Platon Audio
Here is the long promised audio from Platon’s speech at the Eddie Adams Workshop from a few weeks ago. It’s well worth a listen.
It’s one thing to have a few hours to photograph someone you know, or are being given a chance to get to know. These days, when you’re asked to photograph a celebrity (or even just a CEO) it’s more likely that you’ll find yourself photographing someone for a few seconds or less than 10 minutes – and that you’ll only be allowed to do so, if you agree to play by a long list of pre-determined rules.
Pulling off an original image, navigating all of the politics, let alone capturing a moment, is an art in it of itself. And Platon talks at length about the process with incredible wit and frankness – and demonstrates how he has become a master of doing so.
Enjoy and happy Turkey Day! (If the Turkey’s putting you to sleep – this speech is sure to wake your right back up.)
[...] Check it out here. [...]
Thank you for posting this.
Happy Turkey Day!
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Thanks for presenting this Platon speech. I am glad you could record it for the rest of us.
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Great speech, thanks for sharing.
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I teach photography on a daily basis at a university, and while I was listening to the presentation, I was also looking at Platon’s portfolio. More students need to hear informative, practical experiences like this, and I appreciate your posting of this recording. I’m effectively making it a required listening to several of my courses. Thank you!
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Very cool talk. I was also able to see most of the images he talks about from his website.
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Thx!
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Big thanks for posting that. A really fantastic talk.
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What a great speaker, fascinating. So much about portrait photography and never a mention of f-stop etc, very telling.
Thanks for sharing.
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Nice.
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Funny and interesting.
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A-M-A-Z-I-N-G
Thanks for posting this Vincent. Paton is a very cool character.
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Vince, thank you so much for posting this.
And Platon, thank you so much for giving your permission. I was in tears at the end.
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Amazing speech!
Thanks for sharing with us!
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Platon is a riot, love the last part about the bitches. Was going through his portfolio on his website while I listened trying to spot the images he has a fascinating body of work to date and still so young. Thanks for sharing Vincent/Platon
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Huge thanks for sharing this piece.It was more than enjoyable to listen to. Would love to see Platon speak – his sense of humour is just perfect.
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This is great! He’s a funny guy.
I picked up Platon’s Republic recently and at the back are all these great handwritten notes about each of the pictures. Its pricesless
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Thanks for all this great blog showing your work Vincent! Happy Thanksgiving!! -Daryl
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Hello and Thanks!! This is REALLY Cool to see.. I mean HEAR!!
Happy Turkey Day to you as well!!
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I really enjoyed that! Thank you for sharing. ^_^
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The bit about Monica Bellucci is hilarious (among others). Thanks for posting this, it made my day.
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Ha, I like that guy. Very interesting to hear about his work. Too bad it’s not a video which would show the photos he’s talking about.
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That was a really great speech indeed. Informative and entertaining at the same time. Unbelivable that the guy got to take pics of so many celebrities/well-known people. Awesome stuff and great stories. Thanks for sharing!
Szabi
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It’s easy to understand this man’s success after listening to his engaging story telling ability, which was time well spent. It’s also a comfort to know that his experiences with people such as Christopher Walken, mirror exactly the many head cases I’ve had the good fortune of trying to subdue.
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[...] is one of the group leaders at the Workshop and he was able to get a recording of the Platon talk. He’s hosting it at his own blog. It’s a great listen on a master portrait photographer talking about his process and the way [...]
Thanks for putting this online. I signed up for his speech seminar over at the Photo Plus Expo in Oct. Really enjoyed it, and nice to have this clip to playback for friends. Seems the content here and there was extremely similar.
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Great listen. Even though I browsed through Platon’s images I ended up closing the window and imagining the images through his words which was actually quite entertaining. Later I went back to check the President Clinton shot where he stated how others had critiqued it and laughed my ass silly.
Thanks for sharing it. All the best.
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Thanks so much for sharing–very inspiring to hear such entertaining and educational stories from somebody at the top of his profession.
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I really enjoyed this conversation….the last story was moving….thank you
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“I learned something that day; never piss of the photographer just before he takes your portrait.”
Classic!
I felt bad for Platon at some points though…I was laughing out loud to some of the things he said and the audience seemed non-responsive. Maybe everyone was tired??
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The Dustin Hoffman story was hilarious and moving. Thanks for sharing Vincent.
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Nice speech.
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[...] to hear what a photographer goes through to take photos of celebrities, politicians, musicians. Listen in here! Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)EXCLUSIVE: Drew Johnson Is A Beauty Pageant [...]
thanks for sharing!
You always have Platon’s photos clear in front of your inner eye that even audio only is great to follow
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Thanks for posting – FYI you can also hear Platon on this week’s On the Media (podcast) during a great segment on ethics in portrait photography. (Yes, you hear from Jill Greenberg too).
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Fantastic…Thanks
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This is great — wish it were available to download as a podcast!
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I genuinely enjoyed the Planton speech. Thank you for sharing. One day I’ll be able to afford to go to workshops, but for the time being I’ll have to save up for and hear second hands bits like this.
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[...] ive seen the movie and it was amazing. check out platon…hears a link for an awsome audio clip. heres his site. pretty funny guy..gonna have to show ms brown this interview thingy clip. i need [...]
Very nice! What a character. Any more audio from any other Barnstorming speeches that you would like to share? Like, say, anything you might have talked about?
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Thank you! It was great in person, I am glad I get to enjoy it over and over again!
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Vincent, Thanks for hosting this and letting us hear it – really really cool…
Sime
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[...] Link to Platon Talk December 9, 2008 From Vincent Laforet’s blog. Photographer or not, I think you will derive enjoyment from this. [...]
Thanks for the Platon speech. I kinda wish for video but as others said, I can picture some of the pics he was referring to. That was fun. But Platon might never get another shoot with Dustin Hoffman again if his entourage of female uh,…assistants ever find out what he calls them. lol
Anyway, this was fascinating. Thanks again.
It reminded me a bit of 10 years ago when Douglas Kirkland came to WKU to give a presentation on his career and he told the stories behind many of his photos. I remember most all those stories still.
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Thank you for posting this, it was wonderful.
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I finally took the time to listen. So glad I did, thanks for putting this on your blog. I clicked through Platon’s website as he was talking about many of the images.
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[...] Well worth a listen: Audio from Platon’s presentation at this year’s Eddie Adams Workshop. (EAW ‘89 alum here, [...]
[...] Platon Interview I read the Strobist and learned about an audio broadcast of a Platon presentation. I listened to his presentation and found it highly enjoyable. I thought others might like it too. [...]
Bought Platon’s Republic last week and while impressed with his pictures – didn’t really have an idea of the man behind the lens. This audio gives an impression of what he’s like – very entertaining and educational.
And has been said if you’ve seen the pics then you don’t need to view them again while listening – the images are so striking that they just jump into your mind as he talks about them.
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[...] Well worth a listen: Audio from Platon’s presentation at this year’s Eddie Adams Workshop. (EAW ‘89 alum here, [...]
Really amazing.
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[...] Published in Photography News I read the Strobist and learned about an audio broadcast of a Platon presentation. I listened to his presentation and found it highly enjoyable. I thought others might like it [...]
[...] a fantastic quote, thanks to Wilson for the link: “A legend is not built on a big career, it’s built on every single day trying to do [...]
[...] EOS-1Ds Mark II Todays pic is a self portrait. Was listening to Platon’s wonderful presentation of his work from back in 2008, and couldnt resist a quick Platon inspired portrait, simple light, [...]
Short but nice and interesting post, thanks.
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[...] 值得一听：这个音频来自于Platon在Eddie Adams讲习班所做的演讲（我参加过89年的讲习班）。 [...]
What a great speaker, fascinating! Thanks!
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