Saturday, 12 March 2011
Blog: Bent Objects
There are a few blog that I read religiously, Terry Border's is one that I have been reading for 4+ years now. He creates great humorous photographs using things found in his kitchen, they've been using by companies like OXO and cards for Target. He has even started an entire day dedicated to orange foods, it's spread quickly and far. Here are some of my favourite photographs, there are many many more on his blog, Bent Objects.
Thursday, 10 March 2011
Stanley Kubrick
Since my foray into circus life was inspired by Stanley Kubrick's work it seems only fitting that he is my Artist of the Week this week.
Most people know Kubrick for his eccentric lifestyle and his film work such as A Clockwork Orange, 2001 and The Shinning (my personal favourite). What most people don't realize is that Kubrick was also an incredibly talented photographer. I, in fact, did not realize this until a friend bought me a book of his photographs one Christmas.
Kubrick actually began his career as a photographer working for Look magazine before making movies. While there he spent a few years photography a family circus, it was these photographs that inspired me to photograph the traveling circus the other week. It's amazing to see the differences, not just the lack of animals but how much more glitz they've added to the show today and how much has been removed from the patrons.
I tried to find some other Kubrick photographs to share but they are very hard to come by, once I've located the book at my parent's house I'll do another post so you can see some of his other amazing work with jazz musicians and people on the subway, very inspiring stuff. For now, enjoy the show:
(All photographs property of Stanley Kubrick)
Most people know Kubrick for his eccentric lifestyle and his film work such as A Clockwork Orange, 2001 and The Shinning (my personal favourite). What most people don't realize is that Kubrick was also an incredibly talented photographer. I, in fact, did not realize this until a friend bought me a book of his photographs one Christmas.
Kubrick actually began his career as a photographer working for Look magazine before making movies. While there he spent a few years photography a family circus, it was these photographs that inspired me to photograph the traveling circus the other week. It's amazing to see the differences, not just the lack of animals but how much more glitz they've added to the show today and how much has been removed from the patrons.
I tried to find some other Kubrick photographs to share but they are very hard to come by, once I've located the book at my parent's house I'll do another post so you can see some of his other amazing work with jazz musicians and people on the subway, very inspiring stuff. For now, enjoy the show:
(All photographs property of Stanley Kubrick)
Monday, 7 March 2011
We Have Morals
The circus is in town.
Ever since seeing Stanly Kubrick's photographs of an American circus in the 1940s I have wanted to photograph a circus myself. I finally got the chance to do so this past weekend photographing Webers Circus as it is performing in Canberra over the next few weeks.
The only thing the circus is missing are the typical circus animals, this is because, as I explained to my parents, the ACT has banned all circuses with animals in their show, "Prostitutes are ok but animals in circuses aren't", to which Andrew quickly replied, "Yea, we have morals". Even without the animals it was a great show and a fun chance to relive part of my childhood.
I know there are a lot here but I took over 700 so trust me when I say that I narrowed this down. My favourite two are down at the bottom so I can finish with the best.
Ever since seeing Stanly Kubrick's photographs of an American circus in the 1940s I have wanted to photograph a circus myself. I finally got the chance to do so this past weekend photographing Webers Circus as it is performing in Canberra over the next few weeks.
The only thing the circus is missing are the typical circus animals, this is because, as I explained to my parents, the ACT has banned all circuses with animals in their show, "Prostitutes are ok but animals in circuses aren't", to which Andrew quickly replied, "Yea, we have morals". Even without the animals it was a great show and a fun chance to relive part of my childhood.
I know there are a lot here but I took over 700 so trust me when I say that I narrowed this down. My favourite two are down at the bottom so I can finish with the best.
 |
| They did have a few animals but I don't think dogs and miniature ponies count |
 |
| I just love the shadow following her on the wall, it makes me think of Peter Pan |
 |
| This I had to include because the guy was pulled from the audience to follow along with what the clown told him to do and as soon as she left the ring he started dancing around and didn't notice her return |
Friday, 4 March 2011
Book Review: The Volcano Lover
If you're a photographer then you've read Susan Sontag's On Photography, which is why I couldn't pass by The Volcano Lover without buying it.
It reminds me of a Jane Austen novel, set in the late 1700s it follows a collector and British ambassador to Naples for around 25 years of his life. He gains and loses art and wives, studies a volcano, flees the invading French as their revolution takes hold, meets with Kings and Queens, travels the sea, befriends Admiral Nelson and lives through so much history. What I find very interesting about this book is the lack of names. There are some times when a person is referred to as Duke *** instead of putting the actual name in, it's almost like a test to see if you can deduce who everyone is, Nelson himself is never named, it's simply through a knowledge of history that you realize what is going on. (I'd tell you who everyone is but I think it's more entertaining to let everyone work it out for themselves)
When I am reading a novel the last thing I want is to be pulled back into my own time by the writer and therefore reminded that it is fiction and I am where I actually am. It drove me crazy that Sontag repeatedly did this, continuously making modern day analoges that nearly made me put the book away until I finally realized that Sontag was doing this to draw us into the story more, not push us away. She was trying to help us relating to the characters feeling and state of mind, she gave us modern situations before throwing us back into the character's own peril to get us to understand the emotions and reactions the character had. It still drives me a bit up the wall but I can understand and appreciate what she was doing.
Sontag is very true to details with this work, as she is in everything she does. And since the main character, simply known as the Cavaliere, is a great lover and collector or art and various artifacts it allows Sontag to do what she does best and impart artist knowledge subtly to the reader. I have many pages that have been earmarked and written on for future reference for their simple truth that applies to life and art.
Collectors show the world what has gone "unappreciated, neglected, forgotten. Too much to call this a discovery; call it a recognition" (pg 71). When you think about it, photographers are collectors, they collect memories, moments in time, which is, according to Sontag, and the Cavaliere, what art is all about, the significant moment. That is photography, a moment of feeling, of a look, something frozen in time and truthful, well, some of the time.
I took so many notes in this book that I cannot not recommend it, there is too much it has given me to think about. There are definitely slow parts, and it took me 2 days to get through the last 50 pages but it was worth it in the end when you come across quotes like the one I'll leave you to consider.
"To collect is by definition to collect the past" (pg 268) (I feel like it could be an essay question for school
It reminds me of a Jane Austen novel, set in the late 1700s it follows a collector and British ambassador to Naples for around 25 years of his life. He gains and loses art and wives, studies a volcano, flees the invading French as their revolution takes hold, meets with Kings and Queens, travels the sea, befriends Admiral Nelson and lives through so much history. What I find very interesting about this book is the lack of names. There are some times when a person is referred to as Duke *** instead of putting the actual name in, it's almost like a test to see if you can deduce who everyone is, Nelson himself is never named, it's simply through a knowledge of history that you realize what is going on. (I'd tell you who everyone is but I think it's more entertaining to let everyone work it out for themselves)
When I am reading a novel the last thing I want is to be pulled back into my own time by the writer and therefore reminded that it is fiction and I am where I actually am. It drove me crazy that Sontag repeatedly did this, continuously making modern day analoges that nearly made me put the book away until I finally realized that Sontag was doing this to draw us into the story more, not push us away. She was trying to help us relating to the characters feeling and state of mind, she gave us modern situations before throwing us back into the character's own peril to get us to understand the emotions and reactions the character had. It still drives me a bit up the wall but I can understand and appreciate what she was doing.
Sontag is very true to details with this work, as she is in everything she does. And since the main character, simply known as the Cavaliere, is a great lover and collector or art and various artifacts it allows Sontag to do what she does best and impart artist knowledge subtly to the reader. I have many pages that have been earmarked and written on for future reference for their simple truth that applies to life and art.
Collectors show the world what has gone "unappreciated, neglected, forgotten. Too much to call this a discovery; call it a recognition" (pg 71). When you think about it, photographers are collectors, they collect memories, moments in time, which is, according to Sontag, and the Cavaliere, what art is all about, the significant moment. That is photography, a moment of feeling, of a look, something frozen in time and truthful, well, some of the time.
I took so many notes in this book that I cannot not recommend it, there is too much it has given me to think about. There are definitely slow parts, and it took me 2 days to get through the last 50 pages but it was worth it in the end when you come across quotes like the one I'll leave you to consider.
"To collect is by definition to collect the past" (pg 268) (I feel like it could be an essay question for school
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Royal Canberra Show
On Sunday I worked for ARF at the Royal Canberra Show. Once I was done for the day I thought I'd take a look around and here is some of what I saw:
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Gregory Crewdson
Gregory Crewdson is one of the most elaborate photographs I have come across. He spends days building sets and uses thousands of lights to get his images just right. For a while he took over an entire town in Massachusettes to make photographs. His work is large, detailed and very mysterious. That is what draws me in to his photographs, there is something in each one that is not quite right and some times you have to look around the image for a while before you discover what exactly it is that seems out of place.
There is something captivating about each image, I think part of it for me is the unknown story. Each photograph is a glimpse of some story but we don't know what it is, we are given hints and are left to our own imagination to create from there.
Enjoy some of Crewdson's photographs below and see what story you come up with.
There is something captivating about each image, I think part of it for me is the unknown story. Each photograph is a glimpse of some story but we don't know what it is, we are given hints and are left to our own imagination to create from there.
Enjoy some of Crewdson's photographs below and see what story you come up with.
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