balm
November 8,2012
In the November issue marking its 40th anniversary, W is introducing an annual feature called “The Shot,” which seeks to identify and support the next generation of stars in fashion photography. The issue includes a portfolio of six emerging photographers whom its editors, in a partnership with the International Center of Photography, have identified as “exhilarating new talents.” One of them will ultimately be named a winner. The grand prize is the opportunity to shoot a feature for the magazine’s September 2013 issue.
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“We looked for photographers with original ideas,” said Stefano Tonchi, the editor of W. “We selected the ones who are not like anyone else.”
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The finalists — Erik Madigan Heck, Boo George, Kacper Kasprzyk, Karim Sadli, Zoe Ghertner and Benjamin Lennox — include some who are already known for their work for independent magazines but have yet to break through to the big leagues.
Correction: The above left cover was shot by David Bellemere.
I want to bring to your attention 41 year old photographer Sebran d'Argent. I came across him, tonight, while looking at Heaven Magazine; which he seems to be shooting the covers for exclusively. First 3 covers so far. First two seen above. He's also got an editorial with Anna de Rijk in this latest issue. What I specifically like about him, besides his work, is that he's, like my self in painting, an autodidact. Van Gogh described him self as an autodidact and it simply means "self taught". Here is a small sample of his work, but check out the website for more.
Photographers who started out with film, and now use digital, can weigh-in on this:
I have this hypothesis, that's been bugging me all week. And I could be being (← grammatical error?) extra anal here, but bare with me.
I've mainly been wondering if the mentality/psychology in pressing the shutter button—that split second when you click and capture an image—has changed for photographers, once they switched over to digital, from film? And if further, the lack of upbringing and experience in film is a deficiency, or crutch, holding back, and/or diluting, the quality in digital photography today?
I feel that the knowing photographers had, of the amount of shots in each roll of film, and its associated costs, consciously pushed them to be hyper aware of their action, when pressing the shutter button. Further, if even subconsciously, their senses became extra sensitive and did a better job at capturing an image, at a more specific instant in time. We could be talking milliseconds here, of when the mind signaled the finger to press, and capture the image.
In other word, knowing that I have a limit on how many shots I can take, and how much each shot costs, pushed me to:
1) be lethally focused of/on the scene, and shot.
2) subconsciously, by design of nature, became extra sensitive and aware of the image and when to release the shutter button.
Flipping the coin, with digital, producing sub-par quality, due to the approach that:
1) I can take endless shots.
2) I can select the best one later.
3) I can Photoshop it.
I think these three latter thinking and escape is the cause of so many atrocious imagery we've been seeing in the digital age.
Love to hear your thoughts.
a pocket sized lighting studio for photo & video
Looks great, especially the effects. Fund it at Kickstarter
Leica’s digital cameras are known to excel in black and white photography, despite being digital. With the new Leica M focusing entirely on B&W, there are many technical benefits to eliminating color. According to one commentator, “sensor sites have colored filters over them, called the Color filter array. They do not sense the wavelength of the incoming light, but rather are only exposed to one wavelength.” [The Next Web]
Leica X2 being unvailed today as well.
Also: Coverage of Leica’s event in Berlin
Christina tells me that recent American Apparel advertising photos have been taken by Henrik Purienne, and not company founder Dov Charney. Including the two I recently posted, of Steffi. Henrik Purienne is the Founder and Editor of Mirage Magazine. When, and why did, Dev stop taking the photos himself, is unknown to me, at the moment, but I thought I correct my error. This still does not change my opinion of them, as fine art photography. American Apparel's mark is on them, and the Fine stems from that. Christina also says "Tony Kelly, has shot some of the recent ones as well."
About a year ago I said: I Now Believe That American Apparel's Ads Are In Actuality Fine Art. And I still think Dov Charney's photos for American Apparel are pieces of fine photographic art. People get pissed when I say this of course, but I nonetheless stand by my words. He's capturing something that resonates, and is real. Unlike many of the copied, photoshoped, fakes, filling fashion today, by inept quote un-quote photographers.
Canon made a lot of digital filmmakers happy with the EOS C300, but it also received a lot of criticism for limiting its recording to just 1080p — great for web video, not so great for traditional moviemaking. That changes today with the introduction of the EF-mount C500 and PL-mount C500PL, which offer 4K resolution and and RAW output to go head-to-head with cameras like the RED Scarlet.
The Verge: Canon C500 adds 4K recording to the Digital Cinema line
me.
It's been a loong time since I wrote here. I'm feeling fine. Finally the spring has arrived to my north country. Haven't got anything special to share from my life, except that everything is perfect.
Hope you're doing well.
Love
Moe Gustafsson
www.moe.freshnet.se
Last week I was photographed by my friend Cornelia who had an assignment in school to write a story. She wrote about a young loving couple who were on a vacation in Paris (of course). But something had happend to the man so the young woman was very sad and depressed. In the assignment she also had to take some pictures to come with the story. I had to picture the woman in grief. I don't really know if I succeded, cause' I had to wear like a silk dress and lie in Cornelia's bed (wich actually looked very french..) It was hard to feel sad where I lay, feeling very luxury..
This whole story + photoshoot will end up in an exhibition at her high school. I feel a bit nervous to be put up on to walls where everybody can see me (halfnaked as well) . I'm glad I don't study at that school. I think Cornelia did an excellent job and the photos became great. I've edited them a little bit in Photoshop.
Hope you all are doing fine. I'm so glad that I get the opportunity to put my thoughts and pictures here sometimes.
/ Moe Gustafsson
The Unseen Eye: Photographs from the W.M. Hunt Collection
Oct. 1, 2011 - Feb. 19, 2012
Eastman House (International Museum Of Photography & Film)
All eyes will be on George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film this fall as it presents one the largest exhibitions in its history — The Unseen Eye: Photographs from the W.M. Hunt Collection. More than 500 photographs by the masters of the medium will be on view Oct. 1, 2011 through Feb. 19, 2012. The Eastman House is dedicating all of its primary gallery space to this exhibition.
Earlier this year The New Yorker referred to the collector as “the legendary” W.M. Hunt. He is a renowned curator and dealer who has been collecting photographs for 40 years. A self-described “champion of photography,” he is well-known for his “eye” and sense of humor. Hunt describes the collection as “magical, heart-stopping images of people in which the eyes cannot be seen.”
The photographs of The Unseen Eye have a common theme — the gaze of the subject is averted, the face obscured, or the eyes firmly closed. The images evoke a wide range of emotions and are characterized, by what, at first glance, the subject conceals rather than what the camera reveals.
Eastman House will present the first major U.S. exhibition of the collection, from which Aperture is simultaneously publishing a book titled The Unseen Eye: Photographs from the Unconscious, to be released in October. Highlights from the collection have previously been seen in Europe at the Rencontres de la Photographie in Arles, France; the Musée de l'Elysée in Lausanne, Switzerland; and Foam-Fotografiemuseum in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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