Crazy Guy

[abraxas]

I've been searching off and on for the work/name of a photographer that I heard was a member of the Magnum Agency maybe back when it started? Apparently he was commisioned to do some work for the city of Philadelphia for a celebration. He ended up spending three years and took over 22,000 photos driving the Magnum Agency into or near bankruptcy. Eventually the collection was pared down to 2,000 photos, still too many for display or a book. He also did incredible amounts of amphetemines and was rumored to stay up for days at a time with his assistant(s) drinking chemicals used in photo-processing. ~Or something like that~

Enough clues? Anyone know of a name or link? I'd like to see some of his work.

 

[zig]

Did you check all the photographers in Magnum?
Or he isn'T a member of it any longer?

Anyways, the link to Magnum members
http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive...&SP=photographers_list&l1=0&XXAPXX=SubPanel10

 

[abraxas]

Did you check all the photographers in Magnum?
Or he isn'T a member of it any longer?

Anyways, the link to Magnum members
http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive...&SP=photographers_list&l1=0&XXAPXX=SubPanel10

I had went through the list awhile back but didn't remember the name. He's been dead a long time now.

 

[Miaow]

Not sure if this article would help you remember the guys name? Its got a heap of the original photographers in it with some info on them.

http://www.andrewsmithgallery.com/exhibitions/magnum/magnuminfo.htm

 

[bhop]

W. Eugene Smith?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Eugene_Smith

Pittsburgh?
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3966/is_200111/ai_n9005771

 

[abraxas]

Not sure if this article would help you remember the guys name? Its got a heap of the original photographers in it with some info on them.

http://www.andrewsmithgallery.com/exhibitions/magnum/magnuminfo.htm

Thanks. I had seen that earlier, and was an interesting read, but didn't jog anything in my head.

 

[abraxas]

W. Eugene Smith?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Eugene_Smith

Pittsburgh?
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3966/is_200111/ai_n9005771

That's the dude!

I should have known better on the city. I looked up the name and knew you got it right when I seen this:

http://noravr.blog.lemonde.fr/files...jet-pittsburgh-1955-de-e-smith.1173804156.jpg

Thanks a million!

-and I noticed all my facts and numbers are totally messed up

Here's some of his work:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=W.+Eugene+Smith&um=1&ie=UTF-8

 

[JIP]

Yep it's Smith he came to my fair city in a Benzedrine fueled haze and pretty much went insane shooting everything he could find. I went to an exhibition of his work that came to Pittsburgh and it was wonderful. I think he is a real example of using the darkroom the way alot of people frown on people for using PS. At times he would spend days straight trying to get one print right.

A great book that went with the exhibition
http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Street-...d_bbs_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207358002&sr=8-7

 

[rob91]

Thanks for bringing this guy up. What a photographer.

 

[abraxas]

I watched part of a TV show where he was talked about for a bit last, maybe November or even October. Out of the dozen or so photographers mentioned, he was the one I kept thinking about. Succeed or fail, I admire people that find and follow their own path. I think his work is remarkable.