The professionals of the Magnun Agency tell us their secrets

tutorial-photojournalism -: - the-professionals-of-the-magnun-agency-tell-us-their-secrets

Magnum, the mythical photography agency created in 1947 by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, David Seymour Chim, Georges Rodger and William Vandivert as a cooperative to directly manage their photographs, and thus break with the monopoly and intermediation of large agencies , with a collection of 185.000 printed photographs, among the photographs are those of the Normandy landing, taken by Capa, the portraits of Picasso de Cartier-Bresson, the images taken by Rene Burri al Ché in his office in Havana in 1963 and endless historical moments that have captured the objectives of the associates of Magnum, which is currently located in the Harry Ransom Center of the University of Texas, in Austin, since the famous agency was bought by tycoon Michael S.Dell, owner of the computer manufacturer Dell.

The collection is valued for an amount of more than 100 million dollars, and it is easy to understand since the mythical Agency is behind the best photographs that the XNUMXth century has left us, being indispensable when it comes to understanding history. This post brings us the best advice from the photographers best known of the agency, a tutorial Photojournalism, The professionals of the Magnun Agency they tell us their secrets.Che in the UN

This material was compiled by Bill Reeves and Alec Soth, and gathers advice from the staff of magnum and it was made for one of the Agency's Blogs. In a previous post we talked about one of the photojournalists of the Agency in the article Abbas Attar and the South African miners. So let's start with the good of Abbas.

Abbas-the-professionals-of-the-magnun-agency-tell-us-their-secrets

Abbas attar

What council would give young photographers?

Buy a good pair of running shoes… and make them fall in love.

alecsoth-the-professionals-of-the-magnun-agency-tell-us-their-secrets

Alec Soth.

What council would give young photographers?

Try everything: photojournalism, fashion, portrait photography, nude - you name it. You won't know which genre of photography is right for you until you try. It is important to have fun. You should enjoy the process and what you are photographing. If you are bored or do not like the subject, that will undoubtedly be what will appear in the photo. If deep down you like to take pictures of kittens, do it, do not wonder. Have fun with your work and being yourself.

alex-majoli-the-professionals-of-the-magnun-agency-tell-us-their-secrets

Alex majoli

What council would give young photographers?

I would recommend reading a lot of literature, and seeing as little as possible the work of other photographers. Work every day, even if you have no job or money, be disciplined for yourself, not for the sake of editors or awards, and collaborate with people who are not necessarily photographers, and with those you admire. And most importantly - to learn to join with other people for their projects.

alex-webb

Alex Webb

What advice would you give young photographers?

Photography, because I love you and I have to, and the main reward for you is the process of. The awards, the recognition, the financial remuneration, come only for a few and sometimes it does not last long. And even if you are famous, there will certainly be times when you will be deprived of attention or money, or both. Of course, there are other ways to earn a living ... make your photo his hobby, not a career.

Alessandra Sanguinetti

Alessandra sanguinetti

What council would give young photographers?

I would not care myself in order to advance to receive a good council … The first thing that comes to mind is a phrase from Bob Dylan: What is my message? Have a good head and carry a light bulb with you. Sounds like good advice to me.

bruce-gilden-5

Bruce gilden

What council would give young photographers?

My advice - Take photos as only you would, take photos of who you are.

CarlDeKeyzer (1)

Carl DeKeyzer

What council would give young photographers?

Dedicate yourself completely to it for at least 5 years, and then decide if it is your vocation. Many talented people quit at first. A great black hole that opens before them when they leave the cozy walls of the school or university, which is the main killer of future talents.

Chris Steele Perkins

Chris Steele Perkins

What council would give young photographers?

1. Never think that getting a good image is simple. It is like poetry; easy to compose a couple of rhyming sentences, but that's not enough for a good poem.

2. Study the pictures, look at the achievements of others, but for educational purposes, don't try to be like them when it comes to photography, it's about being yourself.

3. Shoot things that are really interesting and you like or are attracted to, not what you think you have to shoot for.

4. Take photos as you see fit, and not as you should.

5. Be open to criticism, it can be helpful.

6. Education and theory - they are useful, but where you learn most is on the job. Take lots of photos, until you are dissatisfied with them and keep shooting, practice your skills and go out into the world to interact as much as possible.

David-Alan-Harvey

David alan harvey

What council would give young photographers?

You have to know what you mean. In this you have to be very honest with yourself. Think about history, politics, science, literature, music, film, and anthropology. How do these disciplines work? What drives a man? Nowadays, when everyone is capable of taking an excellent photo from a technical point of view, a photo with a mobile phone, anyone can be an "author." It's all about that, of being at the right time and being the author. Many young photographers tell me that they want to become photographers to "travel the world" or "to earn a name." In my opinion, this is the wrong answer. All of this only leads the modern photographer to lose himself in a sea of ​​mediocrity. Today, photography is the language. And, as in all languages, the knowledge of how to pronounce and write grammatically correctly is a must when it comes to expressing yourself. It is about being a poet, not a mere "writer." Please remember that only you and no one else is capable of controlling your destiny. Believe it.

David Hurn

David hurn

What council would give young photographers?

Don't become a photographer, except if it's what you really want to do. This selection is almost simple. If you want to be a photographer, you have to walk a lot, so buy yourself some good shoes.

Hiroji kubota

Hiroji kubota

What council would give young photographers?

I studied the works of these great photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson (Henri Cartier-Bresson) and André Kertész (Andre Kertesz). Try to travel to different parts of the world, to see how varied world we live in. It's all the advice I can give.

Steve McCurry

Steve McCurry

What council would give young photographers?

If you want to be a photographer, you have to take photos. If you look at the work of photographers that you admire, you will see that they first found a specific place or object, and then began to delve into it and the result is the photograph of something special. It requires a lot of dedication, enthusiasm and work.

Stuartfranklin

Stuart franklin

What council would give young photographers?

Follow your heart and never give up.

thomashoepker

Thomas hoepker

What council would give young photographers?

Avoid photography schools and photography courses. Most of them will only give you a preconceived idea and will bend your creative mind, forcing you to always think in the same direction. Find your own way to the photo, and don't wonder if you have a diploma. Go to many museums. Look at many images (drawings, paintings, prints, or photographs) that will stay with you for the rest of your life. They will help you determine for yourself the good shots with your camera later. Suppress the foolish ambition of wanting to become "the greatest." Being a good photographer is hard enough.

Thomas dworzak

Thomas Dworzack

What cadvice would give young photographers?

Try to live intensely - at home, abroad… no matter where. It should not be a passion, a fervor. And that's the most basic, forget about the photo.

A good handful of good advice from the best professionals. We hope they are useful to you.

More information - Abbas Attar and the South African miners

 


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