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I read this morning in the U Bahn an interview with Magnum’s Thomas Hoepker, in a back number of Profi Foto. Hoepker is undoubtely one of the big names in documentary photgraphy and has produced a bunch of images that are already part of our collective memory. I had the chance to see him during this year’s Berlinale. The Berlin’s film festival dedicated one track to Magnum called ‘Magnum in Motion’ in which several films on the agency were showed. After the showing of ‘Magnum Photos - The Changing Of A Myth‘, he, Reiner Holzemer (the documentary director), and Donovan Wylie engaged in a warm debate with the public.

Hoepker, in the PF’s interview:

A good photograph should always reflect an opinion. … Good photgraphers are not mere chroniclers - their work becomes truly relevant only when it opens new perspectives.

Find here (1, 2, 3, 4) the reaction (and controvery) that this photo ^ of his 9/11 series still provokes, and the articles’ thread at ‘Slate’ (he was in Brooklyn the morning of 9/11/01 and as soon as he realized the magnitude of the attack the jumped into his car and drove to the scene. Obviously he could not get there so he photographed everything, everyone he stumbled accross).