“SUBJECT: CONTACT” Exhibit to Showcase Four Iconic Bruce Davidson Projects

Bruce Davidson fans will get to check out vintage prints and contact sheets from the Magnum photographer’s seminal works from the 1950s to 1960s.

If you’re looking to become inspired by iconic street and documentary photography, make sure not to miss this upcoming Bruce Davidson exhibit at the Howard Greenberg Gallery in New York. Titled SUBJECT: CONTACT, on display will be contact sheets along with vintage prints from Circus, Brooklyn Gang, Time of Change, and East 100th Street — four of the Magnum photographer’s influential projects that explore the most important social, cultural, and political scenes of the 20th century. Davidson is known for establishing an immersive and long-lasting relationship with his subjects; gaining their trust so they can open up to him and his camera. With this, he was able to document their daily lives through a unique perspective.  “I stand to the side respectfully until I am invited in,” Davidson has said. “There is a lot of patience and stillness in the making of a photograph.”

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Eleanor Macnair’s Renderings of Famous Magnum Photos in Play-Doh

All images used with permission from Eleanor Macnair.

Many readers are fans of the work produced by the photographers over at Magnum Photos, and these very cool photos from the agency rendered in Play Doh are also surely worth your time. Years ago, artist Eleanor Macnair got started with producing images rendered in Play-Doh. That gave way to a Tumblr she started called Photographs Renders in Play Doh which received a fair amount of fame. A book was published in October 2014 and the work was exhibited in a number of places.

Just in time for the Magnum Photos 70th anniversary, Eleanor has collaborated with Magnum Photos to create a series highlighting some of the photos shot by their photographers but rendered in Play Doh.

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How to Improve Your Documentary Photography

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Many associate the golden era of documentary photography with the heyday of picture magazines such as Life and Look magazine, but the practice of the photo story is still alive and well. Though such work may not find a home within the pages of most of today’s consumer magazines, there is still an interest in such bodies of work which can be frequently found online.

These photographers, many of whom I have had the opportunity to interview on my podcast, The Candid Frame, focus on more than just getting a nice-looking singular image. Instead, they show the power of a photo story where multiple images are used to convey facts, emotion and drama. These techniques can be used just as effectively by the rest of us whether we are focusing our lens on the lives of others or our own.

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Magnum Photographer Bruce Davidson on His Photographs

If you’ve never heard of Bruce Davison before, I’m glad to say that today is a lucky day of yours and that you’ll be inspired by such a humble and wonderful aged photographer far beyond the egotistical creatives out there. Davidson has worked on many photo essays for Magnum, and has even inspired the likes of Eric Kim. Now in his eighties, Davidson continues to work as an editorial photographer. His photographs appear around the world and in many museums. Also, Davidson has directed two award-winning short films, a documentary titled Living off the Land and a more surreal tale titled Isaac Singer’s Nightmare and Mrs. Pupko’s Beard.

Today, Reddit turned us onto two videos of his published last year by Tate Photos. Davidson has photographed Brooklyn Gangs in the late 50s–which is what he is best known for. However, the videos above and below show off even more of his work such as those on London’s streets and in the subways.

If you’re in the mood to be inspired and maybe even shed a tear, these are worth kicking back and watching.

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