Overpopulation.

by Elizabeth Stitch

Overpopulation is a problem. We may not notice it as much in the US (other than the dreaded commute traffic), but it's an increasing problem on our globe. When we think of overpopulated regions, China may be the first to come to mind. China has experienced numerous famines throughout history. Most recently in the late 1950's/early 60's. Uncontrolled human fertility led to a depletion of the land’s fertility. There have reportedly been hundreds of millions of lives lost in China due to famine alone (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alon-tal/overpopulation-is-still-t_b_3990646.html).

Bernhard Lang is a contemporary photographer who created a series entitled OVERPOPULATION, which studies the aerial views of Manila, Philippines (https://www.behance.net/gallery/49396579/Manila-Philippines-Overpopulation). The artist's statement reads as follows:

Aerial Views MANILA, PHILIPPINES - OVERPOPULATION Having about 23 millions inhabitants Manila, Capitol of the Philippines, is one of the biggest metropolitan regions on the planet. About the half of its population lives in extremely densely populated Slums and Squatter Camps. Seen from above it get’s visible how close those cottages and scanty housings are compressed against each other with their varicolored rooftops. Manila shows, like the other Megacities the excrescences of overpopulation. Nearly 7.5 billion people are living on the planet today. The United Nations expect a consistent growth, which might lead to nine billion in 2050 and eleven billion human beings in 2100. Captured in February 2017, © Bernhard Lang

I've always enjoyed the aerial view of the land when flying, particularly over California. The green grid as seen from above has always been a sight that has brought me comfort. The images by Lang do quite the opposite. These shots are striking. They communicate a visual narrative that is both frightening and poignant. This series is effective in conveying the expansive impact that humans have upon the land. The effects are scary.

I changed my mind.

by Simone Dutra

I do that a lot of times… Means I keep learning, listening, investigating. I change my mind about a lot of things, but if there is one thing that really gives me pleasure, is when I find that there was something that I thought was futile, nonsense or silly inspires something good. It’s that feeling of : “at least it served a purpose, a good one”…

So, what is the “silly thing” that turned into a great cause that I am talking about ?

I believe many of you have seen or read about a photographic project that shows a man being taken by a woman by the hand. The photographer is the Russian Murad Osamnn. He had the idea of egister places around the world that he visited with his wife, Nataly Osmann and used the hashtag “Follow me”. By Tuesday (18) night, his Instagram account had more them 4.6million followers.

This photographic project, which has become a phenomenon in social networks, has inspired the NGO ‘Teto’ (meaning Roof) to make a campaign to show the reality of people living marginalized in society. The purpose of the "Coleta" (meaning Colect), which will start on May 5, is to invite people to know the conditions in which people live in different communities.

The NGO was created in Chile and operates in 19 countries, with the aim of reducing the vulnerability of residents in the ‘favelas’, with the help of volunteers. The NGO arrived in Rio in 2013, and works in seven communities.

Teto decided to make a photographic series that portrays residents of poor communities, where it works and develops some social projects, at angles similar to those used by Murad. The objective of the campaign is to attract 10,000 volunteers and raise about 350 thousand dollars in resources to continue social projects. In on interview, the NGO director said that the organization tries to reproduce "success stories" of the Internet and insert them in a social context. The idea is to invite the population to know the reality of people who live in poverty.

"Teto works with advertising agencies that bring the possibility of people getting a case that worked on the Internet, as everything on the internet run very fast, and bring to a more social issue. The focus is to bring the idea 'yes, there is all this dazzling side of countries and many cities, but let's look at other causes and other people who have none of it'. That was the idea. We will bring this issue to the other side and also to a more social side with all the problems of the country, "

This is the kind of news that (ok, I know it is so cliché but) fills my heart with joy. Being reminded that photographs can play an important role when it comes to help people. I hope I can continue to be surprised by ideas that at first, I saw as futile, becoming inspirations for greater causes.

My inspiration for this blog post came from this article in one of the most important newspaper in Brazil.

Plastic Friends

by Sarah Hayes

I have worked as a fashion merchandiser for many years and have a passion for using mannequins within my photographic work. There is something fascinating about these fiberglass human forms, from their vacant expressions to the interchangeable limbs that are used to construct a variety of unnatural poses. I have always found the absence of character and personality that these forms radiate fascinating to work with. I decided to research the subject further to see how dolls and mannequins have been used within contemporary photographic work; to my delight I found one documentary series entitled ‘Jenny’s Soul’ by German photographer Sandra Hoyn.

The series is based on the true story of a man’s emotional relationship with a silicone doll named Jenny. The images are thoughtful and non judgmental, Hoyn describes that she wanted “to put both subjects on an equal level.” Hoyn realized that she had to see Jenny the same way that her partner Dirk saw her, in order to create a true representation of their relationship within her photography.

There is something beautiful within this series and I feel Hoyn achieves her empathetic approach sincerely and honestly. While viewing the work I became fascinated with Jenny and even found myself wondering what she was thinking, even though I know she is a doll. Hoyn experiences a similar sensation when she finds herself whispering as Dirk lays Jenny down for an afternoon nap.

This series is deeply human and allows viewers to understand that behind closed doors we all have emotional needs and achieve them in a variety of ways, some more accepted than others. Jenny is not just a doll to Dirk, but a companion and Hoyn presents her respectfully just as she does Dirk. Dolls have been seen in photography as a cliché, but I feel Hoyn breaks this tradition in ‘Jenny’s Soul’ due to the approach she takes to such a sensitive subject matter.

Dolls and mannequins will always be of great curiosity to me and foresee them featuring within my work for many years to come.

Daniel W. Coburn, The Tonic of Wildness

by Troy Colby

I had the chance to set down and via email with friend and photographer Daniel Coburn about his up and coming trip.

Daniel Coburn recently received the 2017 Guggenheim Fellowship award in Creative Arts in Photography and is an Assistant Professor of Photo Media at the University of Kansas.    Also opening this weekend, April 21, 2017 he will have a solo exhibition featuring the work from The Hereditary Estate, at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center, in Denver, Colorado until June 3, 2017.

Last summer he ventured out to the North East and produced a body of work called, The Tonic of Wildness. I saw this body of work as an introspective look into escaping the constant noise of a society that seems about ready to fall at any given moment.  The work is a deep look at the psychology of a search and escapism mixed with the scenes depicting rural conservative America.  So when I heard he was heading back out this summer I was very curious to hear his thoughts and to learn more.

What were some of the surprises both mentally and physically, that came from your first venture to the northeast?

Being alone for an extended period of time forces a person to engage in some serious introspection and soul searching.  I've always said being "in my head" is a lot like being stuck in a dark alleyway.  This was difficult.

Coming to the realization that there is no way to escape our current predicament was a difficult pill to swallow.  Also understanding that it is difficult to escape to "nature" because it seems as if there isn’t much of it left.

When you do find "nature" you come to a very quick realization that it is dangerous… it's bigger than you… and one can be quickly consumed.  I almost drowned on my trip north.

There is a feeling of escapism or this idea of escape within the first body of work from your first trip out.  The images still speak to the idea that we cannot really escape.  Do you feel that this true? 

My preconceived notions of what it meant to get-away-from-it-all were very romantic.  It's not romantic.  It's very difficult, and you have to become a survivalist to really get back to nature.  On the road, there are many reminders—harbingers of a society that seems to be on the brink of civil war or self-destruction.

In getting ready to go back out this summer.  What are you changing?

How long do you plan to be out? 

I bought a camper for my truck that will offer a little bit more comfort.  I also plan to make this "tiny home" as sustainable as I possibly can along the way.  I plan to be out for longer and invest more time in the places that I visit.  My plan is to drive west to California and then south to the tip of Baja.  Of course, I am flirting with the idea of becoming an ex-patriot.  We'll see how far I get physically and psychologically.

What goes into planning such a trip?

I try not to plan too much.  I want my experience to be somewhat serendipitous.  I plan financially, and I plan a loose route, but that's it.

More on the technical side of things, Are you shooting digital? Are you processing the work while on the road or just collecting images and waiting until you return home?

For this project I shoot digital.  I am a hunter/gatherer.  I make pictures and I will edit and sequence when I return.

Do you feel like, as an artist there is a calling to the open road?  The exportation of searching for something?  I know I long for the same search, do you think this might be a reflection or our times? 

I wouldn't say that I have a call to the open road.  Most of my previous work is deeply rooted in the concept of home and family.  It's actually very difficult for me to travel and make work.  But, as an artist, I feel that I have a responsibility to react to our very tumultuous and terrifying political predicament.  I feel compelled to react—to make my contribution as a responsible citizen and as a patriot.

Are there any preconceived notions about going out that you have this time around?  Or have you learned to be open to the road, the places and people around it? 

I have some ideas but it's a bit premature to talk about how I conceptualize this next leg of my journey.  These trips tend to become their own animal… I find myself struggling to hang-on, but that's part of the creative process I think.  I have to be open to change and I need to embrace the unexpected.

In heading to a different geographical location, do you think might change your experience?

I hope so… I expect the West to be a bit more liberal than the Middle, but we'll see.  I really hope to be as objective as possible while making pictures for this project.

When you start, if you return home! Is that drive home long and reflective or a bit exciting? 

I imagine that I will be tired… and in a bit of a rush.  But who knows.  I may not come back.

 

To check out more work and updated news from Daniel, please visit his website at: http://danielwcoburn.com

https://www.cpacphoto.org/the-hereditary-estate-daniel-w-coburn/

All images from Daniel W. Coburn, The Tonic of Wildness. 

Imagination and the Art of John Wilhelm

by Kirsten Belloni

When I was a kid my parents didn’t allow much TV.  “It will stunt your imagination,” they’d say.  At the time, when all I wanted to do was watch The Brady Bunch like the rest of my friends, I thought, “That’s ridiculous.  Who needs an imagination anyway?”  Insert big eye roll and stomping outside.

As with most things though, as I got older I learned that my parents were pretty on the ball.  I’m not sure if my imagination was “stunted” due to too much TV watching or if it was simply pushed into a corner by the demands of adult life, but as a photographer and artist, it’s what I long for; to be able to live in an imaginative space where reality and dreams collide, where mice ride sleds and little sisters are plunged from the toilet.  We call it being creative these days but what is creativity if not an action born in imagination.

This is the creativity and art born from the imagination of John Wilhelm.  When viewing Wilhelm’s work, we are transported to an imaginary world where literally anything is possible.  Recently, in an article for Cooperative of Photography (COOPH), in their series Visual Q & A, Wilhelm was asked to answer 9 questions using only imagery.  

Answering questions with imagery is an interesting approach and one I rather like, as an adult with a struggling imagination, as it invites me into the work and causes reflection in a way that a wordy response would not.  The following are COOPH’s nine questions and Wilhelm’s answers.  Using only imagery, what would your responses be?

Why photography?

What is your trademark photographic style? 

What truly inspires you?

Where do you go when you close your eyes

Where is home for you? 

How would you describe your lifestyle?  

What makes a great shot?  

How do you view the world? 

What important lessons have you learned?   

Resources, and to see more of John Wilhelm’s work - even the makings of some of his images can be found at the following places:

Peta Pixel: https://petapixel.com/2017/04/15/photographer-john-wilhelm-answers-9-questions-photos-not-words/

Cooperative of Photography: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn5C6P1rxY6PEU6xUKapbCQ

John Wilhelm: http://www.johnwilhelm.ch

The unexpectedly delightful work of Peter de Krom

by Lindsey Welch

I recently discovered the work of Peter de Krom when browsing the site, iN-PUBLiC for research in my own thesis project. If you have not heard of iN-PUBLiC before, it is a collective that was established in 2000 by Nick Turpin, and acts as an international home for street photography in its many forms and influencers [1]. Their mission is to promote street photography and continue to explore its possibilities. Their site features portfolio samples, photographer interviews, a photographers directory including the masters of the genre, and plenty of other resources such as links and work shops.

iN-PUBLiC About Page

iN-PUBLiC About Page

iN-PUBLiC has a running blog that includes interviews with photographers whose focus is street and candid photography. It was in these features that I ran across the work of Peter de Krom, a photographer whose work I have come to be thrilled by. My own work, while existing on ‘the streets’ isn’t actually street photography because I am not making images of incidents and candid life as it is happening, however I found this photographer’s work to carry the same kind of strange awkwardness I seek in my own project. In an interview on iN-PUBLiC, posted on February 21st 2017, Krom said “I’m always trying to understand why the people who consider themselves ‘normal’ seem to be so weird. Photography, for me, is the perfect tool to help me with this.” [2] .

Peter de Krom

Peter de Krom

A photographer in his 30’s, he brings an eye that is distinctly influenced by the likes of Meyerowitz, Mermelstein and Parr. Krom works and lives in The Netherlands, specifically Hoek van Holland, where much of his work was made. This area has set the stage for the kind of wit and cleverness evident in his photos. He has a unique eye for the strangeness of on goings around him and some interesting ideas about larger narratives in his work. For example, his project “Scootrangers”, he followed around a club of mobility scooter users for three years [3].

“[I] even went on holidays with them. For the story I photographed the club in a very constant way to emphasize their behavior as a group, as if they are a herd of animals migrating across the country. It not only shows the good Dutch healthcare system but also the striving of the older generation to still make the best of their (limited) lifestyle. It’s a glimpse of the future and a beautiful reminder that we’re not so different from herds of animals looking for a better life while migrating.”

Peter de Krom, Scootrangers

Peter de Krom, Scootrangers

Peter de Krom, Scootrangers

Peter de Krom, Scootrangers

Some of the stranger sets in on his site, the statement is lost on me due to the language barrier, but the photos are no less strange and wonderful. In example, the work in his sets “Stokstaartjes”, which Google tells me means “Meerkat”, visualizes images of pretty regular seeming people are partially nude or wearing minimal clothing in public. There seems to be an interesting theme here. Regardless of being able to read his statement, the intent behind the images seems somewhat clear.

Peter de Krom, Stokstaartjes.

Peter de Krom, Stokstaartjes.

When asked, on iN-PUBLiC, why make photos, he replies:

“Maybe I secretly hope that I contribute to ways that people reflect more on life, with humor and distance, as if they’re watching a nature documentary about their own species. We need this, especially now. We are so more special and strange then we think, especially if you look up through a telescope at night instead of straight through a camera during the day.”

Krom’s approach to people from the perspective of an outside observer is one that I find completely relatable, an approach that is inspiring and fascinating to watch.

Peter de Krom

Peter de Krom

Peter de Krom

Peter de Krom

[1] iN-PUBLiC About Homepage. < http://in-public.com/about/ >

[2] iN-PUBLiC Interview with Peter de Krom. < http://in-public.com/interview-with-peter-de-krom/ >

[3] Peterdekrom.com, Scootrnagers. < http://peterdekrom.com/scootrangers/ >

[4] Peter de Krom’s homepage. < http://peterdekrom.com >

[5] Peter de Krom on Flickr. < https://www.flickr.com/people/pdk/ >

[6] Peter de Krom on Lensculture. < https://www.lensculture.com/peter-de-krom >

Disorder

by Melody Hall

Prix Pictet: Disorder
Museum of Photographic Arts San Diego, CA

In a recent visit to the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego, I discovered Prix Pictet. An evolving collective of nominated artists using photography as a basis for their environmental art. Artists are nominated each round, thus far 6, Space, Consumption, Power, Growth, Earth, Water, and Disorder.

This cycle, Disorder, were views of the world and how each artist interpreted the word. Some like, Alixandra Fazzina, documented disorder with refugees fleeting their home into the unknown hands of smugglers. Then others like Maxim Dondyuk shot raging images of chaos and fires set by Molotov cocktails in the Ukraine. This is the kind of devastation that changes lives, of the subjects, photographers and viewers. 

As I walked through the gallery, my eyes were forcefully pulled to very large prints on my right. Their were three prints that filled the gallery wall from top to bottom it seemed. It was an image of red, white and blue flowers being blown up against a pitch black background. Each image progressed the once recognizable roses into bits and pieces, confetti exploding out like the big bang. 

In the accompanying pamphlet, it says Gersht’s work is a reminder of the impermanence of innocence and beauty. The red, white and blue represent the French painter, Henri Fantin- Latour, famous for his floral still life paintings. This body of work was some what of an ode to Latour perhaps. 

I am overwhelmed by the size. I can see every detail. It’s clear, clean and centered. I am attracted to it because the prints are a frozen moment of an explosion. I love a good explosion. That and it was so big, it demanded my attention. I gave it and I walked away unimpressed by the message and the images overall. I feel like they were a little more on the sensationalist side of attention grabbing. 

The art that stood out to me the most was also large. Actually it was much much larger. Much much more interesting to view and read. Yang Yongliang and his Artificial Wonderland. An artist hailing from Shanghai China, Yang Yongliang uses images of landscapes both natural and man made. He borrows from his Chinese culture and uses the Soon Dynasty master paintings as a backdrop, “Travelers Among Mountains and Streams” (Faun Kuan) and “Wintery Forest in the Snow” (Anonymous). 

From afar, the work looks like one point perspective, Chinese illustration of the mountains and streams. As the viewer comes closer to see the details, there comes a slight shock of disbelief. It’s not in fact trees and mist in mountains, but architectural elements stacked upon each other creating this landscape. It’t mind blowing because of the details. Power lines, skyscrapers, factories, cranes and more buildings in between those. 

It’s almost never ending, a long Gliclee print that took up many feet of the gallery wall. I was lost in his world, his Artificial Wonderland. I felt like our world could be headed towards this toxic mesh of technology, Steele and smog. It was scary and it did feel imprisoning. I worry about the future, for all of us and our children. As beautiful as this art was, it was overwhelming in a different way than Gersht’s flowers. It was alarming, it put the environment back on the front burner, so to speak. It was a bittersweet eye opener on urban development.

The showing tours around the world and brings awareness to sustainability and puts the environment in the spot light. It’s often hard to look at devastation without feeling some guilt as a human being. I am not always sure why I have this feeling, but I assume it means I am human and I am already an integral part of this self inflicted war on humanity.

References & Citing:

http://www.mopa.org/exhibition/prix-pictet-disorder

http://www.prixpictet.com/portfolios/disorder-shortlist/

http://www.prixpictet.com/portfolios/disorder-shortlist/alixandra-fazzina/

http://www.prixpictet.com/portfolios/disorder-shortlist/maxim-dondyuk/

http://www.prixpictet.com/portfolios/disorder-shortlist/ori-gersht/

http://www.prixpictet.com/portfolios/disorder-shortlist/yang-yongliang/statement/

http://www.yangyongliang.com/Photography/27.html?a=5

http://maximdondyuk.com/projects/culture-of-the-confrontation

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/7999716/Alixandra-Fazzina-Witness-to-the-devastation.html

http://www.trolleybooks.com/bookSingle.php?bookId=116

Inspiration

by Elizabeth Stitch

I’m at a point of transition with my Thesis Project, “In Vitro”. You might call it a rut! When I fall into a creative rut, I tend to research other artists in hopes of finding some inspiration. I hadn’t looked up the topic of infertility until now, which may seem strange. I guess the topic is so personal and powerful that I had a lot to draw from in the beginning. That wealth of inspiration is slowly dwindling. Or, maybe I just need to find my way back to that place deep down in the pit of my memory and swept emotions. I’m rambling. I found two artists who have created projects about infertility.

“A Void Called Duvy” by Zoe Berkovic (Photography) and Motty Landau (Creative) ( https://www.behance.net/gallery/19938309/A-Void-Called-Duvy ) is a powerful series combing poetry with photography. The use of a red balloon throughout the project to indicate the absence of a child is fantastically haunting and impactful. The inclusion of the poetry is a bonus, yet I don’t think it’s necessary as the imagery and the titles of the works are enough to give a poignant message. 

“Infertility Struggles” by Robin Spalding ( https://www.behance.net/gallery/21834023/infertility-struggles ) is another strong series that clearly expresses the emotional upset that infertility casts upon the afflicted. This project is more surreal and delves into the heart and the mind of an infertile woman. My favorite image is “the emptiness rips me apart”. This particular photograph expresses, to me, the sense of incompetence as a woman unable to perform her one biological role in this world. It reminds me of Darwin’s theory of the Survival of the Fittest. Another powerful image in this series is “another failed attempt”. With each passing month, and the arrival of yet another cycle, you begin to feel defeated and cheated by your own body. This image speaks the truth! The heartache. The disappointment. The shame.

812.jpeg

Landscape Photography in the 21st Century

by Kathleen Larsen

A couple of weeks ago I speculated on the future of landscape photography in a paper for one of my classes at Academy of Art University. Here’s an excerpt:

When speculating about the future of landscape photography one has to consider the climate of the world in which we live today…[where]…there is an abundance of topics that can be explored…. Social environments, political and national boundaries, globalization, continued urbanization, the vanishing family farm and the rise of the corporate one, or any number of other topics…[and]…look inward as well, exploring the psyche and personal impact of an ever-changing world....

I began to search out landscape photographers who are working in ways that look to the future. I began my search in the usual way: Google. But then looked at other blogs for inspiration. I settled on Landscape Stories where I chose a photographer whose name intrigued me. To my delight, I found a photographer whose images validated my conjectures: Looking to the Future of Landscape Photography. Karine Laval is a contemporary landscape photographer looking to the future who challenges “the familiar perception we have of the world through space, color and light” [1] bridging the gap between reality and “a more surreal, imaginary dimension” [1]. Laval explains how the project received its name, Heterotopia, and its beginnings (in 2014) and in her statement accompanying the project:

The title of this new series is derived from French philosopher Michel Foucault’s essay “Des Espaces Autres” in which he uses the term “heterotopia” to describe “spaces of otherness” that are “neither here nor there,” such as the moment one sees himself in the mirror, or gardens, which represent truly ambiguous and contradictory spaces where nature and artifice collide in a form of utopia.

For the past decade I have investigated the notion of space – not only as a physical or geographical place, but also as a mental or imaginary space – and our relationship to the environment, between the natural and the artificial [2].

Laval’s body of work uses reflection, superimposition, and color all captured in camera to tell the story of place and space: gardens “oscillating between a psychedelic vision of nature and a toxic and artificial post-natural world” [2]. The three works seen here are filled with vivid almost other-worldly color and light. Yet familiar blues and greens add a sense of calm and serenity. Light dances throughout appearing as though it cuts a path through an invisible barrier between two worlds. Diagonals cut through each of the compositions adding to the energy and verve. Texture resonates between the two- and the three-dimensional realm supporting her concept of collision between nature and artifice in a “form of utopia” [2].

692_LarsenK_8_1_2.jpeg

For more information on Karine Laval and her photography projects visit www.karinelavalstudio.com and www.karinelaval.com.

Mothers as Artists

by Sarah Hayes

I am a huge fan of Cig Harvey and was extremely excited to see new images from her latest series ‘You An Orchestra You A Bomb’ pop up within my Instagram notifications. I had planned to write a review of this series, until I stumbled across an article in the ‘News’ tab of Harvey’s website, entitled 'Why Can't Great Artists be Mothers?' (New York Times)

As a mother of two boys, I have sometimes felt that I am unable to spend 100% of my time focused on my photography and art, this has left me feeling at a possible disadvantage, compared to artists who have no children and can remain fully engaged within their creative processes.

‘Why Can’t Great Artist’s be Mothers?’ Was eye opening, encouraging and evidence that great artist’ can be mothers and produced equally amazing work to those women who have chosen not to have children. Harvey states, “ You can be obsessed with two things – art and your child.” Many of Harvey’s photographic projects feature her young daughter Scout; she can be seen as motivating much of Harvey’s images and creative processes “Art is mirroring and life became more complicated and richer in my opinion after Scout was born” (Harvey) As a mother I can relate to Harvey and have many photographs of my children in the midst of wonder and innocence, something many adults lose as pressures of life take hold of them.

The article introduces many successful female artists who are mothers and manage to balance both roles confidently and with enthusiasm. The article made me think of many concerns I have as a female photographer. Sometimes my age worries me as I am in my mid-thirties and feel I have only just started my journey into the photographic medium. When I have these thoughts, I have to remind myself of photographer’s who inspire me and started their photography career later in their lifetime, such as Sarah Moon who was in her early 40’s.

I believe that women do have to sacrifice themselves throughout their lifetimes to fulfill roles they have been accepting to undertake. I feel as time goes on and life begins to feel familiar and manageable, so does our ability to rediscover our authentic self and this is reflective in our artistic ventures, which we can share with new generations.

If you are a mother or father, don’t ever feel that you have expired and cannot achieve your goals, find inspiration in your children and share your creative journey with them.

Cig Harvey, 2017, Graham's Teeth

Cig Harvey, 2017, Graham's Teeth

Cig Harvey, 2017, Dahlias

Cig Harvey, 2017, Dahlias

Cig Harvey, 2017, Scout and the Reflections

Cig Harvey, 2017, Scout and the Reflections

First Loose Tooth

First Loose Tooth

Work Cited

Harvey, Cig. "You An Orchestra You A Bomb." Cig Harvey. N.p., 2017. Web. 09 Apr. 2017.

Urist, Jacob. "Why Can't Great Artists Be Mothers?" The New York Times. The New York Times, 06 Feb. 2017. Web. 09 Apr. 2017

The Inspiration of Doing

by Troy Colby

I have been thinking and going over this blog all week. I keep coming up with nothing for the most part. Or if I do it doesn’t lead to much. So I guess why not write about the pursuit of trying to find inspiration.

When I first started the BFA program. My first class laid out the rules of what not to shoot, toys, kids, animals and flowers. I am sure I am missing a few things. My gut reaction was, “what in the world am I suppose to do?” I was naïve, new and a bit stupid in the end. I really don’t remember what image it was that they used as a reference to what is good. But I do remember thinking, “I don’t get it! That is just a person standing there. It looks like anyone could have done this.” As I advanced I started finding inspiration in looking at work on Flickr and through Google searches. In doing so I would become inspired and go out and make something. This worked for a few years but quickly faded away. I started viewing more and more works of art by those who were at the top of their game at any given point in their career.

It was the work of Michael Garlington and Loretta Lux that opened the door on what a camera could do. “You mean I can make things and capture it with the camera?” I guess I had always thought of the camera as a tool that told the truth. What we saw on the image was exactly what was in front of the camera. The camera became a paintbrush in ways for me. This is still one of the reasons I love photography, the camera can lie and still tell the truth.

Our Falling World.jpeg

Needless to say I was inspired. The ideas and visual influences became noticeable in my work. Then I noticed I started shifting more and more to other influences, such as more conceptual work by the works of Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison.  I started thinking back to how I was so naive for thinking that image at the first of my studies was boring and nothing to offer past its exterior.

7.55.43.png

My list of influences keeps growing.  For me there is a hunt in finding new work and artists.  Maybe I am searching to be inspired?  I have often wondered this.  Or is a case of me being in love with great work?  I would dare to say both.  The further I get in my education the more I am able to understand the creative process and the visual image. 

One thing is for sure sitting around and waiting for inspiration to strike just doesn’t happen.  Just like this little blog, sounds so easy at first.   But after five days of thinking I still had nothing.  As soon as I turned up the music, forced myself to be a part of the moment and just start typing.  I was able to come away with something.  In the end I am reminded, that I have to take that first step for something to happen.  In doing so all of those visual references from photography, life and even film start to come alive.  This passion for creating and the love of making things wakes up and allows inspiration to happen.

Images

1.   Michael Garlington

2.   Troy Colby

3.   Robert Shana ParkeHarrison

4.   Troy Colby

http://www.parkeharrison.com

http://www.michaelgarlington.com/new-gallery-1/auecw7ngvtnokc8uth6v2sjurq74mg

“Don’t just be a guy with a camera, because we all are.”

by Simone Dutra

This week I stumbled in a article about Sebastiao Salgado’s advise to young photographers.

Funny that I have never heard about Salgado until I became a student at AAU about three years ago. Funny because, like him, I am from Brazil too. And we usually know about famous people from our country.

Anyway, from that time on Salgado’s work is always under my radar. I find it just so spectacular his capacity to show beautiful in the brutal. It is still hard for me to classify his work. Documentary ? Photojournalist ? Fine Art ? Salgado himself refuses to be called one or another. He just says that Photography is his life.

“Sebastião Salgado went to 40 countries in six years to be among the world’s migrants and refugees so that he could tell visual stories of their difficult journeys as they leave their homes for places and lives unknown to them. “ Many were going through the worst periods of their lives.””

Here is one image example of what I mentioned about the Beautiful in the brutal. From the series Migration.

Back to the advices. “Just go out there and shoot” or “Study the masters of photography” or “Practice, practice, practice”. That is what we all, as photographers, have already heard at least ten times, right ? Yes, they are important advices and we all should follow them. But Salgadogives a much deeper advice :

“If you’re young and have the time, go and study. Study anthropology, sociology, economy, geopolitics. Study so that you’re actually able to understand what you’re photographing. What you can photograph and what you should photograph.”

This is the kind of advice that, for me at least,  needs to be decanted. The more you read it, the more you are able to really understand and absorb it. We all need to understand what we are photographing.

If I admired him before, I admire him even more now.

The Article about the advice

A little bit about the series Migration

15 min of Salgado

15 min on "Why" he started the series Genesis

Joshua Lambus: Hawaiian Blackwater

by Kirsten Belloni

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A few weeks ago I ran in to a friend I hadn’t seen in quite some time.  As we talked I mentioned that I had been seeing a lot of pictures on social media of he and his wife in Hawaii.  “It looks like you guys spend a lot of time in Hawaii these days,” I commented.  “Yes, we have a condo there,” he said.  “Would you like to use it?  No charge.”  What!?  A free place to stay in Hawaii!?  I weighed the pros and cons of being away from home and having to manage schoolwork for about 10 seconds before I said, “Yes!”  I can work just as well from the dining room table in Hawaii as I can from my desk in Alaska, right?  Right.  I love on-line education!

Time in the islands understandably has my mind on the ocean and as I began to look at the various faces of photography in Hawaii, one artist stood out above the rest. 

Joshua Lambus is a fine art photographer, based on the Big Island, who has turned his camera toward a very unique subject - and one that is wildly difficult to photograph as well:  Pelagic Inverts.  These invertebrate creatures get their name primarily from the conditions in which they live, the wide open ocean.  Now, before I venture off into the scientific realm, a place where my brain does not comfortably go, I will point out that this creature’s natural habitat is not a place easily photographed.

Pelagic inverts like darkness.  During the day they live very deep in the ocean, in places where humans cannot go due to the depth.  At night they come up closer to the surface.  This is when Lambus is able to set his camera on these unique subjects, in a setting and process called Blackwater diving.  Which, by all accounts, sounds like an impossible experience, even if photography were not involved.  In an interview with Underwater Photography Guide, Lambus explained the challenges of making images in this setting:

“The very nature of this dive is so different from others. Taking photographs during the dive is also about as different as it gets. The only way to practice for this dive is by doing this dive. Though I often say if you take a piece of aluminum foil and a piece of plastic wrap into your closet, turn out the lights and are able to photograph them together, in focus and both well exposed, you should be able to photograph blackwater. For the dive we head straight out a few miles, get over water that is thousands of feet deep, and jump in. It is a drift dive, in the open ocean, with tethers, at night. Keeping track of your buoyancy, while trying to stay righted in the current, and staying clear of tangling in the tethers, while trying to maintain your composure and fight off the vertigo, can be very difficult for some people. After doing this dive almost 400 times it still throws me for a loop from time to time. Not to mention the BIG animals we see out there. We've had Oceanics, Blues, Galapagos, Makos, Threshers and even big Marlin give us a spike in heart rate. Trying to track 3 Oceanic white-tips posturing at night with a focus light can be a bit disconcerting to say the least.  Ok, so that's just the diving. The next thing to consider is...focus. Does your camera focus well in low light? If not are you good at manual focus? Which is better? Next is lighting. Best positions for strobes? How do you light up your subject without lighting up the rest of the plankton around it?  Do you expose for the reflective part of your subject or the transparent part? How do you do both? How comfortable are you with knowing where the controls are on your camera? Because at night you can't see what you're doing, and you better have a good hold on that camera because if you drop it you don't get it back.” 

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And I thought night photography on land was tough!  Perspective adjusted.

Next time you visit the islands you might want to check out Lambus work in person.  He recently opened a gallery, MAKA Fine art.  If a trip to the tropics isn’t on your radar any time soon, you can see more of his work at http://www.jlambus.com .  You can get a glimpse at Joshua’s life, gallery, and process in a short video at http://www.makafineart.com/joshua-lambus.  The six minute video is well worth the watch, providing a looking into a place and process that is anything but common.

A Minimal Approach

by Elizabeth Stitch

“In times of an endless flood of images and greed for perfection I see the necessity to look into an entirely different direction: The images is not enough, it is the abstraction and the individual view of the beholder, together they reach into and below the surface of customary patterns of conception.

"In this case abstraction is focused on the reduction to certain facts, forms and objects but not as an experience of pure non-objectivity.

"The imagination of the viewer supplements what is absent; what thematically is not dissolved receives, an invisible layer through the observer.” - Florian Mueller

Florian Mueller is an award winning Germany based photographer who' work speaks to the power of minimizing the object of focus in order to see the beauty in the mundane, which we all take for granted. His simple compositions and minimalist approach allows the viewer to study his subjects. Line, color, shape, texture all become the focus. There's beauty in his simplicity. It reminds us to slow down, take a look around and to notice the things that surround us. Mueller's series Singularity is a refreshing look at the world when everything seems to be over done. There is so much visual stimuli, yet Mueller allows his viewers to study his objects without distraction.

Images are from https://www.behance.net/gallery/49879963/Singularity-I

Quote is from http://www.iso74.com

Photography: the power of suggestion within the confines of reality.

by Lindsey Welch

In a recent conversation within a local photography group, the subject of what a conceptual photograph is, and in contrast what a literal photograph entails, came up. It was interesting because the general feeling was that a literal photograph is one that accurately represents the subject, while a conceptual photograph is one that had been heavily fabricated and preplanned, highly Photoshopped or studio constructed, and to follow, generally expressive or emotional in nature. What caught me was that this was the consensus among working professional photographers who typically are not involved in academia. However, I believe this is a subject often incorrectly described, perhaps pushed forward by the commonality of Photoshop, and ease of access to technology.

Going from descriptions like those available on Wikipedia [1], it is perhaps easy to understand how people conclude that the more obviously constructed the image, the more conceptual it must be. Further, that a literal photograph is more akin to a straight photograph in that it has not been constructed, and thus has less premeditated concept. I think this is a confusion in the photographic world. For, while images from say The Parkeharrison’s [2] or Erik Johansson [3] is highly Photoshopped, constructed and conceptual in nature, often work in leading fashion magazines which has been highly Photoshopped is not through admission of technique conceptual in the same way. Frequently, this highly Photoshopped fashion work can be described as literal as it is meant to represent what is in the frame, which is also the actual subject. This is proof that just because a work is highly constructed does not mean it is conceptual. Additional to note, work from Johansson or the Parkeharrison’s can also be classified as surreal. Not all conceptual photography has to be surreal, as seems to be another misunderstanding I have encountered.

I have been studying the work of several photographers for my own project whose work is conceptual but also what we might consider ‘straight’, but it can be argued they are not literal as they express a complex concept or idea beyond the frame.

Millee Tibbs’ 2005 project “Self-Portraits” is my first example [4]. Millee Tibbs is a conceptual artist and graduate from RISD. Her project statement explains:

“The series Self-Portraits is an attempt to expose the way images (particularly self-portraits) are constructed. The subject is obstructed by other elements in the image and is not visible in the frame. The caption contradicts the visual information in the image, creating a slippage. The subject is not what we see, but rather what is missing. The absence of the subject heightens our desire for it, leading us back in an endless circle of searching for that which cannot be found.”

Millee Tibbs,&nbsp;Self-portrait Behind a Rock. 2005

Millee Tibbs, Self-portrait Behind a Rock. 2005

In this project, Tibbs demonstrates through concept the way images function, the nature of a photograph. It can be said this image is constructed, as in, adding the caption that accompanies it, the concept is built for the viewer. The photograph is not literal as the image itself is not about what is present in the frame, but about our attention to what is missing, and what our mind infers must be there despite is absence.

Another photographer whose work I admire on this s basis is Natascha Seidneck. Seidneck is currently an assistant professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver and Co-Curator at the Center for Visual Arts. In her 2015 project titled “Uncanny Territory”, she explores fictional post-apocalyptic landscapes through largescale images of frozen in-studio debris [5] [6].

“The series Uncanny Territory is comprised of large-scale color photographs depicting otherworldly landscapes and is inspired by the idea of humans suddenly disappearing from our planet and how the earth might reclaim its territory. The images are made by constructing small ice sculptures and documenting the process of the objects melting. Within these sculptures I embed images printed on transparency, paint, sand, glass and other found objects. The visual representation of the object becomes something entirely different than the object itself, in part by manipulating the scale and lighting.”

Natascha Seidneck,&nbsp;Uncanny Territory

Natascha Seidneck, Uncanny Territory

While the images are of constructed objects, the photographs of them are essentially straight, and the concept lies in the use of scale disorienting execution and printing. However, they become the landscape devoid of human presence in their combined presentation together with the concept.

A final example of images like these that I have been examining, is Alia Malley’s project “Captains of the Dead Sea” [7]. In this project she captures scene and architypes that are present in our minds due to the media exposure that has come before. Making images of landscapes and details that resemble those we already know to denote the alien or otherworldly. Malley reinforces this by printing much of her work on newsprint, thus confirming the images as media artifacts, we can come to suspect these may be images of the Moon, Mars or even a fantasy planet from Star Wars [8].

“Captains of The Dead Sea “explores the continuity between fact and fiction, history, and hoax. A convincing journey through deep space and across the stark terrain of distant planets, the images that comprise Captains read like media artifacts from an authentic space chronicle yet were primarily shot on location in desert settings of California and the Southwestern United States”.”

 

Alia Malley,&nbsp;DV_7424,Unique diptych pigment print on newsprint, 36 x 24 inches, 2015

Alia Malley, DV_7424,Unique diptych pigment print on newsprint, 36 x 24 inches, 2015

In Malley’s images, much of the concept comes from our own preexisting relationship to media and images, she affirms this notion through using the artifact we come to know represents a kind of truth, newsprint. The images themselves, if taken alone could be considered straight photographs, as they only document what is in the frame. However the conceptual nature of them rises out of the appeal to our media exposure.

These photographers’ projects can all be said to be completely unPhotoshopped, and are not apparently constructed to be obvious to what they are. They are all actually quite literal in some ways, appearing exactly as they would in real life and roughly referring to themselves in many respects. However, each photographer has used our ability to read images against us, in a way that affects an outcome that makes each image other than it appears. The images become constructed in our minds as out imagination, already trained by looking at images, takes over to let us understand their purpose and concept. None of them is elaborate, emotionally expressive, or surreal fantasy at face value. There are some attributes of the surreal, but rather than using elaborate dreamlike imagery, they use context to invoke this quality.

 

[1]. Wikipedia, Conceptual Photography. < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_photography >

[2]. Robert and Shana Parkeharrison homepage. < http://parkeharrison.com >

[3]. Erik Johansson homepage. < http://www.erikjohanssonphoto.com >

[4]. Millee Tibbs, Self-Portraits. < http://www.milleetibbs.com/sp1.html >

[5]. Natascha Seidneck, Uncanny Territory. < http://nataschaseideneck.com/uncanny-territory >

[6]. Natascha Seidneck on Lenscratch. < http://lenscratch.com/2016/01/natascha-seideneck-uncanny-territory/ >

[7]. Alia Malley, Captains of the Dead Sea. < http://www.aliamalley.com/captains-of-the-dead-sea/ >

[8]. Alia Malley on Lenscratch. < http://lenscratch.com/2015/10/alia-malley-captains-of-the-dead-sea/ >

Article: Finding Balance In My Search

by Melody Hall

Often times I catch myself in places I wouldn’t normally want to be living in. Life happens and for some of us in creative careers, we are the lucky ones. Part of our job is to take a walk or a drive to stop the critical thoughts from flooding in, to unplug from the matrix and see what is going on around us. 

As a society of goal oriented people, we often forget that work can be more than a job. We seem to lose touch with our spontaneity, our ability to stand up and walk away. We forget that we could all use a little more balance in our structure… a little “un-structure”. Using our “downtime” to continue our creative process is essential to growing as an artist. 

One of the ways I like to use my down time is by location scouting. I find it very therapeutic to step away from the computer, away from the work camera and take a ride into the unknown.
I like to jump in my truck and take off. I don’t always have a plan because spontaneity is often my muse. 

Like a domino effect, I start to see things that I normally am too busy to notice. Locations seem to come at me with ideas and I snap away, taking visual notes with any camera…often my phone’s camera. Capturing the colors or lines that I may not have noticed the first time around. 

It may just be an old house to someone else, but to me it’s a beginning to a constructed reality or a fragment of a memory. Gathering bits and pieces from my surroundings can stimulate the brain, unlike looking to the internet for ideas. The smells and textures around us are much more vibrant in person. When all of these senses come together, I get a feeling…not just a look. I grasp the moment as a whole. That is impossible if you stay inside on a computer all the time. 

It doesn’t matter if I have lived in a place for 2 years or 20, there is always something new. Change is always upon us and people come and go. Locations age, get abandoned and torn down. There is something about being spontaneous that gets the creative mind thinking. Being alive and remembering to take a step out of the parameters that we place on ourselves is something that we all need. 

What I am saying is, we all have those times when we feel “stuck”. When we aren’t in our ideal situation. When we are living in a town where nothing seems interesting or alive… we aren’t so interesting or alive ourselves. These are my introverted times, time to take stock in our work and our lives. It’s a time to take drives and be inspired by the mundane.

It’s essential for me, to get out and take a drive or walk to look around at locations. I may not be in this town next week. I don’t like regretting things that I could have changed by simply walking out the door. 

Photos: Melody Hall

The Alternative Photographs of Gen Aihara

by Kathi Larsen

“By blowing, drawing, and generally manipulating bubbles and lines of water on the paper’s surface, I ground the subject in reality while ultimately producing an image of pure abstraction. The shadows of actual objects are proof of the objects’ existence. Through art making I am trying to believe that I am truly existing in this space and time.” —Gen Aihara

When most people think of photography they imagine a camera of some sort—film, digital, or cellphone—is involved in the process. They are unaware of the various methods that can be used to make a photograph, which literally means to “write with light,” where a camera is unnecessary. A few that come to mind are chemigrams, lumen prints, and photograms. This post will concentrate on the photogram.

The photogram utilizes photographic processes that go beyond just capturing a beautiful scene with a modern camera. It is experimenting with technique, concept, support, and final presentation. It is getting your hands dirty, so to speak; working beyond the pretty picture to the conceptualized and tangible elements of a photograph.

A photogram is simply a form of contact printing and is similar to the early photogenic drawings of William Henry Fox Talbot of plants, lace, and other flat objects. An object or objects are laid directly atop photosensitive paper which is exposed to a light source and processed in photographic chemicals. The process yields unique images that are oftentimes unexpected, mysterious, and expressive. New York-based artist Gen Aihara creates stunning photograms that capture the movement and intangible qualities of the bubbles and water he uses to create his works. When viewers first encounter the works of Aihara they may find themselves trying to figure out just what it is that they are looking at, or they may try to interpret the meaning behind the image. Both are valid. But the point of Aihara’s work is not to solve the riddle of what or why but to consider their metaphorical concept. As Aihara puts it: “proof of an object’s existence” and that he is “truly existing in this space and time.” They represent the existence of object, space, time, and photographer. Below are four examples of Aihara’s work.

 

To view more of Aihara’s work visit: http://www.leemarksfineart.com/artist/Gen_Aihara/works/142

To learn more about how to create alternative photographs visit: http://www.alternativephotography.com/processes/

  1. http://www.artspace.com/gen_aihara

Sculptor Or Photographer. Why not both?

by Simone Dutra

There had been enough discussions about the difference between taking and making an image.

National Geographic photographer Sam Abell simply explains that taking an image is shooting a photo as a reaction, without any preparation, while making a photograph is a process. In one interview, he tells how it took him over a year to make one single image.

Another good example of photographers that take the image making to the next level is Gregory Crewdson. For those not familiar with his process, he takes care of every single detail. And I mean it.

In a smaller scale of making an image, we can talk about Sao Paulo, Brazil-based photographer Valentino Fialdini. Or shall we really call him Image Sculptor?

Valentino is known for meticulously construct himself, miniature architectural interiors. Each one measuring 10 by 10 inches.

After building, he photographs them in such way that they appear to be inhabitable places. Valentino does the opposite of the tilt-shift photography effect – that turns scenes into miniature “wonderlands”. He turns them into life-size Plexiglas prints. As a result the viewer wants just to walk through it.

The miniatures are created with jigsaw puzzles, rocks, wood, and Lego Bricks - replete with columns, hallways, and windows filled with light.

Did you ever think Lego Bricks had a place in Fine Art?