Bruce Davidson | New Orleans, LA | Dec 2008

Friday night in New Orleans at a PhotoNOLA event I had the opportunity to listen to a lecture by Bruce Davidson, an iconic American photographer.

(Despite the same last name, no relation: familial or skill level…)

Bruce spent most of his lecture discussing his images throughout the years, explaining some of the personal and professional backstories behind the images.

When asked how he worked to get some of his images,

This is how I worked, this is how I lived.

The way I lived and the way I worked are the same.

A gifted photographer will immerse themselves in an environment to the point where they are no longer noticed; truly succeeding at this, however, requires a level of commitment few can really understand.

When asked about what he would do if he were starting out today,

I don’t know what I would do if I were starting out.

I’m worried about young photographers today, how they’re going to make a living.

One thing is for sure: they won’t make a living the same way he did. Photographers need to create new ways to make a living.

—

Oddly, I had no idea the album cover of Ill Communication by the Beasie Boys was a Bruce Davidson image until I saw it during Bruce’s lecture.