Photos Photographers Admire
Some of you have been kind enough to say flattering things about WC’s bird photos. But WC is a tyro compared with the photographers that WC admires. Here’s a brief guide to a few artists whose work WC greatly admires. WC can only wish he could create work likes these photographers.
Gregory Colbert’s work explores the relationship between humans and animals. Working in sepia tone, he has created extraordinary images of quiet communication.
Gregory Colbert, Ashes and Snow
This might not even be the strongest image in Colbert’s astonishing work. If you have or can make the time to visit his remarkable gallery, you’ll see why WC so greatly admires Colbert’s photographs.
Among bird photographers, WC has two favorites, whose work teaches WC a bit about photography every time WC studies it.
First, is the superb work on the late Ronnie Gaubert. Gaubert’s remarkable photos capture the essence of Louisiana bayou country.
Ronnie Gaubert, Common Moorhen, 2007
The light in Gaubert’s photography is consistently amazing. It’s not something you can fake in Photoshop. And the level of detail is something WC can only envy. And you can see Gaubert got detail in this Common Moorhen’s black head without blowing the whites. Consistent and superb work.
Finally, WC wants to point to the work of Ron Dudley. Dudley’s blog documents bird behavior in a series of terrific photos. For example, his series on Western Grebes and their technique for exchanging kid-carrying duties.
Ron Dudley, Western Grebe Carrying Chicks
Grebes are famously difficult to approach, but you can see Dudley has captured detail in the down on the chicks. And the whites and blacks in the head and neck are infamously difficult to expose, yet Dudley has detail in both.
From undergraduate school, when WC first saw photos by Ansel Adams, WC has loved, studied and struggled with photography. WC realized a long time ago he wasn’t going to be a great photographer. But WC at least has the skill to recognize great photography when he sees it. These three artists offer great stuff.
I simply could not be more flattered to be included in your short list and in the same company as Ronnie Gaubert in particular. To say that it made my day is a huge understatement.
rondudley
June 22, 2012 at 9:10 am