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Drive by Shootings : Photographs by a New York Taxi Driver
Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso
- GenresPhotographyArtNonfiction
496 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 23, 2020
I was chatting with a dear friend tonight, about what our favourite books & movies are. This one came to mind for me. I bought it at the Art Gallery of NSW many moons ago, when I was seeing a non-related exhibition.
This book has always stuck in my head, and I'll flick through it a few times a year, and ponder about life.
As a New York cabbie, David Bradford took photos of NYC. At all times of the day and night. In all seasons. Some are in sharp focus. Others blurry. Capturing the city and its inhabitants living their lives. Some photos are ordinary. Some are bizzare. Many are beautiful and capture a "moment" .
There are vignettes written by and about David. About people he's met. About being a cab driver. Even just opening the book now and hearing the pages crackle and that amazing book smell make me feel like I'm reconnecting with an old friend.
I've no idea what else David Bradford may have written or photographed. For me, this will always remain a firm favourite.
This book has always stuck in my head, and I'll flick through it a few times a year, and ponder about life.
As a New York cabbie, David Bradford took photos of NYC. At all times of the day and night. In all seasons. Some are in sharp focus. Others blurry. Capturing the city and its inhabitants living their lives. Some photos are ordinary. Some are bizzare. Many are beautiful and capture a "moment" .
There are vignettes written by and about David. About people he's met. About being a cab driver. Even just opening the book now and hearing the pages crackle and that amazing book smell make me feel like I'm reconnecting with an old friend.
I've no idea what else David Bradford may have written or photographed. For me, this will always remain a firm favourite.
October 9, 2016
Cultural context is vital for both art and literature. While great art and great literature can both speak to its context and transcend it, most often, it epitomizes it, and stays firmly within it.
For the most part, I do not review literature contemporaneously to its creation. It is sometimes months, even years, after its publication that I will read a book and, perhaps, review it.
I don't review every book I read, hell I don't even finish every book I start. But when a book speaks to me, good or bad, I will say something about it.
And so it is with Drive-By Shootings, Photographs by a New York Taxi Driver, by David Bradford. Published in 2000, these photographs speak to a different time and place, both in their art and in Bradford's accompanying text.
And now, all these years later, I am wholly unimpressed with both the art, and the literature.
Yes, I am old enough to remember taking photos with film - I took a photo journalism course in uni and learned all about, you know, gritty, uncompromising, truthful photography. Yes, I understand he was driving his cab while taking his photos. Yes, I know that was an innovative-ish idea. Oooh, a cab driver taking gritty black and white photos of dirty New York City. Oooh.
But now, in retrospect? Ugh.
The photos are often blurry, poorly structured and illustrative of nothing particularly interesting. They are little more than bad holiday snaps by a tourist with a cell phone. I should know, that's exactly what i did a few years ago, in New York, with my Fuji FinePix and an iPod Touch 5.
Worse, though, is Bradford's writing. Strike that. Worse, though, is Bradford's thinking as illustrated with his writing.
"But then who reckons on a cabbie who speaks English, is intelligent, and, on top of it all, hangs interesting art in his cab?" ~ David Bradford
Then he jokes more about being an English-speaking cabbie, American born at that. I didn't take too many cabs in New Work, but everyone spoke English - many simply did it with an accent.
Funny how he blames his lack of family, friends, and social life on his job, and not on his arrogant, thinly veiled racist attitudes of being superior to everyone else (after all, he was an art director at Saks for God's sake! And he has had gallery shows, and even a German documentary made about him, so yeah, he's better than you and me, combined).
Bradford received his degree from Rhode Island School of Design in illustration and began photographing New York City as inspiration and reference for his drawings. Bradford spent a decade honing his photography before becoming a cabbie.
Bradford continues to be popular, with other books, pieces on various TV shows, the kind of stuff we use to measure game and by twisted default, greatness. It's like being on a reality TV show – if you're good enough to be on one, then you must be an amazing person. Right? Nope.
I doubt he could make a dent in the art world of today. The other reviews I've read, all gushing about the "true artistry" and "monumental photography" by a "struggling artist," make me want to gag a little bit. I sometimes think all you have to be to earn success in the art world is male. Bradford's success reconfirms my suspicion.
Oh, and I don't like the violence implied in the title of the book. Let's just throw that in there, too.
One last thing, all of the photographs accompanying this review are mine, from a trip to NYC in 2013. So if you were thinking, "Hey, these photographs aren't so bad, what is she talking about?" thanks, you just complimented me (check out my website for the photos).
For the most part, I do not review literature contemporaneously to its creation. It is sometimes months, even years, after its publication that I will read a book and, perhaps, review it.
I don't review every book I read, hell I don't even finish every book I start. But when a book speaks to me, good or bad, I will say something about it.
And so it is with Drive-By Shootings, Photographs by a New York Taxi Driver, by David Bradford. Published in 2000, these photographs speak to a different time and place, both in their art and in Bradford's accompanying text.
And now, all these years later, I am wholly unimpressed with both the art, and the literature.
Yes, I am old enough to remember taking photos with film - I took a photo journalism course in uni and learned all about, you know, gritty, uncompromising, truthful photography. Yes, I understand he was driving his cab while taking his photos. Yes, I know that was an innovative-ish idea. Oooh, a cab driver taking gritty black and white photos of dirty New York City. Oooh.
But now, in retrospect? Ugh.
The photos are often blurry, poorly structured and illustrative of nothing particularly interesting. They are little more than bad holiday snaps by a tourist with a cell phone. I should know, that's exactly what i did a few years ago, in New York, with my Fuji FinePix and an iPod Touch 5.
Worse, though, is Bradford's writing. Strike that. Worse, though, is Bradford's thinking as illustrated with his writing.
"But then who reckons on a cabbie who speaks English, is intelligent, and, on top of it all, hangs interesting art in his cab?" ~ David Bradford
Then he jokes more about being an English-speaking cabbie, American born at that. I didn't take too many cabs in New Work, but everyone spoke English - many simply did it with an accent.
Funny how he blames his lack of family, friends, and social life on his job, and not on his arrogant, thinly veiled racist attitudes of being superior to everyone else (after all, he was an art director at Saks for God's sake! And he has had gallery shows, and even a German documentary made about him, so yeah, he's better than you and me, combined).
Bradford received his degree from Rhode Island School of Design in illustration and began photographing New York City as inspiration and reference for his drawings. Bradford spent a decade honing his photography before becoming a cabbie.
Bradford continues to be popular, with other books, pieces on various TV shows, the kind of stuff we use to measure game and by twisted default, greatness. It's like being on a reality TV show – if you're good enough to be on one, then you must be an amazing person. Right? Nope.
I doubt he could make a dent in the art world of today. The other reviews I've read, all gushing about the "true artistry" and "monumental photography" by a "struggling artist," make me want to gag a little bit. I sometimes think all you have to be to earn success in the art world is male. Bradford's success reconfirms my suspicion.
Oh, and I don't like the violence implied in the title of the book. Let's just throw that in there, too.
One last thing, all of the photographs accompanying this review are mine, from a trip to NYC in 2013. So if you were thinking, "Hey, these photographs aren't so bad, what is she talking about?" thanks, you just complimented me (check out my website for the photos).
June 2, 2013
Really interesting and insightful look inside the hustle and bustle of everyday life of New York. Some really great shots. Especially liked the idea of shooting and driving, might have to try it
February 25, 2019
This is the first photography book I've ever picked up.
Sounded fascinating at first, was a good one, too.
But then I've realized I like moving things, things that are alive - mostly human beings' photos and stuff like that. So, picked up Ara Güler books - fascinating.
So, not exactly for me. But still nice, the whole idea of it is very nice.
Sounded fascinating at first, was a good one, too.
But then I've realized I like moving things, things that are alive - mostly human beings' photos and stuff like that. So, picked up Ara Güler books - fascinating.
So, not exactly for me. But still nice, the whole idea of it is very nice.
October 30, 2025
theatricality, viewfinder, mountains, slim, crisscross, tiger, morale, soloistic, movement, facades
January 22, 2009
great coffee table book!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews