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The Visions and Images television series from 1981 was one of the first I ran across on the Internet when I went looking for documentaries. In the half hour show, Barbaralee Diamonstein interviews a short list of heavyweight photographers, one per week, about their work and thought processes and these are all well worth taking the time out to watch on YouTube. For a quiet Sunday afternoon this week you could do a lot worse than lay back on the couch watching five hours of interviews with the likes of Erwitt, Horst or Callahan. Sadly, four episodes of the series never made it onto YouTube, but here’s hoping that someone may eventually get hold of a copy to share. The Visions and Images series also came as a book authored by Barbaralee Diamonstein and Harry Callahan.

1. Visions & Images: Duane Michals – 28 mins
2. Visions & Images: Harry Callahan – 30 mins
3. Visions & Images: Joel Meyerowitz – 30 mins
4. Visions & Images: Garry Winogrand – 30 mins
5. Visions & Images: Horst P. Horst – 28 mins
6. Visions & Images: Frederick Sommer – 28 mins
7. Visions & Images: Elliott Erwitt – 29 mins
8. Visions & Images: Arnold Newman – 28 mins
9. Visions & Images: Barbara Morgan – 29 mins
10. Visions & Images: Cornell Capa and Burk Uzzle – 29 mins
11. Visions & Images: Andre Kertesz – 0 mins
12. Visions & Images: Ray Metzker – 0 mins
13. Visions & Images: Aaron Siskind – 0 mins
14. Visions & Images: Alfred Eisenstaedt – 0 mins

If you’re interested in more film photography documentaries then you might find value in visiting the Film Photography Documentary List.

One of the best video podcasts out there in the photography scene is The Art of Photography from Ted Forbes.

Ted covers photography principles, discussion about art, film processing, specific vintage cameras and offers a number of episodes discussing significant photographers. The list of episodes discussing those photographers is slowly growing and I’ll try to keep these updated as he posts more episodes. Mostly I’ve been aware of the photographers covered in his profiles, but I’ve learned of a few new names and it’s always interesting to hear Ted’s take on their lives and work.

Note that the earlier episodes are shorter and obviously less refined. The later episodes are generally longer and include sponsorship at the beginning and in the middle of the podcast. Just so you’re aware… enjoy.

1. The Art of Photography: Robert Frank: The Americans – 6 mins
2. The Art of Photography: Dan Winters – 7 mins
3. The Art of Photography: William Henry Fox Talbot – 9 mins
4. The Art of Photography: Hiroshi Sugimoto – 8 mins
5. The Art of Photography: Karl Blossfeldt – 8 mins
6. The Art of Photography: Edward J Steichen – 12 mins
7. The Art of Photography: Brassai – 9 mins
8. The Art of Photography: Richard Avedon – 6 mins
9. The Art of Photography: Annie Leibovitz – 10 mins
10. The Art of Photography: Sohei Nishino – 12 mins
11. The Art of Photography: Keith Carter – 17 mins
12. The Art of Photography: August Sander – 15 mins
13. The Art of Photography: Diane Arbus – 19 mins
14. The Art of Photography: Daan Hansen – 21 mins
15. The Art of Photography: Saul Leiter – 21 mins
16. The Art of Photography: Fred Herzog – 12 mins
17. The Art of Photography: William Eggleston – 21 mins
18. The Art of Photography: Gordon Parks – 28 mins
19. The Art of Photography: Harry Callahan – 21 mins
20. The Art of Photography: Imogen Cunningham – 17 mins
21. The Art of Photography: Thurston Hopkins – 14 mins
22. The Art of Photography: Sally Mann – 22 mins
23. The Art of Photography: Vivian Maier – 22 mins
24. The Art of Photography: Raymond Depardon – 19 mins
25. The Art of Photography: Julius Shulman – 18 mins
26. The Art of Photography: Bruno Barbey – 21 mins
27. The Art of Photography: Weegee – 16 mins
28. The Art of Photography: André Kertész Polaroids – 15 mins
29. The Art of Photography: Wynn Bullock – 15 mins
30. The Art of Photography: Garry Winogrand – 8 mins
31. The Art of Photography: Dorothea Lange – 17 mins
32. The Art of Photography: Josef Sudek – 18 mins
33. The Art of Photography: Heinrich Kühn – 23 mins
34. The Art of Photography: Fan Ho – 17 mins
35. The Art of Photography: Alvin Langdon Coburn – 18 mins
36. The Art of Photography: The Mexican Suitcase – 18 mins
37. The Art of Photography: Robert Doisneu – 18 mins
38. The Art of Photography: Robert Capa – 9 mins
39. The Art of Photography: Martin Munkácsi – 21 mins
40. The Art of Photography: Harold Feinstein – 13 mins
41. The Art of Photography: Josef Koudelka – 21 mins
42. The Art of Photography: Paul Strand – 24 mins
43. The Art of Photography: Ansel Adams – 26 mins
44. The Art of Photography: Arnold Newman – 24 mins
45. The Art of Photography: Sebastio Salgado – 17 mins
46. The Art of Photography: Michael Kenna – 27 mins
47. The Art of Photography: Frank Lopez – 14 mins
48. The Art of Photography: Charles Sheeler – 19 mins
49. The Art of Photography: Mark Rothko + Hiroshi Sugumoto – 7 mins
50. The Art of Photography: Nick Brandt – 14 mins
51. The Art of Photography: Tina Modotti – 19 mins
52. The Art of Photography: Richard Pousette-Dart – 17 mins
53. The Art of Photography: Mary Ellen Mark (1940-2015) – 8 mins
54. The Art of Photography: W. Eugene Smith – 18 mins

Asked to choose my favourite five online photography documentaries I simply had too many favourites. And several of my best choices were no longer available to view. So I put together a fast list from my bookmarks list. I’ve tried to keep only the longer and more value packed video documentaries. You may also enjoy the BBC Master Photographer series from 1983, The Genius of Photography series, the Vogue Masters series, Visions and Images with Barbaralee Diamonstein and The Wonderful World of Albert Kahn from 2007 and the Contacts (Vol 1-3) series. Ted Forbes also covers a lot of notable photographers on The Art of Photography. So, here goes… these documentaries should keep you going for a month or two of film entertainment.

1. Edward Weston: The Photographer (1948) – 27 mins
2. Remembering Brett Weston (Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3) – 79 mins
3. The Weston Story – 33 mins
4. Kim Weston Painted Photographs Lecture – 14 mins
5. The Woodmans – 82 mins
6. Francesca Woodman – 39 mins
7. Henri Cartier-Bresson: Just Plain Love – 71 mins
8. Henri Cartier-Bresson: Pen, Brush & Camera – 49 mins
9. Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Decisive Moment – 18 mins
10. Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Impassioned Eye – 70 mins
11. Alfred Stieglitz: The Eloquent Eye (1999) – 83 mins
12. J H Lartique (part 1, part 2, part 3 & part 4) – 29 mins
13. What Remains: The Life & Work of Sally Mann – 80 mins
14. David Bailey: Four Beats to the Bar and no Cheating – 52 mins
15. The Real Blow Up: Fame, Fashion & Photography (Part 1, Part 2 & part 3) – 122 mins
16. Duffy: The Man who shot the Sixties – 54 mins
17. Robert Capa: In Love and War – 84 mins
18. Bob Capa Tells of Photographic Experiences Abroad (audio 1947) – 23 mins
19. W. Eugene Smith: Photography Made Difficult (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5a, part 5b, part 6, part 7, part 8 & part 9) – 90 mins
20. The Lost Pictures of Eugene Smith – 38 mins
21. The Life & Work of W. Eugene Smith – 79 mins
22. Shooting War: World War II Combat Cameramen (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8 & part 9) – 90 mins
23. Sebastio Salgado: Looking Back at You (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5 & part 6) – 50 mins
24. Salgado: Spectre of Hope – 51 mins
25. Tina Modotti: Without Walls (part 1, part 2, part 3 & part 4 – 52 mins
26. Man Ray: The man who invented himself – 39 mins
27. Man Ray – 52 mins
28. Bob Robinson: Capturing the Norwegians – 10 mins
29. Meet Robert A Robinson: Photographer – 29 mins
30. Don McCullin: Images of War – 24 mins
31. Don McCulllin: Redundant Warrior – 24 mins
32. Don McCullin: Seeking the Light – 27 mins
33. McCullin (2012) – 91 mins
34. Vietnam’s Unseen War – 53 mins
35. Elliott Erwitt: Personal Best – 10 mins
36. At Home with Elliott Erwitt – 10 mins
37. Elliott Erwitt: Photographer – 22 mins
38. Searching for Vivian Maier (part 1, part 2 & part 3) – 33 mins
39. Vivian Maier: Who took nanny’s pictures? – 68 mins
40. Vivian Maier – 12 mins
41. Bruce Gilden: Coney Island – 11 mins
42. The Greatest Photojournalist: Alfred Eisenstadt – 28 mins
43. Harold Feinstein: Photographer, artist, teacher, human being (part 1 & part 2) – 15 mins
44. Ansel Adams: Photographer (1958) – 21 mins
45. Ansel Adams: Photographer (1981) (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 & part 5) – 59 mins
46. Ansel Adams (2002) – 82 mins
47. “Mad Photographer” Frank Hurley – 42 mins
48. Paul Strand: Under the Dark Cloth (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5 & part 6) – 80 mins
49. Richard Avedon: Darkness & Light – 86 mins
50. Helmut Newton: Frames from the Edge – 100 mins
51. Fire in the East: A Portrait of Robert Frank – 28 mins
52. Leaving Home, Coming Home: A Portrait of Robert Frank (2005) – 49 mins
53. Arnold Newman – 40 mins
54. The Many Lives of William Klein (2012) – 59 mins
55. In Conversation: William Klein – 111 mins
56. Moriyama Daido: Near Equal – 84 mins
57. Nobuyoshi Araki: Arakimentari – 75 mins
58. Naked States – 74 mins
59. Joel Meyerowitz: Street Photography (1981) – 57 mins
60. Nan Golden: In My Life – 28 mins
61. Imagine: The Colourful Mr Eggleston – 47 mins
62. William Eggleston in the Real World – 85 mins
63. Cindy Sherman: Nobody’s Here but Me (1994) – 55 mins
64. Annie Leibovitz (1993) – 50 mins
65. Jan Saudek – 91 mins
66. The World according to Martin Parr – 44 mins
67. Half Past Autumn: The Life & Work of Gordon Parkes – 90 mins
68. Remembering LIFE – 57 mins
69. America in Pictures: The Story of LIFE Magazine – 60 mins
70. James Nachtwey: War Photographer – 96 mins
71. Yousuf Karsh (part 1, part 2 & part 3) – 26 mins
72. The Real Weegee – 56 mins
73. Six Photographs: Rennie Burri – 11 mins
74. George Eastman: The Wizard of Photography (part 1, part 2 & part 3) – 50 mins
75. Picture Perfect: George Eastman House – 27 minutes
76. The History of Photography: Beaumont Newhall – 25 mins
77. Laura Gilpin: The Enduring Photographer – 25 mins
78. Eliot Porter: A Look Back (part 1 & part 2) – 25 mins
79. Military Police Photography (1965) – 25 mins
80. Eugene and Berenice – 52 mins
81. The Lives of Lee Miller – 56 mins
82. The Weird World of Eadweard Muybridge – 58 mins
83. Eve and Marilyn (part 1, part 2 & part 3) – 31 mins
84. Tony Vaccaro: World War II Photographer – 17 mins
85. George Rose, Stereographs and the Russo Japanese War – 20 mins
86. The Lomo Camera: Shoot from the Hip – 59 mins
87. Trent Park: Dreamlives (2002) – 25 mins
88. Chester Higgins Jr: Capturing the Spirit – 27 mins
89. National Geographic: The Last Roll of Kodachrome – 31 mins
90. Born into Brothels (2004) – 83 mins
91. A Great Day in Harlam: The Photograph (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 & Part 7) – 59 mins
92. Rankin: Shooting the Hollywood Stars – 66 mins
93. South Africa in Pictures – 60 mins
94. Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters – 77 mins
95. Gregory Crewdson: Capturing a Movie Frame – 27 mins
96. Legends in Light: George Hurrell – 56 mins
97. Gursky World – 23 mins
98. The History & Science of Color Film – 21 mins
99. Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman – 80 mins
100. Edward Burtynsky: Manufactured Landscapes – 86 mins
101. The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl – 189 mins
102. Who Shot Rock and Roll: Akron Art Museum – 27 mins
103. The Photography of Bob Gruen (part 1 & part 2)- 56 mins
104. Magnum Photos:The Changing of the Myth – 58 mins
105. Long Live Film – 47 mins
106. Geoff Davies: Photographer – 61 mins
107. The Death of Kevin Carter – 27 mins
108. Alexander Gardner: War Photographer – 44 mins
109. Bob Marley: Giant – 18 mins
110. Bert Stern: Original Madman – 88 mins
111. Dorothea Lange: An American Odyssey – 38 mins
112. The People in the Pictures: Stories from the Wettach Farm Photos – 55 mins
113. Eye Candy: The Crazy World of David LaChapelle – 53 mins
114. Line of Beauty & Grace: A documentary about Jock Sturges – 57 mins
115. One Roll of Film – 18 mins
116. BBC Pioneers of Photography (1974) Early Colour – 24 mins
117. BBC Pioneers of Photography (1974) The Moving Image – 24 mins
118. The REAL BLOW UP (part 1 & part 2) – 92 mins
119. Horst Wackerbarth: The Red Couch A Gallery Of Mankind – 45 mins
120. Mario Testino: Diana’s favourite photographer – 48 mins
121. Get the Picture – 69 minutes
122. Anders Petersen at Fine Art Print – 20 mins
123. Geoff Davies: Photographer – 61 mins
124. Duane Michals talks about his Career – 81 mins
125. Self Portrait: Max Vadukul – 51 mins
126. Self Portrait: Isabel Ellsen – 49 mins
127. Self Portrait: Tomasz Tomaszewski – 52 mins
128. John Cato: Between Sunshine and Shadow – 18 mins
129. Mark Seliger: State of the Portrait – 102 mins
130. Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People – 92 mins
131. Photoprofiles: Arthur Tress (part 1 & part 2) – 30 mins
132. The Fall of Phnom Penh 1975. A documentary about French photographer Roland Neveu – [37 mins]
133. That Man: Peter Berlin – 80 mins
134. The Story of Dickey Chappelle, Combat Photojournalist – 56 mins
135. Fotograf – 130 mins
136. Holy Terror Presents: Joel Peter Witkin [49 mins]
137. Holy Terror Presents: Joel Peter Witkin II ‘Vile Bodies’ [17 mins]
138. Portrait of Nature – Myriads of Gods on Platinum Palladium Prints [30 mins]