{"id":562,"date":"2015-01-08T23:17:27","date_gmt":"2015-01-08T23:17:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/enr.me.uk\/fromthenegative\/?p=562"},"modified":"2015-01-10T13:36:26","modified_gmt":"2015-01-10T13:36:26","slug":"serendipity-and-photography-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enr.me.uk\/fromthenegative\/2015\/01\/08\/serendipity-and-photography-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Serendipity and Photography – Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Notes from a talk by\u00a0Keith Didcock on Serendipity and Photography at Stills<\/a> for the DCC.<\/p>\n

Serendipity<\/a> was coined by Horace Walpole<\/a> in 1754. In a letter he wrote to a friend Walpole explained an unexpected discovery he had made by reference to a Persian fairy tale, The Three Princes of Serendip<\/a>. The princes, he told his correspondent, were \u201calways making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Robert Frank <\/a><\/strong>
\nTrolley, The Americans<\/a> 1958
\nOnly 2 frames on the contact sheet, one blown out of another combination of people on the trolley car, the version chosen for the book is the only image from the roll that shows the racial divisions neatly segmented by the trolly car window frames.
\n(Eric Kim<\/a> – very interesting site on Street Photography)<\/p>\n

“Nothing in art should look like an accident.” Edgar Degas<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Howard Hodgkin<\/a><\/strong>
\nDisturbed Night 2013-14<\/a><\/p>\n

Some photography leaves nothing to chance –
\nHannah Starkey<\/a><\/strong>
\nThe Dentist<\/a><\/p>\n

( Also mentioned Thomas<\/a> Demand<\/a> )<\/p>\n

Gregory Crewdson<\/a><\/strong>
\nBeneath the Roses<\/a> 2004<\/p>\n

While some photography involves happen-stance –
\nGarry Winogrand<\/a><\/strong>
\nWhite Sands National Monument<\/a> 1964<\/p>\n

Lee Friedlander<\/a><\/strong>
\nNew York City 1966 <\/a>
\n(Slideshow<\/a>) (Self Portraits<\/a>)
\nPhiladelphia 1965<\/a><\/p>\n

Some situations are not what they appear –
\nJoel Sternfeld<\/a><\/strong>
\nMcLean, Virginia; December 1978<\/a><\/p>\n

Thomas Hoepker<\/a><\/strong>
\nBrooklyn, New York, 9\/11<\/a> 2001
\n(Article<\/a>)<\/p>\n

And some have sagacity – knowledge and practice of focus and shutter speed – with a hint of luck thrown in –<\/p>\n

– Focus
\nNorman Parkinson<\/a><\/strong>
\nAfter Van Dongen, Vogue 1959<\/a>
\n(The Corn Poppy,1919, Kees Van Dongen<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Hiroshi<\/a> Sugimoto<\/a><\/strong>
\nChrysler Building, 1997.<\/a>
\nMarina City, 2001.<\/a><\/p>\n

– Motion
\nErnst Haas<\/a><\/strong>
\nMotion Runners, Caribbean 1958 <\/a>
\n(Essay<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Eadweard Muybridge<\/a><\/strong>
\nHorse in Motion, 1886<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00c9tienne-Jules Marey<\/a><\/strong>
\nSaut \u00e0 pieds joints en d\u00e9tente \u00e0 la verticale – 1884<\/a>
\nSaut \u00e0 la perche, 1890<\/a>
\nFusil de Marey<\/a>
\n(Article<\/a>)<\/p>\n

– An effect but an unknown one
\nStephen Gill<\/a><\/strong>
\nBest Before End<\/a>
\n