Brian Ach has shot for just about every big-name publication you can think of. Rolling Stone, The New York Times, People and Time are all on his resume, and he's photographed his share of A-list celebrities, including a stint as Prince's official tour photographer. In short, he knows how to get the shot. But he argues there's an important distinction between getting a shot and getting the right shot, and it all comes down to context.
Take a look below at his PIX 2015 keynote in which he discusses his take on what makes a great shot, and click the gallery above for more detailed information about a sample of Ach's portfolio.
@Kawika. I agree and am familiar with Dennis Stock, who spent days -- not a few fleeting minutes -- with Dean when that shot was taken (and you are right, it's terrific and irrelevant who the subject was). But, no one said that Ach was "the best" (certainly not me). He is good at what he does, and what he does is hard to do, notwithstandig the belief by so many gear-focused here to the contrary.
I would like to post a photo of a young James Dean, by Dennis Stock, which is a great photo because it doesn’t matter who the subject is. It speaks volumes yet evades definition. I used to be able to post images on threads but now I see no way to do so. Here is a site where the photo may be viewed. It's the one where Dean is holding a cup of coffee.
As everyone else says, watch the video. What he does is very hard to do well and consistently, particularly during those times where he literally has just a couple of minutes to shoot. The respect he has in the industry from those he shoots (and those that hire him) says a lot -- he's really good at what he does, notwithstanding the predictable criticism here from a few.
"The respect he has in the industry from those he shoots (and those that hire him) says a lot -- he's really good at what he does" No, it says that they are familiar with him and they like him; he fits in. Good, yes. The best, no. I will try to post an image by Dennis Stock that demonstrates the quality/interest gap. It's an image of James Dean, and it's powerful precisely because it doesn't matter who the subject is; the picture itself speaks volumes and implies a backstory about the subject. Whereas the picture of Taylor Swift, for example, says nothing.
Very inspiring talk! With a well-chosen title; the "right" shot, not the "best", or "technically superb"; it's about creating opportunity, getting the most out of the 60 seconds you get, and make the image that tells the story of the day.. I am glad I watched it, I reallly learned a lot.
yes, a gallery, with pictures, that everyone can see, so people can judge me by my work; I am an amateur photographer, doing more and more payed assignments from people that approach me, not the other way around (I have no ambition to make it my full time job, it is a nice breakaway from my daytime job behind a computer).
The difference is: I am not embarrased by my pictures. I am in a process of learning, and every month I am getting better. And that is why thiis video is so valuable to me. In a few weeks time I have a big assignment on a jazz music festival, where I have to talk my way in musician's dressing rooms, trying to get permission to photograph on stage/back stage. This video is a treasure in terms of tips and tricks to get the most out of that.
You, on the other hand, simply do not show pics, and rather critique those that do. And that is why your opinion don't matter much.
This is assignments. You do what you could on assignments, you come with ideas, you adapt to reality, you do your best, it's not always perfect or even great, but any time, you do your best.
I won't judge him by these shots, for the above reasons. Maybe the guys on the band are fighting each other 2 minutes before the shoot, maybe the weather was imperfect for others, maybe. We don't know and we never will : because it's a professional photographer.
Right on, but why dpreview would choose to run this feature is a mystery. As you say, you do what you can. The fact that he has access should really be enough to let him come up with something a bit better than what we are shown here. Or maybe we are supposed to be impressed by the fact that he has access, or by the celebrities themselves.
..."but why dpreview would choose to run this feature is a mystery."
Not really a mystery. Brian spoke at an event sponsored by DPReview that drew photographers from all over the world, both in-person and online. It would be more of a mystery if we didn't publish it.
Brian doesn't get to photograph celebrities because he has some kind of 'special access' to them. It's the other way around. He gets access to them because he consistently delivers the shots that clients want, often in less time than most photographers take just to set up their lights.
I don't know the body of brian ach's work - so I try not to lash out in harsh critique based on a few photos... but if the chosen photos are any bit representative - IF ... then the work is very mediocre.¨ I've been photographing for many years and I've seen countless exhibitions ... but honestly rarely something by a "professional" as un-inspiring as the presented photos. and the Lambo? is this a joke? or is it "good" because it has a Lambo in it? or a bit of panning?...
Snapshots... fine - but publish grade work by a pro? no.
The Lake for example - even googling the subject will lead to countless more interesting pictures, from more interesting perspectives, with better lighting, composition, etc. Same goes for "Barcelona"... a city that has so much to offer not just photographically, but that shot looks like a snapshot. fine... but bland and not something I'd put on a portfolio or publish.
It's probably a poor choice of photos to have included in the gallery. They are photos from the linked presentation, and they make a lot of sense when taken in the context of the presentation because Brian uses each photo to illustrate a specific point. As on-off standalone photos they don't have the same impact.
I've seen a lot of Brian's 'stand-alone' work and his stuff is really good. That's why he keeps getting called back by top publications and artists to do work for them.
The presentation is entertaining however few of the pictures he is showing there have a context in them. The context is simply given by his explanations on how he took the shot. Very few images are compelling, in my view; the most intriguing part remains understanding how he managed to get all these high profile jobs.
People have often spoke about context, but I've never really understood what he meant. Brian in the video said, "The ultimate fantasy shot is the Pope next to a Yellow cab in front of the Brooklyn Bridge". Finally I get it.
Out of all the PIX2015 videos I've watched, I enjoying this one the most. Brian has a keen sense of humor and is an entertaining story teller. Like any good pro photographer, he has the knowledge and experience to make the quick decisions so he doesn't miss the critical shot.
Well, not sure I'd say the right shot. But that's subjective. That's the best he could get from Prince? Is the singer formerly known as a symbol on cold medication?
For my taste, the group of rap singers? Cliché. Cheesy.
Right shot depends on context, and I totally agree on that. The pictures in the DPReview slide show are shown out of context. So it's hard to judge them. Watch the video, where the photographer uses that Prince picture to make a point. That is context. Possibly the picture was also published as part of an article where the picture supports wording or graphics design, again context.
Felix is correct - it is about context. Brian uses that shot of Prince in his talk to make some specific points. Short of putting a transcript of his talk into the news story the photo as a stand-alone is a bit out of context.
It's a great presentation, and as Prince's tour photographer he has some fun stories to share.
I should add that the same is true of the other photos in the gallery here as well. They are all from Brian's talk, and in the context of the talk it's easy to understand why they are included.
Man, before judging a photographer watching only 6 on his pics, you should ask yourself why he works with the greats one and take a look at his work over his website.
Really? I don't mean to be rude but the Taylor Swift portrait makes her look ugly which is remarkable, the Lambo photo is totally meh, the Lake Tahoe shot is ordinary and the Barcelona shot looks like an iPhone snap taken by a tourist. Nothing particularly impressive. I am sure he is a great photographer, but the pics are unimpressive in terms of lighting, posing and composing to me...
looking at these samples of this guy's photos, I'd say that he could teach You how to light people if you like really harsh, tacky lighting with no Feeling whatsoever. And/or just how to shoot landscapes "like a beginner". So much for being Well Known.
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