[LargeFormat] new topographers

[Pam Niedermayer]

First, thanks for bringing this group to my attention, wasn't aware
there was a "new topography" discipline, so I just perused the web for
some sample photos. I don't understand why you describe these
photographs as "bland". It seems that these photographers are making
quite a statement about what our current landscape is like, that what
we have to look forward to, given the population explosion, is even
more unattractive landscapes around us. So, go forth and de-multiply,
or maybe some disease will do it for us.

The danger is that the photos are quite well done, so they may be
unintentionally glorifying more development, a great deal of which
will never see completion, will be left in some state between
development and natural (some photographers include man made objects
as natural, I'm not in this statement).

As to "empty verge", I don't see anything empty in these photos, the
landscapes are full of stuff. Perhaps you could explain why you used
the word "verge"?

Pam

> Dave Southwood wrote:
> 
> i am a south african fine - artist(who shoots on large - format) and
> ive recently become interested in a phase of american
> photography whose proponents i have seen refered to as the 'new
> topographers'. this group of photographers includes the likes of joe
> deal, lewis baltz, robert adams and joel sternfeld. for a while this
> quiet, seemingly bland type of photography has been my keen interest
> and i wondered if anyone else had an interest in it. i know that not
> all the stuff that fits the badge is shot on large - format but i
> think a lot of it is and it certainly lends itself to the sort of
> super sharp rendition that large - format can bring to bear. calling
> all fans of the empty verge.
> 
> dave southwood

-- 
Pamela G. Niedermayer
Pinehill Softworks Inc.
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