Amateur Photographer - UK (2020-05-16)

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Final Analysis

TimClinchis anaward-winningprofessionalphotographerwithover 40 years’experience.OvertheyearsTimhasworkedin mostareasof theprofession,hashadhisworkpublished in magazines worldwide,
and has had more than 30 books published featuring subjects as varied as interiors, travel, food and portraits. To see his work,visitwww.timclinchphotography.com.

TimClinchconsiders...

Still life of a lily titled ‘No 1’ by Tina Modotti, 1925

Photo Critique

O

hTinaModotti,
toquotefrom
ElizabethBarrett
Browning’s
wonderfulsonnet,‘HowdoI love
thee?Letmecounttheways...’
Youwillgatherfromthisthat
I amamassivefanofthis
sometimesunder-recognised
photographer.Notonlyoneof
themostinfluential
photographersonmeandmy
career,shealsoleda lifethat
wasprettymuchthearchetypal
dreamforanyart-schoolhippy
fromthe’70s(yes,that’llbeme).
BorninItalytoworking-class
parents,sheimmigratedtothe
UnitedStatesattheageof 16 in
1913 tojoinherfatherinSan
Francisco,California.
Aftera briefforayintothe
motion-picturebusinessasan
actressinseveralsilentmovies,
Modottienteredintoa
bohemiancircleoffriends.One
ofthesewasthephotographer,
EdwardWestonwithwhom
shelatermovedtoMexico,
ostensiblytorunhisstudio,
andendingupashislover.In
Mexicotheircirclewidenedto
includethefamousartists
DiegoRiveraandFridaKahlo.
Mexicanphotographer
ManuelÁlvarezBravodivided
Modotti’scareerasa
photographerintotwodistinct
categories‘Romantic’and
‘Revolutionary’,withthe
formerperiodincludingher
timespentasWeston’s
darkroomassistant,office
managerand,finally,creative
partnerandlover.It is the
imagesfromthistime
(includingtheonechosenhere)
thatareamongmyfavourites.
OneofModotti’sfavourite
subjectsinthisphasewere
flowers,especiallythemajestic
cannaliliesthatshehas
becomefamousfor,andit
wasn’t until I visited Mexico

thatI realisedwhereher

fascinationforthemcame

from.FromanEnglishman’s

perspectivetheyareassociated

withfuneralsanddeathbutin

Mexicotheyareeverywhere.In

thewonderful,bustlingmarkets

therearehugebunchesofcanna

lilies,theclassicwhitelilywith

thebrightyellowstamen,the

gloriousyellowandorangeday

lilies,andthevividpinksof

whatwenowcallMexican lilies.

Sculpturalbeauty

WhatI lovesomuchabouther

flowerphotographyis the

simplicity.Theseemingease

withwhichshehighlightstheir

sculpturalbeauty.The

completeabsenceofwhat,

today,wewouldrefertoas

‘styling’.Thepure

concentrationonshapeand

form.Thesimplicityofher

lightingis obviouslyheavily

influencedbyWestonandthe

strengthtorelyonthebeauty

ofthethingssheis

photographing(theonly

changebeingtoconvertthem

toblack&white)is what

elevatesthesepicturesofhers

togreatness.

Whatmakeshercareerasa

photographerallthemore

remarkableis itsbrevity.

UnlikeWestonandsomanyof

thegreats,sheonlyworkedasa

photographerfornineorten

years.After 1931 she

abandonedphotographyand

becamemoreandmore

political,joiningtheMexican

CommunistPartyand

eventuallybeingexpelledfrom

Mexico,travellinginexile

throughSwitzerland,onto

Berlinandeventuallyto

Moscowwhereshestayedfora

fewyears.Thenmakingher

waytoSpainwhereshefought

againstfascismintheCivil

War, and eventually returning

toMexicoundera pseudonym

wherein1942,attheageof45,

shediedfrom‘heartfailure’

whileonherwayhomeina

taxifroma dinneratthepoet

PabloNeruda’shomein

MexicoCity,underwhatare

viewedbymanyas

suspiciouscircumstances.

Thebeautifulstreamlined

simplicity in her work reminds

meofa quotefromanother

amazingwoman.Thefashion

designerCocoChanelcould

havebeendescribingModotti’s

workperfectlywhenshesaid,

‘Inordertolookyourbest,

beforeyouleavethehouse,look

inthemirrorandtakeone

thingoff.’

TinaModotti.Photographer,

revolutionary. I love you.

© GETT Y IMAGES

‘Whatmakeshercareerasa photographer

all the more remarkable is its brevity’