With generous support from Canon USA and Leica Cameras, LOOK3 will be offering 10 full workshop scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in 2-4 year accredited programs. Deadline to apply is May 1, 2009 and scholarship recipients will be notified May 8, 2009. The application consists of a submission of 10-15 images from a single project, preferably a recent body of work, and an email to workshops@look3.org. Please do not send portfolio images from a multitiude of projects. To apply, please click here and follow the ftp and email instructions under Student Scholarship submissions.
I think it is a kind of performance on my part
“You put a camera in my hand, I want to get close to people,” he said. “Not just physically close, emotionally close, all of it. It’s part of the process.”
“It’s a very weird thing being a photographer.”
Sports Illustrated’s Slide Show Book
Sports Illustrated has a new book out on May 5th called Slide Show that examines the actual physical slides from the images that made it into the magazine. They pulled their most famous and iconic shots from their archive of more than 750,000 original slides and photographed the mount with all the writing, marks and then the x-acto cut where the image was removed for scanning. Beyond the obvious rehashing of the SI photo archive for cash I felt a twinge of nostalgia for the transparency on the light table. Don’t get me wrong I couldn’t wait for the day when I wouldn’t have to handle slides anymore (which if you think about it has barely arrived, because I remember lots of slides kicking around the office 3 or 4 years ago), but I remember searching through piles and piles of slide sheets for cover shots or openers and it was just so awesome when you hit the jackpot. Also, it’s amazing to see them turning all these horizontals into vertical covers. They must have had some kick ass film scanners at SI because I remember it being so difficult to get a decent cover that way. I think any hardcore sports photographer or photo editor will find this book interesting.
SLIDE SHOW, which retails for $29.95 U.S./$32.95 Canada (Hardcover), will be available online at bookstores nationwide beginning May 5, 2009 (Amazon link).
A Third Is Photography, A Third Is Diplomacy, And A Third Is Politics
Martin Schoeller talks with writer Charlie Fish (read more here) for a piece in Resource Magazine. Here’s a couple quotes:
“If you’re going to take a picture, really try to make it the best picture you’ve ever taken, every time. Always strive for the best you can do.” This level of professionalism requires that you live, breathe and eat photography, and that every step along the way is executed with great attention to—what else—the details. “If you want to be a photographer,” he advises, “Be a photographer ten hours a day instead of spending five hours retouching some half-ass picture you don’t like in the first place.”
Schoeller reveals, “If you want to do portraits, you have to be outgoing and be able to engage people. I always say a third is photography, a third is diplomacy, and a third is politics. By doing a lot of research and finding out what they have done in the recent past I know where their mind is at. I’m able to engage them in a conversation so they forget for a moment that they’re being photographed.” While this may be common practice to many photographers, Schoeller’s research manifests itself in another way. “I always play music that I think they might like, or remind them of their childhood. We always have a little stereo with us.”
A Huge Micro Stock Meteor
Years ago I heard Tony Stone give a speech in which he said that “Someday a huge meteor will hit the earth and stock photography as we know it will cease to exist”. Is that meteor getting close? Could it be Micro?
via Ellen Boughn and the Future of Stock Photography. via, Bohemian.
Fantastic Man Magazine
The Cover Photo Sells The Book
Here’s your recession proof photo gig people. Shooting covers for Harlequin romance novels like photographer Robert Goshgarian is doing in this video for ABC news. The novels are up 32% and the cover photo always closes the sale.
Thanks, John Strohsacker for the tip.
“Facebook And Twitter Lost Me An Advertising Shoot”
A photographer wrote me recently to tell me how Facebook and Twitter lost them a job.
“My reps got me a job with the ad agency that was doing Xxxxxx Xxxx. I’m a young photographer and this was my first major campaign so I threw this up on Twitter and Facebook ‘sweet. Got the Xxxxxx Xxxx gig!'”
So, then what happened next is a friend who works at the agency but not on that account runs into his boss and casually mentions how great it is that they decided on that photographer for the account and the boss freaks out. He says, “how did you know about that?” to which the photographers friend replies, “I saw a tweet about it.”
The boss then calls the reps and says the deal is off citing some confidentiality agreement no one knew existed.
The photographer tells me “I fear that it was my big break and I blew it over hubris and five little words.”
I’m not posting this so we can all jump all over the photographer who feels awful about it and obviously made a big mistake that would allow the competition to connect a photographer with an upcoming campaign (I assume this is not irrational of the agency). It’s just a friendly warning/reminder that we all live in a small highly connected world now and you shouldn’t write things you wouldn’t want everyone to see.
More On Legibility
by Phil Selby, thanks Michael.
Tyler Hicks In Afghanistan
Full screen slideshow over on NYTimes.com (here) worth checking out. Shot by Tyler Hicks in Afghanistan produced by Nancy Donaldson.
via, State of the Art.
Pulitzer Prize Winners In Photography
It must be so sweet to win a Pulitzer Prize (here). Here are the 2009 winners in photography:
13. BREAKING NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY
For a distinguished example of breaking news photography in black and white or color, which may consist of a photograph or photographs, a sequence or an album, in print or online or both, Ten thousand dollars ($10,000).
Awarded to Patrick Farrell of The Miami Herald for his provocative, impeccably composed images of despair after Hurricane Ike and other lethal storms caused a humanitarian disaster in Haiti.
Also nominated as finalists in this category were: the Associated Press Staff for its haunting chronicle of death, destruction, heartbreak and renewal when an earthquake devastated Sichuan, China, and Carolyn Cole of the Los Angeles Times for her valorous on-the-spot coverage of political violence in Kenya, capturing the terror as rebellion and reprisals jolted the nation.
14. FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
For a distinguished example of feature photography in black and white or color, which may consist of a photograph or photographs, a sequence or an album, in print or online or both, Ten thousand dollars ($10,000).
Awarded to Damon Winter of The New York Times for his memorable array of pictures deftly capturing multiple facets of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.
Also nominated as finalists in this category were: Carol Guzy of The Washington Post for her powerfully intimate coverage of the perils and sorrow of childbirth in Sierra Leone, where women face the world’s highest rate of maternal mortality, and Sonya Hebert of The Dallas Morning News for her empathetic portrait of palliative care in a Texas medical center as terminally ill patients cope with the end of their lives.
Found it on Robert Bensons Blog.
Don’t Confuse Legibility With Communication
Don’t confuse legibility with communication, just because something is legible doesn’t mean it communicates and more importantly doesn’t mean it communicates the right thing.
–David Carson, Helvetica the Documentary Film
Documentary Photographer List
Verve photo looks like a great resource for anyone looking to hire a documentary photographer (here). I love a good list. Especially when someone else creates it.
Satre Stuelke’s Radiology Art project
See more (here), via Ground Glass.
Remembering Shawn Mortensen
Talented, beloved photographer Shawn Mortensen passed away two days ago at the age of 43.
Leigh Anderson, his former agent from Montage had this to say:
Shawn was one of the most talented photographers I’ve ever known, but that’s only a part of what made him so remarkable. He was incredibly passionate about art and culture, but humble about his place in that community. He knew everyone, and had the best stories, but never dropped names. Shawn knew what most thoughtful and intelligent people do, that people’s lives, however simple, make the best art. What made him unique was how he executed that. Every subject was given equal respect, equal measure. Not many contemporary photographers could do what he did – reconcile the business of photography with a sincere sense of social responsibility. More important than Shawn’s photography was who he was outside of it – he was a fiercely loyal friend and a true gentleman.
Shawn was the author of “Out of Mind”, a contributor to Vibe, i-D, Blackbook and Nylon among others. He was also a successful advertising photographer with clients such as Nike and AG. At the time of his death he was hard at work on his next book project – “MOR – Monster! Outlaws & Renegades”.
Rockers NYC T.V. Interviews Shawn Mortensen
Vibe Remembers Shawn Mortensen
Black Book – Shawn Mortensen, Rest In Peace
The Daily Swarm – R.I.P. Photographer Shawn Mortensen
Super Touch – In Loving Memory of Shawn Mortensen
Why Would You Quit Working With A Freelancer
Jonathan a 3rd year photojournalism student at Ohio University’s School of Visual Communication has a Business Practices class taught by Professor, Marcy Nighswander (that’s what I’m told in an email anyways). For their first assignment she asked them to contact photo editors and ask them “to identify why they quit using a freelancer’s services or product.” Basically, Mrs. Nighswander, wants us to ask industry professionals if they stopped using a freelance photographer’s work for some reason such as, and not limited too, a poor professional relationship or lack of commitment.
Jonathan,
I think the vast majority of photography that goes on in the world is simply a business transaction. You sell a product, your customers need it, and they will go elsewhere to get it if you don’t conduct yourself in a professional manner. Customer service, good communication skills, contract writing and all manner of business acumen is required in addition to the ability to take pictures.
Beyond that and I think the higher up you you go in the photography food chain the main reason to stop working with a photographer is if the shoot fails or if you or someone in the chain of command above you decides they don’t like that style of photography.
One of the important jobs photo editors and art buyers do besides finding photographers and working out the details of the shoot is determining beforehand if the photographer you want to work with can execute and deliver the shoot in a professional manner. You call them up on the phone, check out their portfolio and marketing material, look at the client list and generally try to get a feel for it beforehand.
Doug Menuez writes on his blog today (here) about the cold hard truth of shooting for the top news magazines in the 80’s:
At a conference in the 80’s I once heard a young photogapher ask Roxanne Edwards at Business Week what would happen if, you know, somehow the film just did not turn out? Response: “Then you would never work for us again.” Sharp, honest, true answer. But seriously, doh! The other editors on the panel from Time, Newsweek, US News all shook their heads solemnly in agreement. The pressure to get world-class images on deadline against tremendous competition was unrelenting, yet it was also what fueled us.
Flight 1549 Salvage Photos Released
Just in from photographer Stephen Mallon, he is free to post the salvage photos of Flight 1549 to his website and anywhere else. “I have to retouch out the logo if its visible but they are back on line!”
via Stellazine.
Talented Photographers Are 99% A Pain In The Ass To Work With
From the wish I’d said it category:
“It is no surprise that talented photographers are 99% pain in the ass to work with. They have strong opinions, are stubborn, reckless, and most of the time have an extremely bad character. But that is simply because they are constantly challenged by a reality that annoys them. Like being assaulted by mosquitoes, all the time. They don’t have an attitude problem, it’s the world that lacks one.” — From that goddam Bohemian.
My favorite was always when the editor would come stomping into my office all up in arms because the photographer had made all kinds of unreasonable demands on the writer and/or the subject. And, at first I was concerned but then I’d investigate and maybe the subject wasn’t told there would be a photo shoot (a magazine is pictures, words and design you want to write a book go somewhere else) or possibly the writer expected a photographer to follow in their shadows (we need time with the subject to make great pictures) and more likely it’s because creative people are difficult and demanding and it’s not like your writer isn’t a neurotic basket case on deadline, the photo shoot is our deadline. Get over it.