We don't tend to have photographic exhibitions in the North East of such famous photographers (or there certainly aren't any on at the moment) so my research was restricted to the internet.
My first thoughts were "unimpressed". But then I went back to his official site http://www.egglestontrust.com
and had another look.
And then another one.
And then something began to stir, a feeling. A reaction to some of his shots. I suddenly found myself drawn to certain of this images, because they captured for me the light & colour of my childhood. Quite a magical sensation, like smelling a scent from childhood that evokes such a strong emotional response that you've almost gone back there, back in time. I then noticed his fondness for using strong contrasty light, the very sort that current photography magazines would have you avoid at all costs. But using it to create magic, feelings, that almost transport you to that place, inside the image.
His bold colours are well documented, but for me it was the application of those colours. They are often specific fashion colours that you don't see nowadays, except perhaps in a house that hasn't been updated for 35 years. So their capture, and vividness, places the image strongly in a time & place. Hard to explain really.
Then there is his capture of the mundane. Sometimes it doesn't work for me, but then at other times it really does. It's difficult to say why some of them move me, while some of them don't. The use of light & colour make them interesting, but not always so for me. His portfolio captures such diversity that I would imagine that there is something for everyone in his portfolio.
For me, there were a couple of images that I absolutely love. I'm not even sure what they are called.
1. Los Alamos
http://www.egglestontrust.com/los_alamos_port.html
It's the one of the drink in the plane window. I love this image for a number of reasons. I like the high contrast, shadow play and the sparkly shadow made from the drink. I like the colour of the drink, and the hand with the stirrer. I like the sunny light in the window. I even like the brown seat and the old fashioned pattern on the plane interior "wall". But most of all, it captures how flying used to be. Something special. He didn't know at the time about Easyjet, Ryanair and all their Americal equivalents. How cheap flights would make nothing special anymore (an observation made my Roald Dahl). But it is as if he did know that moment would one day be special. And he caught the essence of it beautifully.
2. Dust Bells
http://www.egglestontrust.com/dust_bells_v1.html
This time it's the one of the girl lying in her bed with the television on and all the shoes hanging on the door. I surprised myself by liking this one so much, but I think it is the natural intimacy of it and the fact of the television being on all night. Again this captures a bygone era, because the television stations run all night now. But I particularly like the colour, because they are so specific to that era. The bedspread colour & pattern defines the time period, and for that reason I find this image very nostalgic, as well as very attractive.
I also liked a lot of his room interiors, and point of view for shooting.
I would guess that he is an acquired taste. But sometimes art is like an olive - you have to eat 6 before you like them, and then you like them forever more.
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