Ernst Haas Josef Koudelka

Two really great photographers that I enjoy are Ernst Haas and Josef Koudelka. There really is not much similarity between these two photographers, except that I believe that they are both marvelous at capturing the moments they were, and the people in these times. Haas's work tends to be a lot more optimistic than Koudelka.

Koudelka was from Czechoslovakia, and his most famous works were taken during the Cold War, especially around the times of the conflicts between the Soviet Union and and Eastern Bloc nations. During this time, his photos were known as being taken by the "anonymous Czech photographer." His work, while being not very heart-warming, are spectacular. They definitely seem to show the dark times in these places during this time, and they interest me greatly because this was a dark time in our history. While being dark and showing the darker side of humanity, artists like Koudelka are needed because they document these important moments for future generations to see.

Ernst Haas's artwork is definitely on the opposite pole of style from Josef Koudelka. Haas does not pay attention to the darkness of the world, but instead he captures the more light-hearted goodness around us. His photographs are meant to make people secure in my opinion, and, yes, to even bring out the occasional "aw" from the viewer. I find that juxtapositioning Haas's and Koudelka's works creates a fantastic contrast. They most definitely do not share the same outlook on the world, except that maybe they seek to capture the time and the place they are in. Haas uses very normal elements in his photos. Normal exposure levels, normal levels of saturation and vibrancy (or perhaps raised slightly), and just about everything else normal. He instead uses good framing and the interest of his subjects to keep the viewers interest.