Tuesday 15 December 2009

Steve Harrison.

Image copyright Steve Harrison

Thanks to Benjamin for this, and I'm so glad that he pointed this cynical old Git in the direction of The BBC VIEWFINDER photo blog and THIS piece on the work by the late Steve Harrison. The above picture by the way is the one used on the blog and in my mind is neither the strongest or the most Representative of Steve's work. The work can be seen on Steve's Flickr site HERE.
"A KIND OF DIGNITY" is a set of pictures of people living life as best they can. Often pictures of the old or people who are struggling on. Not shot with the usual condescending pity or spite full humour that are the natural tools of photographers approaching this cast of characters.
No, Steve genuinely seemed to have that emotion that photojournalists seem to have no problem projecting onto third world subjects but seldom are able to summon when turning their lenses on the British........ Compassion.

Goodluck Rosie on getting together a book, please let us know if you do....

4 comments:

Mo Takes Photos said...

Stonkin' set of images....

Stan B. said...

Carl T. Rowan- It is often easier to become outraged by injustice half a world away than by oppression and discrimination half a block from home.

Brenda said...

Mark: Steve did another lengthy series you'd like called Cheap Foreign Surrealism or sometimes Fake European Surrealism. You'd like its similarities with your Weapons series: the same dry wit.

Doubt they're on Flickr, bloody system regularly deleted his account over some supposed tou violation, but Rosie could show us them.

He did a LOT of work, much of it more interesting than the street photographs.

And he gave me his Mamiya, bless his dear heart. He thought my photos were crap and a decent camera might improve them. So much for that. ;)

mark page said...

Bloodyell Brenda what a small world it is. You dig them photo's out I will without doubt show them here.........