phone with a cord

Girl At The Parade, NYC

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:20:00 +0000

Photo by Julia Wideman

So Young

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 18:00:00 +0000

It is no wonder Ryan McGinley personally requested to work with Coco Young on many of his projects. When I first stumbled across her blog I fell in love with Coco's photographic eye. Everything is so fresh and carefree. Sometimes I need a reminder to shoot without inhibition.

These two in particular are my favorite. But make sure to check out some more here.

Photo Credits: All by Coco Young

The Art of Marfa

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 16:24:00 +0000

I love vintage photographs. I collect them - each time I go to the flea market, I sift through boxes to find ones I like. Here's why - they're nostalgic, they're anonymous, and they are most always what we would consider a "friend photo." In other words, the photographer was looking for a good family photo, not necessarily one that stands on its own. But then there are some that work both ways. And those are the most fun to find.

For me it nods back to Weegee's methods. He was an amazing man-behind-the-lens, but he was there to get to the heart of the picture for a news story. He just had an exceptional eye for what exactly that was. Well, that's the idea here on a certain level - images to document a town or a family end up looking like art. I always learn something.

I found these vintage photos courtesy of the Marfa Public Library. They're all of Marfa, Texas.

Marfa is a tiny town about 500 miles south of Dallas, just an hour from the border of Mexico. In '71, the minimalist artist, Donald Judd moved to Marfa and shortly after created large scale art. He bought up buildings and displayed one artists' work on permanent collection (he felt this was the true way to learn about the artist). These days, two foundations maintain his legacy and a new wave of talent has entered the town. Still the population averages to less than one person per mile.

Those of you who know me have probably heard me talk about going to the desert once or twice. (I want to photograph it) I think Marfa is the place!

From top to bottom: First Baptist Church, Marfa, Texas, Photograph, July 1958; First Border Patrol in Marfa, Photograph, January 1928; Arnold's Art Studio. [Marfa, Texas 1918], Photograph, [ca. 1918]; [Sheep in a field near Marfa], Photograph, n.d.

Drive Through World

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 18:26:00 +0000

Two little girls pay out the window in Soho. NY Photographer Atisha Paulson's Drive Through World, Part of his series Shooting Soho.

An Intimate Setting, An Adolescent Portrait

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 21:28:00 +0000

Last night I ventured over to a lecture - one of a series- held by the Camera Club of New York at SVA. The photographer was Martine Fougeron. A graduate of the ICP, Fougeron began shooting her two sons- and 10 of their friends- when they were 13 and 14 at the inception of their teenage rebellion and continued through their high school graduation. As a result, she built a refined, intimate portfolio of their coming of age.

Fougeron did something socially difficult, seemlessly-- AKA she's Mom and her two sons are growing up, rebelling, figuring out girls- booze- smoking (they're French) - yet there isn't really evidence of this adverse relationship within the work, and where it is present is an illustration that is integral to the story. I also think she was able to minimize photographer interference in a context where it would typically be amplified to capture a story that ends up feeling true - and very relatable at that. Somewhere in the lecture introduction, Fougeron was compared to the likes of Jacques Henri-Lartigue and Larry Clark, a class of photographers who photographed within their immediate social surroundings. For Fourgeron, that was caring for her sons. And I think that's why these images come so naturally.

But she also had some tricks up her sleeve; she put her subjects at ease with a set rules - a veto in place, a time limit for shooting, things that set boundaries because she knew those were necessary to stick it out for the long haul.

And then she gave it time. Fougeron broke the project into a series of subsets (now seven) that grow in number each year given the time of reflection. With a step back, she is able to create a separation from her sentimental ties to choose the images that capture an emotional and intellectual state of mind in the midst of ordinary childhood events. Another great feat! Because sometimes you just want to hold on to a print even if it doesn't photographically work.

Fougeron concluded with a 30 minute film in which the kids reflected on the photos and of their experiences. It was a fun reminder to stay open to change and growth. Then the lecture let out: At 9 oclock the night felt young, and I ran home for my camera.

Photo credit (from top): by Martine Fougeron Tete-a-Tete VI; by Martine Fougeron Tete-a-Tete VII by Jacques-Henri Lartigue Rouzat, Dé Dé, Lartigue's cousin, diving with water wing 1911

View Of The Street

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:38:00 +0000

Thanks to Michael Wolf's upcoming show "iseeyou," Google maps is crossing over into the art world. In his exhibit, Wolf makes a statement about urban life and our quickly depleting privacy given the advancement of technology. Part of the exhibition is comprised of a series called "Street View: A Series of Unfortunate Events." I always did wonder how Google managed to compile such a seemless view-- the company's automobile trolls the city streets with 9 mounted cameras, capable of capturing the world in 360 degrees.

Wolf switched out his camera for the screenshot tool on his computer and milled the streets of cities around the world, virtually speaking that is, to find an unexpected moment.

Wolf isn't the only one fascinated by this outlet. The Telegraph compiled a collection of funny Street View images for this feature (my favorite is the very first one), and Rhett Dashwood used the satellite feature to find landforms that resembled the 26 letters of the alphabet. There are whole blogs dedicated to it.

This is not without posing this same sort of question framed by Wolf, how far is too far when it comes to images and our privacy? At this point, we all know full well that the 1984 reference is very much true. Or maybe it is just those of us who are parnoid? It's related closely to a pertinent issue with street photographers - like Jeff Mermelstein said, "I'm, in a sense, stealing something from them without asking them..." referring to the subjects of his images- and for some (read: ME) it is the most taxing part of the process, getting the guts to stick your lens right where you want it to be, no matter who notices.

In that sense, and perhaps I'm just biased, my opinion is that it is okay. It's for art. But please, I want to hear your thoughts.

Photo credit (from top): by Michael Wolf, from his exhibition iseeyou opening on October 28th at the Bruce Silverstein Gallery; from Rhett Dashwood's Google Map Typography series; courtesy of the Telegraph.

Darling Marcel

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 02:00:00 +0000

In case you have not already seen this video (and I understand it is an off chance at this point), please take a moment to do so. It is vry impt. Jenny Slate did an amazing job creating Marcel as quite a lovable character- and kudos to the director Dean Fleischer-Camp!

M. Hulot's Holiday

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 20:00:00 +0000

The first time I saw Jacques Tati's humorous (and one of his most famous) film Monsieur Hulot's Holiday, I fell in love. It was last summer. I fell in love with the visual satire (clumsy Hulot played by Tati himself), the romantically washed out black and whites, the minimal script, and the way it makes me want to skip town for the South of France (if only). Read: makes me feel happy.

On that note, let's reinforce that although how some learned photographers can become too technical for their own good--

(Think "this is no good, imperfect print quality!"- a theory that M. Tichy has completely blown out of the water.)

-- the end goal is nothing if not to stir up a little emotion.

Image Studies

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:00:00 +0000

Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects to starting a photo project is choosing the subject matter. Once a focal point is established, the project begins to develop cohesive property and a smooth flow, but until then it can be quite disconnected. Who hasn't encountered such frustration regardless of genre.

It is no wonder then that some of my favorite image blogs all share this quality - a tight focus. After years of daily posts, these blogs become an awesome image backlog of their subject matter. I would even go as far as saying that they will have become a database.

I think you will find that these two do a particularly good job at that - in the fashion blog category: Le Smoking (beautiful people smoking) and The Impossible Cool (title says it all). Neither contain any text apart from photo credits, but I think if they started referencing back and commenting they might kick it up a notch. Or maybe better left an open book. What do you think? Any others you have encountered?

Image source (all): Le Smoking

A Day Off

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Mon, 31 May 2010 23:22:00 +0000

Today was one of the most relaxing I have had in a while. I spent the whole afternoon by myself, riding my bike, reading, and drinking iced coffee. Over a late lunch I flipped on the tv to see Man on Wire playing. This is a movie I have watched before (and thoroughly enjoyed), but it was an inspiring revisit for me. I was glued to the channel and before I knew it I was crying and feeling like I could do anything in the world (yes yes I know).

The most beautiful part for me is after all the build up when Philippe Petit finally dances between the towers. I can only imagine witnessing this in real life.

Here are some stills of the moment. And if you haven't seen that film, it is a must!

Back to talking

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Sat, 22 May 2010 14:32:00 +0000

I've been a horrible poster recently; mostly it is because work has gotten extraordinarily busy that I haven't had a spare moment. Great stuff on the horizon!

In the meantime, very important that I go see the Cartier-Bresson exhibit at the MoMA on Sunday. I need to find a bit of inspiration (and I'm going straight to the greatest) as I have had a total standstill with my personal project. I've noticed sometimes time away is good to gain a fresh eye with your own work, but mostly I just feel like a bum! So this will be a good jump start I think--as a photographer friend said recently, "[Cartier-Bresson's] work is the kind I look at and think, what am I doing??"

Here are a couple I cannot wait to see:

Photo Credits: all Henri Cartier-Bresson; Titled From Top: New York, New York, Coronation of King George VI, London. Note on the first image via MoMA: The arrival of a boat carrying refugees from Europe reunites a mother and son who had been separated throughout the war.

Street Spotting

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:39:00 +0000

Style.com is putting on a photo contest that is all about personal style and street style.

Even just in the past two or three years, the art of street style blogging has downright blown up. There have been new sites cropping up left and right. The outside of the tents during fashion week is a blogger bonanza. It's really interesting to see the unique point of view among them. It speaks a lot to the view and talent of each photographer.

Some of my favorites here from top: Tommy Ton JakandJil.com; Maya Villiger Turnout.tv. Who are your favorite street style bloggers on the web?

Oh - and everyone enter the contest!

According to Newsweek, the Sixties DID Happen.

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 04:54:00 +0000

Here are a couple of great interviews with David Bailey that were part of a publicity round for his recently ended Pure Sixties, Pure Bailey exhibition at Bonhams in London. In discussing his career he touches upon some philosophies that I find really interesting and helpful.

I especially like what he says in the video interview with Sarfraz Manzoor for the Gardian UK about stealing and originality, "They [other photographers] shouldn't borrow, they should steal. If they borrow, it's only going to be weak. And if they copy it's going to be weak. But if they steal it and make it their own... I've got nothing against people stealing things," he goes on. "..Everything is an influence and if you don't steal everything, I mean, you can never do it. I mean, people who think they can just be original, you can't."

Maybe a strange way for me to take it, but I am really encouraged by that. As a photographer, your goal is to make a photo that people feel like they have never seen before. But part of that is knowing that everything has already been done - accept that and use it to your advantage - it's what I try to tell myself.

The second is a cheeky interview found on the very last page of last month's Tatler.

Q&A with David Bailey, Tatler, April 2010:
What makes you happy? Sex.
Your highest moment? The Himalayas.
Your lowest moment? The Dead Sea.
Your best quality? Dyslexia.
Your worst quality? Intolerance.
Who inspires you? Henri Cartier-Bresson and Pablo Picasso.
First photograph that made an impression on you? Hitler's victims during the Second World War.
What makes a good photograph? A good artist.
Most memorable photoshoot? The birth of my children.
Most beautiful woman you've ever photographed? Catherine Bailey.
Best piece of advice you have been given? Ingrid Bergman once told me: only have lunch or dinner with people who make you laugh or further your career.
Best advice you have given? Expect the unexpected.
What are you proud of? Living so long.
What are you scared of? Living forever.
What's your addiction? Work.
What do you have on your bedside table? Usually 30 books, such as Samuel Pepe's biography, Roberto Bolano, Gore Vidal, Diaghilev.
The most interesting person you have ever met? Gore Vidal because I loved his cynical sense of humour.
Who do you dislike? People who are politically correct.
Bete Noir? God asking me to photograph a dodgey blonde.
The Sixties...did they really happen? According to Newsweek
Who will you vote for? Miss World.
Favourite politician you have photographed? Nelson Mandela.
iPod playlist? Stravinsky, Bob Dylan, Vera Lynn.
Your favorite restaurant and why? Bob's East End Cafe - why not?
First crush? Audrey Hepburn.
Do you think you are successful? Apparently.
Last time you cried and why? When I was being born.
How do your nearest and dearest deal with you? With caution.
Who do you love the most? Catherine Bailey.
Have you had your heart broken? What happened? Yes, my lead soldier melted.
Your indulgence? Camera cases.
Worst nightmare? A camera with a dead battery.
Favourite escape? The darkroom.
Where do you go to be alone? In my head.

Photo credit: David Bailey portrait of Michael Caine

Effortless Cool

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 01:29:00 +0000

by Muge from series "Go Home" on ithoughtiwasalone.

Artist Info.

Wish You Were Here: Argentina

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:37:00 +0000

I love travel photography for so many reasons: 1) it is great for jogging memories of a place and a specific visit 2) it is often visually interesting because the subjects are new or unusual 3) it describes one's encounters more precisely than they can be told 4) it motivates me to get it together and save up for a vacation (oy).

My pal, Alex, over at From Lara recently went on a leisurely trip to Argentina (lucky). Her photos, many of which she posted, are a consise and very pretty visual diary of her time there.

One of my favorites is of her visit to El Calafate in the Patagonia where she got to walk on the Perito Moreno glacier. Isn't it beautiful! I can imagine the experience was magical.

All images: Alexandra de Lara. From top: Perito Moreno Glacier, Caminito In La Boca, La Recoleta Cemetery.

Getting Away

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 22:01:00 +0000

I'm in beautiful Nantucket for the week, so posting will be infrequent until I get back. In the meantime, here is a lovely photo of the island (snapped around 1870) by Charles H. Shute, a photographer, Nantucket born-and-raised, who operated a studio with his son on Martha's Vineyard.

Pictures of Pictures: A Recorded Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 03:45:00 +0000

Although, on a last minute change, I couldn't make the opening (tonight) I so look forward to checking out Danziger's newest exhibition (through May 22), Elfering – 1642.

Here's what it is: Elfering--1642 is the collection recording a collection, images of images. In 2005, Gert Elfering, a famous German collector, sold his masterful collection of prominent photographic pieces (including works from Irving Penn, May Ray, Helmut Newton, and the like) at auction via Christies New York showrooms. It occurred to him that he might want a souvenir of sorts to commemorate both the collection and the event of auction, and he commissioned photographer, Matthais Shaller, of whose work he admired, to do so.

Upon seeing it on the floor at the auction house (before it was hanged), Shaller felt capturing the collection in this way was the most impactful and meaningful.

"In this way and as a completed series, Schaller’s photographs encompass the many complexities and ironies of the concept while at the same time incorporating the power of the objects about to be sold into their own luminous interiors. The finished works – beautiful, compelling, and intriguing pictures in their own right - stand as a remarkable example of enlightened patronage while remaining resolutely true to Schaller’s own vision of creating a portrait of both a collection and a collector," Says the press release of the result (and I cannot wait to check it out in person).

On a sillier note, the concept reminds me a bit of A Collection a Day, a blog created by artist Lisa Congdon soley to record her many unusual and/or extensive collections.

Image: James Danziger, A Year in Pictures

The Other Side of the Picture

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:05:00 +0000

Here is an interesting video of the collaboration between photographer Julien Claessens and designer Olivier Theyskens on the creation of their recently released The Other Side of the Picture, a book published by Assouline. Claessens says he is not a fashion photographer, but he wouldn't call this of the documentary genre. He felt lucky that he was totally free to do what he wanted with the images, without having to compromise, and because he was a student when he first began the project he didn't force it into a certain category.

The backstage photos throughout the book are pretty breathtaking. Claessens uses both black & white and color and in every case, creates a sort of sculptural being. He uses the light to perfection. In this Style.com interview of the two, they talk about how Claessens would not take the photo if it was posed; as soon as anyone did, he would walk away. Other than that, the photographer did not limit himself to anything. There were thousands of images to sort through- a kind of retrospective of the designer's career so far.

Image: Julien Claessens

Ellen von Unwerth

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:47:00 +0000

I love the work of model turned photographer Ellen von Unwerth. It's all really dreamy, it all feels like it's from another time, and it all kicks reality up a notch. Von Unwerth continues to be extremely relevant in the fashion and beauty world, shooting everything from MAC makeup ad campaigns to Lula editorial spreads. She works as a film director as well- I particularly love this video she did for Azzedine Alaia in 1990.

Read her BIO here.

Update: Today, a bit of a 'scandal' involving an Ellen von Unwerth/ Shrek photoshoot for VMan. Read about it.

All images: Ellen von Unwerth

Wild Things: Found

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:25:00 +0000

Feast your eyes on this humourous/dirty (quite literally)/ dark, Roger Ballen's series, Boarding House. Ballen's work is sight to be seen. The photographer, who started his career in the photo-journalistic realm, switched to this distinct artistic vision after his Outland series in 2001. Most of the time, only small parts of the subjects are visible in each photograph--like a hand, a few fingers, a leg--and small animals make an appearance in many.

I think one can take the pictures to mean what he/she may on a personal level. As Doug Stockdale says on The Photobook, "I only have scratched the surface for all of the potential meanings that lay within the context of Ballen’s photographs." (Read his extensive review)

All Images: Roger Ballen. From Top: Concealed, Three Hands, Contemplation, Prickles, Appearances

Younger Than I'll Be: A Critique

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 14:47:00 +0000

This week I was able to visit the current photo exhibit at BAMart, Younger Than I'll Be, curated by Skye Parrott, a photographer herself and co-founder of Dossier. There were some pretty interesting pieces in the collection of what seemed to be about 20 images-- some Weegee, Larry Clark, Virginia Parrott (mother of the Skye), and Cass Bird: these were the ones that spoke to me personally.

However others didn't quite fit into the puzzle so nicely. The Adrian Gaut, for example, a sharp and structured architechtural piece, had no place in a collection of images meant to portray the "joy and omnipotence of adolescence," as described in the curator's statement. All stood alone as beautiful, strong images, but they didn't always belong together.

Though at times Younger seemed a bit half-hearted, it's worth going for a close look at the stand-out prints.

Image: Viginia Parrott

Seeing Is [Really] Believing

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:26:00 +0000

There are some photographers that have the power to stun with their work. James Nachtwey is one of those photographers. Pardon me for being so subjective here, but my jaw is literally on the ground looking at his work. As Mr. LaRocca, who first brought Nachtwey to my attention, described him, "[He is] literally 'The Man'." I know it's a cliche, I know I know I know, but these pictures speak so many words, so many more than what anyone could say about the subjects they portray.

Nachtwey decided to make photography his career after seeing images of the Vietnam War and the American Civil Rights Movement. He taught himself the skills of the trade and has since worked for Time among other publications risking his life at times to cature his powerful photo essays on subjects including Rwanda, Darfur, and the 9/11 WTC attacks.

See a video of some insight from the photographer, here. "There is a vital story that needs to be told," he says, " I have been a witness and these pictures are my testimony." He also did an interesting "5 Questions" with the Apple team regarding (my favorite) digital vs film and brings up an important point that, "...documentary photography and photojournalism are based on perception, not on technology...[but] in journalism the delivery is vital."

All images: James Nachtwey. From top: Romania, 1990 - An orphanage for " incurables";South Africa, 1992 - Xhosa young men in rite of passage; Afghanistan, 1996 - Mourning a brother killed by a Taliban rocket.

Color Me Pastel

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 04:44:00 +0000

I have never been a drawer. I think that is why Im so much into photography. It's an outlet that is about composing and capturing an existing scene as opposed to creating one. That being said, last summer in the dead heat I was inspired to scribble, scribble all over my black and white photographs a la Mr. Peter Beard. It was a way to add color and to use my left over test prints (of which I have countless stacks). So, off to SOHO ART I went to pick up some oil pastels.

Don't ask me the rhyme or reason: why I chose these colors or why I scribbled where I did. I based it all on emotion-- what felt good at the time. And it still feels good to me now- I hope you enjoy!

All images and artwork: Julia Wideman. Location From Top: Brooklyn Heights, Central Park, Midtown NYC.

A Man Reference

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 17:15:00 +0000

I love surrealism in photography. That V references Man Ray as influence (plus Marlene D) of the Kirsten Dunst shoot, I think, is right on. See some of the great surrealist's work at the ICP through May 9th.

All Images: Man Ray

The Real Alice

noreply@blogger.com (Phone with a Cord) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:55:00 +0000

With all the hub-ub of Tim Burton's rendition of Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll (aka Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) is man of the hour. I myself, a fan of both Burton and Carroll, have seen the 3-D movie twice (a bit nerdy, I know). That being said, yesterday I took my lunch break at the ICP museum store and stumbled upon the photographic works of the latter. I never knew he was a man behind the lens.

Carroll became involved in photography in 1856 and used it as an entree into social circles, where he took portraits of some notable figures.

He did photographic studies of men, women, children, and landscapes and some studies of nude children have surfaced, although there is little evidence of any motives of perversion. It is said that Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was based on a girl of platonic (again, controversial) interest, and a frequent photographic subject, Alice Liddell, as photographed in the two pictures here (above with her sisters).

Carroll ceased all photography in 1880, and the reason why is still unknown. Most of his work was deliberately destroyed.

See more of his work, here and here.

All images: Lewis Carroll (aka Charles Lutwidge Dodgson); From top: On right with Sisters circa 1859, dressed up as a beggar maid 1858.