BBC4 - Seven Photographs that Changed Fashion

[jp80874]

After all this temptation, and with no access, I would like to know. In their opinion what are the Seven Photographs and Photographers that Changed Fashion and why?

Thanks,

John Powers
Part of the great unread, lost in the colonies, yet to be enlightened.

 

[Stoo Batchelor]

After all this temptation, and with no access, I would like to know. In their opinion what are the Seven Photographs and Photographers that Changed Fashion and why?

Thanks,

John Powers
Part of the great unread, lost in the colonies, yet to be enlightened.

John

I will list the photographers and their images, but you will have to remember that Rankin did point out that this is his own personal choice, as he felt that they were the leading talents of their time.

Cecil Beaton ~ White Panama Hat, Vogue, 1934

Erwin Blumenfeld ~ Vogue Cover, 1950

Richard Avedon ~ Dovima With White Elephants, Harpers Bazaar, 1955

David Bailey ~ Jean Shrimpton, Vogue, 1963

Helmut Newton ~ Rue Abriot ~ Vogue, 1975

Guy Bourdin ~ Untitled, Vogue, 1970

Herb Ritts ~ Fred With Tyres, Per Lui, 1984

It was a great doc, and great to view behind the scenes, with Rankin often including the photographer's assistant's that were involved in the making of the original image, along with family and friends, who all had some very interesting comments to make.

For Cecil Beatons image, Rankin used British Pop star, Sophe Ellis Bextor as the model. In her own way, very beautiful, with the look of a 1930's model. He first made the image using a 10 x 8 monorail studio camera, and then moved on to digital. Ellis Bextor interestingly commented on how relaxed the whole shoot felt while the 10 x 8 was in use, with the shoot tensing up when the digital camera was employed. Rankin commented that this actually showed in the models face in the B + W 10 x 8 image, and was by far the best image for this reason. Very, very beautiful it was too.

Another comment that I thought was funny was when Rankin was talking to Guy Bourdin's assistant, telling him that he was going to shoot digital, and not 35mm. Bourdins assistant said that it was cheating! Rankin explains about the instant feedback he gets...."But what about the suspense" came the reply "Waiting for three days for the film to be developed, trembling" all said with a big grin on his face(Bourdin's assistant)

Personally I felt that the Bourdin image was the weakest that Rankin done. Bourdin was a genius with a camera, making images in camera that would be quite a challenge even in Photoshop today. I felt Rankin chose one of the easier ones to shoot and 'bottled it!' That said, it was a fashion shoot, so maybe I am being a bit hard on him.

Great stuff though

Stoo

 

[jp80874]

John

I will list the photographers and their images, but you will have to remember that Rankin did point out that this is his own personal choice, as he felt that they were the leading talents of their time.

Stoo

Thanks Stoo. I will search those.

John

 

[jp80874]

I could find most of these, but not
Cecil Beaton ~ White Panama Hat, Vogue, 1934

Erwin Blumenfeld ~ Vogue Cover, 1950
http://www.condenaststore.com/ProdDetail.aspx?prodId=16785

Richard Avedon ~ Dovima With White Elephants, Harpers Bazaar, 1955
http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/photography/photographer.php?photographerid=ph006&row=5

David Bailey ~ Jean Shrimpton, Vogue, 1963
http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=5054012

Helmut Newton ~ Rue Abriot ~ Vogue, 1975
http://www.designboom.com/history/helmutnewton.html

Guy Bourdin ~ Untitled, Vogue, 1970
http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=5176382

Herb Ritts ~ Fred With Tyres, Per Lui, 1984
http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=5165021

John Powers

 

[Mike Crawford]

Mike,

The image quality of digital terrestrial should be better than the analogue service. However, in my experience FM radio has better sound quality compared to DAB.

Tom.

Finally plugged the box in and joined the 21st Century so watched the programme tonight. (And the terrestial signal is now great Tom!) Really good show and very interesting in the comparisons between digital and film. I did a bit of printing for Rankin years and years ago and of course he was shooting on film then, like everbody else was, so he should not have been so wary of it. However, it was strange to see how he's become so used to digital that film appeared to be a bit daunting and scary! All in all though, a good programme. Rankin did a not bad job and a good choice of original images and photographers to work from. Shame that Bailey didn't do a Rankin shot in return!

 

[milkplus-mesto]

I saw it last night. It was truly excellent. I'm curious as to generally, which shot people liked best. Personally, i liked the Cecil Beaton and the David Bailey - but overall, looking at the photographers, i prefer bailey's work in general. What do you think?

 

[tim_walls]

I saw it last night. It was truly excellent. I'm curious as to generally, which shot people liked best. Personally, i liked the Cecil Beaton and the David Bailey - but overall, looking at the photographers, i prefer bailey's work in general. What do you think?

I finally got round to watching my recording last night.

I too thought it was excellent - Rankin came over as an extremely likeable chap, as well.

As an aside, I was pleasantly surprised at how sane the models appeared (with one or two honourable exceptions) - not at all living up to their stereotypes.


Anyway, of the original photos, I think I love the Blumenfeld vogue cover best, although Avedon's Dovima is giving it an extremely close run for its money.


Of the reproductions, I think the most successful was actually the Blumenfeld remake - not the one they actually chose to put on screen as the 'modern reinterpretation' but actually the version where she sticks her tongue out; I think I liked it because it really was a re-imagining that said something about modern mores and not just a replica. (I'd want to see it with the nostrils airbrushed out as with the original, though, because they were somewhat distracting.)

Of the other remakes, I think the Avedon and Bailey remakes were probably the most successful. The Newton remake suffered from a lack of texture that the original had, partly a result of the change of scenery, but I also I felt as a real result of being shot on digital rather than film; the remake had that characteristing 'cleanness' that seems to suck character out of a photograph (the exposure needed work as well, with the background lighting overexposed in the remake.)

The biggest failure to remake was the Bourdin I think; and I really couldn't understand why. The lighting was just all wrong - in the remake we ended up with a large harsh shadow being projected behind the model, and lose the tight highlight on the model's leg which I think is a real part of the composition.


I did find amusing - and a little bit sad - the extent to which, when they were talking about the Bourdin I think, the idea of having to actually take the photograph entirely in camera was treated as some kind of insane Sysiphean task. I thought that was the point, after all, and that's what I try to do. 'difference is that I fail of course, but that's why I have respect for the proper photographers!


Anyway, yes, a brilliant programme, and much kudos to Rankin for doing an excellent job with it.

Oh, and David Bailey seemed like the kind of bloke I'd love to have a pint with. Sarcastic, suffers no fools, argumentative, a bit obnoxious maybe but hell he's earned the right - an all round good egg; not at all as his reputation suggested.

 

[catem]

Having caught up with the whole prog last night I think I was unfortunately less impressed rather than more....it seemed more about process than ideas....I thought the original model from the Helmut Newton shot (sorry her name escapes me) was very gracious in her comments (pity he didn't use her again as the model for his final shot - her involvement and viewpoint was one of the high points for me), but she obviously - understandably I thought - wasn't that impressed.

The bit I enjoyed most was seeing the original photographs and thinking about them/ the talk that was about them/ interviews and shots of original photographers.

However I think Rankin was quite brave to attempt a task that he could so easily be seen as 'not living up to..' After all - how could he. Maybe the programme would have benefited from it being a little clearer that that wasn't the aim, although I have to say, in which case, what was the point - apart from seeing Rankin at work with his entourage.