Comments on: Wolfgang Suschitzky, Photographer

By: Nick Gregan

Nick Gregan — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 17:08:11 +0000

A friend mentioned Wolfgang Suschitzky to me the other day while talking about Charing Cross. I’m always keen to expand my knowledge and discover new photographers. Boy what a discovery Wolfgang Suschitzky was.

Living in the East End for many years I knew of some of the places he captured. there is a certain type of aesthetic that evokes almost romantic memories.

As a portrait photographer I am drawn to a connection with the camera and by far and away the most powerful shot I have seen by Wolfgang is his portrait of Guy the Gorilla at London Zooo. It is one of the most evocative and emotional portraits I’ve ever seen.

I look forward to discovering and enjoying more of his work. Thanks for a great article.

Nick Gregan

By: Narnia

Narnia — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 15:57:01 +0000

Found this article late and by accident, as I own and love the top photo, which Wolf printed for me a few years before he passed. He wrote “Stepney, 1937” on the back, so I’m guessing that’s the location. It’s one of my favorite photos….I can look at it over and over and see new layers – the dynamics between the kids, the gasworks, the composition. I truly think he is an under appreciated master.

By: Gerard Malanga

Gerard Malanga — Sat, 26 Oct 2019 00:29:20 +0000

When I first visited with Wolf nearly a decade ago I asked him what was his secret photographing cats, and he said, “Patience… you have to be patient.” On subsequent visits, no matter what brought me to London, Wolf was on the top of my list. We spent many a lunchtime at his favorite Italian cafe at the top of the canal from his flat, and he was the perfect subject for my portrait work. Moments after that first visit I found myself at a park bench and wrote my first poem for him on a folded newspaper:

He said that to be able to photograph the cat
you had to be patient.
You had to darken the doorway.
You had to meow in the deepening shade,
in the twilight’s last gleaming
before the fog rolls in on cat’s feet.
Before the whispers fall silent.

By: Stephen King

Stephen King — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 08:40:20 +0000

Top photo is not Bethnal Green but Dove Row, Haggerston (Hackney) Street name is on the house wall. Bunting is for King George VI Coronation in May 1937. Pub is the Anchor at 17 Dove Row. Gas Works hit by V1 rocket direct hit in March 1945. Houses shown were damaged and cleared around 1949.

By: Claudia Pim

Claudia Pim — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 11:29:22 +0000

This marvellous man was a part of my childhood as his photographs hugely inspired the work of my father, a keen and talented amateur photographer.Wolf’s younger brother(Sush’)was a bookseller, nice man.The photos in the article are just terrific.

By: Bailey Jones

Bailey Jones — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 09:13:07 +0000

Revisiting and read the info below this time to discover the man in the shoe shine photograph was a well known gangster.
The fog in the photograph of Charing Cross Rd with Marks and Co is not just atmospheric but, for the modern viewer, evokes the foggy old London pre-late 60s.
Wonderful stuff.

By: Malcolm

Malcolm — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 08:31:30 +0000

The time machine of photography.
Suschitzky’s work is yet another portal to that other London we all seem to yearn for, that mysterious, misty metropolis full of fine buildings, ragged children and men wearing hats.
Being old enough to have vague memories of the fifties I remember some of this disappeared time just after the terrible destruction of the war. Bomb sites were still places we played on, the streets had gas lamps and being taken to Selfridges or Gamages was a magical event. As an East End boy I remember how it looked but I also remember the wonderful people who lived, worked and played together, there was always a friendly face to light up the gloom of the industrial background and the clamour of the docks. In a way, these old photographs, and many others like them, don’t really tell the truth because the people who took them were always outsiders looking for a story and it is their story – rather than the true story – which leads us to believe in a distorted view of the past. Documentary photography is a powerful tool but it is easily manipulated to mislead and portray events in a slightly fraudulent and emotive manner. Black and white photography does this so much better than colour because it make us respond in a different way. Bert Hardy’s work for Picture Post, Bill Brandt, Robert Frank, Cartier-Bresson and many others have photographed London in their own way but when we look at those images we still see the mythical London of our own imagination.

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 05:15:52 +0000

Wonderfully evocative pictures. Some not so long ago. Or maybe I am old. Guy the Gorilla was a favourite of mine as a boy and a very rude gorilla . Which just shows how far we have come in our view of the natural world. Best picture for me the men tarring the wooden blocks .

By: opauline taylor

opauline taylor — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 21:52:33 +0000

What more can one say, these are so good that it almost feels wrong to make any further comment except to say thank you GA for making me aware of this man’s great talent.
I remember when I first saw Guy at London Zoo, I was overcome with sadness, he would make eye contact with you, just as he seems to do here, and I can still recall how I longed to be able to do something to help him and to let him know that I wanted to. So so sad and so well captured here.

By: Su C.

Su C. — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 13:46:50 +0000

Poetry in pictures.