KQED Spark - Henry Wessel
Summary
TLDRThis video features Henry Wessel, a renowned photographer who has been documenting California and the American West for over 30 years. Known for his minimalist, black-and-white images, Wessel captures ordinary scenes with extraordinary detail, often focusing on suburban landscapes and everyday moments. His love for natural light and spontaneous photography is emphasized, as he trusts his instinct to shoot whatever catches his eye. Wessel shares insights into his process, from the simplicity of taking photos to the deep connection he feels with the world through his lens. His work reflects a spiritual appreciation for the interconnectedness of everything.
Takeaways
- 📸 **Two Variables in Photography**: Henry Wessel emphasizes that in still photography, the only variables are where you stand and when you press the shutter.
- 🏙️ **Documenting California**: Wessel has spent over 30 years documenting California and the American West, with SF MOMA showcasing over 80 of his black and white photographs.
- 🌅 **The Power of Light**: Wessel was particularly drawn to California because of the amazing light, which he first experienced when he moved from Rochester, New York.
- 🏡 **Finding Beauty in the Ordinary**: He often photographs ordinary scenes like parking lots and suburban houses, turning the mundane into something poetic.
- 📷 **Capturing the Moment**: Wessel believes that everything can make a good photograph and that it's possible to capture beauty anywhere.
- 🌲 **Landscape and Humanity**: Coming of age in the 1970s, Wessel was part of a generation of photographers who redefined landscape photography to include human interaction with the environment.
- 📍 **Photography as a Natural Occurrence**: Wessel doesn't go out to take pictures; he takes them where he happens to be, like when he was waiting at a muffler shop.
- 🌆 **Connection to Place**: When Wessel moved to California, he was reminded of his childhood in New Jersey, finding similarities in the landscape and the small-town feel of Point Richmond.
- 🚶♂️ **Walking and Observing**: He enjoys taking long walks, especially during early morning or late afternoon, with his camera always at hand.
- 🖼️ **Craftsmanship and Process**: Wessel is meticulous about his craft, focusing on duplicating the light of the physical world in his prints.
- 🗃️ **Reviewing and Selecting**: He stores his contact sheets for years before revisiting them, often finding that only a few out of many exposures are truly interesting.
Q & A
What are the two variables that Henry Wessel mentions as essential in still photography?
-Henry Wessel mentions that in still photography, the two variables are where you stand and when you press the shutter.
How long has Henry Wessel been documenting California and the American West?
-Henry Wessel has been documenting California and the American West for over 30 years.
What type of photographs does Henry Wessel's retrospective at SF MOMA feature?
-The retrospective at SF MOMA features over 80 mostly black and white photographs.
What aspect of California's climate attracted Henry Wessel to move there?
-Henry Wessel was attracted to California by the good weather, which allowed him to shoot outdoors year-round.
What was Henry Wessel's initial reaction to the light in California upon his arrival?
-Upon his arrival in California, Henry Wessel was struck by the sharpness of the light and felt like he was in paradise, wanting to photograph everything he saw.
What kind of ordinary scenes does Henry Wessel often photograph?
-Henry Wessel often photographs ordinary scenes such as parking lots, strip malls, and snapshots of suburban houses.
What generation of photographers did Henry Wessel come of age with, and how did they approach landscape photography?
-Henry Wessel came of age with a generation of photographers in the 1970s who started to think about what it meant to take a landscape photograph, focusing on how humans live within the landscape rather than just capturing grand landscapes like Ansel Adams.
What does Henry Wessel mean when he says he takes pictures where he is?
-When Henry Wessel says he takes pictures where he is, he means that he doesn't go out specifically to take pictures; instead, he takes them in his everyday life, such as while waiting at a muffler shop.
What does Henry Wessel like to do when he's out taking pictures?
-When Henry Wessel is out taking pictures, he likes to clear his mind and let his eyes wander, not looking for anything in particular.
How does Henry Wessel describe the process of editing his photographs?
-Henry Wessel describes the process of editing his photographs as looking at the contact sheets after some time has passed to be free of the subjective experience of taking the picture, and then deciding if the photograph is interesting.
What does Henry Wessel consider his craft to be in terms of duplicating the physical world?
-Henry Wessel considers his craft to be duplicating the light that exists in the physical world, aiming for his prints to feel like the light that exists in the real world.
How does Henry Wessel view the process of taking still photographs?
-Henry Wessel views the process of taking still photographs as a way to order chaos, which he finds exciting and challenging.
What does Henry Wessel consider the spiritual aspect of photography to be?
-Henry Wessel considers the spiritual aspect of photography to be the coherence and interconnectedness of everything in the frame, which he finds joyous and miraculous.
Outlines
📸 The Simple Art of Photography
Henry Wessel, a renowned Bay Area photographer, explains the simplicity of photography, where the only two variables are the photographer's position and timing. For over 30 years, Wessel has captured California and the American West, primarily in black and white. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art honors his work with a retrospective, showcasing over 80 of his photographs. Wessel emphasizes that much of the world remains hidden from view until it is frozen in a still photograph, revealing details that are otherwise lost in the passage of time.
☀️ Discovering California's Light
Henry Wessel recounts his first experience arriving in California, attracted by its year-round outdoor shooting conditions and its mesmerizing light. Coming from freezing Rochester, New York, to the warm and vibrant Los Angeles, Wessel was struck by the clarity and sharpness of the California light. This experience ignited his passion to photograph everything around him. His work often focuses on mundane scenes such as parking lots and suburban homes, finding beauty and poetry in the everyday.
🏙️ Capturing the Everyday Landscape
Henry Wessel's photographic style deviates from traditional landscape photography, which was often associated with majestic, natural vistas like those of Ansel Adams. Wessel prefers to capture how people live within the landscape, focusing on the everyday scenes around him. He emphasizes the spontaneity of his work, explaining that he doesn't plan to take specific pictures; rather, he allows his surroundings to guide him, capturing moments that present themselves in the most ordinary of settings.
📷 The Camera and the Art of Seeing
Wessel describes his routine of carrying his camera during long walks, ready to capture whatever catches his eye. He shares his philosophy of trusting his instincts—if something grabs his attention, that alone is reason enough to take a photo. He believes that the physical world is chaotic, and photography provides a way to impose order on that chaos, creating moments of clarity amidst the unpredictability.
🛠️ Mastery of Craft and Film
Wessel takes pride in his craftsmanship, particularly in his use of film. He emphasizes the importance of technical precision—choosing the right aperture, shutter speed, and film. His goal is to create prints that faithfully capture the light and details of the physical world. Wessel's dedication to film photography makes him a 'photographer's photographer,' a master of a craft that fewer people today fully understand, as many have transitioned to digital mediums.
⏳ Letting Time Shape the Art
After processing his film, Wessel often waits years before revisiting his contact sheets. This distance allows him to evaluate the photographs without the bias of the emotions he felt when taking them. He is fascinated by how even a series of shots taken within seconds of each other can be completely different due to the constant flux of the world. This patient approach helps him find the few exceptional shots amidst many failures, with each photograph offering something new to learn.
🔄 The Endless Cycle of Work
Wessel's work process is ongoing, with large piles of prints accumulating in his studio. He acknowledges that only a small percentage of his photos are successful, yet he values every image for what it teaches him. His dedication to photography remains unwavering, and his willingness to learn from mistakes is a testament to his continuous pursuit of artistic growth.
🌍 Photography as a Spiritual Experience
For Wessel, photography is a deeply spiritual activity, even though it is grounded in the physical world. He describes the joy of recognizing the interconnectedness of all things in a photograph, when every element—left to right, top to bottom—seems to align perfectly. This rare moment of balance is what makes photography so fulfilling for him, capturing a fleeting sense of harmony in a chaotic world.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Still Photography
💡Light
💡Ordinary Scenes
💡American West
💡Flux of Time
💡Craftsmanship
💡Point Richmond
💡Contact Sheets
💡Chaos
💡Spirituality
Highlights
Henry Wessel believes that in a still photograph, you only have two variables: where you stand and when you press the shutter.
Henry Wessel has been documenting California and the American West for over 30 years, with SF MOMA featuring a retrospective of his work.
Wessel emphasizes that the world is filled with incredible things, and he takes photographs when something catches his eye.
Henry was drawn to California not just for the weather but for the amazing light, which was especially vivid after his experience of cold winters in New York.
Wessel's work often focuses on ordinary scenes like parking lots, strip malls, and suburban houses, finding poetry in the mundane.
Wessel compares photography to ordering chaos, noting that the present moment is filled with disorder, and capturing it is a challenge.
He shoots quickly, understanding that the inspiration for a photograph could be gone in an instant.
Wessel uses film and processes hundreds of rolls each year, ensuring the prints duplicate the natural light and surfaces of the physical world.
He stores his contact sheets for years before reviewing them, allowing time to forget the emotional experience of taking the picture and focus on the image's quality.
Wessel recognizes that a series of photographs taken within seconds can look drastically different due to the constant flux of the world.
Although the majority of his photographs may not work, he believes they all have the potential to teach something.
Wessel explains that for him, photography is a spiritual experience, revealing the coherence and interconnectedness of the world.
Wessel’s early days in California, particularly in Point Richmond, reminded him of his upbringing in New Jersey, influencing his photographic approach.
He describes his camera as an essential tool for capturing moments as they happen, noting its simplicity and effectiveness.
Wessel doesn't plan his photographs but instead takes them as he moves through the world, capturing scenes as they naturally occur.
Transcripts
[ ♪MUSIC♪ ]
>> Henry Wessel: IN A STILL
PHOTOGRAPH YOU BASICALLY HAVE
TWO VARIABLES, WHERE YOU STAND,
AND WHEN YOU PRESS THE SHUTTER.
THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE.
>> BAY AREA PHOTOGRAPHER HENRY
WESSEL HAS BEEN DOCUMENTING
CALIFORNIA AND THE AMERICAN WEST
FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
SF MOMA HAS MOUNTED A
RETROSPECTIVE OF HIS WORK
FEATURING OVER 80 MOSTLY BLACK
AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS.
>> Henry Wessel: ALL OF THIS
IS HIDDEN FROM OUR EYE.
YOU CAN ONLY SEE IT -- I MEAN,
IT'S HIDDEN IN THE FLUX OF TIME.
>> A NATIVE EAST COASTER, HENRY
WAS ATTRACTED TO CALIFORNIA BY
THE GOOD WEATHER, WHICH LET HIM
SHOOT OUTDOORS YEAR ROUND.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE FELL IN
LOVE WITH THE AMAZING LIGHT.
>> Henry Wessel: IN THE DEAD
OF WINTER, I FLEW FROM
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.
WHERE IT WAS FREEZING COLD, IT
WAS LIKE WIND-CHILL LAKE EFFECT
WIND-CHILL
20 BELOW, SNOW WAS FIVE FEET
HIGH.
IT WAS HORRIFYING.
AND I FLEW TO LOS ANGELES.
IT WAS JANUARY, I THINK.
I GOT OFF THE PLANE, AND IT WAS
LIKE WHOA, IT WAS LIKE BEING IN
PARADISE.
THE LIGHT WAS SO SHARP,
EVERYTHING, YOU COULD SEE THE
EDGE ON EVERYTHING.
AND I JUST, WHEN I GOT OFF THE
PLANE, I WANTED TO PHOTOGRAPH
EVERYTHING THAT WAS THERE,
EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, I COULDN'T STOP.
>> HENRY OFTEN TRAINS HIS LENS
ON INCREDIBLY ORDINARY SCENES:
PARKING LOTS, STRIP MALLS,
SNAPSHOTS OF SUBURBAN HOUSES,
BUT HE MANAGES TO CREATE POETRY
OUT OF THE MUNDANE.
>> Henry Wessel: THIS
PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DIRTY DISHES,
AND THIS PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DIRTY
KITCHEN.
[LAUGHTER]
I MEAN,
I LIKE THEM BECAUSE THEY BOTH
REMIND ME THAT IT CAN HAPPEN ANY
TIME, ANYWHERE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN FRONT OF
STUFF THAT'S GOING TO MAKE A
GOOD PHOTOGRAPH.
EVERYTHING, IT'S POSSIBLE
ANYWHERE.
>> HENRY CAME OF AGE WITH A
GENERATION OF PHOTOGRAPHERS, IN
THE 1970s, REALLY, WHO STARTED
TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT IT
MEANT TO TAKE A LAND SCAPE
PHOTOGRAPH.
AND IT DIDN'T MEAN THE KIND OF
PICTURES THAT ANSEL ADAMS WAS
MAKING, THESE GLORIOUS
MOUNTAINSCAPES AND CLOUDS.
IT MEANT REALLY LOOKING AT HOW
HUMANS LIVID WITHIN THE
LANDSCAPE.
>> Henry Wessel: I TAKE
PICTURES WHERE I AM, WHERE I
HAPPEN TO BE.
I MEAN, I HAVE MADE PICTURES,
THAT ARE PRETTY WELL-KNOWN
PICTURES.
I MADE THEM WHEN I WAS IN THE
MIDAS MUFFLER SHOP WANING TO GET
MY MUFFLER FIXED.
SO I DON'T GO OUT TO TAKE
PICTURES.
I TAKE PICTURES.
>> WHEN HENRY MOVED TO
CALIFORNIA IN THE EARLY 1970s
HE LANDED IN THE WORKING CLASS
TOWN OF POINT RICHMOND.
IT REMINDED HIM OF WHERE HE'D
GROWN UP.
>> Henry Wessel: I WAS BORN
AND RAISED IN NEW JERSEY IN
A SMALL TOWN THAT WAS A HILL
BETWEEN TWO RIVERS WITH A
RAILWAY DOWN BELOW.
AND WHEN I CAME OUT HERE THERE
WAS THE BAY, HERE WAS THE TOWN
THAT WAS A HILL, DOWN THERE WAS
THE RAILROAD YARD.
>> EARLY IN THE MORNING OR IN
THE LATE AFTERNOON, WHEN THE SUN
IS LOW IN THE SKY, HENRY LIKES
TO TAKE LONG WALKS.
HE RARELY GOES OUT WITHOUT HIS
CAMERA.
>> Henry Wessel: SINGLE
STROKE.
IT'S REALLY GOOD.
GREAT CAMERA.
IT'S GOT A CANON LENS ON IT FROM
THE '50s ALSO.
BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY SMALL.
>> WHEN HE'S OUT TAKING
PICTURES, HENRY ISN'T LOOKING
FOR ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR.
HE TRIES TO CLEAR HIS MIND AND
LET HIS EYES WANDER.
>> Henry Wessel: THE WORLD IS
FILLED WITH INCREDIBLE THINGS.
SO I'M HAPPY TO JUST LET MY EYE
BE CAUGHT BY SOMETHING.
IF SOMETHING CATCHES MY EYE,
THAT'S ENOUGH REASON TO TAKE THE
PICTURE.
I TRUST THAT AND TAKE THE
PICTURE.
>> HE SHOOTS QUICKLY, KNOWING
THAT WHAT INSPIRED HIM COULD BE
GONE IN AN INSTANT.
>> Henry Wessel: THE PHYSICAL
WORLD IS SO CHAOTIC.
AND IT'S REALLY THE PHYSICAL
WORLD NOW, AND WE CAN LOOK AT
OUR PAST.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PAST, WE
REORDER IT.
THE FUTURE, WE CAN DO THE SAME
THING.
THE PRESENT IS CHAOS.
SO OF COURSE THAT'S VERY
EXCITING AND VERY CHALLENGING.
BECAUSE TO ORDER CHAOS, THAT'S
LIKE WHOA, THAT FEELS REALLY
LIKE -- HMM.
AND THAT'S WHAT STILL
PHOTOGRAPHY IS.
>> BACK AT HIS STUDIO, HENRY
PROCESSES THE HUNDREDS OF ROLLS
OF FILM HE SHOOTS EACH YEAR.
>> Henry Wessel: I WORK THE
MATERIALS IN A VERY
STRAIGHTFORWARD, SIMPLE WAY.
I PRODUCE A NEGATIVE THAT HAS AS
MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE,
WHICH IS THE WAY THE WORLD IS,
EVERY SURFACE IS DESCRIBED IN
THE WORLD.
SO MY CRAFT IS DUPLICATING THE
LIGHT THAT EXISTS IN THE
PHYSICAL WORLD.
THAT'S MY MEASURE OF A GOOD
PRINT, IF IT FEELS LIKE THE
LIGHT THAT EXISTS IN THE
PHYSICAL WORLD, IT'S A GOOD
PRINT.
>> HENRY IS A PHOTOGRAPHER'S
PHOTOGRAPHER.
IT'S A DYING BREED, ACTUALLY.
HE KNOWS HIS MEDIUM IN A WAY
THAT I DON'T THINK MANY PEOPLE
WHO ARE LEARNING PHOTOGRAPHY
TODAY DO.
HE STILL IS ALL ABOUT FILM AND
ABOUT PRINTING AND ABOUT THE
RIGHT APERTURE AND THE RIGHT
SHUTTER SPEED.
HE'S A CRAFTSMAN OF THE HIGHEST
CALIBER.
>> AFTER PROCESSING HIS FILM,
HENRY STORES THE CONTACT SHEETS,
OFTEN FOR YEARS, BEFORE PULLING
THEM OUT TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK.
>> Henry Wessel: IN FACT, THE
WORK I'M LOOKING AT NOW IS FROM
2002.
BUT THAT TIME IS A GOOD LAG
TIME, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS
THAT I FORGET ABOUT THE
SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE OF TAKING
THE PICTURE, WHICH IS ALWAYS
PLEASURABLE.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE CONTACT
SHEETS, I WANT TO BE FREE OF
THAT.
I WANT TO JUST LOOK AT THE
PHOTOGRAPH AND SEE IF IT'S
INTERESTING.
IT AMAZES ME SOMETIMES, EACH OF
THOSE EXPOSURES, MAYBE FIVE IN A
ROW, TAKEN MAYBE WITHIN A THREE
TO FOUR SECOND PERIOD.
YOU'D THINK THEY'D LIKE LIKE
EACH OTHER.
THEY DON'T!
THE WORLD IS SO CONSTANTLY IN
FLUX THAT EACH ONE IS DIFFERENT,
IS DISTINCT.
AND A LITTLE THING, A LITTLE
THING, CHANGES THE PHOTOGRAPH
COMPLETELY.
>> AFTER ALL THIS TIME, HENRY IS
BUSIER THAN EVER, AND THE WORK
PILES UP, LITERALLY.
>> THESE ARE WORK PRINTS FROM
THE YEAR THAT I HAD NOT YET
EDITED.
SO THIS IS LIKE A YEAR'S WORTH
OF WORK PRINTS.
I WOULD SAY OUT OF THIS PILE,
ONLY A COUPLE WORK.
ALL THE REST ARE FAILURES.
BUT OF COURSE, THEY CAN ALL
TEACH US SOMETHING.
>> FOR HENRY BEING OUT IN THE
WORLD CONNECTING TO HIS
SURROUNDINGS AND TAKING PICTURES
IS PURE JOY.
AND EVERY SO OFTEN IT ALL
MIRACULOUSLY COMES TOGETHER.
>> Henry Wessel: TO ME, IT'S
VERY SPIRITUAL.
I MEAN, IT'S SECULAR, IT'S OF
THE WORLD, BUT IT'S VERY
SPIRITUAL.
BECAUSE YOU ARE SUDDENLY SEEING
THE COHERENCE AND THE
INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF
EVERYTHING, LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP
TO BOTTOM, FRONT TO BACK.
IT'S ALL CONNECTED.
AND SOMEHOW IT'S IN THIS
BALANCE.
AND THAT'S OF COURSE WHEN YOU GO
"YES."
[ ♪MUSIC♪ ]
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