William Eggleston

William Eggleston, Untitled, 1965-68 and 1972-74,
from Los Alamos, 2003,
Dye transfer print, 17-¾ x 12",
Private collection

William Eggleston (b. 1939) is an American photographer, born in Memphis, Tennesse and raised in Sumner, Mississippi. He began to create color photographs in the mid-1960s while in the late 1960s he shifted to color transparency film (color side film). This kind of film is used domestically for photographing family holidays or celebrations, advertising and magazine imagery.


Untitled, c. 1975
Dye transfer print, 16 x 20",
Cheim & Read, New York


Most surprising about these photographs was their compositional intrigue and sensitive transformation of a slight subject or observation into a truly compelling form.


American, Tennessee, Negative, about 1965 - 1968; Print, 1980
Dye transfer print
11 7/8 x 17 7/16 in.
98.XM.232.1

However this adoption of the color range of the common photography was considered outside the fine art photography.



American, Memphis, Tennessee, about 1965 - 1970
Gelatin silver print
Image: 9 1/2 x 6 1/4 in.
2002.38.8

In 1976, some of the photographs he created between 1969 and 1971 was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. This moment represented THE FIRST SOLO SHOW OF A PHOTOGRAPHER WORKING PREDOMINANTLY IN COLOR.

Morton, Mississippi, c. 1969-70,
from William Eggleston’s Guide, 1976,
Dye transfer print, 20-9/16 x 13-3/8",
Niedersächsische Sparkassenstiftung,
Hannover


Is is true that it cannot be asserted that one exhibition could change the directions of art photography, yet this exhibition was a proof of the importance and power of expression that Eggleston's approach would have.

Still considered a 'photographer's photograper', he has been the subject of major books and exhibitions around the world, and he continues to make important contributions to the field.


Untitled, 1965-68 and 1972-74,
from Los Alamos, 2003,
Dye transfer print, 16 x 20,
Collection of Emily Fisher Landau


William Eggleston on Wikipedia

Eggleston's Official Site

Eggleston's photographs in a very nice clip on youtube

Eggleston at Los Alamos

( I read about Eggleston on Wikipedia, Masters of Photography and his official site)