The last few years have some tremendously good documentary movies about photography and photographers released on DVD. Here’s my pick of the best 10. Click on the cover to see the film in Amazon.co.uk:
Visual Acoustics: Modernism of Julius Shulman [2010]
Essential if you are interested in one of the masters of architectural photography or modernism in LA from the Case study Houses onwards. Very poignant to see Shulman’s archive been shipped to the Getty centre a year before he passed away.
Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Impassioned Eye [2006]
If you are a cartier-Bresson fan like me this is a real treat and goes well beyond the surface in exploring his his oeuvre and plenty of interviews of the man himself discussing his iconic and lesser known work.
The Genius of Photography [2007]
The best filmed introduction to the magic of photography. The BBC at its best in six episodes. Interviews with some of the world’s greatest living photographers including William Eggleston, Nan Goldin, William Klein, Martin Parr, Sally Mann, Robert Adams, Juergen Teller, Andreas Gursky and Jeff Wall.
War Photographer [2002]
A study of James Nachtwey on assignment in Kosovo, Palestine and Indonesia using a movie camera attached to his SLR its enlightening how the subjects in these harrowing situations are wholly complicit in the image making process. (It should be noted there are no subtitles for the German and Albanian parts in the DVD)
Manufactured Landscapes [2006]
Follows Edward Burtynsky at work in China and Bangladesh and the USA. Filmed by Jennifer Baichwal in a complimentary refined aesthetic to Burtynsky’s work. Beautiful.
Annie Leibovitz – Life Through a Lens [2006]
A documentary about Annie Leibovitz, directed by her sister, Barbara. I wasn’t expecting a film about celebrity culture to have so many intelligent insights.
National Geographic’s The Photographers [1996]
Looking a little out of date now, but fascinating never the less, this documentary follows veteran photographers for National Geographic on assignment.
What Remains: The Life and Work of Sally Mann [2008]
Enlightening on many levels as a good documentary film should be and shows footage of her actually taking some of her most famed photographs
Contacts, Vol. 3: Conceptual Photography (2001)
Features Thomas Struth, Wolfgang Tillmans, Roni Horn, Bernd and Hilla Becher, and other contemporary photographers told in their own words.
William Eggleston in the Real World [2005]
I find Eggleston like Tilmans a difficult photographer to appreciate but this film me understand where he’s coming from.
Please add your suggestions to add to this list in the comments below…..
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Excellent list of must-see stuff. Thanks for posting.
Many thanks. Do post any suggestions you think are missing below. Since is posted this I’d add “The Wonderful World Of Albert Kahn” for the colour autochromes from 1910-20 including WW1 some of which have a very modernist aesthetic
And Eggleston is shown completely drunk.
Quite an experience…
Yes I quite agree! I most enjoyed seeing him on location and then viewing the resulting image he made.
10 Best Documentary Movies About Photography & Photographers
I saw a great doc once about a small town newspaper photographer in the U.S. that was so inspiring. Can’t remeber the name of the film or the name of the photographer. Anyone have any thoughts?
Helmut by June is amazing. Also Born Into Brothels is a must see!
Great suggestions thanks, I’ll check them out…..
I’ve recently gotten into photography and saw this fantastic (and long) documentary about various photographers. It was probably on PBS. I remember they did a story about an Asian woman who photographs herself nude in various industrial settings. Another about a man who started to photograph his sick father. Another segment about an old man who goes out into the street of NYC and photographs people seemingly all day long. And many more. It aired a couple years ago. It was brilliant and I’m sorry I’m being so vague, but I would love for any leads on these people or HOPEFULLY more info on this show. I believe it was aired over several days.
Glad you are enjoying getting into photography. I think its Ovation TVs “Close Up Photographers at work” the asian artist is Miru Kim, not sure about the other guy unless its Robert Frank, there are a lot of clips on youtube & Vimeo here
THAT’S EXACTLY IT! Wow, thank you so much!!! I gave such vague information and you answered me within hours! I will do some online searching for more on this program.
Again, thank you so much.
The bang Bang Club is Missing , the work of Kevin carter and all.
Good call – thats a brilliant film
The version of War Photographer I have has subtititles, I show it to my photojournalism class. Also the Bang Bang Club and National Geographic are excellent as well. There are a couple new ones that I haven’t seen yet that look good:
Bill Cunningham New York and Deadline Every Second: On Assignment with 12 Associated Press Photojournalists.
Jill, thanks for the additions
here’s a documentary movie about the Russian photographer Oleg Videnin. He’s a member of the Magnum affiliate in Russia.
http://www.amadelio.org/oleg_videnin_gate.html