The Loss of a Legend, the Death of a Monster, and Only An Excuse
Or: Dispatches #09
Time moves disconcertingly fast when you feel there isn't enough of it, doesn't it? How on earth is it marching so swiftly towards Christmas? It feels like only last week that I was cutting about Warsaw, camera in hand, in a T-shirt cursing the sun, the climate crisis, and the summer Europop bangers on the radio. Now, I'm whinging about the snow, the climate crisis, and Sir Cliff warbling on about parasitic plants and a grape-based alcoholic drink. How did the former youngsters put it? FML.
This past week, I've spent time in the cold photographing the continued Polish-Palestinian protests against the genocide being conducted by Israel in Gaza. A friend and fellow photographer snapped me mid-shot as I knelt in front of the march heading towards Krakowskie Przedmieście. Later that same Saturday evening, I photographed the closing ceremony of Warsaw's human rights documentary film festival.
Watch Docs is in its 23rd year and this is the 2nd that my partner Marta has worked for the festival. This year, I was brought in to double the complement of photographers documenting the galas, panels, Q&As, parties, and other events. While many of the films shown at the festival wrestled with grave, urgent issues, this was nevertheless an enjoyable and invigorating 10 days of working with a tight-knit, enthusiastic, engaged team that reminded me very much of my early days with TEDxWarsaw, particularly the TEDxWarsawSalon team. Bring on next year.
A pleasant surprise was the appearance of Magnum photographer, and founder of the Archive of Public Protests, Rafał Milach who participated in the panel discussion on the subject of art and activism. We talked for a while afterwards and I look forward to bumping into him, metaphorically speaking, out at future protests on the streets of Warsaw.
Ok, enough blethering. Let's get on with the news...
What's been happening this month
After 95 years of an incredible, effervescent, and curious life, one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century, Elliott Erwitt passed away this month.
After selling AI-generated images of the genocide in Gaza, Adobe has set to change its policies of sales of generative imaging depicting real events. Not before time, of course.
At Paris Photo last month, Aperture announced the winners of the 11th Paris Photo-Aperture PhotoBook Awards.
Sticking with Aperture, Jesse Dorris wrote an excellent essay on the Oppositional Energy of Zines. First published in winter last year, it is even more relevant a year on.
In November, the Guardian published a piece by Sara Gilbert on the political and documentary photography posters from 1970s UK. It’s my favourite thing the Guardian has published in quite a while.
Dispatches from Substack
In what is fast becoming my favourite newsletter on Substack, Patrick Witty analyses the New York Times decision to devote 2000 words to a photograph that they refused to publish in its entirety.
On the subject of the aforementioned Paris Photo, Nat from Thought Jam visited the festival of photography with fellow students as part of her Masters studies. Readers were treated to a photo diary of sorts on her return. If this doesn’t whet appetites for next year, I don’t know what will.
The life of a photographer, now, will always be touched by the generative AI technology that is growing in power, whether we use it or not. In a spiritual companion to Issue 9 of Photos, mostly, Beyond the Grain writes more about AI and its cultural effects on photographers.
In his 100th issue, Anthony Morganti dedicates his time to Linda McCartney (née Eastman) and her superlative rock and roll photography.
Annie Leibovitz is not to everyone's taste. She is, of course, a superb photographer but her photographs don't move me in the way those of others do. Her recent, arguably tasteless, photos of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have caused quite a stir, and Bill Sawalich of Art+Math mounts a spirited defence of the photographer.
Recommendations
Photographer
I share my birthday with a photographer that for many years I had been regrettably unaware of. it was only when I began photographing in late 2020 that Marc Davenant began talking online about a film being made of the life of English photographer, Tish Murtha. Born in South Shields near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Murtha photographed working-class life in the northeast of England, capturing the brutal effect that Thatcherism had on her region. Her exceptional work was instrumental in highlighting poverty and the lack of opportunity for those in the northeast. In 1982, Murtha moved to London and documented the commercial sex industry in the capital before returning to her home up north later in the decade. This year, Edinburgh-based filmmaker Paul Sng premiered his documentary, titled Tish, at the Sheffield DocFest. I haven't had a chance to see it yet, but all reviews point to acclaim. Murtha died suddenly, the day before her 57th birthday, on 13th March 2013. One hopes the film, and her daughter Ella's advocacy, cement her legacy as a truly great photographer.
TV
There’s not a lot I need to say about this one. Slow Horses is back, and if you’re sleeping on it, I don’t know what to say to you. Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas, Saskia Reeves, among others. Series 1 and 2 were gripping, and the 1st 3 episodes of series 3 are even better. Get on it.
Radio
When I was a boy, my dad had a Walkman. I bet he still has it, too. It had those flimsy, foam-covered headphones emblematic of the era. Alongside the myriad music cassettes, he would buy comedy or drama tapes, many from the BBC. Before falling asleep each night, I used to listen to Jasper Carrott and Sherlock Holmes. The Fawlty Towers tapes are the reason, I think, that I can recite every episode, verbatim. And then there was Only An Excuse. Before Tony Roper left the duo and his partner Jonathan Watson persisted in beating the dead horse on TV every Hogmanay, there was the radio show - which, of course, my dad had on cassette. Only an Excuse began in 1987 as a one-off comedy special, a parody of a documentary series documenting the history of Scottish football, broadcast the previous year. The radio show is as beautifully observed and performed as the later TV shows (as recently as the final episode in 2020) weren't. Nevertheless, in its prime, Only an Excuse was an excellent parody of the absurdities of Scottish football, and this is where it all started. Though, I feel I can only listen to it in bed, through foamy headphones.
Podcast
It may have been on the aforementioned Fawlty Towers that I first heard the name, Henry Kissinger. In one of several references, as Bernard Cribbins' Mr Hutchinson tells Basil he will be in the lounge if anyone wants him, the irascible hotel manager retorts, who is he expecting, Henry Kissinger? It wasn't until later in my teens that I would discover this was a reference to one of the true monsters of the last century. Henry Kissinger died last month at the age of 100. That he lived to such an age while countless millions died far too young as a direct result of his meddling in American foreign policy, is as much proof as I need to continue my life as an atheist. In short, Henry Kissinger was a heinous war criminal. There isn't enough time for me to detail quite how monstrous Kissinger was, so luckily Robert Evans from Behind the Bastards podcast was joined by Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds of the Dollop for a darkly hilarious 6-part series on his life. I thought I had some idea of how bad he was, but there was so much more in here that left my jaw on the floor. That Kissinger didn't spend at least half of his life in prison is a travesty.
And Finally…
Keep an eye out for the inaugural State of the Union of Street Photography coming next week on the 20th of December, and a week after that, Issue 14 of Photos, mostly on the 27th of December.
I’d be very grateful if you would subscribe to or share Photos, mostly. Sharing with 1 or 2 friends who enjoy street photography really will help more than you may think.
If you’re a Substack writer and enjoy this publication, I’d be more than humbled if you would consider recommending Photos, mostly to your subscribers.
This newsletter is free to read, however, this year I left corporate life and returned to school, so if you like what I do, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription or buying me a roll of film. You can do so by clicking here, or by aiming your smartphone camera at the QR code below.
I'm partial to some of that Tri-X 400 if you're asking. Thank you!
I saw 'Tish' a few weeks ago, in fact contributed to the Kickstarter campaign to make it. An excellent film. I hope you manage to see it.
Happy New Year, Neil! I'm just catching up on my Substack Inbox. Thanks for the Tish documentary recommendation. I'll look forward to seeing the film when its available here in the US.