SightPhoto Blog

Snapshots

2005-08-16T12:32:00.000-05:00

Here are some brief links to interesting stories of note:

A recently released study by the Consumer Electronics Association (www.CE.org) had several interesting findings. First, more than 90 percent of digital camera owners consider the camera to be their primary picture-taking device, despite the availability of many convergence electronics, like cell phones and video cameras. Second, less than half of consumers surveyed archive their digital photos, or are even concerned about potentially losing their digital media files.

Beware of sending especially good photos out to have prints made. Your photofinisher might suspect you of being professional, or something. A story in the Austin American Statesman tells of a conflict between photofinishers trying to abide by copyright laws by not printing the illegally scanned work of professional photographers, and advanced amateur photographers who just want a nice 8 x 10 from their latest shoot.

With the blurring of lines between amateur and professional photographers, William Ewing discusses what distinguishes emerging young photography stars. A new book he helped edit, "reGeneration: 50 Photographers Of Tomorrow," was the result of a search through photography schools for distinctive new voices. Among his conclusions: "The traditional genres that have dominated art photography for a century are now largely passé. The nude, the classical portrait, the sublime natural landscape - all have been largely dismissed, or are fading away as meaningful categories."

A roof over our heads

2005-07-22T23:01:00.000-05:00

Glad to recently receive a review copy of Shelter From the Storm, which showcases the New Mexico photography of Kirk Gittings. It's in part a retrospective of a productive 25 plus years of landscape and architectural photography by this accomplished craftsman. But, the collection of photos is more than a scatter-shot portfolio; the theme of man-made structures and their relationship to the environment is what makes this a much more thoughtful body of work.

Gittings was first attracted by the remains of ancient Puebloan civilizations, stone structures gentlty melting into the surrounding landscape. He moves forward in time, looking at abondoned churches and ghost towns, before applying his skills to modern Southwestern-style homes. Having this collection of architectural studies juxtaposed was slightly disconcerting: I began looking at the present-day homes of the well-to-do with an anthropologist's eye, and began wondering what life would have been like amidst the graceful stonework of the ancients. It's a welcome journey through the eyes of a talented photographer.

Baby, oh baby

2005-07-20T22:23:00.000-05:00

Nothing like a new toy. I got my Lensbaby today. I'd been intrigued by ads I saw in magazines and after studying their website, decided to pony up my $99 for one of the "original" Lensbabies. So, what is it? It's a nifty primitive lens on a bellows that allows you to play with the focusing plane to your heart's content. The inventor, Craig Strong, was looking to bring Holga-like effects into the digital age. To my eye, the results are reminiscent of the glass plate era, when optics weren't quite as good and depth of field harder to achieve. At any rate, here are a couple of quick snaps I did this evening:

2005-05-04T18:56:00.000-05:00

A fellow Keith and good friend (Keith Philpott, that is) sent me a link to a Czech site devoted to pinhole photography, on which the author, David Balihar, details his recreation of a classic pinhole camera, the "Dirkon." The Dirkon, made from stiff paper, is a functioning pinhole camera which uses 35mm film -- and the fun part is, it looks like a 35mm SLR, also. The author includes some examples of photos he took with his Dirkon, which served to remind me how surprisingly good the photos from a pinhole camera can be.

There's also a link to World Pinhole Day on the above site. Sorry to say, the most recent day, April 24, 2005, just passed without me having a chance to participate, but there's always next year. In the meantime, there are tons of (surprisingly good) pinhole camera photographs done by participants from around the world -- who were obviously more hip to the (whole) pinhole thing than me.

2005-04-16T15:44:00.000-05:00

Hugh Symonds sends along notice of his website (www.hupix.net) which features a portfolio of nature images -- studies of water and leaves -- "created using Sharp GX20 mobile phone." These images give a good name to cellphone cameras, devices that were initially portrayed as being for geeks who wanted to sneak photos of babes. The market will determine whether this particular convergence make sense or not, but certainly the quality of the photos cellphone cameras can take is getting better all the time.

Soon, you'll have to expect that anyone wielding a phone also has a camera, and it seems those in authority haven't quite figured out how to deal with this phenomenon. The International Herald Tribune had an interesting story recently "The digital world crosses a forbidden line" which said that despite a prohibition on photography as Pope John II's body lay in state in St. Peter's Basilica, many of the Italian "cellulare" snapped photos of the occasion using their cellphones. One commentator said this was the modern equivalent of past pilgrims, who might have taken away a piece of cloth from a saint's body. Interesting to see if these digital relics last as long as a treasured square of cotton.

2005-03-13T10:08:00.000-06:00

From the time Kodak introduced the Brownie in 1900, a camera that made photography accessible to the masses, literally billions of images have been snapped. Most of those images came home in a paper envelope, got passed around once at a family gathering, then were forgotten in a shoebox or a drawer.

The combination of the Web and the digital camera has changed all that. Picture in your mind all the images reduced to packets of digital information, flowing out over the internet as attachments to emails, or being shared on sites like Shutterfly, Flickr, etc., etc.

A couple of noteworthy Web projects tap into the stream of photos in unique ways. Montage-a-google lets you put in a search term -- Colorado, or poodle, let's say -- and the applications pulls back 20 images from the Google index, arranging them into a cool collage of images. (Okay, after I wrote "poodle" as an example, I figured I better actually try it -- the results made me kind of nauseous, so consider yourself warned).

Another fascinating project, 10 by 10, takes an hourly snapshot of the current images and words flowing from the news services. For a moment, the river of time is frozen, and can be examined -- both a compelling and disturbing experience.

2005-03-10T19:45:00.000-06:00

This soldier's eye view from Michele Fellers:

"I’m stationed in Iraq with the USAF right now, and this is a picture I took using night vision while standing at the top of the Ziggurat looking down-this is one of my favorites of the series that I took that night."

I was particularly interested to get this, given my post of a couple of weeks ago.

I have to confess, I didn't know what the Ziggurat is, either. Here's the scoop from one of my favorites reference sites, Answers.com.

2005-03-08T22:20:00.000-06:00

Check it out ... so to speak. The New York Public Library has launched a new digital image archive, which is accessible online. The NYPL Digital Gallery contains more than 275,000 scans from the library's archive, a good chunk of which are photographs. There's some pretty great stuff in here: the "Changing New York" photo collection shot for the WPA by Bernice Abbott; an album of pre-1890s Japan; more than 600 images by Lewis Hines depicting child and immigrant laborers; thousands of photos of stage and early screen actors, etc., etc. And what's up with photographer Dylan Stone's "26,000 color snapshot photographs taken in 1999, recording the streetscape, block by block, of Manhattan south of Canal Street" a collection which has the artistic merit of the drive-by photographers doing Amazon's A9 project. But that is in part what I love about rummaging through collections like the Digital Gallery -- it's like a big online flea market and you never know when you'll find a jewel.

2005-02-28T20:49:00.000-06:00

Like me, you probably hadn't heard of the film "Born Into Brothels" before last night, when it won the Oscar for best documentary. I can't say it was on my list of must-sees even after the award, because the topic on the surface sounded depressing. But then I heard a Nation Public Radio report which made the film seem much more appealing. It turns out that the subject of the film is Zana Briski's project in which she worked with these outcast children of prostitutes from Calcutta, teaching them to photograph their own lives. While the concept isn't new, what is particularly admirable is how Briski is leveraging this project for all it is worth, through a book, print sales and the film, in order to raise as much awareness and money as possible to help alleviate the plight of the children. But the ambitions of the Kids with Cameras organization don't stop there: similar projects are scheduled for Haiti, Cairo and Jerusalem. Check it out and help support this admirable project.

2005-02-27T07:40:00.000-06:00

It was bound to happen. Photographers being confused with terrorists. After all, what good reason would a person have for photographing in public places, other than for the purpose of having images (well composed and exposed, I'm sure) to be used in the planning of an attack?

ABC News has a story about New York City authorities contemplating a ban on photography in the subway system. Photographers would be able to apply for a special permit, which would allow them to practice their craft underground. Pretty ironic that when Bruce Davidson made the photographs for his groundbreaking Subway book in the early '80s, even having the nerve to photograph on the trains was considered the equivilant of being a combat photographer on the front lines. Now, it might mean special PR-department permission, like be let in to photograph mustard being made at the French's plant. Or, you could take the easier route, and simply be a properly equipped terrorist with a camera cell phone, as one of the experts points out in the ABC piece.

We all hope that reasonable efforts are being made to curtail terrorist activities. But, some NYC officials have made an impressive logical leap: terrorists might do something bad in the subway system; therefore, let's ban all photographers. Maybe the terrorists really are winning.

2005-02-24T13:33:00.000-06:00

I had a thought that it would be interesting to see what photographs soldiers returning from Iraq brought with them. Not the kind that has been in the news, documents of abuse of prisoners. Just the insider's look, showing the less dramatic aspects of the soldier's life. Perhaps I had in mind Jim Hubbard's acclaimed Shooting Back project, in which he taught homeless children how to show their own lives through photography, which made for some great, insightful photographs.

Well, it turns out that the Washington Post has indeed asked for submissions from soldiers and has posted an initial gallery of the results. (A free membership is required to view the site). Frankly, the photographs are often just snapshots of people grinning at the camera, but the overall effect is to give the viewer a feel for the texture of everyday life there. Occasional photographs depict more tense moments, such as when soliders are dismanteling booby-traps or questioning potential enemy. But, we shouldn't expect that soldiers would be snapping away during a firefight, or even to be documenting the more horrific outcomes of a day's work.

So it is with interest that I read an article in Editor and Publisher, a newspaper industry trade magazine, that recounts that the photographs have actually created some controversy. It appears some readers think the photos were selected to create good feelings about the military engagement and serve to gloss over the true nature of the war.

I am by no means an advocate of the war, but I find it difficult to understand why some readers would think that average soldiers would have the capacity or interest to take more than snapshots of their daily lives -- or would think it a good idea to submit photos that verged anywhere near potential trouble for themselves or comrades. And certainly the Post could only work with what was sent to them; I just don't see a conspiracy there.

2002-07-07T14:51:00.000-05:00

Well, from the beginning I haven't been very regular in keeping up this blog, but a glitch last January threw me off what little stride I had: a misplaced quotation mark in the code I used on the Blogger Web site > put a wrench in the works and proved more complicated than the typical late-night state of my brain could handle. Well, here it is, a Sunday afternoon, wife and the kids off the see "Like Mike" and the unexpected caffeine boost of a Vanilla Coke going through my system, (yeah, right I wish I got money for product placements) and all of a sudden, it was a snap to fix. So, I'm back, and ... I have nothing to say.

Not entirely true: the other day -- and this was what in part prompted me to figure out this blog thing -- a nice lady took the trouble to call up to let me know about a photo contest that would have pricked my interest, but it turns out these days they do it with lasers. Okay, she works for a company called Lenox Laser > that is in the business of making very small holes. Among other things, they sell the precision holes (and surrounding metal) needed by the modern pinhole photographer. Seems things have progressed quite a bit since the days I punched a hole in a coffee can with a hammer and nail. (In fact, take a look at the work of Justin Quinnell, who among other things has produced "A day in the life of my mouth" > using what one would assume is a very small pinhole camera). Anyway, the point of all this is that Lenox Laser would be delighted if you would enter their pinhole photography contest, > with a $1000 grand prize. The $25 entry fee includes a choice of two precision, laser-drilled pinholes, which they will provide and presumably is necessary gear for any competitive pinhole photographer today -- who wants to produce slightly blurry, atmospheric photos, instead of the old-fashioned really blurry, atmospheric photos.

2002-01-14T21:11:00.000-06:00

Christopher Record sends notice of his new Web site, adressed aptly, www.christopherrecord.com. Chris contributed a story a while back about a Vietnamese seminary; he's an award-winning photographer for the Charlotte Observer. But the site features a sideline, documentary style wedding photography. As Chris says, this approach isn't exactly unique, but he shows a particularly nice touch, capturing genuine, emotional moments.

Jen Weisel is making attempting to make a go of Reflex, her "journal of personal, non-commercial photography." I was fortunate to be on the mailing list for several issues and to experience this lovely little (5 x 5") publication myself. (Yes, despite pushing the pixels out into the world, I like holding a publication in my hands as much as the next luddite). With her email, Jen announces that she's now taking subscriptions for the magazine, as well as seeking portfolios of photographers' work that may not have been seen before. "Reflex seeks to promote expression and communication; it is about what drives the photography as much as the photography itself. And it will serve as a reminder to artists that there is an audience out there for the images that they create with only self-fulfillment in mind," she says. Like to know more? Visit the Web site >...

2001-10-15T21:51:00.000-05:00

A couple of online galleries worth checking out. Sight alum Paul Kwilecki let me know about YourWall (www.yourwall.com). This is a really fine site, with prints available from some big-name photographers like Philippe Halsman and Annie Leibovitz, as well as people you should know like Kwilecki, as well as Ken Light and Michelle Vignes, both of whom have portfolios on Sight.

Got a postcard from www.avagallery.com. Like YourWall, avagallery offers prints for sale from fine art photographers, though YourWall's selection actually spans into documentary works as well. I have to admit, some of avagallery's photographers are a little too fine art for my taste, but I did like going through James Poro's mythical winged creatures and Zana Briski's panoramic travelogue photos (I've had a weakness for the wide format since discovering Eugene O. Goldbeck -- someday, I'll pull together a show on panoramics).

2001-09-14T21:32:00.000-05:00

You no doubt have suffered through this awful week, as we have; and have wondered what you can do to help, even if you live far from the scenes of the crimes in New York and Washington, D.C. Media has done a good job of letting us know about some of the major organizations that need donations -- Yahoo has an excellent page detailing relief efforts >. Ken Light sends word that the Editorial Photographers organization is joining together with APA and ASMP (two other professional photographer's organizations) to "collect money to specifically help Photo industry professionals and their families injured or killed by this tragic event." If you'd like to learn more about this effort, please visit the Editorial Photographers site: http://www.editorialphoto.com >.

2001-08-26T20:48:00.000-05:00

Quite a contrast ... Today I offer a call for entries seeking photographs of chocolates and a no-doubt heart-wrenching show document lynching in America.

The Dulce Gallery at the El Eden Chocolates shop in New York city is inviting photographers to submit photos of chocolate. The shop has limited room for 15 - 20 photographs on one wall. They are looking for entries which "capture the essense of the holiday season and must depict chocolate in some way..." The entry deadline is October 12, 2001; chosen photographers will get 70 percent commission on any photos sold. To get a prospective for the show, please visit the shop's Web site at: www.eledenchocolates.com. >

Back to Pittsburgh: the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh will open the exhibit Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America on September 22, 2001. According to a press release, one of the goals of the exhibit is to "generate dialogue in the Pittsburgh community regarding the difficult history surrounding lynching in America and to address the complex issues its legacy raises today." The show focuses on photographs of violent public lynchings in the American South between 1890 and 1930. Incredibly, "some of the images on view were widely circulated in their day as postcards or momentos." For more information on the exhibit, visit the museum Web site at: www.warhol.org >.

2001-08-09T21:47:00.000-05:00

Here's a show I'd love to see ... The Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, PA will be putting on an exhibit called "Dream Street: W. Eugene Smith's Pittsburgh Photographs," starting in November. You may have seen some of Smith's Pittsburgh work -- but this exhibit pulls it together comprehensively for the first time since the photographer shot it in 1956. Smith and others consider this typically atmospheric set of pictures to be his finest work -- which is saying a lot about the photographer who produced such classic essays as the "Spanish Village" and "Nurse-Midwife" stories. The Pittsburgh exibit will be on display from November 3 through February 10. I'm not sure I can make it there, but if you are in the area, this is one not to miss.

2001-07-05T22:19:00.000-05:00

Up late the other night ... I've posted another three pages of Time and Place photos. Sorry about the backlog, keep 'em coming and I promise I'll get to them. Take a look at the new batch >

2001-06-17T18:10:00.000-05:00

Patrick Demarchelier is a name I should know, if I'd been paying better attention to his segment of the industry: his photographs have been published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, O, Talk, Esquire, and Rolling Stone, among others. His studio (he doesn't have to do this sort of work himself, I'm sure) sends notice of his recently redesigned website: http://www.demarchelier.net. The site is very beautifully designed, with blocks of background color and some unique horizontally scrolling pages. It does a credible job of showing off the photographer's work, though I got confused at time by the navigation. Worth a look.

2001-05-14T21:03:00.000-05:00

Ran across this during my "real" job... Indivisible.org is a joint project between academic photography heavyweights The Center for Creative Photography (associated with the University of Arizona) and the Duke University Center for Documentary Studies, with funding from the Pew Charitable Trusts. The project's purpose was to "to explore how individual Americans are identifying local needs and working together to address them." This goal was fulfilled by sending photographers such as Danny Lyons and Sylvia Plachy to 12 communities around the U.S., and giving them autonomy to interpret for themselves what kind of unique solutions each place was using to solve community issues. A beautiful site, with great photos and audio, and a demonstration of how compelling stories can be told outside of the increasing constraints of mainstream print media.

2001-05-02T22:48:00.000-05:00

The Italian connection continues: Gaetano Mansi, a fashion photographer, sent notice of his very nicely designed site (www.mansi.net). The site, somewhat graphic intensive for the bandwidth-challenged amongst us, features Mansi's portfolios of fashion and beauty, as well as the bonus of a backstage pass, offering photos and movies from behind the scenes.

2001-04-26T22:26:00.000-05:00

Nancy Robinson, an American photographer who has relocated to Sorrento, Italy, sends notice of the opening of her online gallery. The gallery features portfolios of painterly scenes of the Italy we'd like to imagine (marred a little by a somewhat over-protective printing of "Grace Gallery" across each photo). The site, at: http://www.gracegallery.it , is worth checking out. Devoted viewers of Sight will recall a recent exhibit of another ex-patriat American, Linda Hand, who has set up shop in Salento, Italy.

2001-04-24T23:18:00.000-05:00

In the mail today...Always nice to get a crisp, new, unexpected photo book in the mail. Kids Can Press sent along Zoran Milich's children's book The City ABC Book, a deceptively simple collection of photos of the letters of the alphabet found by keen observation of patterns in the urban environment. According to the book jacket, Milich, published in the New York Times, Newsweek and others, was inspired to create the book during walks through his Toronto neighborhood with his new daughter. Thanks for sharing!

2001-04-24T22:50:00.000-05:00

Hi, welcome to Sight's Photo Blog. What's a Blog? Well, words are very elastic in the medium of the web: A "blog" is is the result of two words, web and log, which have quickly morphed together. Blogs are generally annotated hot lists -- lists of interesting sites that the blogger has run across, and wants other people to know about -- though sometimes blogs appear to be stream-of-consciousness accounts of life. This one will have a mostly practical bent: people out there let me know about their sites, news and events all the time, and I'll now have a way to share most of this with you. So, let me know if you'd like me to take a look at a photo-related site, or have other information to pass along.

Keith Mays, Sight Publisher