Permission To Suck

Photography and Quantum Physics Need “The Ideal Observer”

Friday, June 18, 2010

Many cultures fear loss of soul through photographs. In brutally frankness, photographers characteristically pinch intimacy and trigger vulnerability that only close examination bares. Anyone retouching a high resolution image can tell you they risk knowing way too much about their subject.

Influenced by Weegee the Famous – Who?

Thursday, May 27, 2010

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I've been influenced by Usher Fellig (aka Weegee the Famous). I had no idea. But I’m in good company from Diane Arbus to Cindy Sherman, and the rest of us. It’s hard to peel away the nostalgia from his photos from mid 20th century NYC, but as I try the feeling of intensity remains; as though one held a candle under humanity fluid and let it reduce.

Heightening or Cheating the Creative Encounter

Thursday, May 20, 2010

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Artistic creativity is an act of intimacy or not; it’s genuine art or it's artifact. Learn to manipulate tools and their crafty mechanisms so they become secondary or not.

Mapplethorpe isn’t famous for flower pictures

Thursday, January 21, 2010

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It’s not hard to find the uniqueness of Mapplethorpe’s work whether it’s a flower, a penis or a portrait. R.M. civilized the shock of sex, violence and race - localized our fears, lust and hopes with ambiguous well crafted works. He succeeded in such a powerful way that it’s spawned countless derivatives.

Photographic Point of View – Ralph Gibson

Monday, January 11, 2010

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Listening to Ralph Gibson speak, and reviewing his work, something hit me. Yes, his work is simultaneously complex and simple. Its complexity is hidden by simplicity. His chosen frame is the disguise. But moreover, his work over five decades is astonishingly similar and that, to me, is especially remarkable when bearing in mind that I consider changing my approach daily.

“Look for excellence rather than the results of it” – Ryan Lobo

Monday, December 28, 2009

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Photography at its root is honest. Its analog legacy is documentary, accuracy and authenticity. Digitally transformed, the honesty of image capture is being questioned. Regarding truth, however, photography’s quality has remained unchanged. Each capture is a story and the storyteller is the purveyor of truth. Compassionate storyteller, Ryan Lobo, relates some remarkable insights in a 15 minute presentation.

Adam’s Eye – Learn from 23 Innocent Images

Thursday, December 24, 2009

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Since picking up a camera 35 years ago, I was framing images to move viewers. A desire to convince them I was good at what I did remains an underlying yet significant motivation. What's more, I’ll make the claim that most spectators do so in judgment before considering the content’s honesty – that is – if it exists. I invite you to look at these 23 images differently. There is an integrity and openness in this group photographs that is unique and worth examining. They were taken by a photographer who does not care what you think; he’s not spinning it for his reviewers. He doesn’t care about anything except how the frame and capture makes him feel and what catches his eye. His viewpoint embodies freshness. He’s a chaste artist.

- We Don’t Want Regular Anything

Saturday, November 28, 2009

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Think out of the box. We don’t want ordinary. Push it to the limit. Create something extraordinary. Differentiate yourself. All instill fear of not measuring up. It's also meaningless if read a la carte.

The Afghanistan Portfolio of Photographer – David Guttenfelder

Thursday, November 26, 2009

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Photographers learn early to capture contrast. Most serious photographers – pre digital – started seeing frames in black and white so the word “contrast” is etched into our professional consciousness. Yet, contrast is more importantly seen as paradox. In this group of images taken in Afghanistan by Photographer David Guttenfelder, we are confronted with some of the most profound examples.

Making a Human Connection – David Griffin

Monday, November 23, 2009

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Your frozen mental picture is attached to a narrative. Dreams feel like movies but the meaningful moment is a photograph in your mind with an ascribed story. Precise and complete recall isn’t called video graphic memory now is it? Video Presentation by David Griffin, National Geographic Magazine Director of Photography with links to Photographers featured in the presentation.