For those in the UK, at 10pm on Thursday 15th Nov at 10pm on BBC4

Alan Bennett presents a documentary about the photographer James Ravilious who photographed the people and landscapes of rural north Devon in black and white from the 1970s until his death in 1999.

Should be good.

Les

Thanks Les, will try to set the vidio as it's a bit late for me.

Regards Paul.

Yes Les, I saw that it was on. Should be interesting to students of the history of photography and photographers.

They seem to be running a series of these progs on photographers straight after the Genius of Photography. Worth staying with BBC4 for the whole hour and a half from 9:00pm or extending the recorder until 10:30 pm.

Incidentally if you miss the Thursday night edition of The Genius...you can catch it again on the following Monday at 8:00pm. One of the few benefits of a cash strapped BBC is that they use progs as quick repeats

pentaxuser

For those in the UK, at 10pm on Thursday 15th Nov at 10pm on BBC4

Alan Bennett presents a documentary about the photographer James Ravilious who photographed the people and landscapes of rural north Devon in black and white from the 1970s until his death in 1999.

Should be good.

Les

That should be a treat.

For those in the UK, at 10pm on Thursday 15th Nov at 10pm on BBC4

Alan Bennett presents a documentary about the photographer James Ravilious who photographed the people and landscapes of rural north Devon in black and white from the 1970s until his death in 1999.

Should be good.

Les

Just bumping the thread as a reminder - it's tonight. Ravilious is one of my favourite photographers so I'm looking forward to it!

That should be a treat.

It certainly was, not just his end products but also the programme itself, with its interviews with some very colourful local characters who knew Ravilious.
In particular, the numerous contra-jour shots and home-made lens shading arrangements that facilitated them (and apparently shocked Leica enthusiasts!) were fascinating. My only reservation about the programme was that it left me feeling embarassed that I live only half an hour's drive away from the locations of most of his work, know the area pretty well, but had never heard of him before this programme.

Mentioned in the credits was Chris Chapman, who currently shoots and publishes a lot of material of rural Devon life. Although the slant of the programme was that Ravilious was recording a fast-disappearing way of life, I have to say that there's plenty of that style of farming still to be seen in Devon and Cornwall.

Steve

Damn, I missed this entirely; does anyone know if it's going to be repeated (most things on BBC4 are?) Apart from anything, I think Alan Bennett is absolutely wonderful. (Have bumped into him around Leeds a couple of times, but I'm too shy to ask for an autograph - or better still to ask to take his photograph; he has so much character in his face he must be a portrait photographers dream.)

Try this page (a great feature I only discovered the other day):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00866km

Try this page (a great feature I only discovered the other day):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00866km

Thus prompted I thought I'd look on the BBC4 site for the Ravilious doc (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0088zhx). I quote:

"James Ravilious: A World in Photographs

Documentary about the 1976 Test series between England and West Indies, when the Caribbeans trounced the home nation and emerged as one of the greatest cricket teams to ever play the game."

Oops! Anyway, it's not scheduled for a repeat at present. Pity - it was as Steve says a treat.

Unfortunately as already stated there are several chances to see Genius... but only one to catch the documentary on photographers immediately afterwards.

A recording of Thursday night between 9-10:30 may be the belt and braces step needed.

pentaxuser

it is possible to buy the dvd at http://www.banyak.co.uk/shop-ravilious.php
for those who didn't get to record it. An excellent programme if only half an hour

There are links to Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail reviews of the film here (http://www.jamesravilious.com/news.asp)

I thought it was a great documentary - made richer by the fact that many of the subjects of the photographs are still living and able to give their own slant on things.

Have to say I am enjoying the documentaries that follow 'Genius' more satisfactory than 'G' itself which, although interesting, is a bit of a whistle-stop tour that leaves out a great deal (For example, women photographers in any depth other than in passing - and do we REALLY have to have Martin Parr AGAIN ??)

Loved the documentary on Ravilious. It's so easy to forget that such a way of life and characters still exist in this high tech 100mph world that surrounds us and gets faster every year.

We might be gaining diversity in one respect in the UK but we're in danger of losing another kind all together.

pentaxuser

pentaxuser

I note that his biography "An English Eye" is to be republished soon, it is a wonderful account of his life and work. It certainly had an effect on me, as I sub-consciously chose it as the name for my web site.

Quote from the Mail web page:
AN ENGLISH Eye: The Photographs Of James Ravilious by Peter Hamilton (The Bardwell Press, £15) is published next month. Order a copy from www. bardwell-press.co.uk/ englisheye.htm James Ravilious:

I note that his biography "An English Eye" is to be republished soon, it is a wonderful account of his life and work. It certainly had an effect on me, as I sub-consciously chose it as the name for my web site.

That's going to upset the Amazon marketplace seller who wants £148 for a copy! See here (http://tinyurl.com/35r7ed).

It is an excellent book though, nice to hear it will soon be available again.

and do we REALLY have to have Martin Parr AGAIN ??)

I think the reason is that Mr. Parr is one of the consultants/advisors to the programme. ;)

Excellent news about the book I've been trying to get a copy (at a sensible price) for some time now. I've just ordered one and can't wait thanks for the info Dave