a blog about photography

“Art is everywhere, except it has to pass through a creative mind.”

2012-02-28T02:39:00.001-07:00

--Louise Nevelson

Photograph of artist, Louise Nevelson by Richard Avedon

French Photojournalist, Remi Ochlik

2012-02-24T11:58:00.004-07:00

Here is the CNN story (by way of photographs and captions) on the recent death of Remi Ochlik who was killed while covering the Syrian conflict in Homs. Click here: Remi Ochlik

Click here to see more of his work.

Jeanloup Sieff

2012-02-22T06:14:00.000-07:00

It has been said that versatility is not always such a great thing in that it implies, "jack of all trades; master of none". The contradiction to that statement is nowhere more evident than that of Jeanloup Sieff's work. He worked for the Magnum Agency and was known as a photographer of fashion, portraits, dance, nudes, landscapes, reportage, erotica, and of course, derrieres, for which he devoted an entire book. He was a master of all these realms. Click here to see his official website.

Contrast affects perception ...

2012-02-22T05:59:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting illusion as created by increasing and decreasing contrast. "The Illusion of Sex" (2009 Richard Russell for Best Illusion of the Year Contest; 3rd Place) illustrates, by use of photographs, our perception of what appears female and what appears male. The increase in contrast makes the same image of the same person's face appear more feminine. According to Scientific American Mind magazine, this would also explain "... why females in many cultures darken their eyes and mouths with cosmetics: a made-up face looks more feminine than a fresh face."

Daguerreotype

2012-02-21T06:38:00.016-07:00

Someone near and dear to me has a birthday this month. Two of his passions are sailing and photography, so I figured this post featuring a daguerreotype case with embossed sailboats would be a perfect commemoration.

The case has the initials E. White embossed in the sails. Edward White was a daguerreotype photographer and one of the major United States case and plate manufacturers in the years between 1841 and 1850. He was also known as one of the major daguerreotype equipment dealers. His portrait studio, known as the United States Daguerreian Gallery, was located at 175 Broadway in New York City. Inside this case, is a 1/6th daguerreotype plate of a man holding an open book. And, since my 'near and dear' also happens to be an avid reader, this post is even more apropos.

Valentine's Day Fashions

2012-02-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott

Deborah Turbeville

Guy Bourdin

Ellen von Unwerth (of Eva Mendez)

Ellen von Unwerth (for Russian Vogue)

Helmet Newton

Miles Aldridge

Nick Knight

Steven Meisel (Tribute to Alexander McQueen for Vogue 2011)

Steven Meisel (Versace ad featuring Kelly LeBrock, circa 1980s)

Whitney Houston 1963-2012

2012-02-13T06:44:00.000-07:00

Getty Images / Photographer Unknown

David LaChapelle

Photographer Unknown (Whitney at the Superbowl singing National Anthem)

Photographer Unknown

AP Photo / Dan Steinberg

~~~ + ~~~
When "photographer unknown" is indicated, but the photographer is known, please let me know and I will add photo credit.

2012 World Press Photo Winner

2012-02-10T07:00:00.002-07:00

2012 World Press Photo of the Year was won by Samuel Aranda for his photograph of a woman hugging a wounded relative inside a mosque turned hospital in Yemen. Aranda was shooting for the New York Times and it took him approximately one month to secretly and safely enter Yemen. This photograph was one of the first photographs he filed.

To read more about Samuel Aranda and his time in Yemen, and to see the other World Press Photo winners, click on the following link: World Press Photo Winners.

Ken Pivak

2012-02-09T07:07:00.000-07:00

My friend, Ken Pivak, has been working on a new series he calls, "Housewives". He works in collaboration with his models in order to come up with images that catapult our notions of a traditional housewife into either fantasy or an interpretation of what it might be to relish the escape, endure the drudgery, or take glory in the privilege. This concept makes me wonder, why has no one ever done this before?! Brilliant!

Before I display the images from the "Housewives" series, I am showcasing some photographs from a series Ken did as an editorial for San Francisco Chronicle about couture designers in San Francisco, all shot in famous restaurants. This series is what first grabbed my attention to his work.

Housewives Series:

Ken is also the founder of Digital 1 to 1.
Article on Digital 1 to 1, including Ken's bio click here.

This is Lady Gaga’s Photo Release Form

2012-02-08T06:05:00.000-07:00

This is Lady Gaga’s Photo Release Form

Photographers unite!

Imagine photographing a supermodel and instead of asking her to sign a release, you instead sign over your copyright to her, thus giving her all rights to do whatever she likes with your photograph. Celebrities like Madonna have freely allowed press photographers to photograph her during her concerts and the photograph remains the property of the photographer. Lady Gaga wants to own the imagery captured by press photographers at her concerts.

Copyright is established once the shutter is clicked. That copyright is held by the photographer. Sure, you can't use someone's likeness in advertising without a release, but documenting celebrities and if used in an editorial, non-slanderous fashion, but, most importantly, in a way that is non-revenue generating (i.e., a fan website or blog) seems tolerated and maybe even endorsed by many celebrities. They don't sign a model release. But, Lady Gaga isn't saying she didn't sign a model release; she is saying she wants to own outright your photographs of her.

When is "substantially similar" a matter of copyright infringement?

2012-02-08T02:19:00.011-07:00

There are two articles worth reading on this copyright case: DPreview.com's, "Similar, but not copied, image found to breach copyright" and the one written (with loads of typos!) by Holger Mette, "UK Copyright Case, Different, but Same-Same". Mette's article articulates some facts that are not mentioned in the DPreview article.

For instance, Mette tells us that the original Justin Fielder photograph (top photograph) was used without permission by a tea company. When Fielder approached the company about unauthorized use and then subsequently filed suit, the company withdrew the image from production and then proceeded to hire Nick Houghton to create a "similar" image (bottom photograph).

It was a deliberate act of taking the very specific elements from Fielder's photograph and creating a montage of elements to reproduce an image that was to intentionally look similar -- this alone would seem to warrant a case of copyright infringement. (But, the Court's decision to rule that it was a case of copyright infringement was based on other criteria.)

Had someone stood at the same spot as Fielder and captured all the elements in the shot -- the red bus, Big Ben in the background, a white sky, and then manipulated the image in Photoshop to render the monochromatic background, and had they not seen Fielder's shot, it is my understanding that they would not be guilty of copyright infringement. Case and point: think of how many substantially similar shots there are of Michelangelo's, Statue of David, taken from the same location, same angle, same time of day, same lighting, possibly the same number of tourists wearing red sweaters looking up at David, etc. (I think this would then also touch on the issue of public domain ... but that is another discussion for another time.)

Another case:

Following is a seemingly similar case with a different outcome -- this case was that of the book cover for Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil versus the use of a similar image for the film version of the book and its poster. Here again, there were instructions to create a similar image, but the Court ruled that it was not copyright infringement. Following is a summary of the case from www.advertisinglawyer.ca. And, here is the actual Court Document.

The United States case involves the movie, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, based on the John Berendt book of the same title. Those who have seen the book will readily recall Jack Leigh's jacket photograph of the sculpture in Savannah's Bonaventure Cemetery, known as "the Bird Girl." The sculpture was sculpted in 1938 by Sylvia Shaw Judson, and was placed at that time in the Lucy Trosdal family burial plot.

In 1997, when Warner Bros. was in the midst of filming, Leigh asked if they would be using his photograph in connection with the film's publicity. Warner Bros. declined the invitation, saying that they would be creating their own images of the Bird Girl.

Warner Bros. obtained permission from Judson's heirs to make a replica of the sculpture, applying a weathered finish to it. They encountered problems in obtaining permission from the Trosdal family to place the replica in their plot, and decided to place it in a different location within the cemetery. When all was said and done, the Warner Bros. photograph of the Bird Girl evoked a resemblance to Leigh's photograph, and both had the same eerie look and feel. Leigh sued for copyright infringement.

Since there is no copyright in an idea, only in how one expresses that idea, the use of the same subject matter in two works does not in and of itself result in an infringement of copyright. Two people can therefore photograph the same subject. The protection granted to a photographer is in the posing of the subject, lighting, timing, the shading that evokes a desired expression, the selection and arrangement of costumes, draperies and accessories, the angles photographed from, and other such variants.

Based on these principles, the court first decided that Leigh was not entitled to copyright protection of his choice of subject matter, namely the Bird Girl in Bonaventure Cemetery. The court also said that since the sculpture had been in the same position in the Trosdale plot for some fifty years, Leigh could not claim originality in the background for his photograph. Nor could Leigh claim protection for the pose or expression of the statue, since he did not select these or alter the statue's physical appearance in any way.

The Court also decided that Leigh could not claim that the eerie or spiritual mood of the photograph was capable of protection, saying:

"statues in cemeteries are often photographed in a manner evoking an eerie or spiritual mood and thus these moods can be said to flow naturally from the subject matter… ."

Leigh contended that the statue represented the idea of the final judgment on the main character in the book. To this, the Court said:

"the idea of a forlorn cemetery statue representing final judgment cannot be protected by copyright. (Leigh’s) original expression of that idea, that being the elements of his photograph over which he exerted original creative control can be protected. It is these elements that that must be compared…and not the ideas that they convey."

The Court then looked at the copyrightable elements in Leigh's photograph (lighting, shading, timing, angle, background scenes, etc.) and noted that the Warner Bros. photograph was set farther back, and was slightly off-centre. More headstones, and different headstones, were visible, background trees were much larger, light streams were different and the Warner Bros. photograph had a different tint.

The Court concluded the case this way:

"(Leigh) may be correct in asserting that if it were not for his idea, the Bird Girl would not be associated with (the film). Nevertheless, copyright law does not protect his idea. Warner Bros.' expressions of that idea are original and different from (Leigh's). The only similarity between the images are of the sculpture in the cemetery. This aspect of the images, however, is not copyrightable."

Book cover
Movie Poster

Timothy Allen

2012-02-02T03:40:00.000-07:00

I came upon a BBC site for which photographer, Timothy Allen, kept a blog as he shadowed BBC film crews shooting the BBC series entitled, Human Planet.

Rather than post so many worthy images, I am sharing the following link so you can see what he has determined to be his Top 40 favorite photographs from his Human Planet journey. I would have had to paste 40 images were I to show you why this photographer is being featured on my blog ... so I'm taking the easy way out. Click here: Timothy Allen Top 40 Roundup of Favorite Photographs, Human Planet Journey

I realize a picture is worth a thousand words, but I encourage you to read the captions associated with each image in this compilation. The photographs are powerful enough, but to then find out that, for instance, the children at the open fire pit are cooking Goliath tarantulas in Venezuela, gives new meaning to the photograph. The captions allowed me to view the images with greater appreciation -- the photography often brings us to places we have never been before, and at least for me, I want to know where these places are ... Mongolia where we see the beauty of the landscape and a nomadic family moving across the frame to their winter camp ... the "Urban Jungle" of Jaipur, Rajastan, India where we see monkeys sitting on the rooftop in a matter-of-fact, ordinary way -- just another "day in the life" sort of moment.

When have you seen a Huli Tribe in Papua New Guinea or seen the Tun Sakaran Marine Park in Sabah, Malaysia? I am compelled more than ever to see more of the world, but at least this brings me a little closer to fruition.

This photograph: Mombasa, Kenya

Top photograph: Huli Tribe, Papua New Guinea

Herbert Ponting

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

With the recent release of "The Lost Photographs of Captain Scott" (Robert Falcon Scott's Lost Photographs -- click here to see the New York Times articles and slideshow), I thought it would be fitting to also mention the work of Herbert Ponting.

Herbert Ponting started out as the photographer and cinematographer for Robert Falcon Scott's Terra Nova Expedition to the South Pole (1910-1913). Once the sledging began, a strenuous trek to move supplies across the Ross Ice Shelf, Ponting returned to civilization in 1912. He had amassed more than 1700 photographs and he was spared the ill fate of the expedition. Robert Falcon Scott continued as photographer in place of Ponting but he perished on the Ross Ice Shelf in November of 1912. Along with Scott's photographs, his diaries and journals were found and I think they may be even more moving than the photographs -- how could they not be? They describe the last days of life and pleas to their countrymen to look after the expedition's widows and survivors.

In this post, however, I am featuring the work of Herbert Ponting.

It is worth noting that Ponting was the first man to use a portable movie camera, a "cinematograph" in Antarctica. He also took some of the first known color still photographs and used a flash for several of the photographs.

Also related, is a post I did on Frank Hurley (click here), the photographer of Douglas Mawson's Antarctic Expedition (1911-1914) and Ernest Shackleton's Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-1917).

Self Portrait

CONCEPTS

2012-01-21T06:45:00.001-07:00

What I would call, "provocative". Photo: Albert Watson

What I would call, "kitsch". Photo: David Lachapelle

What I would call, "theatrical". Photo: Adolph de Meyer

What I would call, "playfully patriotic". Photo: William Hundley

What I would call, "chic". Photo: Constantin Joffe

What I would call, "a sense of place". Photo: Robert Frank

What I would call, "sweeping and momentous". Photo: Henri Cartier-Bresson

What I would call, "transcendent". Photo: Sarah Moon

What I would call, "pushing boundaries". Photo: Sally Mann

What I would call, "moving". Photo: Philip Jones Griffiths

What I would call, "a great example of conceptual". Photo: Steven Meisel

What I would call, "a brilliant observation". Photo: Diane Arbus

What I would call, "elegant and regal". Photo: Erwin Blumenfield

What I would call, "definitively sexy". Photo: Phil Poynter

To be continued ...

Nancy Davidson

2012-01-16T07:50:00.001-07:00

Nancy Davidson's inflatable sculptures first caught my eye ... I instantly became an admirer, what with her ability to combine eroticism, whimsy, playfulness, and fine art all into one magnificent signature. Take this and apply it to photography and here again, her provocative work inspires. To see more of her work, click here.

Photography:

Sculpture:

A Time & Place for Paparazzi?

2012-01-15T23:35:00.000-07:00

This post is not intended to celebrate the paparazzi subculture, but instead to pose the question: if they were relegated to a time and a place, along with some constraints and a sense of rule and order, would their contributions would be welcome? (Disclaimer: I am sorry to admit that I have been known to buy tabloids -- blame it on the long lines at the grocery store.) If not for the orderly, respectful conduct of the paparazzi (and barricades and security!) we see at events like the Golden Globes, we would not have the pleasure of seeing Angelina in her Atelier Versace gown on the red carpet.

Photo Credit: Tumblr / Photographer Unknown

"The marvels of daily life are exciting; no movie director can arrange the unexpected that you find in the street." --Robert Doisneau

2012-01-06T07:42:00.001-07:00

Au Pont de L'alma

Couple with Wheat and Goat, Occupied Paris, WWII

1964

Pres de Sainte-Maxime

Women with Same Hat, 1956

Centipede des Enfants

Dove Trainer

Les Pains de Picasso, 1952

Un Regard Olique, 1948

Le Fox Terrier au Pont des Arts

The Cellist, 1957

L'Accordeoniste, Rue Mouffetard, Paris, 1951

Wanda Wiggles her Hips, 1953

Fortune Teller, 1951

The Innocent, 1949

Paris, 1956

Paris, 1936

Les Freres, 1934

Les Chiens de la Chapelle

Le Meute, 1969

Le Basier de L'Hotel de Vilne, 1950

Robert Doisneau, Self Portrait, 1950s

Click here for a short bio on Robert Doisneau provided by the Staley-Wise Gallery.

Times Square

2011-12-28T07:39:00.000-07:00

It is only days away before party goers descend upon Times Square to bring in the New Year. Here is a photograph of Times Square minus the New Year's Eve crowd, shot by Inge Morath in 1957.

David LaChapelle Sexy Christmas Ad

2011-12-22T07:15:00.000-07:00

Holiday News

2011-12-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

While this is not related to photography, it is related to art, the subject of copyright, and the current holiday season. To familiarize yourself with Jeff Koons and his iconic balloon dog, here it is:
And, here is an interesting article which illuminates the hypocrisy regarding the artist defending copyright and then infringing on it in another instance (though the court found him not guilty of misappropriation). Inflated Ego? Jeff Koons Claims Exclusive Right to Sell Balloon Dogs

The article spells things out pretty clearly.

I happen to love the Jeff Koons balloon dogs and do think of him now rather than a circus clown blowing up balloons. When you think of it, balloon dogs are public domain, whereas making them into sculptures would be copyrighted art.

For what it's worth, Jeff Koons has designed balloon dog Christmas ornaments ... but, just don't think to buy balloon dog bookends! (Read the story.)

Here is an outlawed balloon dog:

The Christmas Season ...

2011-12-07T07:22:00.000-07:00

Irving Penn

Guy Bourdin

Richard Avedon

Documentary and Photojournalism

2011-09-23T14:29:00.003-06:00

At the time I started this blog, I used 'reportage' as a subject, figuring it to encompass documentary photography and photo-journalism. It is too late (and too much work!) to go back to older posts and add the labels. So, note to viewers, if you are looking for documentary and photo-journalism in the subject list, click on 'reportage', as well.

Iran Releases U.S. Hikers

2011-09-22T07:21:00.000-06:00

Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal were detained in Iran since July 31, 2009, when news reports say they accidentally crossed an unmarked border during a hiking trip in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan. They are now, finally, free. Please check out Shane Bauer's photography... click here

Welcome home!

These two photographs were taken in Darfur, Sudan.

Veterans Day. THANK YOU to all Veterans past and present.

2010-11-11T13:36:00.001-07:00

Photograph by Philip Jones Griffiths

Pieter Hugo

2010-04-14T17:00:00.000-06:00

Sometimes, if an image is successful, it needs no words, but also, no analytics or criticism. For the REALLY successful image, it compels us to ask questions and stays with us long after we've viewed it for the first time.

This is the work of Pieter Hugo.

http://www.pieterhugo.com/selected-work

The Hyena Men by Pieter Hugo

Arthur Leipzig

2010-04-14T08:14:00.001-06:00

Subway Sleepers, 1950

Subway, Wall Street, 1949

The two photographs above, Subway Sleepers and Wall Street Subway, remind me of the way that Jacques Lartigue saw the world. It is from a similar perspective -- that of a child looking up and upon. Although the next few images depict childhood games, they employ a different perspective -- I don't get that they are from the eyes of a child but instead, an adult looking in on these activities as if desiring to be a child again.

The last two shots, Ideal Laundry and the Brooklyn Bridge, are yet again with the innocence of witnessing something from the uncorrupted mind. This all is the work of Arthur Leipzig.

Red Rover, 1953

King of the Hill, 1943

Dodge Ball, 1950

Chalk Games, 1950

East River Divers, 1948

Ideal Laundry, 1946

Brooklyn Bridge, 1946

Hats Off!

2010-04-12T06:47:00.001-06:00

I have to think I may eventually be doing a "Hats Off, Part II" since researching hats and all things millinery seems potentially infinite. I so enjoyed putting together this post that I had to force myself to stop for fear I'd segue into a fashion glossary rather than a compilation of photographs.

Norman Parkinson (whose photographs of Philip Treacy's millinery and haute couture became a collaboration and art unto itself).

Norman Parkinson

Leombruno-Bodi (1960)

Frank Horvat (1960s)

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Cindy Sherman (1978)

Fernand Fonssgrives

F. C. Gundlach

Jacques Henri Lartigue (of his muse, Renée Perle, 1930)

Richard Avedon (of Mila Jovovich in Yohji Yamamoto)

Photographer Unknown (of President Coolidge, Mrs. Coolidge and Senator Curtis, 1925)

Alistair Grant (of Queen Elizabeth, 2009)

Richard Pohle

Robert Frank

Garry Winogrand (1950s)

Loomis Dean

Robert Frank

Walker Evans (of Lincoln Kirstein, 1930)

Frank Horvat (for Givenchy, 1957)

Glen E. Friedman (of Run DMC)

Photographer Unknown (of David and Victoria Beckham)

Max Vadukul (of Rachel Weiss)

Regina Relang

Photographer Unknown

Photographer Unknown / Credit: Life Magazine (of Princess Diana)

Photographer Unknown

Photographer Unknown (at the horse races, 1920)

Photographer Unknown (1940; credit: The Luton News)

Arthur Tress (1978)

Photographer Unknown (of serviceman on Veteran's Day)

Chip Somodevilla (at the Republican National Convention, 2008)

Pete Souza (of President Ronald Reagan)

Pete Souza (of President Barack Obama 2009)

Robert Frank (1954)

Photographer Unknown (1898)

Pierre & Gilles

Cindy Sherman

John Rawlings

Henry Clark (1954)

Henry Clark (1954)

Rodney Smith

Charles C. Ebbets (1932)

Chris Gulker

Margaret Bourke-White (of a Hindu man, 1946)

Margaret Bourke-White (of a Georgian peasant worker, 1941)

Louise Dahl-Wolfe (1963)

John Rawlings

Greg Gorman

Phil Poynter

Lillian Bassman (1955)

Lillian Bassman (1956)

Erwin Blumenfeld

Greg Kadel

John French (of Jean Shrimpton)

John French (of Tania Mallet, 1960s)

Adolph de Meyer

Erwin Blumenfeld (of Audrey Hepburn)

Edward Steichen (1924)

John French

Edward Steichen (1939)

Francesco Scavullo (of Madonna, 1984)

Steven Meisel (of Madonna)

Herb Ritts (of Naomi Campbell)

John Rawlings (1957)

Adolph de Meyer (1921)

Arthur Elgort

Arthur Elgort
Norman Parkinson

Sarah Moon

Edward Steichen (of yachting ladies, some of whom are wearing Chanel, 1928)

Loomis Dean
Regina Relang

Alistair Grant (at the Royal Ascot horse races, 2008)

John Rawlings
Patrick Demarchelier (of Christy Turlington, 1992)

A synonym for awe-inspiring: JAVIER ARCENILLAS

2010-04-11T10:40:00.000-06:00

I have many heroes in the world of photography. But, once you see Javier Arcenillas's work, you would have to place him near the top of the list if not at the very top. With each image, I react. Arcenillas's photography, regardless of location (Bangladesh, Northern Africa, North America, South America), is so powerful and so riveting that we can't help but respond. It would be virtually impossible to ignore a single shot. So firm is the grip that you can't look away from what he is showing us.

I urge you to view his work (click here). My enthusiasm is so great that if I could accompany him on a shoot, even if just to fetch coffee, it would be like swimming in a pool of inspiration, the immersion would be so all consuming and life altering.

I don't think Arcenillas is capable of capturing the mediocre, unless it were of course to mean a compelling image that shouts the message of mediocrity. His imprint is so strong and his ability of stripping down a scene or a person's soul into a simple but moving statement is his signature. Every single image is as if signed by a master.

But, his images speak more emphatically than I can describe, so here is but a small sampling:

Smokin' Hot Photography

2010-04-10T19:22:00.001-06:00

(Disclaimer: This in no way implies that I endorse smoking.)

Newsha Tavakolian (of coffee shop in Tehran, Iran, 2007)

Photographer Unknown (of Marine on island of Saipan during fight to wrest the island from Japan)

Cecil Beaton (of Countess Bismarck, 1959, for Vogue)

Uwe Ommer

Irving Penn

Photographer Unknown

Mary Ellen Mark

Brett Walker

Helmet Newton

Helmet Newton (portrait of his wife, June Newton, a/k/a Alice Springs, a photographer in her own right)

Nick Knight

Toby Melville (Cigarette Hat at the Royal Ascot)

The Pirelli Calendar

2010-04-09T22:44:00.004-06:00

The coveted Pirelli calendar has it's match! Well, almost. I know that is hard to believe, but for every Yin there is a yang. But, first ........

For those unfamiliar with the Pirelli calendar, it is a promotional calendar for the Pirelli Tire company and it is given to a limited number of special clients and as a corporate gift. It is not sold retail. Highly touted photographers are commissioned to produce the imagery that graces the pages and consistently, the theme celebrates feminine beauty.

The entire premise, in my opinion, honors and elevates the classic and iconic garage mechanic's "hot chick on motorbike" calendars. While those are campy, they still have merit -- they're just hidden from the customer's glare. Of course, the Pirelli calendar employs more than titillation -- the depictions contain a sophisticated fashion edge packaged in an artful delivery.

An excellent reference for the calendars is found here -- this chart shows the year of the calendar, the photographer commissioned, the models featured, and the location. I encourage you to peruse this chart and look up the photographers.

And, while the Pirelli calendar doesn't disappoint, its counterpart attempts a likewise outcome but utilizes male beauty instead. The Dieux du Stade is the French Rugby team and they now put out a calendar that uses a similar marketing approach and plays on a similar aesthetic consideration. I'm not sure it ranks up there with Pirelli, but it is notable.

While the Pirelli calendar is for the guys, the Dieux du Stade is apparently also for the guys. : )

Dieux du Stade Calendar Imagery:

Working Dogs

2010-04-09T21:58:00.000-06:00

I have two German Shepherd dogs (one a purebred and one a mix) and I delight in understanding their make-up. There is a reason they are the most popular breed used in police and military work. Nothing will deter them. They have an inherent disposition that makes them fearless, focused and intent on their mission, and loyal. So, it is with great personal interest that I post this.

Here are three photographs, the first of which is of therapy dogs; the second having been taken in Thailand, and the third having been taken in Vietnam and published in Life Magazine. Unfortunately, I do not know the exact years nor the photographers. For more imagery and info, please visit this website.

Andre de Dienes

2010-04-07T22:12:00.000-06:00

Andres de Dienes, while best known for his glamour portraits of Hollywood legends and in particular, his photographs of Marilyn Monroe, is even better considered for his overall diverse abilities. He shot reportage such as his series on the street life of Harlem and he was a pioneer in the area of photo montage. His vision carried through to all things ... even a pear was portrayed as sensuous and with seductive wiles.

Graciela Iturbide

2010-04-01T11:07:00.015-06:00

I have to admit, I didn't know of Graciela Iturbide's work until I did a Google search

for iguanas. I"m not trying to be cute -- that is exactly how I came upon her work.

Let's just say that I'm glad I searched for iguanas.

Hamburger, Hamburger

2010-03-24T03:08:00.009-06:00

Philip-Lorca diCorcia

David LaChapelle

Ballet

2010-03-24T03:02:00.003-06:00

A friend told me about the photographer, Bruce Monk. This image is called, "Swans" which I have to assume is from Swan Lake. Sometimes when we document someone elses art (i.e., dance, architecture), it is difficult to do anything other than record, and therefore, how do we interpret it and make it our own in a photograph? I think this is a good example of creating art from art rather than simply recording it.

André Kertész

2010-03-12T06:02:00.051-07:00

Homing Ship, New York
13 October, 1944

The Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago has a very succinct bio on André Kertész that reiterates his under-recognized talent. (Click here to read it.) The bio starts off mentioning the quote by Henri Cartier-Bresson whereby he stated, "Whatever we have done, Kertész did first." The "we" in this case referred to a group of artists in Paris in the 1920s and specifically to the photographers that included Robert Capa and Brassai.

I have to admit that I learned about Kertész in the requisite History of Photography course at School of Visual Arts, but it is only now that I am really appreciating him. Initially, I probably like others dismissed his talent, not yet able to fully realize that what he did was just simply "pure" photography. It may seem trite or even pretentious to say "pure" but tell me upon looking at his work that you don't feel that exact descriptive.

Kertész's photography at first glance is understated, sometimes playful, sometimes ordinary, but upon further inspection, it is as if it breathes a new life into the viewer. The things we take for granted and his sort of one-on-one viewing of life brings us into a different perspective. We see the things Kertész saw as if with new eyes and I don't mean the obvious -- of course, a photographer can bring a new look to the familiar or convert the jaded and sway the popular opinion -- but this is about shedding every preconception and seeing the imagery as if you stripped everything away to its bare essence. It is so cleansing that we abandon the known to celebrate the apparent simplicity as a brand new interpretation. It may seem elementary on the surface, but it is layered so that the longer you look at one of his photographs, the more it reveals, the more unnerving that we didn't stop to, say, "smell the coffee". His work forces us to stop and inhale deeply.

Even his distorted images, long before the advent of Photoshop, don't feel "altered" per se. There is a sort of innocent confidence about them in the sense that they feel experimental yet deliberate and as if he worked only with the visuals -- the composition and the shape and form, not the technique.

It was in 1912 that Kertész began his long, illustrious and prolific career. He was born in Budapest in 1894 and in 1925, he moved to Paris where he remained until the threat of World War II prompted him to move with his wife to New York in 1936. He was still shooting in the 1980s when he then created a series using a Polaroid SX-70. He was clearly one to evolve and continue and persevere. His conviction was especially apparent in the fact that even when slighted -- even when others were credited for his work or when he was omitted from important exhibits, he did not let this deter him.

The term Kertészian was coined to describe his language which was essentially a combination of Hungarian, French, and English -- likewise, it has been observed that Kertész had three distinct periods, the Hungarian Period, the French Period, the American Period.

Kertész did something that ironically is not always done -- he shot photography so honestly that you tend to think that he created the art itself. That is what I mean by "pure".

Broken Plate
1929
Underwater Swimmer
1917
Martinique
January 1, 1972
Arm in Ventilator
December, 1937

The Violinist's Tune
1921
Circus, Budapest, Hungary
1920

Carrefour, Blois
1930
Carousel Figures on Truck
1920s
Avenida Grde Julio, Buenos Aires
1962
Rainy Day, Tokyo
14 September, 1968
Recess
1938
Boy Holding Puppy
1928
Mademoiselle L
1929
On Reading, New York
1969
Wooden Puppets, Paris
1929

Slaughter House
18 April, 1937
Bike Stand, Washington Square Park
22 October, 1961
Corner Building, Tree Branches
June 16, 1963
Montmartre
1927
Washington Square, Day
1954
Washington Square at Night
1954
On the Boulevards
1934
Eiffel Tower, Paris
1933
MacDougal Alley, New York
1961
Solitude, New York
1960
Defense d’ Afficher, Paris
1936

Chez Mondrian
1926

Melancholic Tulip, New York
1936
Distortion #76C
1933
Distortion #40
1933
Distortion #6
1933

~~~ + ~~~
His later work as shot with a Polaroid SX-70:

1981
1979
1979
1981
1979
1981

What camera is this?

2010-03-10T12:04:00.004-07:00

If you can identify this camera held by Robert Plant, please let me know. I'm guessing maybe a Nikon F? John Bonham appears to be holding a small movie camera.

Wistful Thinking

2010-03-10T10:47:00.035-07:00

Today I looked at the work of André Kertész (in part to prepare for an upcoming post). Today I also am working on a submission for my stock agency. Today I'm in technical hell while reminded of the genius of the masters and how simplicity ruled. A sort of less is more approach as applied to process. With all the technological advances in photography comes the equal and sometimes more significant issue of frustration.

On top of that comes the issue of greater quantity since digital is more accessible, more forgiving, more prone to causing a willy nilly style of shooting. When in doubt, fire away! And bracket galore! You don't even have to know what you're doing! With all that mass and volume -- the ability to shoot thousands and thousands of images, no worry to the time developing nor the cost, the edits along with the photographers must be whittled down so that competition is sometimes based on the technical alone. This explains the phenomenon of tech geek turned photographer.

What I mean is that if you place two photographs side by side and they are identical, the one with greater resolution will win even if the image is supposed to be, say, underexposed or too contrasty. Reproduction rules even in the realm of photographs intended only for a gallery wall. With film, you could intentionally blow out your whites or block up your blacks.

I miss the darkroom and the endless hours of watching something grow before your eyes. More so, I miss the film -- how shooting it was more deliberate and even, more ceremonial. Revealing your final results was like unveiling a long awaited sculpture. Don't even get me started on the tactile enjoyment of film or that great sound of the film being wrapped around a reel -- how it was at once crisp and yet mellow. (I know, I'm romanticizing.)

As much as I love the immediacy of digital shooting, I miss the fact that quality was almost anything you wanted it to be. If you wanted grain or overexposure, no problem! If you wanted to shoot "low res" through a Coke bottle and a cardboard box or if you wanted to smear Vaseline all over your lens, it was allowed. No matter what you did, you could always chalk it up to art.

I'd like to just pick up my camera, grab a fleeting moment and know that it's going to be judged not on perfection but vision and interpretation of a scene or subject. It's as if all the requirements for technical prowess are stifling creativity. One of the very things we love about digital, the spontaneity, gets kicked in the bum and bogged down by rules and histograms and mega bytes. If you can't blow it up to the size of a billboard, be prepared to re-shoot or forget it.

But don't get me wrong. I do thoroughly appreciate digital -- I love the ease and instant gratification, even the reduced expense on materials. There are the added infinite pleasures of post-production as if Photoshop is the venue for some all-night party and it is, after all, the modern day darkroom. I don't know if I'm wistful or rebellious. I long for the elementary and I get ornery when I feel intimidated. Technical schmechnical. It's just so hard to colour within the lines.

Double-take

2010-03-09T05:09:00.001-07:00

Photo: Albert Watson (right)

Photo: John Rawlings (left)

Here's to Hollywood! / Annie Leibovitz

2010-03-07T09:24:00.038-07:00

Tonight is a night I look forward to and I'm not sure if it's for the red carpet or the actual awards. In honor of film, here are some images by Annie Leibovitz:

Drew Barrymore as Belle from Beauty & the Beast

Julianna Moore as the Little Mermaid

Jessica Biel as Pocahontas

THE LADIES OF L.A. : Angelica Houston - Sharon Stone - Diane Lane

THE SNOOP : Peter O´Toole - Naomi Watts

LOBBY OF THE DAMMED : Ed Norton -Kate Winslet - Robert De Niro - Jennifer Connelly - Julianne Moore - Hellen Mirren

THE DRESSING ROOM : Pedro Almodóvar - Penélope Cruz

THE GUNSHOES : Bruce Willis - Ben Affleck - Tobey Maguire

THE CRIME SCENE : Bruce Willis - James McAvoy - Kirsten Dunst

THE BIG REVEAL : Jack Nicholson

END OF THE PARTY : Tobey Maguire - Diane Lane - Jessica Alba - James Franco - Kirsten Dunst - Robert Downey Jr.

THE SHOOT OUT : Kate Winslet - Helen Mirren

THE CLUB : Jennifer Hudson - Jessica Biel - Patrick Wilson - Kerry Washington - Adam Beach - Amy Adams - Derek luke - James McAvoy - Evan Rachel Wood

THE GETAWAY : Hellen Mirren - Judi Dench

THE INTERROGATION : Alec Baldwin - Jennifer Connelly - Aaron Eckhart

LAST RITES : Rinco Kikuchi - Bill Nighy - Abigail Breslin - Penelope Cruz - Ben Affleck

THE RING : Sylvester Stallone - Djimon Hounsou - Forest Whitaker - Robert Downey JR. - Jessica Biel - Tobey Maguire

Lennart Nilsson

2010-03-05T07:16:00.021-07:00

A Life Magazine photographer from 1965-1972, Lennart Nilsson was recognized for his microscopic photography of the human body and in particular, the development from embryo to fetus to birth. His experimentation with a scanning electron microscope in combination with macro lenses was perfected to an art. But, Nilsson started out as a photojournalist in the 1940s. His imagery evokes mood and often tranquility while another photographer might capture an event or environment and portray it as disturbing.

For instance, his photograph of a Salvation Army worker, then called a "Slum Sister" carting two young boys across the street after having just received new clothes after having been rescued from a home of domestic violence, conveys a picture of peace and protection. This could just as well be a mother briskly and safely crossing the street with children in tow. The image may seem on the surface ordinary, but something about the moment draws us in to responding as if a sense of calm and comfort were rendered. It is as if Nilsson saw the optimism or potential which would make sense given his appreciation for life as displayed in his scientific photography.

Nilsson's commitment to the origins of man goes to prove his positive outlook on the human condition. This consistency is evident in his also having documented plants and animals. His book published in 1965, A Child is Born, was sent by NASA into the solar system on both unmanned journeys by Voyager I and Voyager II.

To learn more about this pioneer and eminent photographer, a very good interview can be found here.

1940s, Salvation Army "Slum Sister" of Sweden crossing the street with two young boys who just received clothing

1943, Women cleaning the floor at Stockholm Central Station

1955, Sigge Stark

Stockholm, Sweden

Turtle Wax

2010-03-04T21:08:00.001-07:00

Believe it or not, this photograph was taken at the London Zoo in 1946. (Photographer unknown.) Turtle Wax, Inc., was founded in 1946. Coincidence or did Turtle Wax, Inc., get it's name upon seeing this photograph?

Objectification

2010-03-02T06:03:00.001-07:00

Female objectification and objectification in general have probably been around throughout history because even the simple matter of looking your best or dressing to titillate could be construed as objectification. We label it offensive yet we also celebrate it in fashion and in erotica. Let's not forget that attraction is often a catalyst in furthering a species -- it's part of our biology. To objectify would then be a more concentrated, or exaggerated and sometimes distorted derivative.

I may as well add that so far as I know, the ones being exploited (for lack of a better word), the subjects being labeled as sex objects, the objects of desire, those viewed as "eye-candy" don't seem to mind, unless of course they suspect they are valued only for their looks. Instead, it appears that mostly those who are not sex objects, those not interested in upping the volume on appearances, or those who are objectified but not taken seriously are the ones objecting to objectification.

But, this post is about photography not philosophy!

Although that could be debatable, too. Photographs send messages. A portrait can be interpreted as a revealing of the soul. Fashion imagery is less about portraying a person and more about mood and eliciting a response -- we use a model as a mere prop or we catapult her to Goddess status. Either way, the model is objectified.

Here are some images which could spark a debate, the first of which I believe could be the inspiration to the others. My sentimental and personal favorite, an industry pioneer, Helmet Newton pushed boundaries and introduced elements of objectification, bondage and sado-masochism into his imagery consistently. Today, his depictions seem almost tame, much like Nirvana appealing to the easy listening audience. He propelled the provocative into the mainstream of society and today we can see erotica throughout -- from stilettos taking on fetishism to Ellen von Unwerth depicting scenes of her models as dominatrixes or submissive creatures held captive such as in her "Revenge" series.

From David Lachappelle to Tony Ward to the bordering on porn Terry Richardson, erotica has come to grace the face of fashion. Fetishes once relegated to the status of decadence or taboo, can now be seen not only in sub-culture realms, but in the world of fine art. The designer, David Blazquez created human furniture just as forniphilia became a niche in the world of sexual proclivity.

Then again, maybe this is all old news. Afterall, Samal Design has been manufacturing human furniture in Paris, Allen Jones sculpted women as furniture in the 1960s which subsequently led to the photographer, Jemima Stehli posing herself as Allen Jones's furniture in 1999 amidst other recreations of iconic, provocative imagery including that by Helmet Newton. Further back we can trace roots of objectification to Francois-Rupert Carabin who created Art Nouveau depictions of women supporting or clinging from items of utilitarian function in the late 1800s.

(Credits appear below each image -- in the case where a link is not provided above, the link will appear with the credit.)

Helmet Newton (1976)

Ellen von Unwerth

David Blazquez

Bella Borsodi

Ellen von Unwerth

SAMAL Design

Alva Bernadine

Allen Jones

David Lachapelle (utilizing model and Allen Jones table)

Jemima Stehli

Jemima Stehli

Francois-Rupert Carabin

Ellen von Unwerth (note how this photograph is reminiscent of Francois-Rupert Carabin's Art Nouveau woman supporting a shell vessel from the 1890s)

We know that for at least 200 years, from the 1800s and into the present and undeniably looking to the future, objectification is not just a trend, it is part and parcel of our culture and society at large. Whether embraced and regaled or denounced, it is a fixture in fashion, sexuality, and the subconscious imagination.

Tim Flach

2010-02-28T13:42:00.003-07:00

For fine art enthusiasts and animal aficionados alike, Tim Flach's work appeals on many levels -- from the purely aesthetic to the compassionate reaction evoked by man's best friend, the canine companion. Flach's website is one of those sites that is not only about self promotion; to watch the portfolio slide show is to, piece by piece, one at a time, take in an art exhibit the way art is meant to be viewed -- with pause and deliberation. I can safely add that each piece is worthy of that contemplation.

PhotoShelter did an interview with Flach regarding his work and specifically, Equus, his book on horses and all beings related. I've included a sampling of some of his work here but I encourage you to visit his site since, for instance, I was unable to include imagery from his dog series in this post (but for the very top image of a Puli) and I wish I could have for it is beyond compelling. The jellyfish series may as well be elegant paint daubs and splatterings on canvas, and the framing of bats ... well, never in a million years would I have believed a bat to be exquisite or ethereal.

scale, perspective, depth ... & the Eiffel Tower

2010-02-24T06:45:00.003-07:00

Richard Avedon (1959)

I had posted this photograph (above) previously and explained that this was a matter of Genius x 2. Two of my favorite artists -- Richard Avedon, the photographer and the subject, Marc Chagall, the painter. Here are two more shots that make use of the Eiffel Tower and create depth by use of a person in the background.

Regina Relang (1950s)

Frank Horvat (1974)

Quentin Shih

2010-02-23T06:31:00.001-07:00

"The Stranger in the Glass Box" is a series of photographs that Quentin Shih created for Christian Dior.

Rong Rong

2010-02-19T13:15:00.001-07:00

Rong Rong is a Beijing based photographer who was born impoverished and worked in his father's grocery store in a Fujian province for three years to save enough money to buy his first camera. Much of his photography captures life around the fringe areas of Beijing in an area with the same namesake and more underground than what New York had with Allen Ginsberg -- "The East Village". Several of these images are created in collaboration with his wife, the artist, Inri.

This image (above) is of Zhang Huan's performance "12 Square Meters", the documenting of which, Rong Rong wrote a letter to his sister about.

equally evocative

2010-02-18T16:03:00.006-07:00

Two completely different shots, two different photographers, two different renderings, two stylistically different approaches -- and yet they move me in similar ways. How to explain it?

Left: STEVEN MEISEL

Right: ELLEN VON UNWERTH

Kooky Camera

2010-02-16T06:58:00.000-07:00

Twilight Zone / A Most Unusual Camera!

Presidents' Day

2010-02-15T07:40:00.008-07:00

A Daguerreotype of Abraham Lincoln in 1846, as photographed by Nicholas H. Shepherd, a law student who worked in Lincoln's office from 1845 to 1847.

There are no photographs of George Washington because the President died in 1799 and the first photograph was taken in 1814.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T10:33:00.005-07:00

The heart-shaped reef near the archipelago of Whitsunday Island which falls within the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia, as photographed by Holger Leue.

Two more days until Valentine's Day!

2010-02-12T12:01:00.016-07:00

Helmet Newton

Henri Cartier-Bresson / Italy, 1933

Henri Cartier-Bresson / Romania, 1975

Robert Doisneau

Jason Langer, 1998 ("Elevator")

Bruce Davidson, 1966 (Social Club in Spanish Harlem, NYC)

Diane Arbus, 1963

Homage to love ...

2010-02-09T10:48:00.012-07:00

All images by Alfred Eisenstaedt

For LIFE Magazine, 1943

Soldiers Saying Farewell During WW II / Penn Station, New York City

Alberto Giacometti's L'Homme Qui Marche I

2010-02-04T07:54:00.019-07:00

In the news today, a record art sale by Sotheby's: Alberto Giacometti's L'Homme Qui Marche I, a bronze sculpture from the 1960s, sold for £65,001,250 ($104,327,006).

Portraits of Alberto Giacometti in his studio, above and below, as photographed by Gordon Parks.

Transformation

2010-02-03T18:57:00.014-07:00

What I like about this shot by Clark Little, a photographer who gained notoriety for his images of the Hawaiian surf, is that it does what Georgia O'Keefe did for skulls and flowers. He transforms a mere compound, that being water (actually, a ubiquitous chemical substance and I had to look this up because as far as I knew, water was an element) --------- where was I? : )

In this particular image, Clark Little turned a mere compound -- a wave -- into a Man-o-war, a conch-shell, an orb, a piece of blown glass. Whether it's something to study or hold or ride, it's painterly and with impact.

Calvin Klein

2010-02-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

Film actor and model, Kellan Lutz is slated to be the next Calvin Klein men's underwear model, following in the footsteps of other notables, Mark Wahlberg and Djimon Hounsou.

The late Herb Ritts photographed the campaign featuring Mark Wahlberg:

And, Peter Lindbergh photographed the campaign featuring Djimon Hounsou:

A view of the moon

2010-01-31T22:14:00.005-07:00

From my back porch tonight ...

I'm told this is what is left of the Wolf Moon. I think this is night 3. I wish I had the patience to photograph this properly -- the way Ansel Adams would have photographed it. But capturing it at all, is good enough for me.

~~~ + ~~~
© K.L.Knief