Birds of a Feather

One of our neighbors has birds, not nice, sit in a cage birds, ones that live on his roof in a pack (pack?). Every now and then you see and hear them race past (it makes this soft wooshing noise like a breeze coming through trees, very peaceful).

It amazed me when I began photographing them to see that they created this beautiful choreography as they go, weaving in and out of each other, creating patterns in the sky that can't be seen until I froze them on my screen (totally didn't mean to rhym there, please don't judge me).

 

I just like how here they look like old school fighter planes

These two were watching the birds in formation chattering away

11,711

On my studio wall is a postcard with a quote from Henri Cartier-Bresson which says 'Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst' (I actually did a rough count because I got curious of where I'm at, well, it's more than 11,711, suppose that means I'll be good soon). I leave it there as inspiration, not just for the words but the postcard itself. It came from Project Basho back in 2008, back when it was still new and I was allowed to thrive in the middle of this every growing creative life force.


I remember the first day I went to Project Basho, I was sure I had the wrong address because all I saw was boared up rowhomes in the wrong part of town. But then Tsuyoshi opened the door and welcomed me into what became my second home in Philadelphia.

I decided to ease into life there so I signed up for a medium format class. I was nervous because I had never shot bigger than 120 film before, and I didn't do that well to be honest. I'm used to shooting fast and don't have enough patients to painstakingly create the perfect image on those giant screens. But that didn't matter, I could tell this was a place I needed to be, as much as possible.

I threw myself into any work they would give me, updating the website, learning coding and about metadata, helping with the darkroom, assisting with framing, events and emails. In return I found a home and a family. I was allowed unlimited late night access while Yoshi visited his family in Japan. I was given my own key and made friends with another artist, Al, who shared my late night darkroom tendencies. We sang, we dance and printed into all hours of the night.

Yoshi taught me colour printing, introduced me to classic photography films and made me appreciate good Japaneses tea and classic mochi. One night we had shared a dinner of Indian food with a gentleman from the Ivory Coast who had to flee the country because rebels were going to kill him because he worked as a security job in the city. It was a fascinating time in my life and I am so proud to see how much Project Basho has grown over the past few years.

And that is what I think of whenever I look at that postcard, the wonder that is Project Basho and the amazing impact it had on my life.

If you're near Philadelphia stop into this hidden art gem, the 2011 Onward Show is on now until March 27.

Mitra Tabrizian

I was lucky enough to have Mitra as one of my professors while doing my masters program at the University of Westminster. To be honest I don't know if I would have heard of her otherwise.

Mitra is a British-Iranian photographer currently based in London. She has exhibited throughout Europe, the UK and the USA. She spoke to us in class of identity, and she is one to deal with this well since her identity is split between her life in the UK and Iran. An incredibly mysterious, intelligent and talented woman and I hope you will enjoy her work as much as I have.

This was one of the first images I saw of hers:

Photograph by Mitra Tabrizian from series Terhan 2006

The above and below are part of her incredibly detailed, and well staged tableaux.

Photograph by Mitra Tabrizian Untitled 2009

Her work over the past few years has been very moving and engaging, you could spend ages staring into these images, trying to make sure you see every little detail that she has carefully arranged. I am drawn to one of her first series, Correct Distance. It has a film noir style, so brilliant that I am waiting for Humphrey Bogart to appear around the corner at any moment. As a romantic, film noir to me always manifests into Casablanca and long lost loves, there is always a story behind images like these, and Mitra chooses not to share what that is.

 

All Photographs Above Copyright of Mitra Tabrizian

Gibraltar Falls

We decided to take a nice swim on Sunday down at Gibraltar Falls, it is a gorgeous spot on a perfect day.

Book Review: Expressive Photography

I get most of my books from the library, saving the purchases for ones I will turn to time and again. Expressive Photography: The Shutter Sisters' Guide to Shooting from the Heart is one that will remain on my shelves and wear down quickly.

It doesn't teach techniques but offers tips and inspiration from a variety of passionate female photographers. It's their words that have me reach for the camera and feeling the thrill I get from behind the lens reignite. This will be a book I reach for when I feel down and unsure of my work, a book that will remind me what inspires me and why I do what I do.

The only thing I am disappointed about is the ending because, there wasn't one. Instead, the last section finished and the book was done. I didn't need a big wrap up but I think something was needed to tie it all together.

If you're a female photographer, or even just someone looking for a bit of creative motivation, I'd highly recommend this book, you can always get it from your local library just in case.

Lee Miller

I have decided my blog needs to expand beyond just photos I've taken, so once a week I will introduce a new photographer I like, consider it an educational addition to the blog.

It was hard to narrow it down for the first one but I've chosen Lee Miller. Lee Miller was an amazing woman, she began as a model for Conde Nast before running away to Paris at the age of 22, once there she camped out on Man Ray's doorstep until he agreed to take her on as an apprentice, eventually his lover as well.

She learned from Man Ray, was ingrained in the surrealist movement and grew all the time, eventually ventured out on her own. What impresses me most is that when World War II broke out she became the official war photographer for Vogue. She was one of the few females who traveled through the war zone, she showed what life was like trekking right behind the Allie soldiers at the end of the war, in fact, she and another photographer were staying in Hitler's apartment in Munich when his body was discovered, that is where this photograph was taken by David Scherman, of Lee Miller having a bath in Hitler's bathtub. That's quite a woman who would do that.

Lee Miller in Hitler's bathtub in Munich - Photograph by David Scherman

Through her whole life Miller stuck by her passion, she was constantly learning and pushing herself, in such a man's world she stood with the best of them. Below are a few of my favourite photographs of hers. For more you can see Lee Miller, A Life.

Women working in wartime London by Lee Miller

David Scherman by Lee Miller

A Nonconformist chapel in London after the Blitz by Lee Miller

Picasso with Lee Miller's son by Lee Miller (I mean, seriously, who gets to just hang out with Picasso)

Dead SS Guard by Lee Miller

Self-portrait by Lee Miller

Now you too can glow in the dark

Recently tours have begun to be led through Chernobly Power Plant. I have to admit that I am slightly against this, and not because you may come out with slightly more of a glow than you had when you went in, but because I have to wonder if it will ruin the whole reason that people seek it out.

There are plenty of people who travel to Chernobly for the thrill of walking around a nuclear desolated land, but there are many of us who are drawn to the absolute beauty of places like Chernobly, this place frozen from human interaction and turned back over for nature to try and recover from what was done to it.

The place is an archive of that time, to bring tours in will, well, commercialize the place to begin with, something that was once considered a sacred space for those photographers willing to take the risk and make the journey will be a place any one can visit with their wife and three kids on the yearly family holiday. When the town was finally evacuated after the reactor went at Chernobly they left most of their belongings behind thinking they could come back in a few days, since they were never allowed back these possessions represent the life at that time and what was left behind and lost.

There are memories and life held in those walls, along with the radiation. I'm not saying other people shouldn't have the option to see this, in fact it should be seen, that is why photographers go in there to begin with, to show the beauty that still survives in the faces of that disaster, but making it so accessible does seem to detract the importance of those images that do make it out.

And speaking of those magical images, take a look at some of them that have been taken by brave adventurers.

Ruins of Chernobyl, Over 20 Years Later

And:

Photograph by Gleb Garanich

Photograph by Sergey Supinsky

 

 

 

Photograph by Sergey Supinsky

 

Austin & Jessie

Since it was such a nice day today Kate came by so I could photograph Austin and Jessie. Below are the results, Austin is such a good subject and very happy with the camera as you can see.

Austin:

Jessie:

Bungendore Show

I attended the Bungendore Show this past Sunday to help out with ACT Rescue and Foster (ARF), they are a great group that help re home dogs that would otherwise be put down. We were lucky that the pet parade and dog 'races' took place right behind our tent so I had a great view to shoot from. Below are some of the images from the day.

Milo

The ARF Tent

More Milo

Part of the Pet Parade, this puppy and his little boy owner were adorable running all over the field

A strange site to see in a pet parade that was full of dogs

During the 'races', those little ones could go fast

 

A lot of the dogs were more interested in playing with each other than running to their owners across the field