National Geographic - The Life of a Photograph - Sam Abell - Insight into the photos in one of his books, his inspiration, formative years, etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceJ0S5P-Ybc

@elvishefer..... the Todd Maisel documentary is so very good. Graphic, but exactly what the day was. "Something other than war."

Watched a PBS documentary on Annie Leibovitz called PBS American Masters - Annie Leibovitz - Life Through A Lens... A few years old but an excellent documentary on her life and work.

I've been exploring more about photographerS lately, trying to listen to people in the trade and their motivations. So I apologize for posting these in a 'documentary' thread, as they are not necessarily full-length documentaries. But they do provide sharp insight.

CAUTION: This one is graphic.

Todd Maisel on shooting 9/11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1eab9NnImIM

I just watched 'We'll Take Manhattan' about David Bailey and Jean Shrimpton in 1962.

That gets my vote as NOT the best photography related documentary film.

You would have thought they could have trained the actor to not have his fingers in front of his lens and keep his camera reasonably still while shooting...

Found this one thanks to Strobist.com - Richard Avedon, Fashion etc. photographer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLC31381AE97BD3BAD&v=OpIZ_S38A_0&feature=player_embedded

Found this on YouTube tonight, thought it was interesting. Short.

"The Making of 'The Protester' Portraits by Peter Hapak"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7jueTQo9tk

A vote for the BBC documentary "The man who shot the 60's" shown in 2010.

This focusses on Brian Duffy - one of three famous British photographers who were extremely influential in the 60's - along with Terence Donovan and David Bailey.

Duffy sadly has passed on since the making of the documentary but as someone who grew up with their images all around, I found this a great piece to watch.

I founds some good ones on Netflix yesterday. An Unlikley Weapon was pretty good, it is about Eddie Adams and also The Devil Rode on Horseback was worth a watch.

I just watched "The Bang Bang Club" and remembered this thread.

Good movie about a bunch of war photographers in South Africa in the early 90s. Not really a documentary but "inspired by a true story".

Just saw an add on TV for a documentary on White House photographer Pete Souza, currently photographing Obama and previously Reagan. Should be interesting, it's airing tomorrow night, but that's on Dutch television. I tried to find it on the internet as a download but didn't find it. If anyone's interested, the documentary is called 'White House through the lens' and is broadcast by National Geographic here.

The add can be viewed here (Dutch version of the NG site but the commentary is in English): http://natgeotv.com/nl/obamas-white-house/videos/obamas-journey
BTW it's called Obama's White House in the add, not sure what's up with that...

bhoveyga said:
I have to recommend Born Into Brothels (2005 Academy Award, Best Documentary). Very moving film (and companion book) about the power of photography to change lives. This film more than any other made me realize how the art of photography can transcend the technology and even the image, by producing life-altering experiences for those holding the camera... even when they are children.

Originally, the film was to be a documentary of the red-light district in Calcutta, but one of the producers got sidetracked when she met the young children of the prostitutes. Vibrant and intelligent but without a future, the kids immediately became the focus of the film. They were given cameras, taught the fundamentals of composition and exposure, then turned loose to photograph the world around them. Soon it became apparent that these children had found confidence, expression and fulfillment in the act of taking pictures... and possibly a more hopeful future as well.

As interesting as the film itself is what has happened since. A scholarship fund from print sales kept the kids going as they finished school and may put some of them thru college as well (one young man has been accepted at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU), and the program which came to be called Kids With Cameras, has gone on to Cairo, Haiti and Jerusalem.

http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/bornintobrothels/

Good! I'm not the only one that liked it. I recommended this as well on the first page.

Also, im rather excited, i just got war photographer today from netflix!! woot woot!

I have to recommend Born Into Brothels (2005 Academy Award, Best Documentary). Very moving film (and companion book) about the power of photography to change lives. This film more than any other made me realize how the art of photography can transcend the technology and even the image, by producing life-altering experiences for those holding the camera... even when they are children.

Originally, the film was to be a documentary of the red-light district in Calcutta, but one of the producers got sidetracked when she met the young children of the prostitutes. Vibrant and intelligent but without a future, the kids immediately became the focus of the film. They were given cameras, taught the fundamentals of composition and exposure, then turned loose to photograph the world around them. Soon it became apparent that these children had found confidence, expression and fulfillment in the act of taking pictures... and possibly a more hopeful future as well.

As interesting as the film itself is what has happened since. A scholarship fund from print sales kept the kids going as they finished school and may put some of them thru college as well (one young man has been accepted at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU), and the program which came to be called Kids With Cameras, has gone on to Cairo, Haiti and Jerusalem.

http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/bornintobrothels/

bjrichus said:
Oh yes - I stumbled into that online a month or so ago. A very opinionated view in places about what is "important" in the history of photography.

Perhaps better about documenting the very earliest days but less so about more recent trends?

I agree. I learned a lot and very much enjoyed the first few parts, but was less interested in the last one or two. (There are 6 1-hour episodes) That series got me interested in B&W photography and street photography.

By the way if anyone is interested, It's is all up on youtube, which is where I saw it.
http://www.youtube.com/user/GeniusOfPhotography#p/p

Michael DeRose said:
LMAO! Also, do you happen to recall the name of that documentary? I would love to watch that one.

It was several years ago and I can't remember. I want to say it was a PBS or National Geographic special on the Vatican.

Funny enough, I just noticed James Nachtwey shares the same birthday as me today. I was on NNDB and he popped up in birthdays. Strange coincidence. I already put War Photographer in the Netflix cue. I'll be checking your other choices too. I enjoyed Smash His Camera

NikoDoby said:
Not sure if the Vatican is officially sponsored by Nikon but I've only seen them use Nikon gear... amen.

Some of Gianni Giansanti's work can be viewed here:
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1886474,00.html

LMAO! Also, do you happen to recall the name of that documentary? I would love to watch that one.

Just watched War Photographer, and I'm feeling exceptionally insignificant. Good documentary.

Many heads of state have official photographers. Even the Pope has one. I remember watching a documentary on it. Gianni Giansanti was the Vatican's official photog for many years. He passed away just last year or the year before. I'm not sure who the current photog for the Pope is now. Stefano Spaziani, maybe? Not sure if the Vatican is officially sponsored by Nikon but I've only seen them use Nikon gear... amen.

Some of Gianni Giansanti's work can be viewed here:
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1886474,00.html

Just watched "The President's Photographer" (it's for free in the video section of PBS). Really good documentary. I did not even know that there is such a thing as a personal photographer for the President of the US. If I understood correctly they are not allowed to delete any of the images he takes. They need a really good archival software...

I just saw Smash His Camera. I give that a thumbs up as well. (You have to love netflix :p) Also, I watched Born into Brothels. Its about children of prostitutes learning photography as an escape from the same fate as their parents, in Calcutta.

jerl said:
Personally I like the BBC short series "The Genius of Photography", which is an interesting look at the history of photography, although it is highly abridged since it ignore a lot of important movements.

Oh yes - I stumbled into that online a month or so ago. A very opinionated view in places about what is "important" in the history of photography.

Perhaps better about documenting the very earliest days but less so about more recent trends?

Yes I agree Ansel Adams would have loved digital I think. All the hours he spent in the darkroom will decades of film post processing (dodging and burning) he would have loved photoshop I think. I wonder which body he would have used? I love watching anything about him on any documentary.

"He reminds me so much of a young NikoDoby :^)"

:-)

Wideangle said:
I vote for "Smash His Camera", the 2010 story of America's original papparazzo, Ron Galella. The guy is hated by the rich and famous but he also has an impressive photographic record of them too—a collection that increases in historical value by the day. The film is excellent, funny, informative and has lots of hidden details familiar to photographers . . . mountains of yellow Kodak photo-paper boxes holding millions of prints, etc. etc. etc. You can just about smell his darkroom. Great movie.

Oh I forgot that one. That's a good one too. I also recommend it.