What is a first class photographer …

What is a first class photographer …

May 28, 2011

A first-class photographer stopped by at the exhibition.
It was Peter Cunningham.  He shoots rock bands, documentary, the world of zen, etc.  What you see throughout his works is ‘human connection’.  His photographs depict spiritual world of human being.

I saw pictures of Bruce Sprinsteen in 1970s and Madonna in her early career on Mr. Cunningham’s  web site.  I have seen them all before!  Everything about his works is cool.  In spite of the fact that he just arrived in NY from Boston, he strolled into AIGA and
intensely looked at my photographs.  Without knowing his busy schedule, we talked a lot.  At first glance, he looks like ‘a strange old guy’(laugh), wearing a cap and with his CANON hanging around his neck.  But when you talk with him, you can easily connect to him.

‘There are no people in the landscape portraits of Onagawa city.  Did you intentionally exclude people or there are simply no people in the town?’, Mr. Cunningham asked.  He also gave me some advice to take pictures from the same spot on the hill every time I visit the town.
 On that day, there were TV crews in the gallery to interview me.  （By the way, one of the crews invited Mr. Cunningham to the exhibition.）  We suddenly decided to　have a photo session.


The light in the gallery was a mix of natural light and tungsten light, which is not easy for shooting.  While I was wondering how I shoot and checking in my camera bag to pick up a right lens, Mr. Cummingham already started shooting (laugh).  He took the first move!

He was walking around me and taking pictures randomly.  I mean, it was really random. (laugh)  I had no idea how the photographs would turn out.  It was as if you were watching a student playing one of games on a school field day.  Even if somebody tells you he is the world-class photographer, he is just a funny old guy.

But, I was shocked when I saw his blog.   

His pictures are…fantastic!!

They are the works of the first-class photographer.  His photographs capture the atmosphere and me in the gallery.
The game is over and I lost… （Well, right from the beginning, the result was so obvious… LOL）

On the other hand, this is what I took.
It is an ordinary portrait and nothing special.
It turned out OK just because Mr. Cunningham is photogenic. 

It does not mean anything to take a straight-forward portrait of this magnificent and ‘funny photographer’ (Sorry to call you funny, Mr. Cunningham!）.  I am so disappointed that I could not depict real him.  There is a long way for me to go.

I don’t regret.  But I have been thinking what made the difference between Mr. Cunningham and me in the gallery on that day.  What does it mean to be ‘the first-class…’?　It is a good homework for me to think about in the future.