Wow! I. Feel. Seen. Thank you so much for sharing this post and that quote. It helped me clarify some thoughts on my own work. Thank you!
So much of the work I have been doing over the last decade is abstract landscapes. Sometimes I feel like it’s hard to put into words why I do what I do and why I see how I see. I strive to make photographs with intention although my process can sometimes feel pretty random. Thanks again for writing here and being a constant source of inspiration and encouragement.
Hey Andy — I have subscribed to Aperture for a while. They devoted a double issue to Clarence John Laughlin in 1973. It is “Aperture 17:3 & 4”. This was published while he was still alive-he died in 1985. He writes long detail captions for each of his photographs. Minor White was Editor. ‘Hope all is well
I was in Paris last summer, wandering around Père-Lachaise cemetery, and found Clarence John Laughlin's ashes interred in the columbarium. I had no idea he was interred there, he doesn't appear on any of the lists I looked at of notable people interred in that cemetery.
He's interred pretty close to where Max Ernst is, which seems fitting. I'd attach a photo, but apparently I cant when making a comment.
Here's a link to Google Drive, we'll see if that works. It's not a great photo, just one I snapped in a hurry when I came across Laughlin's marker. A few days earlier, in a different Parisian cemetery, I shot a photo of Man Ray's grave. Also not a good photo (I did get lots of good ones in Paris, really!). I attached that as well, to complete the set of photographer's graves I visited in Paris.
I discovered CJL in the early 70s when Aperture Published a Monograph. (Simpler & Slower Times) He became my inspiration for many years of photography. On my second stint in college 1996 (for an English degree) I wrote a paper about him for one of my classes. Personally I had at least near misses to actually meeting him, but something always up ended that. Later on I met a couple who had known him personally; great stories of this eccentric character. It was his images along with his connecting the image with elaborate textual additions that drew me in to his orbit.
Incredible insight. Very resonate and profound. I definitely relate with his thoughts on making "unreality" real, and vice versa. I would say this relationship between reality and imagination that exists not just in the photographer but in the viewer as well, is a large part of what my own work is concerned with.
Tim Carpenter deeply explores these ideas in his book, To Photograph is to Learn How to Die. A very provocative short (and deep) meditation on photography, poetry and art. One wonders what CJL thought of the dramatic advances in the scientific understanding of light in his lifetime - of all those photons crashing into film grains or pixels to preserve the moment.
Beautiful post! Reshared with my photo buddy that I often bounce ideas around with and share others' works. A powerful line from this Laughlin photographer, whom I was unaware of, that what he wrote on his deathbed. THnx so much for this post Andy! 😎🙏🏻
Wow! I. Feel. Seen. Thank you so much for sharing this post and that quote. It helped me clarify some thoughts on my own work. Thank you!
So much of the work I have been doing over the last decade is abstract landscapes. Sometimes I feel like it’s hard to put into words why I do what I do and why I see how I see. I strive to make photographs with intention although my process can sometimes feel pretty random. Thanks again for writing here and being a constant source of inspiration and encouragement.
Hey Andy — I have subscribed to Aperture for a while. They devoted a double issue to Clarence John Laughlin in 1973. It is “Aperture 17:3 & 4”. This was published while he was still alive-he died in 1985. He writes long detail captions for each of his photographs. Minor White was Editor. ‘Hope all is well
I was in Paris last summer, wandering around Père-Lachaise cemetery, and found Clarence John Laughlin's ashes interred in the columbarium. I had no idea he was interred there, he doesn't appear on any of the lists I looked at of notable people interred in that cemetery.
He's interred pretty close to where Max Ernst is, which seems fitting. I'd attach a photo, but apparently I cant when making a comment.
Hey Tyler, I would love to see that picture. Would you email it to me?
Hi Andy
Here's a link to Google Drive, we'll see if that works. It's not a great photo, just one I snapped in a hurry when I came across Laughlin's marker. A few days earlier, in a different Parisian cemetery, I shot a photo of Man Ray's grave. Also not a good photo (I did get lots of good ones in Paris, really!). I attached that as well, to complete the set of photographer's graves I visited in Paris.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1232UOQSqX2oOtyGhAly7ChrHRu6rpvaW/view?usp=drive_link
Tyler
I discovered CJL in the early 70s when Aperture Published a Monograph. (Simpler & Slower Times) He became my inspiration for many years of photography. On my second stint in college 1996 (for an English degree) I wrote a paper about him for one of my classes. Personally I had at least near misses to actually meeting him, but something always up ended that. Later on I met a couple who had known him personally; great stories of this eccentric character. It was his images along with his connecting the image with elaborate textual additions that drew me in to his orbit.
My work is on view on Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/doncolin/
I work in several styles and follows several subject streams.
Thanks for Flakphoto. Always interesting reading and worth seeing.
Don Colin
Donald Colin Photographs
Gosh, how could I have not known about this photographer?? So beautiful, thank you!
Incredible insight. Very resonate and profound. I definitely relate with his thoughts on making "unreality" real, and vice versa. I would say this relationship between reality and imagination that exists not just in the photographer but in the viewer as well, is a large part of what my own work is concerned with.
Thanks for sharing.
Tim Carpenter deeply explores these ideas in his book, To Photograph is to Learn How to Die. A very provocative short (and deep) meditation on photography, poetry and art. One wonders what CJL thought of the dramatic advances in the scientific understanding of light in his lifetime - of all those photons crashing into film grains or pixels to preserve the moment.
Indeed! Thanks, Richard. https://www.flakphoto.news/p/to-photograph-is-to-learn-how-to?r=152p0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Excellent post, and what a beautiful quote!
Beautiful post! Reshared with my photo buddy that I often bounce ideas around with and share others' works. A powerful line from this Laughlin photographer, whom I was unaware of, that what he wrote on his deathbed. THnx so much for this post Andy! 😎🙏🏻
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Thanks for sharing this, Andy. I take it as a mission to bring some ancients to your attention.
Please do! Let's catch up soon, George. We're overdue!