Last Chance to see...Weegee

As you may have noticed I have failed to put up many of my own images recently - the reason - I have put myself on a proper holiday and even my trusty Mac Pro is still hidden in my cupboard from when I went away for Christmas day. So, this is the final night of my holiday and having worked like a dog throughout 2009 it was well deserved (I think so anyway) and thoroughly well enjoyed. Back to work tomorrow with all guns blazing.

So today's post is about a photographer I adore (enjoy/respect/wish was still alive). I am writing about the fantastic, vertically challenged, cigar-chomping WeeGee (real name Arthur Fellig) he got his pseudonym from his 'Ouiji Board' like ability to know what was going to happen almost before it happened and be there to take shots - it transpired later that he had a police scanner radio and was later the only photographer to be given permission to have one in his car.

I don't want to go into his biography - it is easily found on the internet if you are interested - however, he was the most prolific photo-journalist of the 1930/40's New York, and is now something of a legend. A lot of his most famous images are the shots of criminals,crime and fatal or near fatal accidents (some really quite gauling). 

Two offenders in a paddy wagon.

Simply add boiling water.

While these images allow the voyeur inside us all a glimpse into a life we shall probably never see, it is his pictures of daily life, society and 1940's nightlife that I really love. What makes his work all the more amazing is that when he was working he was using a huge camera, one-shot flash bulbs and processing it all in his car.

Lovers at the Palace Theatre 1943

Heatspell 1938, Children Sleeping on the fire escape.

Mending, Coney Island 1940

At a concert, Harlem 1948

Transvestite in a police van, 1941

All images ©Arhur Fellig (WeeGee) and courtesy of Amber Online.

There is currently an exhibition of Weegee's work at the Michael Hoppen Gallery, 3 Jubilee place, SW3 3TD, it is only on until 9th January so you will need to hurry if you want to see it - I also understand that it is possible to buy prints - oh if only my bank account didn't resemble a black hole already!

The man himself:

Self-Portrait.

Sitting above his studio in New York.