This for any photographer this is everything. All of the so-called "youtube" photography channels with a few exceptions should just chill for a freaking min. and be more like Garry. New photography hero found.
He nails it at 6:00 into the video. He's talking (in his own way) about the difference between taking a photograph of something (football action, beautiful model) and making a photograph that is ABOUT the action or the model or the people on the street. The photograph has to be more interesting than what was photographed. Otherwise, it's just a picture of the subject.
I understand what you say about "you don't learn from teachers" and the metaphorical meaning you want to convey, but in my case I did learn a lot from teachers Peter Glendinning and Mark Valentine Sullivan (they are great instructors indeed, with a generosity in their transmission of real knowledge) on the Coursera educational platform, where I took these Michigan State University courses. He begins by saying that he does not believe in characters but in work, I think that is his secret, he himself is a character; And that helped him get that wonderful perspective on what a photograph is and take it.
ok.. this is a 16 minute excerpt from the original 1hour and 52 minute posting of Garry's talk. How did you get that awful electronic hum out of the audio? And can you post the whole talk minus the hum?
I love what he says about being a street photographer "...is says nothing who the photographer is ..." In an other video he says he is responsible to Robert Frank and Walker Evans (Robert Frank died 2019)
So surreal seeing one of my heroes at my alma matter. The most shocking thing about this video is that there are actually people in the stands at a Rice football game
His photos are not technically important or special, but he has recorded the lives of 2 generations in a completely natural and simple way. which is very important and precious.