Sourhern photographer William Eggleston

May 1, 2009 9:13 AM

William Eggleston...an American(a) photographer takes intensly colorful photographs of junk, hotel rooms, road sides. Its been done by lots of photographers, and unintentional imitators, but he's made a real name for himself. So much depends upon a red wheel barrow glazed with rain water beside the white chickens.
posted by celerystick (17 comments total)

William Eggleston's Guide is an indispensable classic.
posted by HumanComplex at 9:16 AM on May 1

I do believe I've been one of Eggleston's "unintentional imitators" myself, in many a pic I've snapped. I've only very recently discovered him. I like his stuff a lot.

There's actually a flickr group whose aim is to compile photographs that display something of that elusive Eggleston quality: it's called At war with the obvious.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:30 AM on May 1

Great post - I'm glad I now know about this man and his work. Thanks.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 9:50 AM on May 1

Eggleston's a game-changer for sure. His color is dee-lish and his use of the 35 mm is dynamite. Once, many moons ago, I happened upon a few of his 2 1/4 images at a show at Columbia College in Chicago. His best known work is 35, so these might be new to some. Enjoy.
posted by barrett caulk at 10:00 AM on May 1

Bach Cello Suite on the Banjo, huh? Hear something new every day.
posted by The Bellman at 10:10 AM on May 1

So much depends upon a red wheel barrow glazed with rain water beside the white chickens.

I use it to carry my sweet, cold, stollen plums.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:26 AM on May 1 [1 favorite]

Bach Cello Suite on the Banjo, huh? Hear something new every day.

AARGH! Goddamnit! My audio is busted. I need need to hear that! Sounds brilliant.
posted by barrett caulk at 10:39 AM on May 1

Nice post, but I'm kind of perplexed by the language. William Eggleston is one of the most influential and famous living American photographers. Why just one link, and why "he's made a real name for himself?" It feels like: "Neil Young... an American(a) musician plays country-influenced rock and roll. It's been done by lots of performers, but he's made a real name for himself." More Eggleston links.
posted by nímwunnan at 11:03 AM on May 1 [1 favorite]

Strange. I thought I'd posted about Eggleston here before. He makes some 'interesting' photos.

Strandard in Canton by William Eggleston.
posted by chunking express at 11:07 AM on May 1

I bought the photobook that goes with this exhibit, and it's a great retrospective of his work, well worth the money.
posted by chunking express at 11:09 AM on May 1

Eggleston is from Memphis, and around here he's a pretty notorious eccentric in the Faulkner mode. A few years back, a new art gallery opened in a refurbished Memphis industrial building called the Powerhouse. They asked Eggleston to open the space with an exhibit of his work. Instead, he set up a synthesizer and played organ music in the big, booming main exhibit hall.
posted by vibrotronica at 2:18 PM on May 1

Eudora Welty's intro to The Democratic Forest, an Eggleston collection.
posted by raysmj at 2:39 PM on May 1

Also famed in pop rock circles for the fetching cover of Big Star's Radio City.
posted by Dr.Pill at 3:08 PM on May 2

Probably not as well recognized as he deserves to be.
posted by dancephotographer at 6:36 PM on May 2

i hear elvis is beginning to make a real name for himself, even though he kind of imitates shakin stevens.
posted by sgt.serenity at 5:48 AM on May 3

I made a real name for myself
but I forgot it you know, right away
now I'm trying to remember
but I'm making very little headway
well anyway, making a name for yourself
ain't all that it's cracked up to be
a rose, or whatever, by any other name
is a rose, or whatever, you see
just a rose, or whatever, you see
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:54 AM on May 3

I took a trip to New York just to see the exhibit at the Whitney (OK, I was already in Philadelphia, but still), bought the photobook, etc... I guess I'm kind of an Eggleston fanboy.
posted by klausness at 5:31 PM on May 4