'Does Magnum Photos still make sense?' A report.
Magnum celebrates its 65th Annual General Meeting in Arles. Image © Rene Burri / Magnum Photos.
Magnum Photos celebrated its 65 years by holding its annual general meeting at Rencontres d'Arles. It was an opportunity for photographers to come together to discuss Magnum's future in an ever-changing market. Olivier Laurent reports from the conference
Author: Olivier Laurent
04 Jul 2012 Tags: Photo agenciesMagnum photos
Photographers Christopher Anderson, Susan Meiselas, Alex Majoli, Richard Kalvar, Donovan Wylie and Abbas joined François Hebel, director of the Rencontres d'Arles festival, who led the conference, as well as Magnum's CEO, Giorgio Psacharopulo, and Lorenza Bravetta, the agency's head of continental Europe, to discuss what makes Magnum relevant in today's market.
Kicking off with the announcement of Magnum's new nominees – Zoe Strauss, Jerome Sessini and Bieke Depoorter – Majoli says the new recruits represent the "future of Magnum and what we're pursuing with our agency in the current climate".
Joining Magnum can be daunting, though. "When I became a member of Magnum, I was really young," Majoli adds. "You see the pictures of the founders and then you say, ‘Fuck. What am I going to do?' But then you realise there's this fantastic community of photographers who are here to help you find your own way. From the old generation, we learn what they know, and we try to bring a new vision, a new language, a new spirit. There is a bridge between the old and the young generation."
Meiselas agrees. "Magnum being 65 means that some of our members have been with the agency for almost 60 years. There are five different generations of photographers at Magnum – from people in their twenties all the way to their eighties. That's a real richness," – a richness that can be beneficial at a time when the industry is undergoing drastic changes.
"The world has become hard to navigate for photographers, and I think we need the agency now more than ever," says Kalvar. "We have to evolve, of course. We're searching for new ways to show images and earn money from them. The agency serves as a brainstorming collective to find these answers."
At the centre of the debate is whether Magnum is, in fact, a press agency. Wylie isn't so sure. "Magnum is certainly an agency that still reports on the world, actively, and in new ways – in a great variety of ways. But I think it's more appropriate to say that we're a reporting agency." This is confirmed by Abbas, who says: "We've covered the news for the media, but we've never been a press agency. We always cover the news a little bit before everyone else, and a little bit after as well. We have a few photographers who cover the news as it's happening, of course. The waves are important, but often the traces left by these waves are more important."
Magnum has never really worked for the press, adds Meiselas. Instead, its members have been working "in ways in which the press might use your work". For Meiselas, who also heads the Magnum Foundation, the question is, "What do we see, and what do we do with what we see? The challenge is to go beyond what we used to have as a platform and a producing partner, [someone at the magazine who] took the risks with you. They supported you to take the risk. The big change for us now is that we take the risks without these partners," says Meiselas.
As a result, photographers have to create new and different kinds of partnerships. "Many people have been working with non-profits and NGOs. But the question is, how else do you distribute the work? The Postcards From America project is a different model, for example. The challenge for us is to come up with creative collaborations as photographers and with communities."
Postcards From America saw five Magnum photographers travel from Texas to California in two weeks, photographing their journey and sharing the results on Tumblr and Facebook. When asked whether Magnum's photographers could have collaborated on such a project 20 years ago, and Meiselas isn't so sure. "For Magnum to survive, I think it has to relate to a larger community and find ways to do that. Postcards, maybe we wouldn't have had that in our imagination 20 years ago, because [our distribution channels were more structured]. [When we worked on Postcards and] when we moved from Texas to California in 10 days, stopping in one place for a day or two, I had to rethink what I could do. You have to conceptualise what you can do under different conditions. That's a challenge [for me]."
The idea at the heart of Postcards, says Wylie, is the photographer taking initiative. "That's what it's about. It's about going out to make work for the sake of making work. And you encounter these huge challenges. I remember when I arrived in Rochester, I had no clue what I was going to do, but I wanted to be there. I had to find a strategy and a voice quickly, and the dialogue we had amongst ourselves was extremely exciting and stimulating."
Of course, projects like Postcards from America don't mean that photographers have to forget about the financial aspect of the market. "If you want to pursue your personal projects, you have to give up other things," says Majoli. "You have to reduce the cost of your life and dedicate a lot of time to what you want to do. It's a compromise you have to find within yourself – the family you live with and within the market and the resources you can find in that market." In his case, Majoli has to apply for grants and accept commercial jobs to put money aside for his personal projects. "I have to reinvent myself every day."
When you take the economics out of the equation, though, things aren't so bad, says Anderson. "This is going to sound strange, but speaking just as a photographer and not as someone who makes a living from photography, I feel happy because, in many ways, I feel more free from the chains of the press."
He adds: "As a photographer making images, I feel less controlled by making images for a market. The other side, the professional side, is much more difficult to make a living in and make ends meet. But, purely from the point of making images, it's somewhat liberating that there's no market left."
But however you juggle the money issue, the deeper question is what it means to be a photographer, says Meiselas. "How do you find the work that engages you and sustains you? What do you contribute? Because the landscape is so much broader now, we see a lot, but it doesn't necessarily last long. For me, it's those dialogues. It really is the relationship with the subject that sustains me."
Wylie agrees. "I think one of the priorities today, especially for a young photographer, is really engaging with your own voice. How do you find your own voice? Photography has changed dramatically since its beginnings. [Now we have Google Earth and cameras everywhere], so we ask ourselves, 'Why photograph?' You photograph because you want to make work. It's like writing a novel. You make work that has layers, that contributes to a collective history, a broader history. The challenge is to get to that point."
Abbas, on the other hand, doesn't believe we should complicate everything. "Yes, there are issues in the market," he says. "And we spent four days discussing these issues at Magnum, and when I got out I went to see Josef Koudelka's images and it reminded me why I'm part of Magnum. I know that some photographers have big egos, but photography is simple. In the morning, you put a roll of film in your camera – today you don't even have to do this with digital – you take to the streets, you come back home, edit your photographs and show them. It's that simple."
With all its talk about unity, Magnum is aware that it's far from perfect. For example, it knows full well that its membership doesn't represent the realities of today's global market. "Magnum is still Euro- and US-centric," Anderson admits.
Kalvar adds: "We can't say we've found African photographers, or photographers from other third world countries. It's true we have a tendency to look for people we already know, and these people tend to share the same culture. We have the hope of finding something different, but we haven't been able to achieve this yet."
Similarly, men largely dominate the agency, and this is an ongoing struggle, says Meiselas. "But it's very exciting this year as two of the new nominees are women."
Abbas goes further: "Frankly, when we look at portfolios, if we had two projects of equal quality by a man and a woman, we would choose the woman, because we're very conscious of the fact that there are many more men than women at Magnum. Similarly, there are more white people than black people, and more Europeans than Asians." But, he assures, it's not deliberate.
For more on the agency, visit www.magnumphotos.com.
Comments
I mean really, this is what they have to say ? This group is in a bubble and they should stay in it, totally out of touch and somehow irrelevant today, But I was pleased to see that they finally realized they got an ego, they should now just see their ego is self destructive. I know so many of those photographers and if I do respect the founding fathers, all of those at the press conference were just so self confident. For people supposed to care they were just plain blank. .
Magnum is a they are a stock agency for a handful of "famous" photographers. I do not believe that Magnum is needed today as anything more than a place to license Cartier-Bresson images, etc. There is a reason people like Brent Stirton are not members. Someone like Alex Majoli most likely would not be able to survive as a photographer outside of Magnum. He himself stated he probably would have become a junkie. For someone like him, it was necessary. Plus, he joined before the digital age. Now, with all the tools available to young photographers, including, *gasp*, Flickr groups. They do not need to join an agency like Magnum to promote themselves and find opportunities.
So Magnum photographers have an ego... good Lord, of course they do! You need a viewpoint and an ego to try and make good work. It's astonishing to see this sort of ankle-biting against them. Don't like Magnum? Make your own work. Find your own allies. Don't try to minimize their importance with pointless sniping. Take pictures... the world is out there, waiting to pour into through your lens.... Magnum's not stopping you.... or me. They inspire.
I’ve always looked up to Magnum Photos, especially since the only photographer I have ever admired founded it. I know for a fact that Magnum needs new blood, and there are so many photographers who are in third world countries that are dying to give there people a voice, and Magnum gives them the outlet to do that from, since it’s respected. I’m 17, Chicano, accomplished and a part of the working class; I would love to be a part of their group any day. I know for fact Bresson would let people like me in; he was such a humble guy, an artist at heart, a risk-taker, unafraid of the consequences. I hope that the photographers at Magnum have not forgotten his vision of what photography should be.
But I think that in order for us to make conclusion and be able to say disrespectful remarks, we need to look deeper. We can't just say there egotistic and never have talked to them. Still I think that their lack of humility has led to a lack of economic class diversity in the group.
If I were a young photojournalist looking for a group to join I would look for something smaller or start one with people I knew.
Celebrating 65 years is great and there are some wonderful photos that have been taken by Magnum in that time but politics always plays a part in photojournalism and in my opinion a cutting edge needs to be reformed by young inquisitive photographers who are not afraid of the big corporations.
Magnum is relevant and modern.
Magnum set the standard 65 years ago and it is still setting the standard now. Those who aspire to join Magnum have long recognised this. Someone commenting here mentioned 'ankle biters' yes, I fully agree. When something survives over 60 years and evolves and changes but still maintains the very high standards, ethics and professionalism, you will always get lesser breeds sniping from the sidelines. The very fact that Magnum is reflecting on itself at this time is an indication of it's ability to evolve and change in an ever-changing world. May it, and it's Leica-toting members (look hard at the pic) flourish.
Did anyone else stop dead in their tracks on this comment by the director?
"But it's very exciting this year as two of the new nominees are women."
Did anyone else stop dead in their tracks on this comment by the director?
"But it's very exciting this year as two of the new nominees are women."
All of you commentators above are all just a ridiculous bunch of envious idiotic wannabes who probably started to take photographs last year when the new cheap model of Canon, Sony, Nikon, place your brand here, came out.
Sod off noobs.
"Does Magnum Photos still make sense?" - Absolutely!
And here's looking forward to the next 40 years! I, for one, will be there to raise a glass to 100 years of Magnum. The world of photography is a better place thanks to their contributions.
"Does Magnum Photos still make sense?" - Absolutely!
Correction - And here's looking forward to the next *35* years :-)
I, for one, will be there to raise a glass to 100 years of Magnum. The world of photography is a better place thanks to their contributions.
Why Not?.It's now a world wide syndrome to disrespect anything old.
We forget our ancestors,Magnum was an invention,a philosophy,a new way to see the world.The photographers are doing in the same way as their Founders advised them ,a long way of 65 yrs.
I read the article hoping to get the answer to this question from its author, but failed.
Surely those who want to become members need an explanation of exactly what is required for membership? That would make sense, but I know of noone who has ever answered that question, ever.
Neither has Magnum itself ever set out publicly what these exact requirements are, which is unhelpful, as being an undefined "je ne sais quoi" the goalposts can be moved for each new applicant, or bunch of applicants.
I heard a few years ago that Parr (only the backward half of Harrap) had applied to join, but exactly how do you do that. Many want this information, and I do not think emailing snaps has very much to do with it now, at all.
So possibly the report could be written by staff at Magnum setting out exactly what they want, apart from more women......and more people from the poverty-stricken lands they make money selling pictures of, as neither of these are qualifications, though both are rascist and sexist parameters they ought to be ashamed of mentioning at all, if they did.....
Like Salgado and Eugene Smith my mind and heart work in a different way to this, but in colour.
I cannot understand monochrome now.
I cannot understand the use of film now.
So I cannot understand the bases of criteria for much of Magnum's old work now
Maybe Martin Parr could be persuaded to explain Magnum NOW?
I am absolutely disappointed with Magnum photos for letting Zoe Strauss into their agency. Further more her deplorable, tasteless photos, that are merely a reflection of a myspace or facebook photo. I cannot believe that the photography, and art community has embraced her vile work. In regards to Strauss's work in Philadelphia, she has done nothing great or of applaud. Her work is sensationalized for the use of LGBT movement along with the neo-liberals. If anyone in there right mind actually thinks her work is great.. Well that's just on the level of saying that crack is on the level of beer, and every asshole that sprays crap on walls is Banksy. Overall having met this vulgar being, my opinion is meh, way to rude, and not skilled, lacks vision or creativity, and feeds off people not seeing her bullshit.
Internet is full of haters, so even this site. You don't like Magnum, do something new yourself.
Best
A
"I know what you're thinkin'. 'Did he fire six shots or only five?' Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kinda lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?"
That's it, really. You have to be lucky. Photography as we do it is a very lonely profession. You are all by yourself, you have to ensure your work is good to get another job, and you have to have somewhere safe to stash years and years of work, and have it selling when you are too old and frail to do more work, and get it known and shown, and published and criticized, but not ignored or forgotten, so the answer to the question "Does Magnum Photos still make sense? is blindingly obvious if you are even remotely sentient on any level at all, because the alternative is that our culture will not be enriched and embellished by your work, as without organizations like Magnum, nobody will have either heard of you, or have access to your work, simples.....
I can't figure out how these people are on top of photography if they are not even prepared to scape from the world we lived in more than two decades ago. The term "Third World" only proves that they're retarded.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_World
Moreover, they're still concerned about woman rights in the working field, an issue that also should have been discussed decades ago.
I'm sure that internet has changed the world in a way the human beings haven't seen before, and also we're obviously not prepared for that. But, reading this article, I'd say that they seem to be not prepared for the changes the world faced in the 80's or 90's.
I'm a fan of Magnum history, but I'm realistic and think that things might change everywhere for a better world.
Cheers from Berlin,
Its a shame that the potential possessed has been squandered and not shared. This holier than thou approach to photography is at odds with their attitude to the subjects they've covered over the years.
Now it seams like a Leica appreciation society.
I'm no dismisser - I fully respect the work that is produced and the value it brings to the human story. They are 10 years to late to the game. If they are only thinking of change now then we'll be talking about Magnum and Kodak in the same sentence fairly soon.
They could survive if the pace of change somehow matches the markets. The change of attitude will be the real challenge, look at the openness and willingness to share knowledge that we see from almost every angle. Joe Mc Nally being one of the biggest advocates of this.
Having started putting out journalism on the kindle, at as low a price as the system will let me, we'll see whether images for viewing can carry themselves. The market for pictures has to broaden if we are all going to eat, and it's really that simple.
"We've covered the news for the media, but we've never been a press agency." Abbas
"Magnum has never really worked for the press". Susan Meiselas.
This is utter nonsense why anyone wrote it down I don't know. But the question was wrong to include 'still'.
It never did and I guess it never will. That must be it's charm.
Related Articles
BJP Daily
Most Popular Articles
World Press Photo controversy: Objectivity, manipulation and the search for truth
Getty Images expands grant programme to portrait photography
Magnum photographer Wayne Miller has died
AFP v Morel: Judge reconsiders potential damages
Photography contest invites submissions for fine art award
Flickr unveils new design, offers 1TB of free space
Updating your subscription status 
About us
British Journal of Photography is the world’s longest running photography magazine, established in 1854, and online since 1997. A high-quality monthly printed edition is available as a subscription or from selected newsagents in the UK and around the world.
Jobs
Key Account Manager
We have a vacancy for a Key Account Manager working on The British Journal of Photography
Head of Photography
Magnet Harlequin, one of the UK's leading Creative Production Agencies is seeking a new Head of Photography.
Photographic technical support officers
We have opportunities for two experienced photographic, audio or video technicians.
Popular Topics
