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Selections from Storyteller: The Photographs of Duane Michals, by Linda Benedict-Jones.

Duane Michals is a photographer who became widely known in the 1960s mostly for his work with multiple exposures, text written on his photographs, and series of photographs. Michals’ work is strikingly different from that of other photographers we have studied in this term, as the techniques he employs seem in opposition to what is valued by others. Michals himself contrasted himself explicitly with Henri Cartier-Bresson, who employed the “decisive moment;” Michals called his photographs “anti-decisive moment.” His work involves an intentional process of ideation, planning and setup. I find that his work is thus able to tell stories in a different way, still evoking strong emotion in the viewer and involving complex and flushed out ideas.

Furthermore, Michals draws often from themes in his own personal life, a concept that I also have not seen much from other photographers we studied, who aim to convey things out of other people. In this way, the process that Michals employs feels familiar to me personally in my process, but also is like other visual art mediums. In his time, Michals enjoyed recognition of his work, and for pursuing methods not previously utilized much in photography. The works I below selected spoke to me in a striking personal way, through Michals’ bold writings in accompaniment with his images. I appreciated that he did not shy away from darkness in his thoughts and perspectives, while also having undeniable creativity and artistry.

Duane Michals. This Photograph Is My Proof, 1967.

Duane Michals. Alice's Mirror, 1974.

Duane Michals. Spread from The House I Once Called Home, 2003.

Duane Michals. Things Are Queer, 1973.

Duane Michals. The Return of The Prodigal Son, 1991.

Duane Michals. Grandmother and Odette Visit the Park, 1992.

I enjoyed reading Derek Jarmon’s On Seeing Red – the stream of consciousness writing style was captivating. I found the piece to be engaging for its breadth of ideas mentioned, keeping some connections when transitioning, while also continuing to pique interest from the novelty of the writing. I appreciated how Jarmon developed the personal side throughout the piece, starting with ideas and writings of others before beginning to add stories of red from his own life. Furthermore, I appreciated Jarmon’s use of history and mythology to illustrate his ideas on red. While reading the text, I found myself imagining times that I have experienced and seen the scenes described. In my mind, I saw the red sunsets Jarmon mentioned, and agreed with the metaphors that he writes about the color red. At times, he asks the reader to imagine an idea without its characteristic red, or to replace something with an artificial red; I found such exercises to be vivid and visceral.

The MFA’s Life Magazine and the Power of Photography was a captivating exhibit that included a breadth of work from Life Magazine photographers, while contrasting it with several modern photographic artworks. One of the first things I noticed in myself upon entering the exhibit was how much more I have grown to appreciate photographs in museums; previously, I did not have a critical eye to explore the depth of an image and think of the creation process. I was also reminded of the importance that analog, B&W photography held in media during the period when Life was active. I appreciate the exhibit’s coverage of the teamwork process behind each photographic project: the journalist, scouts, and level of embeddedness that came with each assignment. Finally, I thought the background for the creation of Life and its early mission were valiant and admirable; to bring the world to many people’s eyes with truthfulness and depth was a lofty and noble goal.

I found the movie Faces Places to be a very quaint and heartwarming documentary of a project and friendship between Agnes Varda and JR. I was instantly drawn to the humorous and honest personality of Agnes; it is clear that she has experienced more in her life than most people have and that she carries her experiences as wisdom as the walks through later life. She has a rich personality and fun ideas for her photography. JR also proved to be an entertaining character, almost a caricature of himself with his sunglasses constantly on.

I struggled with T. S. Eliot’s Wasteland – I found the passages as they stood individually to be comprehensive but found difficulty in connecting the pieces together into a cohesive work. Aside from the convoluted narrative path that the poem takes, I thought the language was very descriptive and rich. It certainly evoked distinct emotions at different sections. The dialogue and proper nouns offer to make the scene clear, with characters and locations. Futhermore, the scenic descriptions and language choices effectively convey mood throughout the poem, especially depictions of the landscapes and scenes of action. The poem evoked memories in me of similar landscapes I have experienced, though I found the action difficult to understand and relate to.

For my photoshop collage, I used the tools: magnetic lasso, object selection, crop, background eraser, frame, clone stamp, blur, text, eye dropper, paint bucket. I drew inspiration for the composition from a recent visit to San Fransisco and included depicitons/excerpts from activities and scenes I saw.

James Baldwin’s writing is always a treat to read; he speaks with such depth and richness of his relationship with his father around the time of his passing. I appreciated the critical but biased perspective Baldwin spoke about his father with; it felt incredibly real and human to have some air of intrigue but also resentment towards his father. Baldwin’s descriptions didn’t aim to make some thesis about whether his father was good or bad but attempted to show the nuance and the reactive nature of his father’s behavior. The way he made a full character through his stories inspire me to chase humanity and depth of characterization in photography.

The Magnum Photos Cooperative was formed shortly after the conclusion of World War II, mainly as a response by its founding photographers to the horrors they had witnessed and to guide their work for the coming years. The Cooperative ensured each photographer maintained their artistic independence, owning their work and allowing them to pursue subjects independent of commercial dictates. The organization grew in number and success rapidly; founder Henri Cartier-Bresson was prompted to realign the organization’s members back to the original goal to “bring testimony on our world” and “keep our heads and our lenses above the artificial life.” With such goals as direction, I personally appreciate the Magnum Photo Cooperative’s historical and continued commitment to bringing forth societal awareness via photography.

Cornell Capa was an early member of the Magnum Photos Cooperative, joining the organization after his brother, and cofounder of Magnum, Robert Capa’s death in 1954. Prior to becoming a member of Magnum, Cornell Capa began his photography career as a his brother’s printer in Paris for a year, before moving to New York to be a photographer himself for Life magazine. In 1956, after two years at Magnum, Capa took over the role of President, serving for four years.

In his own words, Cornell Capa distinguished himself from his brother Robert, who had been known as a war photographer since before WWII, describing himself as “a photographer of peace.” In his lifetime, he explored subjects like old age in America, disabled children, religious tradition, and indigenous Latin American cultures. He also had an affinity for politics, photographing John and Robert Kennedy’s campaigns. Capa founded the International Center of Photography in New York City in 1974 and acted as its director.

Cornell Capa | JFK for President. John F. Kennedy and his wife Jackie during a ticker tape parade in Manhattan. New York, USA. 1960. © Cornell Capa © International Center of Photography | Magnum Photos

Cornell Capa | Robert F. Kennedy campaigning for the Senate. Elmira, New York, USA. 1964. © Cornell Capa © International Center of Photography | Magnum Photos

Cornell Capa | Crowd in street under poster of Lenin. Moscow, Russia, 1958. © Cornell Capa © International Center of Photography | Magnum Photos

Cornell Capa | Russian Orthodox nuns and priest. Zagorsk, Russia, 1958. © Cornell Capa © International Center of Photography | Magnum Photos