Garry Winogrand (American, 1928–1984). New York, ca. 1962. Gelatin silver print. Posthumous print (frame nor marked by Winogrand on contact sheet), courtesy The Garry Winogrand Archive, Center for Creative Photography, The University of Arizona
«I consider Garry Winogrand's photographs found in the current exhibition of his work to be a collection of perfect mistakes. "Perfect" because, even though the subject is often not posing or even looking straight at the camera, there is something about the picture that makes it incredibly engaging. The very same picture can simultaneously feel like a "mistake," however, since it may capture people who are either unaware they are being photographed or are unhappy about it. In some cases, it feels to me like Winogrand accidentally pressed the shutter button. Normally people have to pose or look at the camera in order for a photograph to be considered successful, but Winogrand instead intended to capture these unguarded people and moments.»
Winogrand said that he never knew the story behind the picture, that all he cared about was the image. In order to understand his work you just have to look at the picture and try to figure out for yourself what the image is showing. Even the titles of his works never give the viewer a lot of information, only the locations. Though the images are often mysterious or confusing, we are still drawn in to his world.
Most of the pictures Winogrand took in New York had a lot of people in them, but I choose to do just the opposite in my work. Winogrand focused on people and all of the movement and energy that was emblematic of New York in the 1950s and '60s. However, as a New Yorker myself, I love to escape from all of the people in the city and find peace and quiet, so my main focus is the beauty of nature and all of the incredible color and variety it has to offer. My photos offer an escape from, rather than a document of, New York City.
Danlly (American, b. 1997). Untitled, 2014
My favorite escape is the beach, where I can relax and enjoy the sun. My untitled photograph conveys the movement of the water; the pristine, white, smooth surfaces of the boat; and the mysterious splashes disrupting the surface to form two circles in the sea. But to better understand the picture, let me tell you the story behind its origin. Otherwise you may be confused and start asking yourself: How did that happen? How was I able to take this picture?
It was my mom's birthday, and we were celebrating on a boat in the water just off the coast of New York City. Two of my cousins decided to jump off the boat, and what we see here are the whirlpools created when they hit the water. The most interesting aspect of this picture is that you don't actually see my two cousins jumping off the boat, only the effect their actions had on the water.
These past few weeks I have been looking at Winogrand's work a lot, and, although he and I prefer very different settings for our photos, I like to think I learned to capture a moment just as he did. (Mine are just outside of the city.) Would you agree that his pictures are perfect mistakes?