and clarity Neal can give 'rust'. Mr. Rantoul's book, American Series will be published in spring of 2006.

Bernd + Hilla Becher

http://www.diacenter.org/exhibs_b/becher/
The Bechers were both born in the early 1930's in Germany. They've been collaborating since the late 1950's and have been married since the early 1960's.

The Becher's portfolio books are almost exclusively large format, black and white, head on photographs of industrial buildings. They devote entire books to Coal Bunkers, or Industrial Buildings, or even 200+ photos of Framework Houses

While each image is beautiful, detailed, and technically precise in it's own right, the real fun comes when you flip through a book of 100+ images of Minehead facades. You start comparing each photograph, looking for subtle differences, similarities, admiring the commitment and dedication of the artist.