Harry M. Callahan (1912–1999)

"Callahan did somehow arrive quickly at the sure knowledge that the function of his own work was to describe not the public issues of the great world, but the interior shape of his private experience." John Szarkowski

Nature is a selection of Harry Callahan's nature studies, 12 intimately scaled prints that the artist assembled into a series in the early 1990s, herein reproduced as beautiful tipped-in plates. Over the course of a career that spanned six decades, Callahan made nature of one show more his foremost themes, and continually researched new ways of seeing trees, weeds, snow and surf. Ranging in date from 1941 to 1991, these images are typical of the artist's innovative approach to these subjects, as well as of his intention to "capture a moment that people can't always see." Some images give a striking description of surface detail on natural forms, while others reduce those forms to compelling abstract patterns. Consistent throughout the series is the technical refinement that distinguishes Callahan's style and that has secured his place among the foremost American photographers of the twentieth century. show less

Although regarded as one of the masters of photography, there is little to recommend this book. The brief introduction provides only a bare-bones context to interpret Callahan’s work. The variety of images and approaches represented here bring to mind the experimentation of a college student learning about the cool things a camera can do in an introductory photography class.

The influence of Ansel Adams’ zone system is apparent in many photographs. However, the images are too small for show more readers to see the details in the tails of the zone. A number of the photos are dark, gloomy scenes with few points of interest (Eleanor and Barbara, Chicago, 1954; Bob Fine, ca. 1952; Chicago, 1958). Others are multiple exposures (e.g., Eleanor, Chicago, 1953; Providence, 1967) or abstracts (e.g., Eleanor, 1947; Ivy Tentacles on Glass, Chicago, 1952; Weed Against Sky, Detroit, 1948). Most of the images in this collection require a larger format and the careful lighting of a gallery that permits a close study of subtle details.

This disappointing book is hardly the work of a master. show less

The color photos are really beautiful. Still, I don't find the color images as moving as the black and white. I think that even a mediocre photo of a landscape can be beautiful in full color, but it really takes an artist to tease the beauty out of blacks and whites and grays.

Ansel Adams has been a great inspiration for my photographic muse. This is the only reference I have to the work he did in color, so it is important to have in my collection. I just wish some of the inspiration would result in some better images: Hear that muse?