1. Low Brow: Money Celebrities!
2. High(er) Brow: Daryl Lang of PDN interviews Brent Stirton, of People Magazine cover shoot fame, at Perpignan:
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1. Low Brow: Money Celebrities!
2. High(er) Brow: Daryl Lang of PDN interviews Brent Stirton, of People Magazine cover shoot fame, at Perpignan:
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Eric Etheridge's Breach of Peace post got a lot of deserving praise last week, and I received many related emails. One was from Mark Tucker, who told me about an assignment he was given for Newsweek ten years ago, to mark the 30th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.
Tucker worked with picture editor Debbie Edelstein at the magazine, and traveled around the country to photograph the men who had been closest with King at the time of his death. He was given tremendous freedom in how to create the images:
"Debbie was the ultimate picture editor for this project -- she just said, 'Go do what you do'. Who could not love that? We traveled across the country, finding these men in their current occupations, and I think we shot the whole project on 665 Polaroid, and cleared the negatives at night in the hotel room. Looking back now, it seems pretty crazy to have done the whole project on 665 neg, but it felt right at the time. I can't remember now whether David Halberstam's book, The Children, had come out yet when we did this assignment, but it gives further intimate details about the climate of that period."
Here are the results:
Tucker worked with picture editor Debbie Edelstein at the magazine, and traveled around the country to photograph the men who had been closest with King at the time of his death. He was given tremendous freedom in how to create the images:
"Debbie was the ultimate picture editor for this project -- she just said, 'Go do what you do'. Who could not love that? We traveled across the country, finding these men in their current occupations, and I think we shot the whole project on 665 Polaroid, and cleared the negatives at night in the hotel room. Looking back now, it seems pretty crazy to have done the whole project on 665 neg, but it felt right at the time. I can't remember now whether David Halberstam's book, The Children, had come out yet when we did this assignment, but it gives further intimate details about the climate of that period."
Here are the results:
Representative John Lewis, on the Edmund Pettus bridge, Selma, Alabama
Ambassador Andrew Young, Atlanta
Ambassador Andrew Young, Atlanta
Hey Guys-- heading to the beach for one last sand castle before this summer gig is up? Maybe you need some advice about how to frame that charming sea shanty! We'll be running a travel article over on School of Stock next week, but I got such great information from Endless Vacation Magazine's Moya McAllister when interviewing her for said article, that I thought I'd share some with ya now. There she is, above.
Moya currently produces and directs photography for many of Story Worldwide's publications, especially travel magazine Endless Vacation for RCI and also clients such as UPS, Bank of America, ILORI, Unilever and others. She is involved in concepting shoots, hiring photographers and stylists, casting models and directing shoots on-location.
Moya is going to parse two layout in the magazine for us-- she'll tell us why she chooses which images, how they're made, and essentially let us into her head.
Thanks, Moya! All the following words are Ms. McAllister's.
___
Endless Vacation Magazine's motto is Play - Eat - Shop - Relax - Explore. Each feature story we publish, whether it's themed a "Relax" story or an "Eat" story, will incorporate the motto throughout, especially visually. For an 8 page feature - each of these photographers probably shot 10-16 hours a day for 4-5 days. They probably captured over 2500 images on the shoot, and turned over about 500 images for my edit. We publish somewhere between 15-25 images per feature story.
For the Core Banks story (from Endless Vacation's third issue - July/August 2007)-- I hired experienced travel photographer, Rob Howard, to shoot this lesser-known area, the Core Banks of North Carolina's coast.
What I love about Rob's work is that he has a graphic approach to composition and framing. Note the left-hand photo on the opening spread. An iconic white house on the beach is almost center frame, with enough environmental details surrounding for most US readers to know that is an eastern seaboard location. The side of the house is parallel to the film plane, increasing visual impact of the pentagram-like shape. Designers like images like these not only because they are powerful enough for a full page, but also because there is plenty of room for type over the image at the top of the frame.
A different example of visual impact is the detail shot on the right of the opener. A close-up, multiple-layer view of colorful lobster buoys gives the viewer another contrasting aspect of this seaside destination, but closely tied in theme to the image it is paired with. The other item of note is that the art director was able to pick up the strong red from one of the lobster buoys, incorporate that color into the type design and the fun design element of the transparent red tape throughout the layout.
What really shows consistently throughout the layout is that Rob, as a photographer, interacted and experienced the Core Banks with the keen curiosity of a dedicated traveler. This seaside location is captured in many different types of images but they all tie together to evoke a feeling of shared experience-- a close detail of a window decal about pirates reminds readers of the rich history of the area, signage for a boat tour clues people in about what they could do, the meal on the table is ready to eat, a family Rob met randomly is enjoying the beach, the aerial shot from a small plane gives an even bigger sense of place. Rob also spent time in the dunes amongst the wild ponies, making them feel secure in his presence, in order to portray the serenity of the herd.
The second layout is from July/August 2008.
For the Andalusia, Spain story, Barcelona photographer, Francisco
Guerrero, caught my eye a few years ago because of the rich color of
his photographs-- rich color that is representative of a mood or time
of day, not super-saturated or overdone in Photoshop.
Francisco's shoot of Andalusia had to cover a lot of ground, over mountainous terrain, through some of Europe's most verdant rural areas and oldest historic cities.
On the left side of the opening spread, Francisco found an elevated view of the cliffs of Ronda that shows not only the rich farmland in the far distant background, but the architecture of this ancient city in the mid-ground, and the deep chasms surrounding it in the foreground. There's no wasted space in this image, it's full of information.
It is paired with a family gathering at a restaurant in Zahara that conveys the warmth of the people as well as the cultural cuisine. Of note, camera focus is kept on the food, which is specific to the region, in the lower half of the image. The family members in the background and upper right add emotion to the moment and keep this from being just another food shot, but those elements don't need to be super sharp to do that.
The next three spreads follow the route of the story, from Seville's grand cathedral to lunching al fresco in Malaga; each spread has 2-3 photos that incorporate a human element, such as a hand, utilzing a torso as background, a laughing group of friends. Travel stories are more effective, in my mind, if the viewer connects with the experience and can 'see' themselves in that moment, in that place.
There is also a big variety of types of image: images taken at different times of day set mood and keep the story moving visually through time; interiors and exteriors of buildings have cultural or ethnic references; also, details, overviews and landscapes are represented in each spread. This keeps the eye moving around the page, which encourages the reader to, well..... read the story!
Lastly, back to Francisco's color - the richness of Andalusia's culture and history is tied together by the strong recurring grass greens, burnt oranges and rustic reds of the photos.
--
Bravo!
Francisco's shoot of Andalusia had to cover a lot of ground, over mountainous terrain, through some of Europe's most verdant rural areas and oldest historic cities.
On the left side of the opening spread, Francisco found an elevated view of the cliffs of Ronda that shows not only the rich farmland in the far distant background, but the architecture of this ancient city in the mid-ground, and the deep chasms surrounding it in the foreground. There's no wasted space in this image, it's full of information.
It is paired with a family gathering at a restaurant in Zahara that conveys the warmth of the people as well as the cultural cuisine. Of note, camera focus is kept on the food, which is specific to the region, in the lower half of the image. The family members in the background and upper right add emotion to the moment and keep this from being just another food shot, but those elements don't need to be super sharp to do that.
The next three spreads follow the route of the story, from Seville's grand cathedral to lunching al fresco in Malaga; each spread has 2-3 photos that incorporate a human element, such as a hand, utilzing a torso as background, a laughing group of friends. Travel stories are more effective, in my mind, if the viewer connects with the experience and can 'see' themselves in that moment, in that place.
There is also a big variety of types of image: images taken at different times of day set mood and keep the story moving visually through time; interiors and exteriors of buildings have cultural or ethnic references; also, details, overviews and landscapes are represented in each spread. This keeps the eye moving around the page, which encourages the reader to, well..... read the story!
Lastly, back to Francisco's color - the richness of Andalusia's culture and history is tied together by the strong recurring grass greens, burnt oranges and rustic reds of the photos.
--
Bravo!
I had an illuminating conversation the other day with photographer Monte Isom. Isom recently returned from China, where he created several Olympic-themed ads for Adidas. The one above is the big kahuna. See all those people in there? They're real people. Who needed to be cast and wrangled and directed. And then be put together all pretty through the glory of post-production.
How long did all of this take? Isom was in China for six weeks, start to finish, between pre-production, shoot days, and post-production. And it was a production: "we shot the podium, every individual piece. We shot a scaffolding in the same way. We shot the crowd on a soccer pitch. We shot the athletes in two different cities in different takes. We shot three hundred people in the crowd and built the podium out of 60 people, and 28 extras on the podium.
Wow. What'd that all look like? Funny you ask! We've got some behind the scenes goodies. Here are the actors on the scaffolding:
Wow, how'd they get such athletic models? Here's a video of the casting session (Monte is thorough in his documentation.)
The agency Monte worked with on this project was TBWA Shanghai, and they didn't find him through Photoserve; Isom is incredibly proactive about seeking out work. He actually flew to China months before:
"When i'm not working, I go seek out work. I went to every agency in Shanghai in March, and set up meetings with art buyers and creative directors. Because in an Olympic year, everyone will use an athlete to sell a product. Going personally makes a huge difference. They're not just buying the photography, they're buying the photographer. An agency wants to know what they're going to get. I got China because I got off my ass and went to China to get work. if you want to recession-proof yourself, go to foreign markets."
Amen. Here's the soccer field where they assembled the actors:
And here's some of the shooting, in real time.
After the shooting comes the post-production. Here's some of that (it all started with a sketch):
So, we saw the finished image above, but how did it appear in Beijing and Shanghai? Here's an example:
This is one billboard. And then, Adidas got serious:
Wow, that's a big ad. Adidas created 20-story building wraps in Shanghai and Beijing.
Isom was psyched about the client's enthusiasm, and the media buy. He says it's "what you hope the client will step up and do. Start to finish, it was a cool project."
Cool indeed! Isom is now off to Europe, to meet with more creative folks and charm peoples' pants off. He must have a rep, to help him out with some of this stuff!
Nope:
"I don't have a rep. I'm repped by basically everyone I've ever met. I sleep well on planes, so it's not a big deal."
Sweet dreams. Here's one more video of Isom at work, just for fun.
See more of Monte Isom's work here.
I visited David Black's site last night and was greeted with a truly spectacular sight: Daft Punk. In helmets and leather.
With smoke....
of many colors.
Turns out the shoot was for this:
And, of course, there's an anecdote. And it's funny.
From our photographer:
"I used color smoke bombs and made the mistake of leaving them in my carry-on bag when catching a flight at LAX. I ended up getting arrested and the bomb squad came to the airport. No joke, it was one of the scariest experiences of my life.
Best!
David"
Yowser! Stop Smiling, indeed. I hope that was on the way back from the shoot.
kaboom.
With smoke....
of many colors.
Turns out the shoot was for this:
And, of course, there's an anecdote. And it's funny.
From our photographer:
"I used color smoke bombs and made the mistake of leaving them in my carry-on bag when catching a flight at LAX. I ended up getting arrested and the bomb squad came to the airport. No joke, it was one of the scariest experiences of my life.
Best!
David"
Yowser! Stop Smiling, indeed. I hope that was on the way back from the shoot.
kaboom.
A sweet, sweet treat for us today, my pretties. Emily Nathan, who shoots lustrous, gorgeous lifestyle and travel work commercially, sent over some scans of a personal project she's getting underway. And the project is Fairy Tales, which I think pretty much nails the zeitgeist on its darling little head.
Nathan was kind enough to share quick web scans with us, which is awfully generous-- I can understand when people want to wait until a project (or one's files) are complete. These here are straight off the boat from Romania, where Nathan shot her last five tales. Seems fitting, right?
So consider this a sneak peek. Or a little taste-- like porridge. Find the one that's just right.
Ahem. As per usual, I asked some questions.
What made you decide to start a project about fairy tales? is it about nostalgia, or storytelling, or both (or neither)?
The project evolved out of a conversation with an editor I have worked with at the New Yorker. She was looking for a modern image of Adam and Eve and was wondering if I had one. I didn't, but the request sparked my interest. I feel a pretty deep cynicism towards most conceptual photography but I liked the idea of working with allegorical stories. I liked delving into deeper questions and levels of meaning through the conduit of stories we already know.
What do the darker images mean? The portraits? Are they allegories for things in your own life?
The darker images are a more literary look at the characters (a closer reading). When I started researching the Grimm stories again I was reminded about how very dark they are! Fairy tales are creepy! All sorts of awful stuff transpires. Trying to nail down any of the stories in one picture (an initial goal) has been a big challenge because so many bad things happen in most of the stories. (I generally avoid depicting the horrific stuff though because its not my thing).
Also-- so much of our cultural use of fairy tales is really twisted. Every fake-boobed bottle-blond freak on any MTV reality show is always talking about the fairy tale wedding she wants or is spending 500k having. Real fairy tale weddings usually have someone getting their eyes burned out with coals, or their heart plucked out by ravens as well as the doves flying around.
The portraits and personalities are the way I see the stories. I am looking to find the timeless characters (via casting and directing during the shoot) within the models. But at the same time I am trying to bring the models' individual humanity and quirks to the timeless characters. The viewer should bring the rest.
Why Romania?
Oh lots of reasons. It's Romania-- come one!
What's your plan for this project, how long do you think it will take; have you already decided which characters you want to portray?
The project is really evolving as I shoot it. I have always wanted to just shoot rather than think through photos in the past. I could care less if a picture has great thought to it but isn't fascinating and beautiful to look at (even in an ugly way! Pictures of ugly or difficult subject matter can still be beautiful in some way). As I do more and more production with clients I have found that the meetings and prep for big jobs have really lead to better photos in many cases. Still, by forging ahead and shooting though I am building the direction of the project and seeing what really shines.
From the start everyone wanted to know if I was doing a book. At first I thought no (because its so much work and money for each image-- I couldn't imagine a whole book) but now I think a book and a show would be amazing. I think a book with a few images from each story as well as some contemporary fiction with stories that relate tangentially might be perfect.
I am trying to portray characters that are well known and that are immediately recognizable. So not sure how many and how much time (or money!) I have shot seven stories so far. I think 15-20 would be more than enough (and I have my next project in-mind as well). Likely it will take another year or two to get there.
Does your commercial work contribute or inspire the project? I know you shoot lots of kids--- do they play into some of these fairy tales inadvertently?
The commercial work pays for the project! I have learned so much from commercial work about production. Also-- since I shoot so much commercially, all of the assignments I have done obviously then become the tools I use when shooting for myself.
I love working with kids because I am a watcher. I like to put people in situations (and sometimes clothes, locations, light, time of day etc. and photograph how they truly respond--- as well as direct them).
Kids do well under those circumstances. Kids also live more easily within their imagination than adults. If I could work with some great adult actors I think they would work for the tales as well. Maybe not-- maybe real people would be fine. Hmmm. I don't know. Kids are the heroes of fairy tales and my pictures are simple (not a lot of room for all the secondary people) so I guess I focus on the heroes? I am also clearly a sucker for natural beauty and kids are usually more naturally beautiful...
__
I can't wait for that little red riding hood.
I can't wait for that little red riding hood.
See more of Nathan's work, here.
And learn a little bit about shooting Lifestyle-- Nathan was an expert in our School of Stock article.
I don't know about you, but I don't handle change well. So when I went to PDNOnline this morning, I was a little taken aback. It's all different! It's grayer! There's a community section!
I calmed down a little when I got playing with the new "Compass" feature, which has a rad map situation that zooms in and out on other members' locations. I do like a map.
Anyhoo, Haggart's talking about it, and it seems like the future. I nailed down my buddy Daryl Lang, News Editor and all-things-awesome over at PDN, to tell us what's what.
This is Daryl Lang. Photo by Danny Tsui.
Hey Daryl! What made PDNOnline decide to change its look?
It was time. Web sites have changed a lot since PDNOnline's last redesign. To take one thing, people have gradually migrated to higher-resolution computer screens and faster Internet connections, so we have more freedom to play with wider layouts and bigger photos. Also, our readers have become much more comfortable with nontraditional formats like blogs, forum posts and videos. The new site is better organized to wrangle all this extra information. There are also a lot of technical improvements that might not be obvious. For example, we have a new search engine that's much better. This is a good place to mention that the new site was a team effort involving many people from PDN and Nielsen Business Media's digital media group.
What new features has the site added?
This site brings together a couple of PDN sites that were previously isolated from one another. It's easier for readers to find information from the PDN Gear Guide site, our PhotoServe directory, our Photo Source guides and our PDNedu publication for students and educators. We have a slick new events calendar that's going to be jammed full of exhibitions, contests and photo shows. Our forums are a lot better. And we have just launched PDN Compass, which is a community site for photo professionals.
What purpose is the community section intended to serve? Is it sort of like Facebook meets a photo forum? Is it aimed primarily photographers, or industry professionals, and will it be able to connect the two?
We looked around and saw a couple of excellent social networking sites for photographers who specialize in one thing or another. And we saw lots of photographers active on LinkedIn and Facebook, which are much more generalized. What was missing was a community site for everybody who works in photography-- photographers, editors, creative directors, assistants, techs, retouchers, curators, educators, you name it. We decided to build one and connect it to our forum, which has gotten increasingly lively in the last few months. Communities like this are only as good as their members, so it was important that we make it welcoming and easy to join. It's free, of course. You don't have to subscribe to our magazine. As it grows, our tech team plans to build on more features. To start, the killer ap is the map.
I'm psyched about the map function, Daryl! Tell me about that!
We hope it works as a simple, visual way to bring photo professionals together. You can search the map by location and specialty. So if an editor wants to find, for example, a photojournalist in Florida, they can locate everyone who meets that description, check out their Web sites, and get in touch. Or if you're planning a trip and want to talk to somebody who's familiar with where you're going, you can find that person and ask for advice. The more people who join, the more useful the map becomes. Did I mention it's free?
In what other ways is PDN planning to take over the world?
I'm thinking reality television. America's Next Top Photo Editor?
__
You heard it here first, Bravo TV.
Check out the new site here, and click on community to add your profile to the mix.
This is not Toronto-based photographer Finn O' Hara. This is an Underwater Hockey player. Wait-- you think Underwater Hockey doesn't exist?! Let's ask Finn about it:
Finn! tell me about this Underwater Hockey project! How'd it come about? Are you showing it anywhere? How do they hold their breath so long?
It kinda started with a conversation with friends about high school, and the strange games that they made us play in gym class. I recalled playing Underwater Hockey, where we spent more time humiliating and punching one another underwater than trying to play the game. My friends didn't believe me, and claimed that there is no such thing as Underwater Hockey. I set off to prove them wrong, and googled "Underwater Hockey" to find some proof of its existence.
Much to my surprise, it's a huge international game, played in over 20 countries, and very organized. I had just started research into shooting a series on strange games, so I thought this would be a perfect subject to cover. It even turned out that there were several clubs nearby, so I called them up to see if I could photograph their games and tournaments, and they readily agreed.
I'm not showing it anywhere at the moment, but I would like to find a gallery or publisher that would be interested in exhibiting or publishing the strange games series. As for holding their breath, they're extremely talented swimmers, and with the use of a snorkel and fins, they can really cover a lot of pool. It's a tough sport too, hence the armored glove, head protection, and mouth guards. I've seen a few nasty cuts and heated arguments while shooting.
Finn! Tell me about the Mountain Dew assignment-- what was the concept for the shoot? Did you find it personally fulfilling-- did it mirror your own work in any way? What was the final response?
The Mountain Dew work is portraits of the characters from a commercial film shoot I worked on in the Spring. The Director of the shoot is a friend, Chris Hutsul, and they needed stills that were to be used in collaboration with the video.
The characters were formed around a campaign that never actually launched, unfortunately (I added the retro Mountain Dew logo to identify the work on my site). It was a total drag that the campaign got canned. As you can see, the wardrobes were hysterical, and the casting was done mostly through craigslist, which added a huge layer of authenticity. And yes, it was fulfilling, for sure. It fit in with some of the creatives that I'm working on now. Stay tuned!
Finn! Tell me the story of your life.
I was born in London, England in 1972, and raised in Inglewood, Ontario, a small rural town north of Toronto. I was introduced to the world of photography at young age by my father, a former employee at Kodak. I was often given different types of cameras and film to experiment with as a child.
After studying English Literature at Bishop's University in Quebec, I moved to Toronto where I eventually made the transition back to photography. At that time, I assisted many international and local photographers, and they contributed greatly to my understanding of the photographic process.
Presently, my clients include Nike, The Guardian Weekend Magazine, New Scientist, British Airways, Wallpaper, The Walrus and Wired. I am based in Toronto, Canada, and London, England, and currently working on personal projects based on reconstructing life changing events, and capturing the decisions made just before they happen, as well as a series on strange games.
Oooh a real treat on the blog today, Rachel is excited! You know why? Because she's got the Jack! Yeah, that's an AC/DC reference, mmhm.
OK, in all seriousness, pay attention here. This is a multi-layered blog attack and you're going to need all your brain cells. Put the Scrabulous down. Above is a picture of Mr. Andrew Hetherington. Aside from being a rather fantastic photographer, he's also become a mainstay of this cozy little photography blogtown with whatsthejackanory. I was reading this thing back when I was in blog diapers, and I've learned a lot.
SO, today Mr. Hetherington has an image featured in Jen Bekman's genius 20x200. I'm not going to tell you which picture, but it's on this page somewhere, and it rhymes with shoo(t).
In honor of this awesome and auspicious event, I've asked Mr. Hetherington 20 quick questions.
Here's an additional exciting bit:
If you can identify the man who is not Mr. Hetherington in question 17, you will win one of Mr. Hetherington's books. Two are available.
Let's GO!
1. andrew! what is your current state of mind?
Optimistic.
2. what do you consider your finest photographic achievement?
Escaping death on a Swiss Alp as an assistant. I was inches away from slipping off a 4,000 ft. peak had a saving hand not intervened.
3. vodka or gin?
Beer please.
4. what picture has the best wall space in your house?
Big red apple. Right above the bar. Gift from Mrs TH.
5. dream shoot?
A fulfilling one.
6. desert island. you can only have one companion: a photo editor. choose one.
Impossible to choose. They are all my favorites.
7. same desert island. film or digital?
Film
Kodak 160NC 220
8. favorite beatle?
Ringo. He married Barbara Bach from the Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me.
9. biggest photographic inspiration?
Life.
10. brand of shoes on your feet right now.
Vans slip ons. White of course.
11. last camera you shot with?
Hasselblad 503cw.
12. name of your childhood pet.
Had a goldfish. Can't remember his name.
13. you can only shoot advertising. client of choice?
A repeat one.
14. you can only shoot for cute overload. animal of choice?
A Cow.
15. first concert you went to without your parents?
Big Country. RDS Dublin 1983.
16. most visited website?
Shoot the Blog of course. first thing every morning. right after http://news.bbc.co.uk/
17. What photographer were you most excited to take your picture with?
This guy. He's such a badass.
18. first picture you took that you were proud of?
My father just mailed me this one he stumbled across
maybe from1985
in Dublin
I was mad into the cycling
processed and printed it myself in the bedroom darkroom
wish I had pictures of that set up
19. motto?
He who dares wins.
20. how much money would you accept to shave your beard?
Enough for round the world tickets for two. Business class. Not to be greedy.
---
SWEET. OK, a reminder. Things you must now do.
1. tell us who the dude is in #17 to win one of these books:
2. Check out the 20x200 Hetherington edition.
3. Look at Andrew's pictures, words, and available stock.
4. Have a pleasant and fulfilling day.
moo.
I received this "media alert" in my inbox last week and did a triple take. Behold:
MEDIA ALERT
What:
Introducing Bond Street Gallery, a new gallery for contemporary photography, located in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. The first exhibition opens next week and is titled Young Curators, New Ideas. A group exhibition organized by Amani Olu and curated by Alana Celii & Grant Willing (Fjord Photo), Michael Bühler-Rose, Jon Feinstein (Humble Arts Foundation), Laurel Ptak (I Heart Photograph), Amy Stein, and Lumi Tan (Why + Wherefore).
The exhibition examines different trends and perspectives in contemporary art photography through the bias of six new and seasoned curators. Each curator (or curatorial group), using roughly ten feet of space, aims to engage viewers in a discussion on where he or she believes art photography is today.
__
Um, WHOA. That's a crazy A-List group of curatorial folk! I decided to have a little chat with one of these curators, specifically, Humble Art Foundation's Jon Feinstein, who is also a photographer. I asked him about lots of things, but found the conversation about the rise of mysticism and magic in contemporary photography especially interesting. The photographers Feinstein chose-- Hannah Whitaker, Talia Chetrit, Noel Rodo-Vankeulen, and Ann Woo, represent a new canon of rising stars in art photography.
This is Jon Feinstein.
Jon! This Bond Street show has quite the young curator star list! How did you become part of the show?
Totally. I'm psyched to be a part of it! I've worked closely with Amani on Humble Arts Foundation shows for the past few years so it was pretty natural for him to invite me to participate.
How did you become a curator in the first place-- I am a big fan of your portraiture; how do you balance doing your own work and the curatorial stuff? Do they feed off of each other?
I got into curating while I was still working as a photo editor for Heeb magazine. While I loved working on editorial and fashion shoots, my background was in art photography, having studied under Stephen Shore (and other amazing professors who I won't name drop at the moment) at Bard, and I wanted to do something more in line with those interests. I started working at a stock photo agency and met Amani, who had begun brainstorming ideas about Humble Arts Foundation.
Jon Feinstein, Bob and Lindsay, 2003
We got to talking about our backgrounds in magazine editing and photography and came up with the idea for Humble's original inception, group-show.com, which at that point was a simple monthly showcase for emerging photographers. It has now grown to include online solo shows, affordable limited edition prints, a grant program and about four physical shows per year. We have a big group show coming up in Chelsea in the fall, as well as our first Humble promoted physical solo show which will be announced soon. It's incredibly daunting to be making my own work simultaneously so I try to keep it as separate from Humble as possible, but am incredibly inspired by all of the work I've been seeing over the past few years.
Jon Feinstein, Ben, 2003
Where do you think the new interest in photographic mysticism came from? From NASA's astronomy picture of the day, to Hannah Whitaker's rainbow bunny, I'm seeing (and loving) this stuff everywhere. Is it particular to our generation-- to our notions of "futurism" and "fantasy"? Does World of Warcraft play a role, mayhaps?
I think this new "photographic mysticism" is incredibly interesting, and has many more layers than just light, color, prisms,etc. I think the larger umbrella of new mystical explorations in photography can in some ways be interpreted as a step beyond postmodern and narrative photography. While earlier generations of photographers were exploring identity politics and notions of truth and representation, often through staged photographs, this new "movement" seems to be focused more on form and photography's physical properties, not only for their aesthetic value, but but for their metaphorical qualities as well.
Noel Rodo-Vankeulen, Geode, 2008
Hannah Whitaker, Apple Tree
I see both as being incredibly influenced by painting, but while Crewdson or diCorcia may have been influenced by both Hopper and some of the surrealists, this group of younger photographers, especially Ann Woo and Talia Chetrit, seem to be playing with much more abstract ideas of expressionist painters like Rothko and Barnett Newman. As for trends in photography, I think the growing attention to this kind of work in some ways may come from a desire to create work that is as controlled as the staged work that was studied in college photo classes, but without relying on excessive budgets and other people's schedules. I was talking to a photographer a few weeks ago about how so much of this work can be made from a photographer's studio or home, and really takes the idea of "making" photographs to an entirely new level.
Ann Woo, Lisa, Sunset
Talia Chetrit, Spectrum, 2007, Inkjet, 2007
How do you see your future in the industry? It's so interesting to see so many of these young curators multi-tasking as designers and photographers... do you think there's a new trend in the curatorial world to make it more accessible, now that things like blogs and small arts organizations are gaining more of a foothold in the industry?
I'm not quite sure where I see my future in the industry. Much of my curatorial work will operate through Humble (unless of course a major institution invites me to curate a show, but that hasn't happened yet :) ), but my main aim is to continue to curate bodies of work that are not only pretty to look at, but are informed and challenging and push the medium of photography forward. I definitely think there's been a growing trend in online-based photo organizations, and it has democratized photography at an amazing rate.
Hannah Whitaker
As long as the editing and curation is tight, informed and well organized, I think it's a wonderful thing. What I think is so great about the development of new/online curation is that it has allowed new ideas to flourish with more focus on work that is challenging, and less on what is potentially saleable. As for my own work, I have a couple new projects that I have been developing over the past year which will be officially "launched" within the next few months. Some of this work is going to be in a couple shows that will be opening in the fall in NYC and Chicago.
Did you coordinate your image and theme ideas with the other curators, or were you all on your own? What's your favorite photo in the show (will you tell me)?
Gerald Edwards III, Investigation into the Disruption of Power, 2006
We were pretty much all on our own. Since there are such unique visions from the curators involved there has been little overlap and I think the show will feel incredibly varied. I won't comment on my favorites from my own show, but I've seen some previews of Laurel's animated GIFs presentation and think it's fantastic. I also love Gerald Edwards' image (which was used as the postcard for the show) which is featured in the Fjord show and Ofer Wolberger's "Maggie" series, which is included in Amy Stein's show. I haven't seen any of the other work yet so I can't really comment at this point, but I'm excited!
Ofer Wolberger, from the Maggie Series
___
Here are the specs for tomorrow's opening; If you're in New York and you like photos and rainbows, it's pretty much a must:
MEDIA ALERT
What:
Introducing Bond Street Gallery, a new gallery for contemporary photography, located in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. The first exhibition opens next week and is titled Young Curators, New Ideas. A group exhibition organized by Amani Olu and curated by Alana Celii & Grant Willing (Fjord Photo), Michael Bühler-Rose, Jon Feinstein (Humble Arts Foundation), Laurel Ptak (I Heart Photograph), Amy Stein, and Lumi Tan (Why + Wherefore).
The exhibition examines different trends and perspectives in contemporary art photography through the bias of six new and seasoned curators. Each curator (or curatorial group), using roughly ten feet of space, aims to engage viewers in a discussion on where he or she believes art photography is today.
__
Um, WHOA. That's a crazy A-List group of curatorial folk! I decided to have a little chat with one of these curators, specifically, Humble Art Foundation's Jon Feinstein, who is also a photographer. I asked him about lots of things, but found the conversation about the rise of mysticism and magic in contemporary photography especially interesting. The photographers Feinstein chose-- Hannah Whitaker, Talia Chetrit, Noel Rodo-Vankeulen, and Ann Woo, represent a new canon of rising stars in art photography.
This is Jon Feinstein.
Jon! This Bond Street show has quite the young curator star list! How did you become part of the show?
Totally. I'm psyched to be a part of it! I've worked closely with Amani on Humble Arts Foundation shows for the past few years so it was pretty natural for him to invite me to participate.
How did you become a curator in the first place-- I am a big fan of your portraiture; how do you balance doing your own work and the curatorial stuff? Do they feed off of each other?
I got into curating while I was still working as a photo editor for Heeb magazine. While I loved working on editorial and fashion shoots, my background was in art photography, having studied under Stephen Shore (and other amazing professors who I won't name drop at the moment) at Bard, and I wanted to do something more in line with those interests. I started working at a stock photo agency and met Amani, who had begun brainstorming ideas about Humble Arts Foundation.
Jon Feinstein, Bob and Lindsay, 2003
We got to talking about our backgrounds in magazine editing and photography and came up with the idea for Humble's original inception, group-show.com, which at that point was a simple monthly showcase for emerging photographers. It has now grown to include online solo shows, affordable limited edition prints, a grant program and about four physical shows per year. We have a big group show coming up in Chelsea in the fall, as well as our first Humble promoted physical solo show which will be announced soon. It's incredibly daunting to be making my own work simultaneously so I try to keep it as separate from Humble as possible, but am incredibly inspired by all of the work I've been seeing over the past few years.
Jon Feinstein, Ben, 2003
Where do you think the new interest in photographic mysticism came from? From NASA's astronomy picture of the day, to Hannah Whitaker's rainbow bunny, I'm seeing (and loving) this stuff everywhere. Is it particular to our generation-- to our notions of "futurism" and "fantasy"? Does World of Warcraft play a role, mayhaps?
I think this new "photographic mysticism" is incredibly interesting, and has many more layers than just light, color, prisms,etc. I think the larger umbrella of new mystical explorations in photography can in some ways be interpreted as a step beyond postmodern and narrative photography. While earlier generations of photographers were exploring identity politics and notions of truth and representation, often through staged photographs, this new "movement" seems to be focused more on form and photography's physical properties, not only for their aesthetic value, but but for their metaphorical qualities as well.
Noel Rodo-Vankeulen, Geode, 2008
Hannah Whitaker, Apple Tree
I see both as being incredibly influenced by painting, but while Crewdson or diCorcia may have been influenced by both Hopper and some of the surrealists, this group of younger photographers, especially Ann Woo and Talia Chetrit, seem to be playing with much more abstract ideas of expressionist painters like Rothko and Barnett Newman. As for trends in photography, I think the growing attention to this kind of work in some ways may come from a desire to create work that is as controlled as the staged work that was studied in college photo classes, but without relying on excessive budgets and other people's schedules. I was talking to a photographer a few weeks ago about how so much of this work can be made from a photographer's studio or home, and really takes the idea of "making" photographs to an entirely new level.
Ann Woo, Lisa, Sunset
Talia Chetrit, Spectrum, 2007, Inkjet, 2007
How do you see your future in the industry? It's so interesting to see so many of these young curators multi-tasking as designers and photographers... do you think there's a new trend in the curatorial world to make it more accessible, now that things like blogs and small arts organizations are gaining more of a foothold in the industry?
I'm not quite sure where I see my future in the industry. Much of my curatorial work will operate through Humble (unless of course a major institution invites me to curate a show, but that hasn't happened yet :) ), but my main aim is to continue to curate bodies of work that are not only pretty to look at, but are informed and challenging and push the medium of photography forward. I definitely think there's been a growing trend in online-based photo organizations, and it has democratized photography at an amazing rate.
Hannah Whitaker
As long as the editing and curation is tight, informed and well organized, I think it's a wonderful thing. What I think is so great about the development of new/online curation is that it has allowed new ideas to flourish with more focus on work that is challenging, and less on what is potentially saleable. As for my own work, I have a couple new projects that I have been developing over the past year which will be officially "launched" within the next few months. Some of this work is going to be in a couple shows that will be opening in the fall in NYC and Chicago.
Did you coordinate your image and theme ideas with the other curators, or were you all on your own? What's your favorite photo in the show (will you tell me)?
Gerald Edwards III, Investigation into the Disruption of Power, 2006
We were pretty much all on our own. Since there are such unique visions from the curators involved there has been little overlap and I think the show will feel incredibly varied. I won't comment on my favorites from my own show, but I've seen some previews of Laurel's animated GIFs presentation and think it's fantastic. I also love Gerald Edwards' image (which was used as the postcard for the show) which is featured in the Fjord show and Ofer Wolberger's "Maggie" series, which is included in Amy Stein's show. I haven't seen any of the other work yet so I can't really comment at this point, but I'm excited!
Ofer Wolberger, from the Maggie Series
___
Here are the specs for tomorrow's opening; If you're in New York and you like photos and rainbows, it's pretty much a must:
Young Curators, New Ideas
Opening Reception: Wednesday, August 13, 2008
RSVP: rsvp@bondstreetgallery.com
Press Review: 4 -- 6 pm | Public Reception: 6 -- 9 pm
On View: Wednesday, August 13 -- Saturday, September 6, 2008
Exhibition Artists:
Charles Benton, Alison Brady, Brian Bess, Victor Boullet, Mikaylah Bowman, Olga Cafiero, Talia Chetrit, Tyler Coburn, Petra Cortright, C. Coy, Gerald Edwards III, Daniel Everett, Thobias Fäldt & Per Englund, Martin Fengel, Jason Fulford, Nicolas Grider, Pierre Hourquet, Konst & Teknik, Eke Kriek, Emily Larned, Bryan Lear, Miranda Lehman, Seth Lower, Matt MacFarland, Katja Mater, Kelci McIntosh, Mark McKnight, Erin Jane Nelson, Ilia Ovechkin, Robert Overweg, Alex Prager, M. River, Noel Rodo-Vankeulen, Asha Schechter, Trevor Shimizu, Alix Smith, Jo-ey Tang, Jesper Ulvelius, Anne De Vries, Hannah Whitaker, Karly Wildenhaus, Ofer Wolberger, Ann Woo and Damon Zucconi
Bond Street Gallery
297 Bond Street, Brooklyn NY
F/G To Carroll St. / R to Union St.
Opening Reception: Wednesday, August 13, 2008
RSVP: rsvp@bondstreetgallery.com
Press Review: 4 -- 6 pm | Public Reception: 6 -- 9 pm
On View: Wednesday, August 13 -- Saturday, September 6, 2008
Exhibition Artists:
Charles Benton, Alison Brady, Brian Bess, Victor Boullet, Mikaylah Bowman, Olga Cafiero, Talia Chetrit, Tyler Coburn, Petra Cortright, C. Coy, Gerald Edwards III, Daniel Everett, Thobias Fäldt & Per Englund, Martin Fengel, Jason Fulford, Nicolas Grider, Pierre Hourquet, Konst & Teknik, Eke Kriek, Emily Larned, Bryan Lear, Miranda Lehman, Seth Lower, Matt MacFarland, Katja Mater, Kelci McIntosh, Mark McKnight, Erin Jane Nelson, Ilia Ovechkin, Robert Overweg, Alex Prager, M. River, Noel Rodo-Vankeulen, Asha Schechter, Trevor Shimizu, Alix Smith, Jo-ey Tang, Jesper Ulvelius, Anne De Vries, Hannah Whitaker, Karly Wildenhaus, Ofer Wolberger, Ann Woo and Damon Zucconi
Bond Street Gallery
297 Bond Street, Brooklyn NY
F/G To Carroll St. / R to Union St.
I know that title is backwards, but I loved that movie so.
Anyhoo...
Martin Schoeller's Ryan Hall portrait got me thinking of perspective and size and illusion. And then I was flipping through the front of The New Yorker, and huzzah! Some Julia Fullerton-Batten work from her series Teenage Stories popped right out at me. This work isn't new, but it's got staying power and is showing in a group show now at Jenkins Johnson.
I thought it was fair game for a post-- it must be new to some of you! I found a nice little interview with Fullerton-Batten over at Influx; excerpts are below.
Also, in case you're wondering; they didn't enlarge the girls-- they shrank the buildings.
Floating in Harbour, 2005
What were you trying to convey with "Teenage Stories"?
The idea was to create pictures that reflect my own meandering childhood memories of my sisters and me growing up in Pennsylvania and then in rural Germany. When I think back to how the three of us spent our time drifting through life I realize that the older we get the harder it is to spend time this way, every day seems to have an agenda, a set of objectives that must be achieved.
What were you trying to convey with "Teenage Stories"?
The idea was to create pictures that reflect my own meandering childhood memories of my sisters and me growing up in Pennsylvania and then in rural Germany. When I think back to how the three of us spent our time drifting through life I realize that the older we get the harder it is to spend time this way, every day seems to have an agenda, a set of objectives that must be achieved.
Underwear, 2005
The starting point for most of these pictures were observations I made of myself, or my sisters, during these wonderful years. I wanted to capture something of this "child-like ability" to get lost in dreams and fantasies in these pictures.
P&O, 2005
As soon as I saw the first of the miniature village I knew it was the perfect backdrop for this series. The strangeness of these environments perfectly echoes the strangeness I feel when I raid my own memories looking for events that I can turn into pictures.
The starting point for most of these pictures were observations I made of myself, or my sisters, during these wonderful years. I wanted to capture something of this "child-like ability" to get lost in dreams and fantasies in these pictures.
P&O, 2005
As soon as I saw the first of the miniature village I knew it was the perfect backdrop for this series. The strangeness of these environments perfectly echoes the strangeness I feel when I raid my own memories looking for events that I can turn into pictures.
Shopping Trolley, 2005
However it often leaves me wondering whether I'm glamorizing my own childhood and if so then why? Recently I went back to our family home in Pennsylvania, the first visit since we left in 1980. It didn't seem possible that my beautiful childhood memories had been born in this bland suburban wasteland.
However it often leaves me wondering whether I'm glamorizing my own childhood and if so then why? Recently I went back to our family home in Pennsylvania, the first visit since we left in 1980. It didn't seem possible that my beautiful childhood memories had been born in this bland suburban wasteland.
Pond, 2005
The girls I photograph in these miniature villages interact with them much like children interact with their real surroundings, living inside their own dreams and fantasies rather than living in a specific house on a specific street. In their minds they can be giants moving through our world whilst always remaining separate to it, cocooned in their own dream like existence.
The girls I photograph in these miniature villages interact with them much like children interact with their real surroundings, living inside their own dreams and fantasies rather than living in a specific house on a specific street. In their minds they can be giants moving through our world whilst always remaining separate to it, cocooned in their own dream like existence.
OK- time for another interview, and this time we'll ask more than one question. Today we're speaking with Joshua Lutz, whose new monograph Meadowlands is blowing my mind. I've actually been following this work for several years; I would check back on Lutz's site from time to time to see what new images had been added, so I'm very excited to see it completed in book form.
I myself am completely fascinated by the Meadowlands-- I had the "what is this place?!" moment when I first took New Jersey Transit about ten years ago, and I think Lutz's exploration nails it in the most lyrical, wonderful way.
Anyhoo, on to the questions:
How did you get started with the Meadowlands project-- are you from New Jersey, or did you just come upon the area and feel fascinated?
I'm not from New Jersey at all. I grew up back and forth between the suburbs of New York during the week and the city on the weekends. For me the space outside of the city was always the suburbs I lived in. When I first saw the Meadowlands I was completely blown away at this vast open space with the Manhattan skyline in the distance. It was this space that existed between spaces, somewhere between urban and suburban all the while made up of swamps, towns and intersecting highways. None of it made any sense to me, still doesn't.
I love the mix of portraits and landscapes in the project-- how did you search these people out?
I didn't take any portraits for the first 7 years of exploring. I met a lot of people, but never took their picture. I have a bit of tunnel vision when I work so it's hard for me to switch back and forth between different systems of working. When I finally made the switch it was pretty easy to put together the list of people that I wanted to return to.
What's the story of this picture... did you just, um, happen upon a corpse?
I did not just happen to pass upon a corpse-- with that said, I am going to be a little vague. As fond as I am of documentary photography I think that we have come to a point in the history of photography where we need to think about photographs more in the way we do paintings and less in the traditional sense of a document. For that reason I generally don't caption or title my work and I try not to say too much about the process of making my work. I like the ideas of possibilities and the more I talk about them the less experiences people can have with looking at them.
How did the book deal happen-- and how are you able to balance your fine art and commercial projects? What pays your rent?
I met with Craig Cohen at PowerHouse and three quarters of the way through looking at the work he said, I love it-- let's do it. It was the first meeting I had and I canceled my other meetings that I scheduled for later that month. That was a year ago.
Balancing the fine art and commercial work is something that I am getting better at. I was at a place for so long where I wasn't working enough or selling enough prints to hire someone yet working too much to not hire someone. A lot has changed this past year. I have a few people that are able to tolerate me on a daily basis and help me manage the balance between fine art and commercial work.
See more work from the project on Lutz's site.
See some of his commercial work at Redux.
See the work in person in September at ClampArt.
And if you're in Beacon, NY this Saturday: work from Meadowlands will be shown as part of Fovea's outdoor summer projection series.
And oh yeah- buy the book!
zip zip!
See some of his commercial work at Redux.
See the work in person in September at ClampArt.
And if you're in Beacon, NY this Saturday: work from Meadowlands will be shown as part of Fovea's outdoor summer projection series.
And oh yeah- buy the book!
zip zip!
Photographer: Sam Adams
Image: PSC000377079
Photographer Bio: I am currently a 21 year old student living in Albuquerque, NM. I never knew when I started shooting back in high school that I would want to make a career out of it, but here I am a few years later working to do just that. I am a graduate from Brooks Institute of Photography and currently a student at The University of New Mexico.
The lowdown: "As for the photo for the kid falling-- I shot that during a local BMX contest we hold in a ditch here in Albuquerque, NM every year. It's called the Double Ditch Jam. At the end of the day someone decided to have a long jump contest and this kid decided to try it. So he took one jump before this and didn't go very far, so the next jump he just sprinted at the ramp and it just launched him wrong. Probably the most surprising thing about this is that he walked away with only a few scrapes and bruises. I can speak for most everyone there in that we pretty much all thought he was going to be seriously injured when we saw him let go of his bike that high."
--
Rather balletic falling pose, dontcha think?
Q: How do you get thirteen images in Rolling Stone Magazine as well as an additional online feature and please a photo editor so much that he crows to photo bloggers about you?
A. You make awesome pictures, you work for lots of magazines and newspapers, and you win some awards; essentially, you make yourself very visible. That's what Travis Dove did.
Rolling Stone senior photo editor Sacha Lecca found Dove's work and gave him an assignment for a venue he'd already shot:
"I saw his work (recognized by WorldPress) on the underground skate park, Skatopia, in Rutland, Ohio and was blown away.
We loved the place, and Travis' work, so we sent him back to Skatopia to cover this year's BowlBash, which is an annual summer event complete with hardcore bands, drinking, blowing shit up, and skating. The story is great, and the photos are amazing."
Here's Travis Dove, and here's his bio:
"Travis Dove received his BA from Wake Forest University in 2004. A year later he began freelancing for newspapers in North Carolina's Research Triangle.
Travis is currently working towards a Master's degree in photography at Ohio University's School of Visual Communication and was named the 2007 College Photographer of the Year by the Missouri School of Journalism. Pictures of the Year International, World Press Photo, The National Press Photographers Association and the White House News Photographers Association have also recognized his work. He will be shooting for The Boston Globe in the summer of '08 before moving on to an internship with National Geographic Magazine in the fall."
You don't become successful by being lazy, my friends. Here are some tears from the Skatopia piece:
The road to Skatopia is barely two lanes and often unmarked. It winds past a field of sheep, a white clapboard church (Page Free Will Baptist), a yellow highway-crossing sign showing an Amish buggy instead of a deer. A handmade warning at the top of a steep dirt drive -- "Skatopia Enter at Own Risk!!!" -- lets pilgrims know they have arrived. They come at all hours, most any time of year, from as far away as Argentina, Japan, Finland. The gates are always open.
Brewce Martin began building Skatopia in 1996. Skatopia sits on 88 acres of hilly, forested land in Rutland, Ohio, an Appalachian town with a population of approximately 420, about 20 minutes from the West Virginia state line. Martin has been a skateboarding fanatic since he was a kid. That was in the Seventies; he is 42 now. Martin and his girlfriend, Amber Cavender, revel in the chaos of this year's Bowl Bash, the annual summertime festival that's Skatopia's answer to Woodstock.
---
It seems like a dream assignment to be sent to shoot something that you've already found compelling-- when you accompany it with an incredible story (by Mark Binelli) in a National Magazine, it's even better.
Check out my favorite images and text after the jump, and see the whole story online here...
Continue reading Rolling Stone, Travis Dove, and Skatopia.
Whoa. My morning news perusal has brought me several stories discussing Obama's hair color, and the very important debate about whether he has a little Revlon secret.
New York Magazine posted two images of Obama from Getty; the one on the left is from July 27th, and the one on the right is from yesterday.
Their synopsis:
"Barack Obama has begun talking about how he's 'going gray' lately, and it's true -- the man's hair is going silver faster than you can say 'Anderson Cooper with a tan.' So fast, in fact, that we have to wonder at the legitimacy of it. Just last month, Obama's longtime barber said he'd never dyed Obama's hair darker -- implying that the candidate's youthful color is stress-resistant.
But within the last week, the candidate has mysteriously gone nearly fully gray. Look at the above pictures.
We hate to call the effects of age into question, but doesn't it look like he's dying his hair to look more distinguished?"
Ok, we love you New York Magazine, but we have to say, we find your photography analysis rather layman. Let's check in with an expert-- say.... PhotoShelter's Photo Editor, Amber Sexton. Amber looks at like, 5,000 news images a day. She knows what's what.
Amber! Analyze!
(amber also knows from hair color)
"Looking at these two images, I think people are just making the mistake of treating photographic representations as reality. It's understandable really, we all are in the business of making people feel that photos are real. But photographers take pictures at different exposures, situations have different color balance, and contrast, and pictures can have varying levels of saturation.
On the left we have a photo that was processed or captured at a darker exposure, and higher level of color saturation. Therefore his hair looks quite black, but his skin tone is richer and deeper also. His hair is also dark because he doesn't really have a hair light, he's lit from the front. Gray hair is still clearly visible though. It seems like a slightly warmer color temperature setting was used (maybe 5200k ?)
On the right it's a lighter exposure, the color balance is a hair cooler, so both his skin and hair are lighter. The contrast is similar, which is what fools your eye into thinking that the images are comparable lighting situations-- but they really aren't. He's lit more from the top, and further, he's tilting his head so the side of his head where you see a lot of hair is now better lit. All the color that your eye processes as gray hair is mostly not gray hair, but highlights from the lighting on his hair.
Does he dye his hair? I don't know, but I certainly don't think he's dying it gray. That would actually be difficult to do starting from black (as a person who has double process hair myself I know from whence I speak). At any rate I don't think a comparison of these images reveals that he's dying it gray."
Thanks for the expertise, Amber. This hair-color conundrum is an age-old question:
What do you think, fair-haired reader?
A new blog was born today, and it's destined for great things. Photographer Vincent Laforet is off to Beijing for two weeks to cover the Olympics for Newsweek, and is taking the opportunity to show us some behind-the-scenes imagery and explain how he makes his work.
Oooh, color me ready to bookmark!
Laforet was in Shanghai and Beijing in 2001; that's where these images are from. His blog is promising not just because he's making great work in interesting places, but because he's very generous with sharing interesting cultural details, too (including drinking stories):
A sip:
"I went to Shanghai and Beijing in early 2001 with one of my best friends Harry How (who will also be covering the games for Getty Images.) A lot has changed since then-- 9/11 happened a few months after our return and clearly the world has changed quite a bit since then. But mostly I'm looking to see how China has evolved since my first visit.
I have a lot of great memories from that trip. Harry and I first went to Shanghai and Harry hooked us up with an incredible deal at the Ritz Carlton-- $80/night with complimentary access to the Executive Level. This meant that we could go to the Executive Level every afternoon and get unlimited refreshments-- at no additional charge. Four to Five Gin and Tonics-- each-- is a great way to kick off an evening. We had a blast-- most of our time was spent doing street photography 10-14 hours a day. We both shot film (I shot everything with a Hasselblad X-Pan panoramic 35mm rangefinder camera, a 45mm lens, and 60 rolls of Ilford XP2 B&W film.) Shooting black and white film with only one camera, on lens, and a small Billingham bag... man those were the days... times sure have changed in the past 7 years.
I can't wait to see how things have evolved-- and I hope to get a least a brief chance to walk the streets again-- before I get sucked into the Olympic bubble. Some of the initial posts will detail the gear I'm bringing, why I'm leaving some stuff behind, and how I packed it."
Check out Vincent's blog and follow his progress in Beijing.
UPDATE:
Rob Haggart over at APE has a great interview with Newsweek's DOP, Simon Barnett. Barnett, of course, hired Laforet as one of his Olympic guns-- as well as Mike Powell and Donald Miralle. Here's an excerpt from the interview, explaining this choice.
(and here's Barnett- thanks for the picture, Rob!)
How did you come up with the dream team of Laforet, Miralle and Powell?
All are ex-Allsport staffers (now gone, an early Getty acquisition), as I was I too. I was Allsport USA's managing editor in the 90's and worked closely with Mike Powell, so we go way back. Vince and Donald joined Allsport after I left to be a part of the team that started ESPN the Magazine. Even though I don't get to do that much sports nowadays with Newsweek, I've always kept an interested eye on the sports photography scene, and I know that I have assigned the three best, most original sports photographers available.
Allsport really was an amazing place for photography--at it's peak it was to sport what Magnum is to photojournalism. There was an incredible hunger at the agency, and often a quite intimidating rivalry amongst the shooters. I remember clearly the harsh ribbing that some of the youngsters would get if they couldn't follow focus 6 frames of an athlete running at them on a 600mm. They'd all be challenging themselves to shoot difficult pictures, on massive tele-photos, using 50 ASA Velvia in the shade, skillfully timing the peak action at the only possible moment when it froze sufficiently to yield a sharp image at a 1/60th of a second. That era produced the likes of Simon Bruty and Bob Martin, both now at SI, and guys like David Cannon and Clive Brunskill who are still with Getty today. Allsport photographers were always shooting portfolio-type images, trying first to make art, and, in a classic sports sense, driven to
beat the hell out of the competition.
For this Olympics, I thought I'd to try and approach it that way again, this time for Newsweek. I have given Mike, Vincent and Donald a dream brief at the biggest event in the world--go make great photographs first, worry less about recording every medal.
See the full Q&A here.
UPDATE:
Rob Haggart over at APE has a great interview with Newsweek's DOP, Simon Barnett. Barnett, of course, hired Laforet as one of his Olympic guns-- as well as Mike Powell and Donald Miralle. Here's an excerpt from the interview, explaining this choice.
(and here's Barnett- thanks for the picture, Rob!)
How did you come up with the dream team of Laforet, Miralle and Powell?
All are ex-Allsport staffers (now gone, an early Getty acquisition), as I was I too. I was Allsport USA's managing editor in the 90's and worked closely with Mike Powell, so we go way back. Vince and Donald joined Allsport after I left to be a part of the team that started ESPN the Magazine. Even though I don't get to do that much sports nowadays with Newsweek, I've always kept an interested eye on the sports photography scene, and I know that I have assigned the three best, most original sports photographers available.
Allsport really was an amazing place for photography--at it's peak it was to sport what Magnum is to photojournalism. There was an incredible hunger at the agency, and often a quite intimidating rivalry amongst the shooters. I remember clearly the harsh ribbing that some of the youngsters would get if they couldn't follow focus 6 frames of an athlete running at them on a 600mm. They'd all be challenging themselves to shoot difficult pictures, on massive tele-photos, using 50 ASA Velvia in the shade, skillfully timing the peak action at the only possible moment when it froze sufficiently to yield a sharp image at a 1/60th of a second. That era produced the likes of Simon Bruty and Bob Martin, both now at SI, and guys like David Cannon and Clive Brunskill who are still with Getty today. Allsport photographers were always shooting portfolio-type images, trying first to make art, and, in a classic sports sense, driven to
beat the hell out of the competition.
For this Olympics, I thought I'd to try and approach it that way again, this time for Newsweek. I have given Mike, Vincent and Donald a dream brief at the biggest event in the world--go make great photographs first, worry less about recording every medal.
See the full Q&A here.
Two interviews in one day! Fun!
We just spoke to a photographer who's working on self-promotion; now we'll speak to a photo editor who can help you with your edit.
Stella Kramer is a Pulitzer Prize winning photo editor who has worked for many top industry publications, and one of a few who has gone on to consult and lecture as well. She began her career at Vanity Fair, was a photo editor at Newsweek, and served as Director of Photography at Brill's Content. She has also worked as a freelance photo editor for major publications including The New York Times, People, Entertainment Weekly, Sports Illustrated, and Money. She clearly knows the industry inside and out, and allowed me to ask her a few questions about her experiences.
zip zip:
How did you get started as a photo editor? Was there a particular niche that was most interesting to you, or did you fall into it?
I got started as a photo editor in a sort of roundabout way. I was asked by the temp agency I went to work for whether I wanted to work for companies on Wall St. or for midtown magazines. I chose the latter, having majored in journalism/political science in college. My first gig was in the photo department of Vanity Fair, where I simply kept track of film that came in and sent it back.
From there I went to a promotional department at Time Inc., gathering images for use in TV commercials. After I cut a direct deal with them to get out from under the temp agency, I worked there for about a year. My next gig was PEOPLE magazine, then Sports Illustrated. That's how I started. I really hadn't known that there was such a thing as a photo department, since I didn't come to it from school or from a photo agency. I was lucky, and it proved to be a great fit for me.
I was always most interested in photojournalism, but each job I've had (entertainment, sports, business, etc.) has had its moments. I went wherever I found work. It wasn't until I got to Newsweek that I got a real chance to work with news. We did an incredible cover story called "Murder: A Week In the Death of America" that won several awards.
photo by Eugene Richards
That was really thrilling for me.
What's the most rewarding project you've worked on?
Without a doubt, the most rewarding thing I've ever done was the work I did at The New York Times related to 9/11, both the "Portraits of Grief" project I worked on for several months, and the initial editing work I did on the day of the attacks.
photo by Ruth Fremson/ The New York Times
It was the first time I felt like a real journalist, and working for such an important and professional publication like The Times was extraordinary. There was so much film that came into the newspaper that day (after all, the attacks were the most photographed event in history) from staff, freelancers, and just people off the street; I cannot remember how much I saw. I can't even really separate events of the first week-- all I remember was long hours, not leaving the building, looking at film, and stumbling home to cry and watch cable news late into the night.
When I was asked to work on getting the photos for the "Portraits of Grief", I didn't realize I was going to be part of something that would become almost a sacred rite for some people. It was so difficult getting the photographs from family and friends that were of happy times (weddings, births, graduations, etc.), and cropping them down to obituary photos.
from "Portraits of Grief"
It became vital to me that I had a photograph to go with every bio, as I wanted people to look into the eyes of those killed, so that the event wouldn't become an incomprehensible statistic. How could you not feel the impact of the event when you saw people who might even have been your own family? The work took its toll on me emotionally, and I will never forget it.
I also discovered an amazing photographer, Michael Lisnet, who had been shooting the scene at Ground Zero for days and I was able to get The New York Times Week In Review to publish an essay of his work. I am very proud of that.
photos by Michael Lisnet
What is an ideal assignment for you-- how much involvement do you like to have in the development of a story; do you consistently work with the same stable of photographers?
My ideal assignment is one that I help bring into being, from discussing the idea to choosing the photographer, to being at the shoot and collaborating with them, to editing and presenting the photographs to the editors. Having some autonomy to do my job without interference. One great example is a shoot I did with Nathaniel Welch, who photographed Chris Brown for me when I was at PEOPLE. It was a great time all around.
photo by Nathaniel Welch
Sometimes I've gotten to be there from the initial editorial meeting, sometimes I've jumped in when the story has been turned over to me to visualize. But being able to come up with creative ideas and choose the right photographer is the best part of Photo Editing. That, and the excitement of seeing the images for the first time. Depending on where I was I might use a lot of the same photographers. But the best part of having had a varied career is that I've worked with a wide range of wonderful photographers: from still life shooters to conflict photographers and everyone in between. I couldn't have asked for more.
What does your career consist of now-- are you able to cobble together both consulting/teaching with editing work?
Nowadays I spend more time working with photographers than editing for a publication. And with the way things have gone in publishing I have the better end of the deal. I am involved with creative work, and creative people. I am not just the data entry person, inputting images to show to editors who won't listen to my opinion. Photo editing has changed so much that there is less autonomy than ever, and that's too bad for everyone.
Working in magazines for so many years allows me to explain from the inside out how magazines approach photography. I know how important a strong, tight edit is. And with fewer pages in magazines, there is more need than ever to be able to present a strong project, whether it's for print or for the web. Too often I find photographers unable to focus their essays, choosing the wrong photographs or adding text where it isn't needed in order to explain what their stories are about. I'm hoping to show people how you can tell a story without words, in a complete way that gives the viewer everything they need to know.
I love looking at photography and showing people a different way of looking at their own work. I think there is even more need now for photographers of all levels to open themselves up to other eyes. And anyway, it's so much fun!
--
I received an introductory email from Dan Saelinger the other day (that's him, above). Turns out he shot the cover of July's Self-Promotion themed PDN, and was using some newly-inspired guerilla tactics to get himself out there; he sent me some promos and said some humorous things. And you know what-- it worked! Saelinger turns out to be an incredibly affable guy, and was kind enough to share some knowledge about his journey through the wilds of this industry we call photo.
Without further ado.... Q&A! GO!
How did you land the PDN cover, and how did the shoot come together? How did the experience change your approach to self-promotion?
Jeanine Fijol called me for that assignment out of the blue one day. I had never published in PDN before; she found me through one of my promos-- since the shoot was about self-promotion, I guess you could say things came full circle! Jeanine came to me with a pretty specific idea and we were fortunate to have Keren Sachs at Martha Stewart lend us her promos. I was excited to see one of mine among them. It's nice to know your promos don't always end up in the wastebasket! Anyhow, it was really inspiring seeing all these great promos, and it really hit home how special your work needs to be to compete in this industry.
What are you hoping to accomplish with the new promos you made-- what's your target audience?
I have a several-pronged approach to my own promotion. The promos I sent to you are my email promos. Actually clients can even make an instant version of them on my site. When you browse images, there is an option to save an image, and it automatically downloads in a nice little promo-card format. I also send out traditional mailers, normally two to three times a year. In the spring I sent out a mini 5x5 book with 25 images in it. In the next month or so I'll be sending out an accordion-style promo with about 10 images. I prefer sending out a sampling of work as opposed to a single image or spread. Since I shoot a variety of subjects, it allows me to bring it all together in a nice package. I try to keep the mailing reasonably tight, targeting ad agencies and magazines.
My favorite one you sent me is the bunny money/ antler hair... what's the story of those images-- are they personal work?
The images you mentioned were both shot for clients. The bunnies were shot for Maxim for a story on how to multiply your money. The antlers shaved into the man's head were for Field & Stream for a story on boot camp for hunting. Both were tons of fun to shoot and I think good examples of what can happen when you get the opportunity to really play with the concept of a story.
It looks like, although you do have some advertising clients, that most of your professional work is in the editorial field.
I've been shooting professionally about 3 years, so as I think is the case for most photographers, I'm still cutting my teeth on the editorial, finding my vision and honing my skills. I see myself ideally shooting a combo of the two. Obviously with editorial there is a bit of freedom in the assignments that can make a job more enticing, making up sometimes for the lower rates. Though I've gotten to the point where if the price isn't right or the job just doesn't seem rewarding enough, I'll pass.
Popular Mechanics/ Inc, 2006/2007
I just remember being younger looking at all these amazing photographs in magazines and thinking, I want my name in here. I guess it's a little bit the idea of getting recognition, and the thrill of knowing you have an image that hundreds of thousands people are going to engage with.
Nike, 2007
You seem to have good relationships with many magazines, whom you shoot for repeatedly (I'm seeing Maxim, Men's Journal, Prevention and some others appear again and again in your portfolio)... how do you keep these relationships fresh?
Repeat clients have really been key in my success and sustaining and growing my business, and I feel very fortunate to have such a great clientele. I like to think that I am pleasant to work with on set and give my clients something they are extremely happy with. Keeping it fresh is definitely important, and I do try to approach each new assignment independently from past assignments. I've gotten annual feature packages multiple years in a row and I'll look what we did before and look to push it in another direction, explore something maybe we didn't the year before. I also try to make sure my lighting and style are constantly evolving in new directions.
Maxim, 2006
Money Magazine, 2008
Are there specific photo editors you love working with?
Of course I love all the photo editors I work with!
(ed note : touché)
I get so many great assignments from so many amazing photo editors. I definitely want to give a shout out to Amy Berkley at Field & Stream. She gave me my first major editorial assignment and we still work together pretty much every month. Amy strives to keep the art fresh, giving me latitude to be creative, and it's allowed us to collaborate on some pretty great images. I've found the longer you work together and the more comfortable the relationship, the more creative the collaboration becomes.
Field & Stream, 2007
It's pretty hard for me to distinguish your personal work from your commercial work, which a good sign that a photographer has found his or her niche in the industry. What do you like to shoot best? Still lives, landscapes? It seems like you do a bit more portraiture in your personal work, but it's pretty close, otherwise. Do you agree?
personal work, 2008
Yeah they do intertwine quite a bit. I think like most photographers, I like to shoot everything. Commercially speaking, still life has definitely been my bread and butter.
personal work, 2008
I started the portraiture as way to get comfortable with people in front of my lens again; actually, when I was in school, I shot only people and fashion, but when you get out you get pigeon-holed very quickly. I wanted to go back to something I was very excited about when I started out.
The landscape work started off as a way for me to get out of the studio and work solo on my "art." Now I'm showing it in my book; in fact one of my landscapes recently got picked up for a big ad campaign.
Savannah, Georgia, 2004
Have you had a rep for most of your career-- does that keep you from promoting yourself?
I was very fortunate and very lucky to get a fantastic rep at the beginning of my career. Clare O'Dea (my agent) has been a huge proponent for consistently promoting my work. We have pretty regular conversations and maintain an ongoing advertising plan. I think there is a general belief among photographers that if you have a rep you can sit back and wait for the work to roll in. Where in reality, it's really a matter of combining your efforts so that both rep and photographer are promoting the work.
I LOVE this fish image: tell me how you made it!
I was shooting something totally different that day - can't even remember what - but it involved water in plastic cups, I think. Anyhow, it just struck me it would be cool to put a goldfish in there. So I ran to a pet store and made it happen. It's just a simple plexi background, no digital tricks, just straightforward, somewhat-still life.
Did your Dad's love of hunting affect your work? I'm seeing a lot of animals, nature, and fishing references in your pictures...
Field & Stream, 2008
Haha, I guess I do have a lot of that in my work. Truthfully I think it's from shooting so much for Field & Stream, which is appropriate since my dad has been subscribing to it since I can remember.
Field & Stream/ This Old House, 2006
I don't know if James Horan intuited that I spent much of my childhood watching and re-watching a VHS tape called Ballad of the Irish Horse, but he was right on the money when he thought I might like the book project he's been working on, about the culture of the horse throughout Ireland.
Horan is self-publishing this book through Blurb; take a look at many more images on flickr. I hope this story gets picked up by some magazines in the States-- lord knows horses (and unicorns) are hot right now. In any case, info from Horan, and some images:
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I'm Irish and from a small town called Limerick. I studied fine art print making in college and then decided I wanted to become a photographer. I worked for six years with a news agency called Press 22; after this I went to Sydney, Australia for four years and worked as a staff photographer for the Cumberland newspaper group. Now I'm working in Dublin, Ireland, shooting Press and PR.
When I came home to Ireland last June I found myself looking at it with fresh eyes. With so much change going on in the country and the "Celtic Tiger" economy in full effect, I decided to document one aspect of my culture that has remained largely unchanged but will most likely fade into the history books.
From the tweed-suited old gentlemen and gypsies at the traditional horse fairs of Spancil Hill and Ballinasloe, to the Adidas-clad youth from deprived and working class suburbs of Limerick and Dublin, I have met fearless, competent riders-- all of whom are down to earth, kind-hearted people who love their horses. Most of the people I have photographed have no formal equestrian training and keep their animals in homemade stables or on green areas in housing estates.
The project centers on the monthly
Smithfield horse market; it's one of
Dublin's oldest traditions, dating back
to the 17th century. Dealers come from
around Ireland to buy and sell horses,
but the market is also popular with
local teenagers keen to show off their
ponies and their bare-back riding skills
on the cobbled stone square. 
In recent years the Smithfield area has been redeveloped for modern high-density inner city living with apartments, cafes, hotels and a cinema-- all of which contrast greatly to the horse market. The introduction of The Control of Horses Act has effectively outlawed these kids, and the closure of the market is a real possibility.
The Smithfield Horse Market.
The Smithfield Horse Market.
Vicar Street Stables, Dublin, Ireland.
Vicar Street Stables.
A sunny day in Finglas, Dublin, Ireland.
The Smithfield Horse Market.Vicar Street Stables, Dublin, Ireland.
Vicar Street Stables.
A sunny day in Finglas, Dublin, Ireland.
Every October, Ballinasloe, County Galway, Ireland is host to the
ancient October Fair, one of the oldest horse fairs in Europe; bathed
in history, it dates back to the 1700s. Today the ever popular fair is
still held, along with a festival that attracts up to 100,000 visitors
from all over the world.
The Ballinasloe Fair.
The Ballinasloe Fair.
Johnny Mac from Moyross, Limerick, is pictured at the Spancil Hill horse fair, County Clare.
Buyers and sellers of horses and ponies gather each year on the 23rd of
June for the famous Spancil Hill horse. At one time, Spancil Hill was
said to be Ireland's largest fair with buyers from Britain, Russia,
Prussia, and France competing to purchase the best stock for their
Imperial armies.
Tommy Gallagher from Mayo is pictured at the Spancil Hill horse fair, County Clare.
See more!
Tommy Gallagher from Mayo is pictured at the Spancil Hill horse fair, County Clare.
See more!
This is Ryan Pfluger. He's awesome. He's a photographer. I was delighted to hire him to write a blog at Nerve.com; he makes beautiful, intimate work that invites the viewer into his world.
Ryan made a really nice transition into editorial work after graduating from SVA's MFA program last year; I squeal with delight every time I see his name in a magazine, and I squealed super loudly yesterday, when I saw he'd taken David Carr's picture for The New York Times Magazine's excellent cover story this week.
I think it's really beautiful.
David Carr, for The New York Times Magazine.
After I finished squealing, I emailed Ryan and barraged him with questions. He placated me with some answers and some outtakes, and now I share them with you. Huzzah!
How did you get this assignment for the Times? What is your history with them-- I know Kathy Ryan was your mentor when you were at SVA-- how has that relationship translated?
Well, after shooting for the Times last August, I'm kind of just in their archive of photographers to use. Besides Kathy, I've met with most of the photo department at the magazine, so they are familiar with my work. Kathy Ryan was my mentor while doing my Masters at SVA last year, and she has continued the relationship. While being one of the most influential photo editors in NYC, she is also the most grounded and down to earth. She is wonderfully supportive of my work, and always interested in seeing what I'm up to.
Kahlief for The New York Times Magazine, 2007
This seems like a great story for you to shoot, given your personal work about your own father. Was that a consideration, do you know, when you were given the assignment?
I believe it was a consideration. One thing about the Times Magazine, is that they really fit the right photographers with the right assignments. They really take in consideration everything the photographer has done, and really makes sure their work and history will match.
Ryan and his dad.
What specifications were you given for this portrait, and how many setups did you try? Can you share any outtakes?
Pretty much do what I do. I'm a very laid back photographer.... I'm not one to give a lot of direction, with the exception of where I want people situated.. after that I leave it very open. I like to think my work is pretty soulful and intimate, and I always try and establish that with my subject regardless if they are a close friend, or its an assignment editorially. I attached a few of the outtakes.. I usually just move around with my subject and chat about their life. That's a whole lot more interesting to me than contrived poses or something.
outtake 1
outtake 2
Lame gear question- how did you shoot it? camera/ lights?
I use a Mamiya RZ and strobes. I don't use a lot of lighting, usually just one or two. I like working with natural light.
What were you shooting today for OUT Magazine? How is the editorial work coming, can you pay the bills? Doing any commercial work? Any new personal projects/other exciting things in the works?
I was shooting Aaron Yoo (from Disturbia and 21) and Jonathan B. Wright (Spring Awakening). They are in a movie together with Michael Cera called Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. We just chilled out in Brooklyn by the water and fooled around. I'm a big fan of Aaron's work so it was fun to hang out with him. The editorial work is building better and better. It does pay the bills, really well sometimes and sometimes it's really bad (it takes awhile to get checks nowadays).
Gus Van Sant, Paper Magazine, 2007
Ed Westwick, 2008
I'm hoping to branch into commercial work as well. I'm not one of those photographers who thinks it's selling out or anything doing magazine and commercial work. I'm still who I am and I photograph the way I want to.
As for personal work, I started a project about two months back entitled "Edited". I'm photographing all the photo editors/curators/dealers in New York that I can. It's all about turning the lens on the people who are currently making decisions about photography. Most photographers don't even know what half these people look like. They are all environmental portraits in their homes, studios or galleries. I've already photographed people like Kathy Ryan, Brian Clamp, and Brooke Nipar. George Pitts, Leslie Martin and Tim Barber are also some of the people that are future subjects.
Brooke Nipar of MissBehave
Brian Clamp of Clamp Art
Stephen Schuster of Mass Appeal
Holy Granola; So, guest blogger Allen brought you a few of our Shoot! The Day (which is Sunday!) group leader interviews (Mr. Black and Mr. Strobist) while I was sunning myself out East, and now I'm going to take up that interview baton. Except not really on this one, because Allen pretty much conducted the whole thing. I just put in some pictures.
Suffice it to say: This interview is with the awesome Glenn Glasser. He's a leader!
Heeeeeeeeeeeeere's Allen. And Glenn.....
Everyone seems to be a few degrees of separation from Glenn Glasser, perhaps in part because he's a gregarious and genuine person. I first met Glenn last year at a PhotoShelter event because he was friends with a college classmate of mine, and since then, his career has continued to blossom. Most recently, he's one of the regular photographers for New York Magazine's "Look Book" where they take photos of people on the street who are typically very fashionable and get their story.
Glenn is leading our "Active Seniors" shoot on Shoot! The Day.
You're a successful New York photographer, and you also have a ton of work in the PhotoShelter collection. Is stock photography something you've always considered to supplement your income?
I started out in this game like most others, by assisting. The photographer I worked with used to derive a majority of his income from stock sales. I was fortunate to learn at an early stage in my career to get a model release from everybody I shoot. Every camera bag I own has a few folded releases tucked in somewhere. You just never know.
You shoot "The Look Book" feature for New York Magazine. what is the process like to stop people in the street and take their picture? what's your standard gear set-up?
Photographing passersby against a seamless has always been a project of mine. The setup is very dependent on weather and is usually placed in the shade with a flash fill set slightly above ambient.
Approaching people on the street has almost turned into a game and requires a great deal of patience for the right person to walk by. I am always surprised by the number of people who are willing to pose. I never have any set up shots on the seamless-- I just try to create an environment where the subject is comfortable.
Alexander Weiss, Painter, Khadda Madani, Boutique Owner and Designer, and Their Son, Haytham.
"My wife mainly wears her own designs."
Brett Kane, F.I.T. Student
"I think about clothes all the time. Like, literally all the time."
Irvin Andrew, Maître d' and Personal Concierge
"I roll out of bed, I want to look good. I go to the deli, I want to look good."*
You shoot a ton of pictures of your family, especially your grandparents. were they a natural subject for you? do you have to direct them?
I am fortunate to have all four grandparents around and they are more than generous to pose for me. I have always been fascinated by old couples and the love that they represent. My grandparents are my heroes-- and looking up to them as subjects is very natural. I document their stories on audio and video-- and from time to time capture how they live and relate to each other at home. I don't have to direct them so much as I have to speak loud and clear-- because I'm often dealing with a 96 year old man who refuses to wear a hearing aid because he thinks it will make him look too old.
With seniors-- they have survived, worked hard, lived through war, made difficult choices, adapted, overcome, witnessed an explosion of technology over a lifetime, laughed, cried, built, understood, reflected, and are now eager to impart. I often take ample time during my portrait sessions to genuinely hear their stories.
You did a series of photos with your grandfather and a very attractive model for his birthday. Can I be your grandfather?
My mother's father, Poppy, was turning 92 and I wanted to do something special for his birthday. So I hopped on a jet blue flight to Hallendale Beach, FL with my good friend Kelly Sebastian and gave him a model for a day. They walked on the beach and smoked cigars, went shopping together at Publix, and at the end of the day-- they got into bed together and spooned. I can only hope my grandson does the same for me.
How do you drum up new business? do you actively send portfolios out, or is it getting to the point where people know your work and your phone is ringing off the hook?
I think that it's important to be honest with yourself in this business and have an idea of what you want to say. It will only be a matter of time before others take notice and that phone call comes from a photo editor. I still get goose bumps, BTW, with any commission. Fame and fortune don't happen overnight, and our job is a lonely profession that requires patience and a constant work ethic. I've found that most of my work has come from meeting people-- face to face. I know it's a novel concept, but actually meeting people works. I work from about 250 names and addresses that I would like to work with, I always send out handmade mailers, and I periodically call people to chat about things other than work or getting work. It's not the most sound formula, but it's just what feels comfortable-- and I feel very fortunate that all if not most of clients are repeat business.
Your website is pretty cool. is it pretty easy to update for you? What has been the reaction of art directors and buyers to it?
Sincere thanks fer the nod on the website-- it's been a labor of love. I designed and built it with a finished back end-- it's the easiest site to update and i can place images on a private and secure address for clients to view images.
Go team go!
I'm feeling old school today. I want to talk to someone who's using older processes in a new way. Maybe processes like Copperplate photogravure, or Gum bichromate, or the Van Dyke process. What luck then, that I recently corresponded with Angela Franks Wells, who is using all three of these techniques to a rather beautiful effect. Plus, she's not afraid to get her hands dirty. From her parts & labor project statement:
"Raised by a machinist and a mechanic, the physicality of life in work, love, family, and play were emphasized daily and engrained in my being. We were always doing something."
Here's how Angela gets the job done:
How did you get started using these old processes? What do you think it brings to your work that you wouldn't be able to achieve otherwise? And how DO you an image on a brown bag?
I've always been really intrigued by the 19th century photographic processes. When I decided to go to graduate school for photography, I researched programs that were strong in this area and found Arizona State University. Once I started working in them, I realized that each process has a distinct set of attributes it brings to the photographic image...as well as its own set of technical variables. The three bodies of work on my website each utilize a different process, one that I feel strengthens the concept of the imagery and in some ways the process becomes a part of the idea.
parts & labor is produced using the photo mechanical technique of Copperplate photogravure. The images are about labor and made using an incredibly labor intensive process...as a good friend says, "it's work about work about work."
thirsty
church key
wrenches
1 +1 = 1 is extraordinarily personal. The series of images are layers of individual images of myself and my (at the time soon to be) husband. The idea of marriage, two individuals becoming one, the fuzzy nature of that third being that is created when two people form a partnership, etc. were consuming me. This series allowed me to visually and physically explore these thoughts. Gum bichromate is soft, delicate, built up slowly layer after layer as a process it reflected the ideas I was exploring--the images would never have worked as color digital files overlapped on the computer. The computer is cold, removed, and about technology. Gum bichromate requires time, nurturing, hand coating, and patience in developing.
brown bagger was so much fun. The images are printed using the Van Dyke process. I made enlarged duplicate negatives, digital negatives, and copy machine negatives of objects that might go in a brown bag (due to their sensitive nature or the standards established by society). The chemistry is coated onto brown bags that I found and bought, the negative placed on the dry coating, exposed to uv light, rinsed and fixed, and voila, you have an image on a paper bag.
fly fisherman
miller time
There are probably hundreds of ways to make a photographic image. I try to use a technique that enhances the imagery, rather than stick to a default process. We are in a time where digital technology has allowed for phenomenal growth and access to the world of photography. This is great! However, I don't think its an excuse to forget or abolish the practice of other processes. As an artist, the more techniques I know, the more options I have. And honestly, I love the smell of fixer, working in the darkroom, physically touching my materials, and getting dirty...it's just more fun that way!
I love the surprising collision of the older processes and some of the obviously modern elements your images display--it really makes me do a double-take, because my mind initially thinks these images could be very old. Is this intentional? Do you feel some of the techniques work better for portraits and others for still lives?
The tension created by the old process/new imagery is intentional and always enjoyed. Getting the viewer to double-take is great. We are constantly bombarded by images in every facet of life. To pause and think about what you're seeing is good. It has very little to do with nostalgia. All the images you've seen were made in this century, it's about now (and sometimes how then has changed into now). There are elements of life that are timeless. They may not be dominant anymore, but they exist and continue to thrive.
I've never thought about one technique over the other regarding portrait vs. still life. I try to think about the desired outcome, the message or feeling I want to convey and which technique is going to present the most appropriate result.
What's next for you-- do you have a new project in the works?
parts & labor is an ongoing series. I'm just not ready to be finished with the project. I am working on a new ephemera project that is a departure from my usual working methods. The work will be shown in October at 515arts (the artist collective I belong to) and I don't want to ruin the surprise...but the imagery is color, utilizes digital technology and printmaking and I am having a great time with it.
10. The image that came straight out of your camera is probably not good enough to be sold
Since the advent of photography, photographers have toiled over their images after the image was taken. In the film days, this meant hours in the darkroom. Today, it means Photoshop. That doesn't mean you need to manipulate the image beyond the point of recognizability (in fact, that's usually a sign of a bad photographer), but it does mean you need to understand about the basics of contrast, curves and levels.
Take time to retouch skin blemishes, fix fabric wrinkles, and remove the stray twig or gum wrapper. Advertising agencies will pay more for these images, not only because they'll save retouching money, but because they just look better in the first place. Image sales are all about perception. If the image is perceived as being professional, the price will be received as being reasonable.
9. You need to become proficient in editing (and get a second opinion)
National Geographic photographers typically shoot 10,000 images per assignment for stories that only use 30 images in publication, and these are some of the best photographers in the world. If you are submitting the bulk of your images from a given shoot, you probably need to have a professional edit to unemotionally select the best images and get a dose of reality. Picture editing is as much an art as photography, and you can't get good at it without practice.
8. Have patience
Sales of some types of images can take months if not years. That's not to say that you will be waiting ten years for a sale, but think of your photos as some sort of farm crop. Depending on what you plant, they may be sold soon, like lettuce, or they may take years to mature, like Christmas trees. Just remember that they are of no value at all if they are not online. And they're of even less value if you don't shoot them at all. Get out and plant shoots.
7. Real people love to sign releases
Really, they do. It makes them feel like "models". It makes them feel beautiful. Don't hesitate to ask for a release because it opens up more avenues for licensing your images. They might not always consent to sign, but the worst they can say is no...
6. Consider the lowly thumbnail
How many times have you seen a store or restaurant with a crappy sign, and wondered why they don't realize that cleaning it up is the most important thing they could do to increase sales? It's just like that with your photos. The thumbnail is the first thing the client sees before "entering" your beautiful image. If it doesn't pop, it won't get a click. Start thinking about this when you are composing the image. Then think about it again when you're processing RAW's. Look at the thumbnails as you adjust for color. Make' em pop.
Continue reading 10 Things You Should Know About Stock Photography.
We first met photographer Kareem Black when he joined our panel discussion on our PhotoShelter City Tour in the Fall of 2007. He was funny, outspoken, and a fantastic marketer who once plastered posters around New York that read "Kareem Black to Marry Lindsay Lohan" as a way to drive traffic to his website. He's heading our Youth Culture shoot on Shoot! The Day.
Photo by Kareem Black
Given all the controversy around Lindsay Lohan, are you glad you didn't end up marrying her?
NO, Lindsay is a beautiful and tragically misunderstood soul. I believe she is a genius and when the time is right out paths will cross. I'm not sure if marriage is still our fate, but that doesn't have anything to do with her... I'm not in a marrying mood at this new point in my life. Lindsay definitely seems like a party girl and I'm totally into that as someone that parties pretty hard. She is a princess to me!
Photo by Kareem Black
Your Sugar-Free Kool-Aid campaign has a retro old school awesome feel. Was the campaign a blast to work on? What was the process to style and cast the shoot?
Photo by Kareem Black
The Kool-Aid Campaign is probably the series that I'm most proud of in this point in my career. It was a tremendous leap of faith on the clients part and i got to work with amazing people on the ad side of things. I made some amazing friends on that shoot and the response to it has been pretty good as well! In order to make the campaign have the feel that you mentioned details like styling, casting and color pallet were of utmost importance.. We took out inspiration for the look of the project from the works of Jamil Shabazz.
It's sugar-free too. That's good for the kids, right?
I hate kids.. but i suppose that if there is no sugar in it the kids dental bills wont be so high.
You shoot a lot of diversity and youth culture. Did you enter these areas intentionally?
Well, I'm 30 so i can relate to youth culture. I have a pretty good idea of whats cool and what not. But i enjoy taking portraits of people of all ages. The interaction is what interests me. And often the most interesting interaction is with people that are outside my age group and from a different background than me.
Photo by Kareem Black
Photo by Kareem Black
Given all the controversy around Lindsay Lohan, are you glad you didn't end up marrying her?
NO, Lindsay is a beautiful and tragically misunderstood soul. I believe she is a genius and when the time is right out paths will cross. I'm not sure if marriage is still our fate, but that doesn't have anything to do with her... I'm not in a marrying mood at this new point in my life. Lindsay definitely seems like a party girl and I'm totally into that as someone that parties pretty hard. She is a princess to me!
Photo by Kareem Black
Your Sugar-Free Kool-Aid campaign has a retro old school awesome feel. Was the campaign a blast to work on? What was the process to style and cast the shoot?
Photo by Kareem Black
The Kool-Aid Campaign is probably the series that I'm most proud of in this point in my career. It was a tremendous leap of faith on the clients part and i got to work with amazing people on the ad side of things. I made some amazing friends on that shoot and the response to it has been pretty good as well! In order to make the campaign have the feel that you mentioned details like styling, casting and color pallet were of utmost importance.. We took out inspiration for the look of the project from the works of Jamil Shabazz.
It's sugar-free too. That's good for the kids, right?
I hate kids.. but i suppose that if there is no sugar in it the kids dental bills wont be so high.
You shoot a lot of diversity and youth culture. Did you enter these areas intentionally?
Well, I'm 30 so i can relate to youth culture. I have a pretty good idea of whats cool and what not. But i enjoy taking portraits of people of all ages. The interaction is what interests me. And often the most interesting interaction is with people that are outside my age group and from a different background than me.
Photo by Kareem Black
Continue reading Shoot! The Day Group Leader: Kareem Black.
Melissa Lyttle is a 2001 alumnae of the Eddie Adams Workshop. She is a huge advocate of photographer's rights and one of the most ethically-minded and generous photographers I know. She currently works as a staffer for the St. Petersburg Times and runs a photoblog called APhotoADay.
The first time I became aware of you was at the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar when you walked into the portfolio reviews and everyone was like "It's the amazing Melissa Lyttle!!!" You're kind of a celebrity down South, aren't ya?
I thought those voices were only in my head.
Photo by Melissa Lyttle
I felt very disoriented when I attended the Eddie Adams Workshop because I was inundated with so much information and talent, and that was on a farm. You, on the other hand, participated in the Workshop held right after 9/11. What was that experience like?
It was nearly a month after 9/11, and I vividly remember sitting in the barn that October, when someone at the podium announced that President Bush had just declared war on Afghanistan. It was surreal, intense and chilling. Especially being cut off from the world for four days while you're in that wonderful bubble that is the Eddie Adams Workshop. With no TVs, no Internet, and no newspaper reading for four days -- you really feel cut off from the world. As a journalist that was a little disconcerting, but also incredibly comforting. And unfortunately for us, the beginning of the War of Terror meant many of the photo editors and big name photographers had to leave because work called.
You're a staff photographer at a newspaper. You've got a steady paycheck and health benefits. What motivates you do create something like APhotoADay.org in your spare time?
I started APhotoADay in 2000. I was about year out of school, 6 months into my first job and learning to adjust to a newspaper. I came in young, hungry and full of ideas -- stories I wanted to do, parts of the community I wanted to explore visually -- and one of my photo editors actually told me not to work too hard because he didn't want me to make the rest of the staff look bad. Sadly, he was serious. Any ideas I had, features I shot, or stories I worked on in my own time were immediately shot down. I was really frustrated and felt like my growth was being limited. I didn't want to stop shooting for myself or limit my vision in anyway. I needed an outlet for that kind of work. And when a friend emailed me, expressing a similar sentiment, we started sending a photo a day back and forth via email.
By the end of the week we had 5 friends from college involved, who were now spread out all over the country. By the end of the second week, word had spread from our small crew from UF to some friends at the University of Missouri... and we had about 10 people on our email list. Eventually it got too tedious to type in every email address by hand so I set up a listserv. Now, 8 years later, and solely by word-of-mouth, we have over 950 members worldwide. And most people who join, have expressed feeling similar to those I had in the beginning, of needing a place to share work that they shot for themselves, or work that wasn't appreciated by their publications. Over the years, APAD seems to have found its purpose and its been shaped by those who needed it the most.
Photo by Melissa Lyttle/St. Petersburg Times
Let's talk ethics. You're a very outspoken proponent of stricter ethics in photojournalism. What's the big deal?
The big deal is trust. Our integrity as photojournalist is upheld by the truth our images convey. As a photojournalist, the last thing I want is to destroy my credibility and my newspapers reputation by being untruthful in any way. And every time there is a Brian Walski, Allan Detrich or Patrick Schneider-like incident, our trust as journalists is knocked down a notch. Unfortunately, the word "photoshop" has become a verb that the public now uses. That's frustrating to me, because I can't tell you how many assignments I've been on where subjects have said, "oh you can just photoshop that in/out." So I take that as my cue, and a chance to educate the general public about what we do. It's important to me that they know the images they see with my name under them, or for that matter any images seen in the St. Petersburg Times, convey the absolute truth.
Photo by Melissa Lyttle/South Florida Sun Sentinel
The first time I became aware of you was at the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar when you walked into the portfolio reviews and everyone was like "It's the amazing Melissa Lyttle!!!" You're kind of a celebrity down South, aren't ya?
I thought those voices were only in my head.
Photo by Melissa Lyttle
I felt very disoriented when I attended the Eddie Adams Workshop because I was inundated with so much information and talent, and that was on a farm. You, on the other hand, participated in the Workshop held right after 9/11. What was that experience like?
It was nearly a month after 9/11, and I vividly remember sitting in the barn that October, when someone at the podium announced that President Bush had just declared war on Afghanistan. It was surreal, intense and chilling. Especially being cut off from the world for four days while you're in that wonderful bubble that is the Eddie Adams Workshop. With no TVs, no Internet, and no newspaper reading for four days -- you really feel cut off from the world. As a journalist that was a little disconcerting, but also incredibly comforting. And unfortunately for us, the beginning of the War of Terror meant many of the photo editors and big name photographers had to leave because work called.
You're a staff photographer at a newspaper. You've got a steady paycheck and health benefits. What motivates you do create something like APhotoADay.org in your spare time?
I started APhotoADay in 2000. I was about year out of school, 6 months into my first job and learning to adjust to a newspaper. I came in young, hungry and full of ideas -- stories I wanted to do, parts of the community I wanted to explore visually -- and one of my photo editors actually told me not to work too hard because he didn't want me to make the rest of the staff look bad. Sadly, he was serious. Any ideas I had, features I shot, or stories I worked on in my own time were immediately shot down. I was really frustrated and felt like my growth was being limited. I didn't want to stop shooting for myself or limit my vision in anyway. I needed an outlet for that kind of work. And when a friend emailed me, expressing a similar sentiment, we started sending a photo a day back and forth via email.
By the end of the week we had 5 friends from college involved, who were now spread out all over the country. By the end of the second week, word had spread from our small crew from UF to some friends at the University of Missouri... and we had about 10 people on our email list. Eventually it got too tedious to type in every email address by hand so I set up a listserv. Now, 8 years later, and solely by word-of-mouth, we have over 950 members worldwide. And most people who join, have expressed feeling similar to those I had in the beginning, of needing a place to share work that they shot for themselves, or work that wasn't appreciated by their publications. Over the years, APAD seems to have found its purpose and its been shaped by those who needed it the most.
Photo by Melissa Lyttle/St. Petersburg Times
Let's talk ethics. You're a very outspoken proponent of stricter ethics in photojournalism. What's the big deal?
The big deal is trust. Our integrity as photojournalist is upheld by the truth our images convey. As a photojournalist, the last thing I want is to destroy my credibility and my newspapers reputation by being untruthful in any way. And every time there is a Brian Walski, Allan Detrich or Patrick Schneider-like incident, our trust as journalists is knocked down a notch. Unfortunately, the word "photoshop" has become a verb that the public now uses. That's frustrating to me, because I can't tell you how many assignments I've been on where subjects have said, "oh you can just photoshop that in/out." So I take that as my cue, and a chance to educate the general public about what we do. It's important to me that they know the images they see with my name under them, or for that matter any images seen in the St. Petersburg Times, convey the absolute truth.
Photo by Melissa Lyttle/South Florida Sun Sentinel
Continue reading Melissa Lyttle: A Photo a Day.
House Blog - Building The Commercial Photo Community
Rachel Hulin is your blog stewardess. A photo editor and photographer in New York for several years, she's worked at ICP, Nerve.com, and Rolling Stone online, among others.
Links
- State of the Art
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