Dennis Hopper

David_S85

I knew that Dennis played a photographer in the movie Apocalypse Now, and that he had some connection with photography, but until now, had never delved into what he was all about as a photographer. This is some of his work behind the lens. The guy had a great eye, that's for sure.

Mongrel

"...The guy had a great eye, that's for sure...."

Funny, I came to the exact opposite conclusion after I checked out the 8 or 9 picks they showed at the announcement of "his" show in England... I was disappointed actually that someone with such an eye for directing would take what I consider to be mediocre or run-of-the-mill pictures. The processing looked good, but the posing and composition were just 'off' (literally in some cases-feet cut off, awkward cropping, etc.).

I just checked out the rest of the gallery that you linked to and my opinion is even firmer. My favorite was the "Biker Couple" from 1961. More so because it's a great slice of life shot than because of it's photographic merit.

Oh well, that's why they call it ART I guess!

lol

yendikeno

Mongrel wrote: »

"...The guy had a great eye, that's for sure...."

Funny, I came to the exact opposite conclusion after I checked out the 8 or 9 picks they showed at the announcement of "his" show in England... I was disappointed actually that someone with such an eye for directing would take what I consider to be mediocre or run-of-the-mill pictures. The processing looked good, but the posing and composition were just 'off' (literally in some cases-feet cut off, awkward cropping, etc.).

I just checked out the rest of the gallery that you linked to and my opinion is even firmer. My favorite was the "Biker Couple" from 1961. More so because it's a great slice of life shot than because of it's photographic merit.

Oh well, that's why they call it ART I guess!

lol

Different strokes for different folks, I guess. I liked his images, but then again, I was always a fan of his work, so that may have colored my feeling for his images.

Mongrel

yendikeno wrote: »

Different strokes for different folks, I guess. I liked his images, but then again, I was always a fan of his work, so that may have colored my feeling for his images.

Hey-me TOO! I've been a Hopper fan since I saw him in the Rifleman as a kid... Easy Rider, Rumble Fish, Hoosiers...etc. Definitely a talented guy-no question.

BUT, when I looked over the pictures I mean yea they're "black and white" prints so they have a certain allure... Yea, they're "old" 1960's shots... Yea...he had a pic of Newman with the shadow of that fence across his shirtless back-that almost works... "Double Standard" was great idea but it came across as a snapshot through a car windshield more than a fully-realized thought.

I honestly thought that the pics were taken by someone probably a little stoned (maybe more than a little stoned?) who had some good ideas that were snapped on the spur of the moment without any further work put out to finalize the idea.

Maybe that's what works for some people? Kind of a "through the eyes of Dennis Hopper" attraction? I doubt if they were "shot by Mongrel Nobody" they would even make to the gallery...

Like I said-I really dig the guy and his work in film...but I was let down by the photographs because of the fact that I like him!

Oh-some of the best photography I've seen from that time period was taken by a guy named Bill Ray in 1965 for life magazine. They never ran, but you can see them here:

http://life.time.com/culture/hells-angels-rare-photos-by-bill-ray-1965/#1

Now those are shots that I really think show not only "skill" with a camera, but capture the soul of the moment...