'The Picture That Changed My Life'

David Hurn, now 86 years old, is one of the great "plain-talkers" about how to approach being a photographer. This great interview is packed with simple but profound insights, and is well worth reading carefully. Fron Lensculture, and I don't see a date, although it must have been from some time in 2017.

Just a couple of quotations, because I can't resist:

The first is David quoting something Sergio Larrain told him: "Most of what you’re doing is not your best work. Concentrate on what you do well." After 40 years in photography I think that applies to most photographers. It leads to two related problems: one is work that's "all over the place," and the other is that what they do best remains tragically invisible to them...they do so many things they don't ever really know what they do best. Of course there's nothing wrong with being a dilettante if that's they want to be. But those who really concentrate and strive to honestly express their real concerns eventually have to become themselves. "If you are yourself," David says, "then something of your particular personality and way of looking at the world will come out in what you do. But you only get there if you genuinely follow your own interests."

I love the incisiveness of these appraisals: "Don [McCullin] loved anything that raised his adrenaline level, Philip [Jones Griffiths] had astute political knowledge, Ian [Berry] was basically a traveller." 

Enough tidbits. For younger and newer photographers, I don't actually recommend reading this interview. I recommend three things:

• First, read it twice;
• Then, go think about it as deeply as you can;
• Finally, read it again, slowly. 

Okay, I'm kinda kidding. But also kinda not. Much good and true wisdom in few and simple words.

Mike

Lens of Interest this week:

If you should happen to be looking for an all-purpose zoom for the Sony APS-C cameras I've been discussing lately, here it is. The Sony E 16–55mm ƒ/2.8 G is a high-quality, constant aperture APS-C zoom of manageable weight and appropriate size that covers the true wide-angle to short telephoto range.

The link above is a portal to Amazon. Also available from:

Original contents copyright 2021 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.

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

Kye Wood: "The photograph of his father. That photograph. Hit me like an anvil. Along with the clear text of someone who is so immersed and versed in their work, they can convey what's important without seeming effort. Great choice to share Mike. Thank you."

Mike replies: Yes, I had never seen that before, but I think that's one of the best photographs I've ever seen. Of course it has to have its "caption," its story, the explanation, to go along with it, or it's just a pleasant picture of an old man.

Lee Rust: "I'm not a young photographer, but thanks for this link. The message applies to all ages."

Comments

[Zyni Moë]

Knowing and accepting what you do best is very hard. Perhaps just as hard is accepting that even if you find what you can do you may only be able to do good things one time in one thousand, or ten thousand. But that if you can do that, it is enough. Did Martha and the Muffins ever get anywhere near 'Echo Beach' again? Is like asking whether Einstein ever got anywhere near General Relativity again: did he need to? Once is good enough.

(I am not fair on Einstein: GR may have been his last great achievement but there were others before. And GR is just so great an achievement: greater even than 'Echo Beach'. Probably.)

[Great to find another of the elusive M&tM fans! I love that song. My friend Kim used to say that the guitar solo on "Women Around the World at Work" was "33 seconds of perfection." The segue from the sax is inimitable too. One of the quintessential underrated bands. Although maybe not as underrated as Fanny Hill. --Mike]

[Dave_lumb]

Worse than not knowing what you're good at is knowing what you do best, but not liking doing it and wanting to do something that you know you aren't as good at or even unsuited to doing.

[Mark]

Then please buy David Hurns book 'On being a photographer' which spends more time on selecting good shoes than on cameras. I consider it an essential read for any photographer. Thanks for the link, Mark

[Richard Chomko]

What about the Sigma 17-70 f 2.8? Wouldn't yyou rather have that than the Sony 16-55?

[John Krumm]

I would also recommend David Hurn's Instagram feed, for both the great photos, and his nice descriptions and thoughts in the sidebar, as in this one: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMMu0Sujz2J/

[Jon Maxim]

He talks about how the picture that changed his life made him cry. Later on in the interview he talks about his favorite photo of his dad cheerily waving goodbye before he died. Then I saw the picture - and it made me cry.

[Kye Wood]

The photograph of his father. THAT photograph. Hit me like an anvil.

Along with the clear text of someone who is so immersed and versed in their work, they can convey what's important without seeming effort.

Great choice to share Mike. Thank you.

[Patrick J Dodds]

Yep, what Jon Maxim said, above.
Thanks for this Mike - a beautiful interview.

[Phil]

I printed a zine recently and sent it to various friends and family. My sister-in-law wrote back a few weeks ago and said, among other things, “I couldn’t figure out what you were trying to capture in some of the photos". I had been pondering that comment, with no idea how to really answer it. I've been shooting for 45 years and I often can't tell people what I'm trying to do until just now, reading that interview. His descriptions are so clear and sensible! Thanks for posting! Now I really should go out and get that book by him and Bill Jay that you have been recommending to me (as one of your readers) for the past dozen years.

[Jim Kofron]

Thanks for sharing this, Mike. Excellent in all ways.