I was listening to Tom Waits just a few moments ago, from some of his darkest moments. And believe me, those are dark! For those of you not familiar, go listen... carefully. This man has been to places I would never ever dream of going if I could avoid it. And he sure knows how to get a story out of what he has experienced.
Then I started to think about dark photography, and suddenly vaguely remembered parts of a name from a few years back. Someone I more or less stumbled over by coincidence. I remember thinking about the same thing back then as I thought this evening. Google at hand I soon found the right man.
If there is anyone out there who has to be the Tom Waits of photography, it's got to be Anders Petersen from Sweden.
Please, have a look here (this link is troublesome on my computer here at sea, but you might get something out of it...) and here, and see for yourselves. You don't have to like it, but if you like street, documentary and intimate personal photography on speed, this is as good as it ever gets. For some article around him you may also go this way to read some more background. This man has been around for lots of years, and I hope he will still be for many to come.
His work seems to be balancing on some kind of invisible edge, and I feel he may fall down on the wrong side at any moment. Extremely close, extreme situations and situations produced by some extreme people at times. His style is raw, unmasked, occationally inflammatory, and just brilliant I have to say.
Just like Tom Waits.
Interesting. Peterson's work is, as you say, dark. Very different and certainly makes you think. It's always good to read about what real photographers do - good post Roy.
SvarSlett