KQED Spark - Henry Wessel

Summary

This 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.