BJP Review: 1974

I remember this great photo from when I first saw it a few years ago.  It's by Catherine Noren.  I e-mailed her at the time to ask for more detail (see below).  I did sent a couple of follow up e-mails as what she found significant about the photo but never got another reply.

(c) Catherine Noren

“I guess I shouldn’t tell you what it was about the photo that I found the most significant — that is, unless you ask me.... I shot it near Union Square, In Manhattan—as a matter of fact, on 14th St., just about the corner of Broadway and 14th. The black man, who was clearly in a rage, was trying, without success, to get the attention of anyone—to engage anyone in any sort of fight. Everyone was was ignoring him, keeping their eyes resolutely on the ground, or on their destinations. Except for this one young man, in the pinstriped suit, who was trying to talk reasonably with him. He was being backed, literally, into the curb.”

— Reply from Catherine regarding the photo

BJP Review: 1973

This was the only photo from the 1973 edition that really stood out, but it's a great one.  No context as usual but a striking image from Gilles Peress (1946-).  He joined Magnum in 1971.

“I don’t care so much anymore about ‘good photography’; I am gathering evidence for history.”

— Gilles Peress

(c) Gilles Peress

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

BJP Review: 1972

I remember this image well from looking through the book when it first arrived and assumed it was of San Francisco.  Tracking down the photographer who told me it was actually a suburb of Woolooboola in Sydney, Australia.  Bob's website used to be www.bobdavisphotographer.com but the domain expired in Dec 2015.  I hope he's doing well.

I believe this is a link to some details. Foreign Correspondent's Club.

(c) Bob Davis

BJP Review: 1971

This issue is just packed with so many good photos I'm simply going to have to pick a few as it's just too hard to choose a single image.

Firstly I was struck by the photo of this guy.  Taken by Czech photojournalist Anthony Bahenský (2 Apr 1933-).  With the angle of light perfectly matching the angle of rolled up paper/carpet the guy is carrying.  The interesting backdrop to it all.  The perfect composition.  I keep staring at this photograph.

(c) Anthony Bahenský

Another from Larry Herman who I also picked from the 1970 issue. This time it's a classic David vs. Goliath theme, but what makes the picture for me is the guy hunched over the right of the luncheonette as though the fight has gone out of him.

(c) Larry Herman

A haunting image but again nothing biographical that I can find out about the photographer; Paul Carter.

(c) Paul Carter

Finally from the difficult choices available from this issue is a photo by Pedro Luis Raota (1934-1986).  Again, not someone I've heard of yet I keep reading that he's "one of the 20th century's most important photographers."  Certainly all the work I've now seen of his is outstanding.  Here from the magazine is a startling photograph of a woman walking/running away from a fire with what I assume are her children.  It's almost a more powerful photograph for the lack of context given.

(c)   Pedro Luis Raota

BJP Review: 1970

Only Tony Ray-Jones I'd previously heard of from this year's annual, though it's only a vague recollection.

I'm torn in this issue between two photographs so I'll pick them both.  The first is by Peter Cooper of whom I can find absolutely nothing. If anyone can provide any biography on him I'll add it. 

(c) Peter Cooper

A scene I've shot on various trips to New York but never from his angle, and it's the vantage point that makes the shot.

You can see more of Herman's work over at his site; www.larryherman.net

There's also an article here on his work.

(c) Larry Herman