Portrait session with Martin Parr at the Parr Foundation - What to expect....

My Mrs booked up a portrait session with the man himself at the Martin Parr foundation.

I know what Im expecting, have 3 kids so am more expectant on how they come across / out, either way this is going to be interesting to see how he works.....

Is this just a #boastpost or what?

Discussion.

About how he works, my presumption was that 'do the bulk of his work from the sidelines with no direction given.

If you knew what I looked like youd appreciate there could be no boasting about recording my mug for posterity.

I know what Im expecting

To pay a lot?

its like £80 right?

Why!?
Why would you do this?
Why is he doing this?

The money always dries up eventually

I guess.
For a short period I really liked his work at college.
Later, I met him quite a few times whilst at uni and never took to him.
I really don't get why you'd want your portrait done by him....

I really don't get why you'd want your portrait done by him....

Maybe some people like that Benidorm in the 1980s family album style

Massively overrated, far far better people who dont have the fame he has around now.

Its to raise money for the archive in Bristol.

Obvs not some peoples first choice, but its for a good cause and all that.

Really a curiosity thing. Still like I say each to their own.

Like who? Genuine question. I'm interested in that style.

Which period?

Well @konastab01 said "now", so now I guess?

Dougie Wallace and Peter Dench spring to mind.

Don't know much about Dench, but Wallace seems just like he's taken Parr's style and run with it.

And Parr buys his work, wouldn't be surprised to see him join Magnum.

I'm ok with Parr, many photographers I prefer but I think he's done exactly what he set out to do as a photographer. I can see why people don't like him, but I think his work makes people think/talk, it provokes and his style is his own.

.

I would tend to agree.

I've mixed feelings about Parr though he always talks very convincingly about his own work and motivation. He was an excellent B&W photographer too. Not sure his recent work, in Oxford, for example, is all that striking. But inventing a style that is recognisably your own is very rare and it's funny to think how controversial his colour work used to be given the way things have gone since then.

The peril of the edit.

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I agree with the full stop too.

This is an issue I have with him, he buys work of people who are similar/ influenced in order to raise his own legacy.

This is an issue I have with him, he buys work of people who are similar/ influenced in order to raise his own legacy.

I think his legacy is pretty secure. Why does he also buy the work of photographers who are nothing like him? You are aware that he is a collector?

http://www.bjp-online.com/2017/09/tate-acquires-martin-parrs-12000-strong-photobook-collection/