John Divola – Medium festival Keynote speaker
from Dogs Chasing My Car in the Desert, ©John Divola
The Medium Festival has just announced their Keynote Speaker, who is photographer/artist John Divola, who will present the 7th annual Keynote Lecture on Fri., Oct. 19, 2018 in San Diego at the festival.
John Divola’s work combines ideas of performance, painting, photography, and land art into a career spanning nearly five decades. He currently lives and works in Riverside, CA. Divola works in photography, describing himself as exploring the landscape by looking for the edge between the abstract and the specific. He is a Professor in the art department at University of Riverside since 1988 and has published four books: Continuity, Isolated Houses, Dogs Chasing My Car In The Desert, and Three Acts.
More information on the Medium Festival, which runs October 18-21st in San Diego, CA can be found here.
For those who are interested in the Medium Portfolio Reviews, registration opens later this week on April 19-20. Last year these review slots disappeared fast. Just saying….
Cheers!
Special MOPLA Event This Week: LOST ROLLS AMERICA Featured April 12-15
A special event sponsored by the project LOST ROLLS AMERICA will be featured this week as part of the 10th Month of Photography Los Angeles, to take place at the Line Hotel, April 12-15. I spent a bit of time familiarizing myself with the project and would like to share some of my thoughts.
Ron Haviv, well-known award-winning photographer, and Lauren Walsh, Director of NYU Gallatin’s Photojournalism Lab, are the forces behind the project. The idea was to solicit undeveloped film that might be hiding in people’s drawers, almost forgotten, but perhaps worthy of seeing the light of day. The deal was, you sent them your undeveloped roll of film, they had it developed by FujiFilm, and the finished images were then returned to you, with the option of incorporating one or two into the archive, after some questions regarding time, place, subject, and photographer’s reaction and memories evoked are answered. Here is the project’s original description:
Lost Rolls America is a national photo archive created by a democratized process: Anyone can submit their lost roll of film to the project for processing (the images must be at least 3 years old), and the images are subsequently returned to the originator. These contributors, who are members of the general public, are asked to select one image, answer several questions that are provided, and return it to the project for inclusion in the archive.
This photography project is the brainchild of Ron Haviv, Project Creator and Emmy-nominated, award winning photojournalist and co-founder of the photo agency VII, and Lauren Walsh, Project Director and Director of NYU Gallatin’s Photojournalism Lab. Her work focuses on the history of photography, contemporary visual culture, war reportage and journalistic ethics. Ron’s prior book, The Lost Rolls, was the jumping off point for this project.
Meanwhile, the archive has grown into several hundred images, and these can be studied along with the fascinating answers to the questions, on the website devoted to the project.
Here is the poster for this week’s event:
Studying the pictures in the collection is a great adventure into recent popular, “vernacular,” and even some professional lost photography. Forgotten places and people take on a mysterious aura: friends, relatives, and pets in long-forgotten moments of levity or seriousness remind all of us about the fleeting nature of life. Indeed, even experiments with fine art photography may be hidden among the undeveloped rolls still hidden in your closets or other places, as the images submitted by Melanie Chapman and Chris Jurgenson demonstrate. I leave it to you to find these and other images in the archives and to read the responses of the photographers who found the films. Not every ambiguous moment can be disambiguated! And yet, memories from our past, when shared, can become a part of our universal experience and help us understand our common concerns.
Gerhard Clausing
© Walker Sayen / Courtesy Lost Rolls America
Anne Olmstead (assumed), © Jeff Olmstead / Courtesy Lost Rolls America
© Melanie Chapman / Courtesy Lost Rolls America
© Chris Jurgenson / Courtesy Lost Rolls America
Palm Springs Photo Festival – Deadlines approaching
There are a number of events that occurring in conjunction with the Palm Springs Photo Festival (PSPF) this year.
This annual event for photographers occurs over the week of May 6th – 11th in Palm Springs, California.
Part of this event are the Portfolio Reviews with the registration occurring April 20th. That is when you will be able to select and prioritize your reviewer choices. After this date, usually only a few of the reviewers are still available. There will be some additional reviewers posted weekly until April 20th to the provisional listing.
PSPF Sponsors will offer 9 Special FREE Shooting Events during the festival week. Attendance is limited so sign up as soon as possible. Canon, Fuji, Leica & Pentax are all offering great free classes.
Another trade mark of PSPF are the intensive workshop classes that are offered through the week, which include; Virtual Reality for Still Photographers, Lightroom and Photoshop with Ben Willmore, Color Management and Digital Workflow with Mac Holbert, Reducing Unauthorized Usages of Your Images with Michael Grecco, The Creative Process with Mona Kuhn, Standing Out in a Saturated Market, Scanning Your Archive with Your DSLR, The Bottom Line with Ink-jet Papers, Writing Winning Grant Proposals, Securing Support for Your Personal Projects with Mary Virginia Swanson, Enhancing Your Creative Process, and Digital Asset Management.
There will be workshops by renown photographers inlcuding Dan Winters, Erwin Olaf, Debbie Fleming Caffery, Mark Edward Harris, Scott Frances, Art Streiber and Stephen Wilkes.
So check out their schedule, as it appears that there is something for every type of photography and photographer.
I plan to attend one day of this event, May 10th, so give me a shout-out to arrange a meet-up and discussion.
Cheers, Douglas Stockdale
Medium Photo Festival – Portfolio Review Registration opens on April 19-20
Medium Photo Festival, Portfolio review preparations, 2017 copyright Douglas Stockdale
The Portfolio Review registration for the 2018 Medium Festive opens April 19 -20 (click here)
The shout-out from Medium: So consider grabbing one of 65 spaces for the acclaimed Medium Festival Portfolio Reviews. Participating photographers meet with 8 reviewers from across the field of photography and consistently receive 90% of their top ranked reviewers—something few other review events can claim. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis and will sell out quickly. They’ve posted a short list of our 2018 reviewers online to help you discover who can expand your career this fall.
If you are considering attending a Portfolio Review?
Each year Medium offers a two-hour workshop helping photographers plan properly for a portfolio review event. Join Medium on April 14 in San Diego as we explore the range of portfolio reviews available today. Whether you’re planning to attend Medium in October or another review, this workshop offers an opportunity to learn what you’ll need to successfully develop relationships with professionals from across the field.
Participants will have the opportunity to practice their presentation skills as part of the workshop. You will need to register for this two-hour workshop.
Roger Bennett – Center Gallery
Photo
Photographs copyright Roger Bennett
Roger Bennett will have a solo exhibition of his black and white landscape photographs at the Center Gallery, located at within the Downtown Anaheim Community Center. The Gallery address: at 250 E. Center Street, Anaheim, CA
The exhibition runs from April 22nd through June 18th, 2018.
The Opening Reception is Thursday, May 3rd, 2018 from 7pm to 8:30pm (see announcement below)
Roger is a long time member of the Photographers Exchange, a group of photographers and artists that meets monthly at the Irvine Fine Arts Center (IFAC). He has previously exhibited at the Festival of the Arts in Laguna Beach.
Cheers!
Jim McKinniss at SE Center for Photography
Iris, #2 copyright Jim McKinniss
The South East Center of Photography will be exhibiting their show The Still Life, which was curated by Kimberly Witham. We are excited that PhotoExchange member Jim McKinniss was juried in with two photographs, Iris #2, above, and Two Tulips, below.
I had a chance to talk to McKinniss recently about this still life series which came about when he had an opportunity to experiment in a photo studio. He brought with him some glass vases and a collection of flowers and then just played with the various combinations. What I note is that by placing the vases of flowers on a precarious edge of the support, he introduced a subtext of tension in which otherwise might appear as a tranquil subject.
The exhibition runs from April 13 thru May 19th, and the opening reception is April 13, 2018 from 6-8PM.
Juried into this exhibition and joining McKinniss are Hannah Arnette, Angie Pember Brockey, Susan Bryant, Jo Ann Chaus, Mihai Chebac, Robert Dutruch, William Earle,
Malcolm Easton, Vladimir Frumin, Daniel George, Nadide Goksun, Margaret Halaby, Jackie Heitchue, Gea Hogeveen, Susan Kott, Thomas Ladd, Carol Lawrence, Laura Malaterra, Lea Murphy, Katherine Richmond, Wilford Scott, Melissa Stewart, JP Terlizzi, Terry Towery, and Tina Weitz.
We have featured Jim McKinniss photographic work previously: represented by Collector Works
Cheers!
Annual Print Exchange & Membership Meeting: March 15th, 2018
Sandstone Creek, Vail, Colorado, February 2018 copyright Douglas Stockdale
The annual print exchange and membership meeting for the PhotoExchange, a group of photographers who meet monthly at the Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, CA will be this Thursday, March 15, 2018 stating at 6pm. There will also be some food, usually a few kinds of pizza, vegetables and cookies, with some non-alcoholic beverages.
I have discussed this interesting, if not a bit wacky, print exchange earlier, as this print exchange has been an on-going event by this group for about twenty years. Reminds me of a white-elephant Christmas gift exchange.
Those who participate bring a photographic print, not necessarily matted, but it might help, more about that in just a moment. You will be guaranteed to leave with a print, perhaps not your first choice. The process starts with a judging of all of the photograph by the participants and the photographer who brought the photograph that has the most “likes” gets to choose another photographic print. The photographer whose photograph was just selected then has a few minutes to talk about their photograph before selecting a photograph of their choice. This process of selecting prints, then the selected photographer chooses a print continues until all of the photographic prints are gone. Unlike a white-elephant exchange, the selection is only from the the remaining photographs on display, not a photograph that somebody else has already selected.
Seems in the past that photographs with mattes usually obtains more likes or are chosen early in the process, when then entitles the photographer who brought that photograph to choose a print of their liking sooner.
This is also the membership meeting for those who wish to continue to belong, or want to join, for the year to bring their annual dues of $35.00. Preferably a check as the group does not have access to make a credit card transaction unless someone wants to consider using PayPal with Larry Pribble.
Note: as you may suspect, like last year’s post about this event, I am included the photograph that I am bringing this year. The photographic image is 6″ x 6″, archival matte, Edition of 1/10, pigment print on Museo Portfolio Rag, Extra Smooth Matte Finish, 300 gsm weight. For those who would like to purchase a copy of this limited edition print, either in this size or larger, message me at doug@douglasstockdale.com
Let me or Gerry know if you have any questions,
Cheers!
A Gallery of Photography — New Orleans
One of the wonders of New Orleans is a well-established gallery in the French Quarter, A Gallery For Fine Photography, which was founded in 1973 by Joshua Mann Pailet.
When first entering the establishment, you are surprised by two floors full of both iconic and new work, all at the highest level of fine art photography. How often do you see a wall featuring Maggie Taylor, Louviere+Vanessa, and Henri Cartier-Bresson right next to each other (first image below)?
This week three exhibits could be seen: Michael Kenna, Michel Varisco, and Josephine Sacabo. Michael Kenna is well known and needs no explanation. The underwater worlds presented by Michel Varisco are intriguing as well, as are some of her innovative presentation techniques, such as the image mounted in a fancy cutlery box or the hinged diptych, as shown below.
I was particularly amazed by the work of Josephine Sacabo. Not only is she able to express emotions and statements through her images, but she also combines contemporary elements, in this case graffiti, with religious icons, in large hand-tinted photogravure prints. The effects need to be seen to be appreciated!
The staff of the gallery is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. The prices of the works range from lower to very high for iconic rare work. A bookstore is also part of the gallery, featuring both signed and unsigned volumes. It is of particular use to the collector to see all that is available on their website as well, including prices. This openness should be emulated by other galleries.
A museum-quality experience, highly recommended!
Gerhard Clausing
Maggie Taylor, Louviere+Vanessa, and Henri Cartier-Bresson
Michel Varisco: Below Sea Level
Josephine Sacabo: Barking at God – Retablos Mundanos
“The Accidental Selfie”: Milton Greene’s “Marilyn Monroe, Glass Balanced On Left Knee, 1962”
All rights reserved. Reproduction not permitted without permission.
Expired film – creative opportunities
Untitled (Gardening for Ordnance) 2018 copyright Douglas Stockdale
About four years ago a friend gifted me a couple blocks of expired 120 roll film for my Hasselblad camera; some Ilford Pan F black&white film that expired in June of 1984, Ilford HP5 black&white film that expired in July of 1982 and a 20 pack of FujiChrome Provia 100F daylight transparency film that expired in October 2006. What most photographers had drilled into their heads by the various film companies in the pre-digital years is that expired film is in danger of color shifts and should NOT be used. The dire warnings from the film companies implied that not storing film in a refrigerated was fraught with professional danger. Of course, if any film did expire, the photographer was assumed to want to replace it, thus ensuring a steady sales of “fresh” film.
Which for my memory projects, the idea that a film might have a serendipitous color shift as a result of being expired is actually something I am hoping for. (yes, in the mean time, I have become the repository of expired 120 film among my friends for some odd reason).
For my project Gardening for Ordnance (did I mention I live on a decommissioned WWII practice bombing range?) I chose the FijiChrome as my intended color medium. Perhaps the 12 years of addition aging of my 120 film would yield some unexpected results that might induce some visual metaphors? I think that my buddy Sandy had properly stored this film he donated because so far, no real color shifts that I can detect in either the processed transparencies or in my scan files. The scan of the unaltered transparency below includes the gray card, while the image above has been tweaked with an adjustment layer for some curve modifications (slight s curve).
So could using expired film add another dimension to a creative project? I think so, but so far for this 12 year overripe block of film, regretfully not yet. Although I am now tempted to hold on to this film for a little bit longer, I think that this expired film is suitable for this current project and adds a subtle dimension to my narrative. I will use what I need for now and if any of this film is left over from this project, all the better for another day and project.
Now I am worried about my 36 year old expired black&white film, will it be uneventful as well??
Technical Notes: 120mm Zeiss Makro-Planar CF on Hasselblad 503cx, exposure 1/125th at f/5.6 (EV 12), film normal commercial development (E6).
Cheers
Photo Book as Art – Artist talk and discussion of Middle Ground
America (Middle Ground Book dummy #2) 2016 copyright Douglas Stockdale
For those on the left coast next week, I am very happy to announce that I will be speaking on “Photo Books as Art” for the Photographic and Digital Artist Group (PADA) at the Palos Verdes Art Center (PVAC) on Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 7 pm. For non-members there is a $10.00 fee, with the good news is that you will also be in the drawing for one of my photobooks.
Additionally this will be the first opportunity I will have to introduce my current photobook project, Middle Ground, a political satire (political protest book).
The PADA announcement:
DOUGLAS STOCKDALE TO SPEAK ON “PHOTOBOOKS AS ART” at PVAC WEDNESDAY, FEB 28
Douglas Stockdale, artist, educator, mentor and founding publisher of The PhotoBook Journal will give photographers tips on using photobooks as a way of presenting their portfolios and as works of art in themselves at the Palos Verdes Art Center (PVAC) on Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 7 pm. At this meeting, sponsored by the Photographic and Digital Artists Group (PADA), Stockdale will review selections by the editors of The PhotoBook Journal for their “Interesting Photo Books for 2017”.
The books to be discussed will be available at the presentation and can be previewed on The PhotoBook Journal website
Admission to this event for non-PADA members is $10 and automatically enters the ticket holder in a drawing for one of the speaker’s books.
Two of Stockdale’s limited edition artist books were recognized, respectively, as one of the Best Photography Books for 2017 and 2014. He has curated/juried photobook exhibitions for Photo Independent and Fotografia Internazionale di Roma, Rome, and co-curated with 10×10 Photobooks and FotoBookFestival Kassel (Germany) and was a guest curator for LA Photo Curator.
The PhotoBook Journal Features & promotes photographers & artists & their published work
Hope to see you there.
Cheers!
Doug
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