Sunday Open Mike: Back in the Saddle

Hi, I'm Mike and I'm back.

You (in chorus): Hi, Mike.

I had a nice vacation. My brother, his wife, and their daughter, my niece, came to visit. It was lovely having them here. But it's a long drive for them.

It mostly rained; naturally. Because when one person takes an unscheduled vacation and a family drives seven hours, it has to rain. The Universe has laws. We all expected it, and nobody was surprised. We ended up mainly just hanging around here.

A few updates:

Anders Petersen book: Have you ever bought a photobook you're just not in the mood for? I received Anders Petersen the other day and I have good news and bad news. The good news is that it's a richly produced book of superbly seen photographs and would be more than a safe buy for anyone interested in the photographer—more likely a must-buy, I would guess. The bad news is that I wasn't in the mood.

It's full of pictures with a particular aesthetic slant: like an unending rain, page after page offers up a grimy, gritty, "unflinching," peering-into-the darkness-with-flash, seamy-underside-of-life look. You know, dead animals, damaged or strange-looking people, pubic hair, tattoos, stark carnality and the frailty and transience of the flesh. The "ugly is cool" and chaos-is-rampant kind of outlook on life that for a long time was much beloved of certain kinds of European magazines.

I had a somewhat dyspeptic subjective reaction.

...Which of course is no fault of the photography. I've definitely appreciated that kind of work in the past, and I'm not averse to it—in many ways it's much more interesting than the kind of photographic sensibility that just goes out and mines the visual world for scenic clichés and fests of color. It has grabbed me at times and I'm not immune to its power.

With a whole beautifully-produced book of this kind of work on my lap, though, Petersen's sensibility struck me (most likely unfairly) as an affectation. I'm sure it's only because a Petersen photograph was used as the cover of the Tom Waits album "Rain Dogs," but his photography struck me the same way Waits' music does—not only noirish because that's the way reality happens to be, but because noir is cool. I mean, c'mon, Tom Waits is a successful musician...I'm sure he could afford a nice tidy three-bedroom tract house in the suburbs and a new mid-level SUV if that's what he wanted. At some point, pork-pie hats, soul patches, and gravelly-voiced songs about low-lifes becomes a choice, doesn't it?

It's a good book: I'm just not "into" its worldview at the moment. So I've put the book on the shelf until its time is ripe; there, it will await future delectation, at some point in time when I can fully resonate with the particular strings it plucks.

Tom Burke

The British Are Coming! The British Are Coming! Er, well, one came, anyway. Just this afternoon TOP reader Tom Burke came by for a coffee from Sheffield, in the UK. He lives on the very southernmost border of Yorkshire. He's the first reader to visit TOP Rural Headquarters in 2016 and the first ever, I believe, from Old Blimey. Tom is thoughtful, exceedingly well-informed, articulate, and soft-spoken—which I believe is the only kind of humans they grow in the UK. (It's possible my experience of them is somewhat limited. As we know, all TOP readers are well above average.) He has flagrantly good taste in photography blogs, having been a faithful reader since the early days of "The Sunday Morning Photographer" on Luminous-Landscape.

Tom, who retired a year ago, is in America "swanning around," and he said those of you who are British would know what that means. He left his wife at home—she still works. He brought as a gift a book by Denis Thorpe, for no other reason than he thought Denis is a photographer I should know about. That was nice.

Mid-Priced? Pah: As a P.S.: Remember how numerous readers objected to my characterization of the $3k+ VPI Classic turntable as "mid-priced" in a previous "Open Mike"? Take an inside look at how U-Turn turntables are made, mostly by hand, right here in 'Murrica—Woburn, Massachusetts to be precise. Here's a loaded version—at the expensive end of the range.

You (in chorus): Is that all?

Of course not. More soon!

Mike
(Thanks to Tom)

"Open Mike" is the editorial page of TOP. It appears on Sundays.

Original contents copyright 2016 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

TOP's links!

(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Stan B.: "I also found the book overwhelming, but for different reasons—though I'd still highly recommend it. Petersen's prints are uniformly contrasty in nature with dramatic, domineering blacks, and most face each other in this book like competing crescendos in a symphony—they're all high drama without a moment's rest to catch one's breath. It's all high notes with little ebb and flow, and after a while, one begins to feel bludgeoned by the sheer intensity and impact of his photos—good as they are! The book has a plethora of images, and it's pure insanity to try and take them in all in one sitting. There's more than enough there for several essays, several books, several lifetimes...."

Mike Plews: "Thanks for the U-turn link. These turntables are both pretty and very reasonably priced. They remind me of the old AR XA turntables, simple and elegant. Made me smile."

David Sculthorpe: "Old Blimey?? Cor blimey, perhaps you meant Old Blighty?"

Mike replies: Just trying to make Ailsa laugh.

robert e: "I'm not convinced that even successful musicians these days could afford the suburban SUV lifestyle. Someone like Beyonce, sure; Tom Waits—a name most people won't recognize—I'm less sure. But your point is taken—he's been too comfortable for too long to write and sing convincingly about the low life. And I'm dismayed that I agree with you, because I also agree with you that the characterization is likely superficial and unfair."

Crabby Umbo: "Unless I'm wrong, I believe Tom Waits lives in California bliss in the upper middle class enclave of Petaluma...not exactly dirty New Jersey...."

Maggie Osterberg: "Re: 'I mean, c'mon, Tom Waits is a successful musician...I'm sure he could afford a nice tidy three-bedroom tract house in the suburbs and a new mid-level SUV if that's what he wanted. At some point, pork-pie hats, soul patches, and gravelly-voiced songs about low-lifes becomes a choice, doesn't it?' You've made the mistake of confusing the artist with the artist's work. I mean, Joel Sartore doesn't live in a zoo or in a lodge built of sticks in the middle of an Amazon tributary, just because he photographs animals. And there's this weird fetish surrounding 'authenticity' with songwriters and musicians that other writers don't have to deal with. No one bags on a novelist that she has a teaching position at a university, even though her books are about growing up in the [insert non-academic setting of your choice here]. Stephen Speilberg is neither a horse, nor was he a soldier in The Great War, yet, he made a picture called 'War Horse' and no one complained about his lifestyle. Tom Waits and his wife, who is also his working and songwriting partner, probably have a lovely house together, where they dream up all the wonderful songs and theatre that goes into Waits' shows."

Mike replies: Fascinating point, and it sounds right. And it's certainly pertinent. Thanks Maggie.

Comments

[Erik Petersson]

I am sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy Petersen's book so much. He is a big name here in Sweden (and one often bumps into him if visiting openings in Stockholm). Part of the Christer Strömholm tradition, perhaps, which is influential here. Personally I think that Petersen is very good.

Last year I spent some time in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and I can recognize some of the rough and gritty esthetics in their photography. Look at the Kharkiv school of photography for example, Boris Mikhailov, Roman Pyatkovka, or Misha Pedan (who actually lives and teaches in Stockholm now.)

I understand that you are not trying to say that gritty photography is less valid when one can afford a SUV, it does just not interest you personally so much, right?

Anyway, thanks for an excellent blog. By, the way, who is your favorite gritty European photographer, Mike, if I may ask?

[Koudelka, for sure. And I'm not saying I didn't like Petersen; I'm saying the time wasn't right for me to respond to him. I'm sure I'll be more receptive to the richness in his work at some point in the future--and the book will be awaiting me. --Mike]

[Jeremy T]

It seems that you are perusing the wrong sort of turntable..........

http://www.amazon.com/PhotoCapture-360L-Product-Photography-Turntable/dp/B00E9G93WW/ref=sr_1_7?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1461536839&sr=1-7

[Jamietie]

That is an amazing price for any turntable worth having, let alone one made with the care these seem to be.

[John Krumm]

One of my favorite musicians, Greg Brown, made fun of Tom Waits a bit in a song called "Waiting." Found it on YouTube...

http://youtu.be/zqw21wBkIeA

[Philip Lorentz]

As a neigbour, or at least living in the same county as Tom Burke, I think you meant to say he is from 'Old Blighty' rather than 'Old Blimey'. Although as things stand here at the moment your description may be much more accurate!

[Graham Byrnes]

Of course noir is a choice, just as going to war is (today) a choice for war photographers, or photographing the young Ukrainians working at Chernobyl http://labs.letemps.ch/interactive/2016/tchernobyl/
Photographing it, singing about it, just another form of documenting, no? So the people living in the 3br tract homes can have a vivifying look into life closer than the edge, or summon up some more visceral emotions via Waits's voice.
After all, they are the ones who can afford to buy the books and the music... but they don't really want to go live down there.

[Kenneth Tanaka]

"Have you ever bought a photobook you're just not in the mood for?" Yes, several over the years. Most recently one tipped from TOP actually. I usually set them aside for another look another day.

I've not seen the Anderson Petersen book but I have seen some of his work. He's rather like a Swedish Bruce Gilden. I don't really think he has anything to say with his camera but he's straining to say it as caustically and abrasively as possible. The work just doesn't represent anything to me.

[rfeg]

Hi Mike,

Checking the U-Turn turntable and found the it should not be compatible to the other side of the pond, i.e. 50Hz (instead of 'mercies 60Hz) since it says "low voltage AC synchronous".

rfeg

[Bob Cook]

"At some point, pork-pie hats, soul patches, and gravelly-voiced songs about low-lifes becomes a choice, doesn't it?"

I hope you realize how universally-applicable and useful that statement is. It allows me to artfully dodge a host of contrivances. Thank you.

[Richard Parkin]

"Old Blimey" is just wonderful and I'm disappointed my fellow islanders didn't get it. Maybe they are just used to Merkins getting it wrong, which you seldom do.

[Jack Martin]

I'm too often in the mood to look through his books.
One of my favorite photographer interviews ever is this one that is posted on the Lens Culture site. Petersen describes how he works, and there's a great story about when he went to photograph a conjugal visit in a prison.

https://www.lensculture.com/articles/anders-petersen-no-photograph-without-longing

[Stan B.]

Kenneth- One could argue the man is one of the more humanistic photographers of the last half century- and still going strong with images that directly address and speak to humanity about... humanity. To this day, he continues to mine the nooks and crannies of that human condition from which we continue to turn away- often to our detriment. He documented the gay and transgender scene long before it was "fashionable," and continues to glean more out of life with his diminutive T3 than most photographers with an armada of the latest photographic equipment.

Gilden's technique and images are hit and run, Petersen's is about involvement and engagement with the subject matter- quite the opposite. True they both end up with very strong and dramatic images, but to very different ends and from very divergent beginnings.

[Robert Roaldi]

Speaking of things being made by hand in America, there's an interesting off-beat film out (I rented it on iTunes) titled The Confirmation that explores that topic, among others. It's one of those films that people keep saying they should make more of, instead of the blow-up-the-planet blockbusters the studios keep churning out. Well, they made this one, so I think people should see it.

[Mattias]

"I've not seen the Anderson Petersen book but I have seen some of his work. He's rather like a Swedish Bruce Gilden. I don't really think he has anything to say with his camera but he's straining to say it as caustically and abrasively as possible." While I personally have outgrown my fondness for Petersen (Anders, not Anderson), just as I have outgrown my fondness for Moriyama, Klein and van der Elsken (which are the relevant comparisons), I do take issue with Kenneth Tanaka's superficial (I am being kind here) characterisation of Petersen. If you take a real look at his work since the beginning of the 70's there is nothing there to compare with Gilden's aggressiveness other than perhaps the odd portrait here and there taken in recent years. In fact, the one thing that marks Petersen's photos since the beginning is intimacy. What seems to have happened though is that he has moved away from long term projects towards more of stand alone pictures, probably due to old age and less energy for the commitment that projects require, and pushed the contrast up in the process. What Petersen has to say with his camera only he can really answer, but I see only a wish to depict life from as close an observing vantage point as possible.

[Chuck Holst]

Re the British: On the other side you have the Viscount Moncton, who seems to be some kind of British Donald Trump. Certainly they have similar views on global warming.

[Adam Richardson]

Thanks for the heads up about U-Turn - that's pretty much an impulse buy, even decked out! (No pun intended). As another commenter remarked, reminds me of my old AR ES-1 (heavily Merrill modded) which I sold years ago and have been turntable-less since. Still have my old vinyl, plus a record cleaning machine. May just have to give the U-Turn a try...

[Ben Rosengart]

Your description of Tom Waits makes me think of the pre-Kathleen Brennan era in his music and self-presentation. Since she became his life partner and collaborator, his shtick has gotten a lot weirder and more varied.

That was decades ago.

[Anders Wiklund]

Both Petersen´s photos and Wait´s music is not for everyday viewing and listening. You have to be in the right mood. When you are, it´s magic.

[Mark Johnson]

Several years ago I bought 'Café Lemnitz', expecting on reputation to receive one of the most significant photobooks of recent decades. I thought the imagery dated, a mix of Brassai in Paris, Frank, Winogrand, and the coarse B&W usage itself similarly passé - all of this under the guise of 'documentary photography' of (presumed) social concern.

[Nigel]

You did mean "Old Blighty" didn't you, not Blimey? And even if you didn't, you'd find this fascinating:

Blighty is an English slang term for Britain, deriving from the Hindustani word vilāyatī (विलायती) (pronounced bilāti in many Indian dialects and languages) meaning "foreign", and is itself derived from the Arabic/Urdu word wilayat, meaning a kingdom or ministry.

"Old Blighty" was a sentimental reference to the motherland coined by troops in the trenches of WWI

I'll leave you to look up Cor Blimey. I could go on......

[Jeffrey MacMillan]

Years ago I frequented a Leica forum. One day a portfolio of photos by a young female photographer ( whose name escapes me) who dared to obviously use Photoshop w images shot w Leica glass, caused a near negative seismic response. Nevermind they were obviously among the most original work I'd ever seen there. I stopped going to that site almost instantly.
Just didn't want to spend time amongst such narrow-minedness.
We all have strong emotions about our preferences. Which is good. But to close off ourselves from possible artists we might not feel "comfortable" with is understandable but the next step is usually to speak ill of such talent.
Tom Waits is an easy target but it'd be your loss. While he doesn't offer a tourist board approved 50's retro view of Paris ala Turnley, he continues to produce his own original work that is challenging, funny and musical. Listen to him. There was a great interview w him on Terry Gross's Fresh Air a few years ago. Funny and thoughtful.
I would hope that he'd be championed here as an American treasure working against the grain of popular dreck.
I'll get off my soapbox now.
( I loved the Greg Brown song though!)

[sebastel]

from the amazon product page:

"...
U-Turn: Orbit Plus Turntable w/ Built In Preamp (OM5e) - White
by U-Turn
Be the first to review this item
Price: $379.95
Only 5 left in stock.
This item does not ship to Heidelberg, Germany.
..."

well ... fortunately, i don't really need one :-)

https://flic.kr/p/AfmAPe

cheers,
s.

[Pinkeen]

"Unless I'm wrong, I believe Tom Waits lives in California bliss in the upper middle class enclave of Petaluma...not exactly dirty New Jersey...."

Whaaa? California is the true home of noir. Just ask Philip Marlowe.

And don't Us-ians swan around? I try not to but my wife thinks I do rather a lot.

[John Camp]

@Mattie Osterberg & Mike's reply: I think authenticity is needed in the arts, or you make mistakes and feed in to this awful media/celebrity culture that's mostly b.s. George Carlin, for example, was sometimes funny, but he was also rich and though he spoke in defense of what he saw as poor-people issues, he seemed to know nothing about them, probably because he was riding around in limos from the time he was in his 20s. For example, he did a routine about how it would be cool to use golf courses to build house for the homeless, a potentially funny idea. But then he had to lecture: the homeless don't need homes, they need houses...and in that he was exactly wrong. What the homeless really need is a home. There are plenty of houses, and even people to offer them -- but what the homeless really need is somebody to care about them, and for them. In other words, a home. Carlin got it exactly backwards, because he was a rich guy pretending. The problem was, he, like a lot of celebrities, had a megaphone; and that megaphone would have been far more useful if he'd know what he was talking about. That applies to musicians as well as photographers but (IMHO) especially photographers.

[Kenneth Tanaka]

I apologize for misspelling ANDERS Petersen's name in my earlier comment. Auto-correct can be mean.

Having since looked at much more of his work over the years, and reading I rivers with him I have to stand by my own impression of his work. While I will allow that, as Mattias noted in rebuttal, Petersen is not exactly in the same hit-and-run business as Bruce Gilden he certainly seems to be just as much in the freak-show style. I see no sense of humanism in his work. I see someone finding various genres of human subjects he can subject to his visual "treatment" over decades. Every one of his images seems processed to look like a snapshot from a hallucination.

If that style engages your imagination. -- and it must have a good audience judging by the attention he's garnered -- more power to ya. But I find it a little tedious and, often, cruel.

[Simon Grosset]

Denis Thorpe was an inspiration to me when I was younger. I always looked for his photographs in The Guardian newspaper where he was a staff photographer. If you search for him on Google images you'll find his iconic photo taken during the infamous miners strike of the 1980s: a miner wearing a toy policeman's helmet facing off to a line of real policemen.

[Wait, I thought that was Don McPhee's? --Mike

http://www.artinliverpool.com/don-mcphee-photographs-at-cornerstone-gallery/ ]