The Photo Guru (Michel Karman)

This is Photo (and Art) Guru Michel Karman, who holds a Lucie Award

as International Photo Printer of the Year, at the opening of a photo

exhibition he curated, showing just one of the amazing expressions that

telegraph his amazingly well-articulated and almost uniformly highly-

respected opinions. Your ratings, critiques, and observations are invited

and most welcome. If you rate harshly, very critically, or wish to state

an opinion (about my photography only, not about Mr. Karman) please

submit a helpful and constructive comment; please share your

photographic knowledge to help improve my photography. Thanks.

Enjoy. John

This is the Exhibition of renowned photographer Jim McHugh who is widely known for his celebrity photographs among a large variety other subjects, but among much else he also was showing at this exhibition in Los Angeles last year stunning large images of the older landmark 'high rise' buildings that have or had been Los Angeles fixtures - wonderfully lighted and moody photographs that are iconic, and that beginning with this exhibition, have since been touring the world and have been or are becoming world famous in and of themselves.

Karman, shown, curated the exhibition.

In addition to being a 'world class' printer, he has curated works for famous clients from vast archives . . . . and is a reliable and invaluable source about what is worthy of exhibition in galleries, museums, or print, especially relating to 'fine art'.

Karman is a renowned photo and art expert, for whose printing skills he has earned a Lucie Award as International Photo Printer of the Year several years ago. Photo printing is not limited to photography specifically, but also to artists who use photography as a medium. Karman has 'photographic and artistic vision', and I am informed his clients rely heavily on that 'vision' for guidance.

This is just one expression from Karman's vast storehouse of amazing and wonderful expressions. Karman is a world class personality in addition to having 'world class' other attributes, including critic of art as well as photography; many photographic artists for whom he prints also have had longstanding personal relationships with him, including Helmut Newton, his late friend and client.

His printed works for others are in EVERY major museum in the world, and he is or recently has been a personal printer for a number of highly respected and very well known 'fine art' and commercial photographers whom I will not presently name, but a trip to many well-known galleries or probably every 'big name' museum likely will reveal their work printed by him (or printed under his direction), but without attribution to him, for the art of 'printing' (except for those who know) is largely an anonymous profession . . . perhaps a mattter that should be revisited.

This was opening night of the McHugh gallery exhibition; I was Karman's guest.

John (Crosley)

Your comment about the face on the wall (Anthony Hopkins who needs no introduction) should be directed to famous photographer Jim McHugh. It's his portrait of Hopkins.

He is an amazing photographer, and one facet of his work is portraits such as that.

This is Michel Karman, about whom I have written above.

He curated this exhibition --meaning literally, he helped put it together with McHugh. That traditionally involves choosing the photographs to be exhibited and the manner and mode of exhibition.

Karman's judgment is incredibly sound about photography and art; for me it is the only standard which I know and respect -- my own personal 'platinum standard'.

I have known no other 'teacher' or guru than Karman, being otherwise self taught. (We sometimes have artistic differences, but I have great and ever-increasing respect for his talents and his judgment . . . more than any person I ever have met.)

John (Crosley)

As you probably know, I have a rule: I do NOT take celebrity photographs.

There are two exceptions to the rule.

1. Where the subject is personally known to me, and the photography is mutually agreed.

2. Where I am invited to or it is expected that I will take the photo.

Otherwise, no celebrity photos.

This photo falls into one of those categories; I needn't elaborate which.

It is posted solely for photographic merit, as I regard it as one of my all time best photographs and absolutely one of my best and maybe my most telling portrait.

Karman's reaction: 'I didn't know I looked like that, I really didn't.'

I think the expression, along with his vast storehouse of other amazing expressions is a fabulous treasure . . . and am happy he had a chance to see himself physically as the fascinating person I saw him -- something he may not have then taken into such great account in his own personal inventory.

Finally, this photo is a prime example of 'incorporate the background' within the context of the 'street' photograph which I feel frequently yields interesting, unique, and often very telling photographs.

John (Crosley)

Intelligent too (his emotion comes out as 'passion' when discussing 'ideas' and 'concepts'.)

His intelligence is almost beyond imagination.

But with him, I can sometimes try to hold my own. We have had spirited interplay at times, and he has a wonderful, fascinating mind, facile (in the sense of being extraordinarily 'quick'), and also capable of great depth.

Not a writer professionally, his attempts at writing I saw were stunningly good.

They greatly exceeded all that I could ever hope to write and most of what I have read from highly noted authors.

He's also very, very, very discerning in ways I could never hope to be; aesthetics, or, better, ART (in capitals) is a way of life for him, especially if it relates to 'concepts'.

Whether or not he 'creates' his own art or enables great artists' works to show their best, his judgment is as nearly impeccable in such things as one could hope for.

Most of the time he's a pretty great guy, too. ;~))

And he's fantastically interesting.

He is, as lawyers say in Latin, 'sui generis' (one of a kind).

To have one's photos satisfy this man is a special and highly satisfying accomplishment -- one I did not value so highly at first meeting, as experience with his judgment over time has taught me.

He has taught me many lessons, not all of which he may be aware of, but I think he might be proud that I have heard and digested more than he ever thought I heard, and mostly I have learned my lessons well. (One of which we might discuss is my tendency always is to think independently . . . . for there is not one 'correct' answer for all circumstances, but for those for whichg he does proffer an answer professionally within this craft, he certainly is the most able to point the way.

I am not a follow-the-leader sort of person, but in photography if there were to be one leader to help guide to think about what is 'good' in this art, this is the one man I would listen to first and foremost.

No matter what, one would be at peril to dismiss his advice about subjects relating to 'art', photography as 'art' or just photography in general.

(This is not a 'love letter' to him, either, though it may sound so; it simply is a recitation of the plain and simple facts. He's a very human individual who possesses extraordinary abilities, faculties and powers and at times bears crushing burdens as well, which maybe makes him all the more endearing in the eyes of many.)

He has a true friend in some very extraordinary individuals -- not just acquaintances, as he has a VAST acquaintanceship -- but genuine true friends, at least in my modest view.

(That does not relate to me at all, as I purposefully leave myself outside this assessment which needs to be a little more objective to have any value.)

Thanks Svetlana.

john

John (Crosley)

P.S. Svetlana, this is not intended to be his biography, a critical analysis, or even a thorough review of the man or his work , just some of the 'high points' of his capabilities and strengths to help 'flesh out' what you see depicted in that expresssive face, so you can match 'the man I have known' with 'the man I have depicted', to judge how well you think I may have captured his 'essence' as I have expressed that in writing here.

The other tasks above, I leave to others, and was informed last that others were doing just that. My review is no substitute for objectivity, as it is highly subjective, but it is based on personal knowledge, and I think highly accurate as far as it goes.

jc

You never know what sort of great, even fabulous expression might emanate from the face of Michel Karman, and the trick is to be around, be inconspicuous, and have him accept being photographed, something that mostly he had been loathe to allow before for me.

That is somewhat out of keeping with his somewhat flamboyant character, but in a way, it also is in keeping with the elitist in him -- I don't know that he ever wanted to become a 'commodity', as those who 'knew' him and his 'worth' didn't really need to be told.

But here it is, no commoditization.

And one of my all time best.

An amazing expression that may not appear flattering at first glance, but if one truly looks carefully, it is extremely flattering -- you just have to understand that you never have seen such an amazing expression before in your life and probably never will again.

Like his life, this expression rivets.

Thanks Marianne,

John (Crosley)

My subject's impression.

'I didn't know I looked like that'.

But he also said he liked it, when we met, some months later (by accident).

I had sent him a copy by e-mail -- and also a copy (and some others almost as good) to famous photographer McHugh -- as a courtesy, because I had been McHugh's guest, secondarily. I didn't want to sleight McHugh, as he and his staff in particular were so courteous and patient with me.

I hope it was welcome; after all, it was McHugh's exhibition. I did not want in any way to be seen as interfering - or better, I guess, to be seen to be trying to 'steal his thunder', so, camera was at my side for all but ten minutes when all I took this and a few similar photographs of Karman.

I hung around the exhibition a very long time, not really knowing anyone, and not being of the 'art-photography buyer scene' but seeing some people (and being recognized by a few people I had seen or been seen with before when a guest of Karman's at gallery openings, or just when on my own from a previous year or so ago (long memories for a few of them of those people, which absolutely surprised me, as I'm really 'nobody' in that world).

I guess this is my ultimate tribute to Karman -- I really owe him more than I can express just in the knowledge and confidence he has helped me achieve about where my 'place' in the photographic world might lie if I pursue things, which I am almost certain now to do.

I've hired a full-time photoshopper for printing, as my skills just aren't up to snuff, and never would be, in time to present my work in my lifetime, I fear. Hiring one by the hour in the US or West would be prohibitive.

I guess you might say I've 'outsourced'.

But then it's in my living room (when I'm abroad), so I can give personal feedback/supervision to 'get it right' (at least most of the time).

I'm not a good delegator with my own photography . . . . although I am sure if Karman were directing the photoshopping, I could just walk away and trust him with the task entirely - which is his major strength - he can 'see' and has 'artistic vision' that gets into the 'essence' of things photographic and artistic to the point where major, 'big name' artists and photographers absolutely trust his vision and advice.

That's a HUGE reason works he has helped create hangs in every major museum in the world.

He has attempted to share that with me a little, for which I am profoundly thankful -- truly my only art/photo teacher ever. (otherwise, I'm entirely self-taught).

(Of course, he has not shared with me anything about printing, as that is a different direction than I am headed; my talent lies in the taking, not the transforming or rendering, we both agree.

Thanks for the very flattering comment.

I hope Michel see this here and the comments as well.

I think in his heart, he knows this captured well one small part of his very complex essence.

I think secretly he'd be very flattered by the approval, and although he does not need the attention by 'lay' people or photo amateurs so much, and OUR PN audience primarily is outside his market, his name deserves to be known outside the glitterati of his profession for the genius he is. (and people do refer to him as a 'genius' too -- even behind his back).

John (Crosley)