I had a very interesting meeting with my country's top fashion show producer recently.
I showed him Guy Bourdin's images whom I'v admired and I'm currently studying right now. the producer made a very interesting remarked. He noted that Guy Bourdin's like the poor man's Helmut Newton.
It made sense to me to a certain extent, because both have aimed (consciously or subconsciously) to include physchological undertones in their images. Guy Bourdin seemed to make a more deliberate effort in doing that but Helmut had achieved bigger recognition.
What do u think? about this statement of "Guy Bourdin's like the poor man's version of Helmut Newton" ?
I had a very interesting meeting with my country's top fashion show producer recently.
I showed him Guy Bourdin's images whom I'v admired and I'm currently studying right now. the producer made a very interesting remarked. He noted that Guy Bourdin's like the poor man's Helmut Newton.
It made sense to me to a certain extent, because both have aimed (consciously or subconsciously) to include physchological undertones in their images. Guy Bourdin seemed to make a more deliberate effort in doing that but Helmut had achieved bigger recognition.
What do u think? about this statement of "Guy Bourdin's like the poor man's version of Helmut Newton" ?
I did my french oral project on Bourdin, and talked a little about Newton.
I think that Bourdin actually started this style; he opened it up for other photographers like Newton, who was much bigger in the 60s but Bourdin was successful a bit earlier than that. I think Bourdin broke out of the fashion advertising mould, of nice, sanitized women and his work allowed the porno-chic movement to establish in France. In a similar way I think it was easier for Newton to take photos after Bourdin had started his career.
Bourdin also hated his work... he felt he had sold out, that his work could not be considered as real art. When he died he burnt a lot of his work, it's just lucky his son managed to find and gather what was left.
He also disliked socialising with the fashion world. Thus little self-promotion compared to Newton, and he was French. For some reason, Americans in fashion are terribly well-known over European counterparts (example: Anna Wintour... I don't know any other Vogue editors except Elizabeth Shulman and that's cos I'm British and know British Vogue). Although that's my opinion, so don't take it too seriously!
So basically... you ask 'is Bourdin the poor man's Newton'?
You have got to be joking. In my opinion he is far and above Newton, in that he had to work harder for success, and he paved the way for Newton and others like him. Just because one photographer is more famous than another does not mean he (or she) is necessarily the best.
I did my french oral project on Bourdin, and talked a little about Newton.
I think that Bourdin actually started this style; he opened it up for other photographers like Newton, who was much bigger in the 60s but Bourdin was successful a bit earlier than that. I think Bourdin broke out of the fashion advertising mould, of nice, sanitized women and his work allowed the porno-chic movement to establish in France. In a similar way I think it was easier for Newton to take photos after Bourdin had started his career.
Bourdin also hated his work... he felt he had sold out, that his work could not be considered as real art. When he died he burnt a lot of his work, it's just lucky his son managed to find and gather what was left.
He also disliked socialising with the fashion world. Thus little self-promotion compared to Newton, and he was French. For some reason, Americans in fashion are terribly well-known over European counterparts (example: Anna Wintour... I don't know any other Vogue editors except Elizabeth Shulman and that's cos I'm British and know British Vogue). Although that's my opinion, so don't take it too seriously!
So basically... you ask 'is Bourdin the poor man's Newton'?
You have got to be joking. In my opinion he is far and above Newton, in that he had to work harder for success, and he paved the way for Newton and others like him. Just because one photographer is more famous than another does not mean he (or she) is necessarily the best.
Bourdin and Newton are the best fashion photographers ever, with possible competition from Scavullo and Avedon. They were all always fantastic, though of course Bourdin and Newton were far more risque and burlesque.
I really don't understand how either of these photographers can be called a poor man's anything. Genius. Pure genius, that's what they all were.
So basically... you ask 'is Bourdin the poor man's Newton'?
You have got to be joking. In my opinion he is far and above Newton, in that he had to work harder for success, and he paved the way for Newton and others like him. Just because one photographer is more famous than another does not mean he (or she) is necessarily the best.
Like i said earlier, i admired and enjoyed his work
I'm merely pondering over a friend's remark. I'll stop short at judging who's better - Bourdin or Newton.
The big difference is - Bourdin saw his practice as art, while Newton gunned for commercial success and recognition in fashion.
Like i said earlier, i admired and enjoyed his work
I'm merely pondering over a friend's remark. I'll stop short at judging who's better - Bourdin or Newton.
The big difference is - Bourdin saw his practice as art, while Newton gunned for commercial success and recognition in fashion.
Although I'm a bit OT here, since this is the Bourdin thread, I really think a lot of photographers don't even know, or recognize, that Newton did his very best photography for Vogue. All his work is great, but oh when he worked with the fashion editors, he must have gotten so much inspiration from being around them. I think he was the ultimate fashion photographer - being able to actually take the ideas of editors and improving on their vision of the clothing while retaining his own style.
Does anyone know of any Bourdin interviews? I have no idea what drove him, but perhaps its better that way, really, not knowing is often better
hey, does anybody know where to purchase "67 polaroids"? i've searched ebay and amazon. any other suggestions? i desperately need to find this Bourdin book.