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HIGHLIGHTS Page 162
Page 74
Page 130
PAGE 22
Behind The Biz - Neo Studios
PAGE 64
Camera Review: Fujifilm X100s
PAGE 74
Speciality: Shaina Fishman
We recently tried out this camera and here’s what we think.
Shaina talks about how to work with animals—through people.
Page 22
Page 64
We took a look inside and behind this NoHo studio.
PAGE 130
Kirill was here
PAGE 162
Productions of the World: Lisbon, Portugal
This Internet sensation and event photographer shows us the nightlife ropes.
Where photographers can go when visiting the Portuguese capital.
CONTENTS PAGE 6 YOUR ESSENTIALS 6 10 12 14 190
Masthead Editors’ Letter RE:Sourced Shoot Talk Directory
PAGE 22 BIZ 22 28 32 33 36 38 39 40 42
Page 186
Behind the Biz- Neo Studios Going Pro- Part 7/ Extending your brand GraphIc- Photo Festivals Get Smart- Peter Hurley and the art of portraiture MediaSocioPath- Profile Specs ProPinion- United Photo Industries on the era of the photo festival Stats- job outlook for photographers Sell Yourself- Production Paradise Tips- 5 ways to repurpose your photos
Page 44 TECH 44 54 56 62 63 64 68 72 73
Gear & Gadgets- Photo Finds Deconstructed- Fake ice Ask the Geek- Mobile workstation Skip App- PreZent Do it yourself- Rain machine Camera Corner- Fuji X100s Gear Heads: Mirrorless connected cameras Software- Tiffen DFX 3.0 Photo Dad: Family photo walk
Page 106
Page 110
Page 74 IMAGE 74 82 86 94 106 110
Speciality- Shaina Fishman History- KONY by Barron Claiborne Photo ProFile- Nicholas Alan Cope Contest- “Streamline your Workflow” winners Underage- Masha Sardari Breaking In- Zach Gross
Page 116 FOCUS 116 118 121 122 123 125 129
Page 54
Opening spread Tips Photo- sharing apps Gear- Low-light cameras 5 tips to shoot in low light Party photographers of America Legal Point of view
Page 131 FEATURE 131 148 161
Kirill was here Gigi Gaston Production Of The World: Lisbon, Portugal
Page 180 ARTS 180 184 186
Books: Summer reading Movie: Fellini’s 8 1/2 Gallery: VII
Page 86
Page 82
Page 44
Does Your Website Stand Out? Customers browse dozens of websites before booking a pro. Unleash your brand's brilliant potential at SmugMugPro.com.
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EDITORS IN CHIEF Alexandra Niki, Aurelie Jezequel CREATIVE DIRECTORS Alexandra Niki, Aurelie Jezequel ART DIRECTOR Alexandra Niki DESIGN Rachael Tucker TECH EDITOR Adam Sherwin PHOTOGRAPHERS Sivan Askayo, Kirill Bichutsky, Barron Claiborne, Nicholas Alan Cope, Matt Farrell, Shaina Fishman, Julio Gamboa, Josh Gosfield, Zach Gross, Ron Haviv, Peter Hurley, Christopher Morris, Seamus Murphy, Franco Pagetti, Masha Sardari, Adam Sherwin, Stephanie Sinclair, James Worrell WRITERS Janet Alexander, Sivan Askayo, Aimee Baldridge, Sam Barzilay, Sam Chapin, Skip Cohen, Matt Corkins, Michael Corsentino, Adam Davids, Charlie Fish, Katharina Gadow, Jessica Harris, Tom Kray, Isaac Lopez, Alexandra Niki, Toni Palumbo, Jean-Paul Pretat, Dave Shelley, Adam Sherwin, Stephanie Zakas ILLUSTRATORS Doriann Defemme, Kelly Kaminski, Erin Lynch, Hyori Nam, Emil Rivera, Shirley Hernàndez Ticona COPY EDITORS Matt Corkins, Katharina Gadow, Jessica Harris, Tom Kray, Vanessa Oswald, Michelle Park INTERNS Christian Cherry, Matt Corkins, Doriann Defemme, Jessica Harris, Tom Kray, Sun Min Lee, Erin Lynch, Hyori Nam, Reann Nye, Vanessa Oswald, Michelle Park, Jordy Wijkniet, Stephanie Zakas PUBLISHER - REMAG Inc. DISTRIBUTION - info@resourcemagonline.com ADVERTISING Alexandra Niki - alex@resourcemagonline.com Adam Sherwin - adam@resourcemagonline.com Resource Magazine is a quarterly publication from REMAG Inc. info@resourcemagonline.com SUBSCRIPTIONS: $30 + shipping (U.S., Canada, international). For subscription inquiries, please email us at info@resourcemagonline.com or go to our online store: http://resourcemagonline.com/retail/ SPECIAL THANKS TO: John Champlin/ LUX-SF, Mark Chin, Andrew Francisco and Patrick Liotta. We welcome letters and comments. Please send any correspondence to info@resourcemagonline.com The entire content of this magazine is ©2013, REMAG Inc. and may not be reproduced, downloaded, republished, or transferred in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. For your daily dose of Resource, please visit our website: www.resourcemagonline.com FIND US ON NEWSSTANDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY! EASIER YET, GET OUR DIGITAL EDITION AT www.resourcemagonline.com/retail AND NEVER MISS AN ISSUE!
CONTRIBUTORS
2.
1. 3. Peter Hurley:
Thanks to his modeling experience, Peter Hurley has developed a forte of bringing out the best in his subjects. He recently began teaching the art of headshot photography through his coaching and referral platform, PH2Pro. He has also developed HURLEYPRO, his own line of photography gear. wwww.peterhurley.com
4. Janet Alexander: Insatiably
5.
3. 1. Sivan Askayo:
Sivan Askayo is a New York-based travel photojournalist. She quit her corporate advertising job five years ago to pursue her dream and combined her passions of traveling and photography. When she is not globetrotting for a living, she can be found shooting hanging laundry for her on-going personal project “Intimacy under the Wires.” www.sivanaskayo.com
2. Matt Farell:
4.
If you Google Matt Farrell, he is the Brooklyn-based still life photographer, not the character from Die Hard 4. He likes tequila and cigars and loves what he does. You can see his work at www.matt-farrell.com.
curious, considering life itself as compulsive viewing, Janet Alexander writes to find out, as an ongoing work in progress. In the pursuit of telling authentically humans stories, her interviews and profiles know no limits. Janet has never met a question she didn’t want to ask. wordsbyjanetalexander. wordpress.com
5. Josh Gosfield: Josh Gosfield was
New York Magazine’s Art Director. He has won awards for the illustrations and photographs he has produced for major magazines, record companies and book publishers. He has art directed music videos and placed short films in festivals. Lately he co-authored the book The Art of Doing: How Superachievers Do What They Do and Who They Do It So Well. www.joshgosfieldart.com
EDITORS
letter
Errrnnnh, errrrnh, errrrnh, errrrnh, errrrnh! You wake up to your alarm at the same time every weekday. There’s a familiar smell in your house and the sun hits your floor on the same spot every morning. Your face wash has the same texture against your skin. You know each and every piece of clothing in your closet as you decide what to wear. You prepare to walk out of the same door as everyday, onto the same block as everyday, into the same life as everyday. Except today there is something different. In the repetition of our daily lives, there are few things that stick out as being different—sometimes it’s just tiny details, like a little girl on the subway platform you’ve never seen before or a new tree on your block. Sometimes it's as subtle as a new feeling in the air. Sometimes it's as massive as seeing the completion of the new Freedom Tower. The little changes in our lives and our world are the things that photographers live for. Simple moments, like noticing a tiny new smirk you’ve never seen your girlfriend make, could be the one little thing that inspires you to snap your camera. At the opposite end of the spectrum, travelling to Syria to document the war may be your driving force. As our world and our lives evolve, we live for the things that we see differently—we shoot to show what we see and how we see. There may be many parallels in our lives, but in a way, every shot has its own life. Capturing our lives in images is just the tip, but your imagination is endless. If your next shot were your last, what would you want the world to see? What do you want to leave behind as your last “1000 words”? Photography can be an aggressive expression of our existence and is one of the most widely criticized art forms. It’s not easy to be a shooter when you wear your life on your sleeve photos; it takes strength to absorb criticism like blows to the gut, all the while struggling for financial stability and the dream of becoming the next Irving Penn. Nobody said it would be easy—at the same time, it could be easier than you think. This issue is our Event Photography Issue with a special feature on party photographer Kirill. If you plan on indulging in complete philosophical-less decadent party madness… take a look. Hey, maybe it’s time to reconsider your pursuit in fashion photography! Another philosophical-ish moment, brought to you by Resource Magazine. Enjoy the issue!
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RE:SOURCED PHOTO FESTIVAL PARTNERSHIPS GALORE: This has been quite an exciting
time for us as we were the media partners for three major photo festivals: MoPLA, Snap! Orlando and LOOK3. MoPLA, or Month of Photography Los Angeles, was in April and featured photography under the theme Wide Angle: Exploring New Photography from Los Angeles and Beyond. Emerging and professional photographers met up at Snap! Orlando in the beginning of May to share their love for photography. And LOOK3 was spectacular this year, with a great camaraderie and amazing guest speakers. We’re still shaking off all the excitement—and still catching up with work after a busy spring.
By Matthew Conkins
MANFROTTO DISTRIBUTION OPENS IN NJ: Our very own Tech Editor, Adam Sherwin, and lowly intern Tom Kray went to the grand opening of the new Manfrotto Distribution headquarters. Adam was in heaven and geeking out. He played with everything in the display room and even managed to score a private presentation with Managing Director Bill Drysdale and Vitec Group Divisional Chief Executive Marco Pezzano. It was a great time and they gave Adam and Tom the all-star treatment—makes everyone else at the office wonder, “Why?”
RESOURCE ROLLS INTO A DARK ALLEY, LEAVES INTERNS BEHIND:
PHOTO VIDEO WEST: At the end of April, we packed up our things and flew to sunny
California for San Diego’s Photo Video West. And we didn’t just bring some magazines with us: we pimped out our booth with luxe lounge furniture for people to chill, shoot the bull and read the newest issue. Besides our glorious lounge booth, there were plenty of other great exhibitors, photographers, trivia and even rabbits (don’t ask). We had a great time and can’t wait to do it again.
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In celebration of departing interns (yes, we’re so happy when some of them leave, we celebrate), the whole Resource crew went bowling. We burrowed into deep Brooklyn and found the mostly empty Melody Lanes. It was a blast. There were plenty of laughs, oven-fresh frozen food, pictures (some of which will never see the light of day), craziness and bad bowling. We all bonded that night—especially after seeing the Dutch intern without pants on. At the end of the night, we spun the interns in circles, said, “Sayonara,” and let them embark on a new life.
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SHOOT TALK: Research by Stephanie Zakas – Words by Vanessa Oswald
Our Shoot Talk this quarter features the latest photography gear as well as important events from the Spring. The timeline will guide you through some of the standout breakthroughs and must-attend shows.
April 5, 2013
NEW PENTAX/RICOH GR CAMERA
April 17, 2013 ANNOUNCED IS READY FOR PRE-ORDER. Ricoh unveiled its new GR Camera, which has proven to be more useful than the Nikon Coolpix A, according to some critics. The GR is a pocket camera that comes complete with an APS-C sensor, reliable AF and a 28mm lens.
BOSTON BOMBINGS PHOTOS CAUSE
SEARS AND WAL-MART CLOSE THEIR PORTRAIT STUDIOS.
April 18, 2013 ONLINE SEARCH FOR SUSPECTS.
Even though countless jokes were made about them (the horrible lighting, the even worse backdrops), these portrait studios were part of the American experience. There was no specific reason given by the St. Louis-based company for the sudden closure, but the studios’ financial struggles in the constant rise of digital photography seem to be a major factor.
After the tragic Boston Marathon b o m b i n g , s e v e r a l p h o t o s w e re posted online, sparking a search for the suspects responsible for the horrendous act. But several of the images were linked to innocent people who were simply there to watch the race that day. One of these photos even made it to the cover of The New York Post. Photo by Aaron”tango”Tang
April 29, 2013 HASSELBLAD’S V SERIES GOES DOWN.
April 13, 2013 PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID SACKS DIES OF CANCER.
Times are changing indeed: when famous photographers, such as Richard Avedon, Ansel Adams and Diane Arbus, once commonly used the V series cameras, today Hasselblad announced that the 503CW model would no longer be produced—a true end of an era. The legendary V camera line succumbed to declining demand.
Photographer David Sacks, who was a good friend of Resource Magazine, loses his battle with cancer. Besides being a sought-after commercial photographer, Sacks often offered up his time and photography skills to assist Covenant Mercies in their relief efforts to help orphans in Africa. Photo by David Sacks
APR
April 4, 2013
FEMEN ACTIVISTS DECLARE APRIL 4TH “TOPLESS JIHAD DAY.” Members of the Ukrainian feminist group, Femen, declared April 4th “Topless Jihad Day” after Amina Tyler posted images of her breasts online with the words “Fuck Your Morals” written on them to protest Tunisian’s conservative turn. Tyler continues to receive death threats, with 106,000 signatures calling for her prosecution. Photo by Femen
ROCK & ROLL PHOTOGRAPHER April 18, 2013 STORM THORGERSON DIES AT AGE 69. Storm Thorgerson, who was known for creating album covers for legendary artists such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and Peter Gabriel, died after losing his battle with cancer at the age of 69. His work, which defines many iconic visuals of rock, spans over 45 years.
April 29, 2013
KODAK’S PENSION PLAN MOVES OUT OF CHAPTER 11.
Kodak’s struggle to survive continues. Eastman Kodak Company suggested a $650 pension plan, which helped them to avoid Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The settlement agreement, filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, put Kodak’s Personalized Imaging and Document Imaging businesses under the new ownership of U.K. Kodak Pension Plan (KPP).
Photo by Storm Thorgerson
SIX PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO CAPTURE
April 15, 2013 SYRIAN CIVIL WAR WIN PULITZER PRIZE. Columbia University announced the 2013 Pulitzer Prize winners in the categories of Breaking News, which honored five Associated Press photographers—Manu Brabo, Rodrigo Abd, Muhammed Muheisen, Khalil Hamra and Narciso Contreras. Javier Manzano also received the Pulitzer and was the first freelancer to win the prize in seventeen years. All of them captured poignant images, which gave an inside look at Syria’s civil war. Photo by Manu Brabo/ AP
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SUPER DIVA BEYONCÉ BANS ALL PRO
April 22, 2013 PHOTOGRAPHERS FROM HER CONCERTS. Ever since the unflattering photos from her Superbowl halftime show were revealed, Beyoncé has gotten stricter when it comes to photographers snapping pictures of her. The diva is now only allowing publications to use pre-approved photos given to them by her management—so much for freedom of the press. A few media outlets refused and chose instead to rerun the Superbowl images as a rebuke to Beyoncé’s demands. Photo by Claudio Mariotto
Capture. Edit. Organize. Share. Streamline Your Workflow with a First-Class Setup + CAPTURE ONE PRO 7 +
Resource is teaming up with Phase One and DF Studio for a monthly contest that gives readers the chance to experience some of the most cutting-edge gear on the market. Upload your shots to Resource Online to be entered to win a shot at all of the following: • A complete Phase One Medium Format Camera System to use for a month to experience the professional favorite first-hand • A free copy of Capture One Pro 7, the ultimate RAW conversion software • 1-year of DF Studio, the latest in cloud-based management and storage • A handmade 24x36 digital print of your best image captured with the Phase One IQ system courtesy of Gotham Imaging NYC It gets better: The work you create with the Phase One Camera System will be featured on Resourcemagonline.com, a gallery show featuring all 12 winners and be considered for a Phase One or DF Studio ad campaign. We’ll choose one winner per month for a year — that’s 12 chances to win! For more information and to upload submissions, check out the contest page at:
resourcemagonline.com/p1-df-contest To get started enter our contest link in your browser or scan the QR code. You’ll be invited to join our VIP contest list and shortly after receive a link to submit your photos. Submit up to 5 photos per week. Each month the editors of Resource Magazine will chose a winner to receive this incredible prize package and feature your work on our website for everyone to see. For a full list of contest rules and submission guidelines please visit: resourcemagonline.com/p1-df-contest-rules
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SHOOT TALK: May 9, 2013
May 30, 2013
OLYMPUS ANNOUNCES NEW FLAGSHIP CAMERA, PEN E-P5. Olympus introduced the PEN E-P5, which is its new flagship camera. This is the perfect compact camera for when DSLRs are either not needed or practical. For such a small camera, its features seem endless.
May 20, 2013
May 14, 2013
To the shock of many, the Chicago Sun-Times laid off its whole staff of full-time photographers. The reason for the downsizing was due to what the newspaper called, “a shift toward more online video.” Besides working with a few freelancers, the news paper’s journalists are now asked to photograph their subject with their own smart phone.
YAHOO BUYS TUMBLR FOR $1.1 BILLION.
In an attempt to attract a younger demographic of online users, Yahoo bought Tumblr for $1.1 billion. The deal raises concerns among those active on Tumblr, although Yahoo “promises not to screw it up.” Following their purchase of Tumblr, they also announced the redesign of Flickr and granted users 1TB of storage.
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES LAYS OFF ENTIRE PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF.
May 22, 2013
ADOBE ACQUIRES THUMB LABS.
Adobe bought Thumb Labs, the company behind mobile app maker Behance, to enhance their Creative Cloud with apps. Last year the company acquired Behance for close to $150 million, but they remained hushed this time and didn’t divulge how much they spent to get Thumb Labs.
CANON RELEASES NEW 200-400MM F/4L USM FOR A PRETTY $11,800. Canon unveiled their new 200-400mm f/4 L USM, which costs a whopping $11,800 and is comparable to the much cheaper Nikon 200-400mm. The camera boasts a built-in 1.4x extender and has also the ability to extend the lens to a 280-560mm f/5.6.
MAY JUN
June 5, 2013
June 20, 2013
JUSTIN BIEBER SLAPPED WITH LAWSUIT AFTER BODY GUARD STEALS PHOTOGRAPHER’S MEMORY CARD. According to photographer Jeffrey Binion, the nineteen-year-old pop star ordered his bodyguard, Hugo Hesny, to swipe the memory card from his camera. Beside the loss of his images, Binion claims to have been threatened with a gun as the confrontation grew heated. Photo by Justin Bieber
June 13, 2013
LEICA ANNOUNCES NEW LEICA X VARIO CAMERA. Leica has introduced its new Leica X Vario digital camera. The model comes with the brand’s signature quality and design. The biggest (and best) news: the camera surprisingly costs less than $3,000.
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LEICA OPENS NEW L.A. LOCATION.
To celebrate the opening of the store, there were gallery exhibits, artwork and the launching of a new special edition camera.
June 14, 2013
PENTAX RELEASES 3 NEW INTERCHANGEABLE LENS CAMERAS.
Pentax brought three new interchangeable lens cameras to the market. The K-500 and K-50 are similar as they are both APS-C-sized cameras designed for consumers, but the Q7 is pretty unique—the company claims is the world’s smallest and most lightweight interchangeable lens camera.
STUDIOS 2,500 sq. ft. studios
//
video // photo // production // events
Located in a NOHO cast-iron building, combining classic loft style with sleek design + amenities. all studios have cycs + full kitchens in private loft suites, complete with client lounges and production space + desks.
NEO STUDIOS 路 628 BROADWAY 路 SUITE 302 路 NY 10012 路 (212) 533 4195 WWW.NEOSTUDIOSNYC.COM
SHOOT TALK: WHAT’S COMING UP IN Q3 Some of the best photo exhibits of the summer. And a couple of photo events not to be missed in September when you’re back from the beach!
JUL
JULY- AUGUST Until Aug 12, 2013 - “Bill Brandt: Shadow and Light photo” Exhibition at MoMA, NYC A master of black and white photography. www.moma.org
Until Sept 2, 2013 - “Photography and the American Civil War” Exhibition at the Met Museum of Art, NYC Witness the birth of photography and the birth of a nation. www.metmuseum.org
JULY- AUGUST- SEPTEMBER Until Sept 22, 2013 - “A different kind of order: The ICP Triennial”
AUG
Exhibit at the Int’l Center of Photography, NYC ICP’s round up of the some of the best photo and video work out there. www.icp.org
Go Shopping at
RESOURCE’S ONLINE STORE!
Until Sept 22, 2013 - “Pictures of the Year International” MOPA, San Diego, CA MOPA’s yearly celebration of photojournalists. www.mopa.org
Until Jan 26, 2014 - “Walker Evans American Photographs” Exhibition at MoMA, NYC Commemorates MoMA’s first one-person photography show with Evans’ work 75 years ago www.moma.org
Brought to you by the good people of Resource Magazine, retail is a new online destination for photocentric goodies. From photo books and prints to cool T-shirts, we've got you covered.
Until July 28, 2013 - “At War with the Obvious” Exhibit at the Met Museum of Art, NYC Photographs by one of the pioneers of color photography, William Eggleston. www.metmuseum.org
SEP
AUGUST August 11-14, 2013 - Skip Cohen University Chicago, IL Workshops, panel discussions, talks and a love of photography. www.skipcohenuniversity.com
SEPTEMBER Sept 1-30, 2013 - FotoSeptiembre USA San Antonio, TX Month-long photo festival.
Sept 19-29, 2013 – PhotoVille Brooklyn, NY Pop-up photo festival with shows, workshop, etc. and food trucks. www.photovillenyc.org
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Dick Tees - Limited Edition- $30 available at resourcemagonline/retail
NEO Studios By Sam Chapin – Portrait by Julio Gamboa Architecture shot courtesy of Neo Studios
S
pace in Manhattan is hard to come by. Business owners are forced to sacrifice comfort for convenience, making due with whatever's available in the ever-expanding neighborhood. So how did Bill White, owner of sprawling Neo Studios, get so lucky? Coming from the world of still-life photography, White purchased a 10,000-foot studio in 1994 with his wife, who doubles as his business partner. In its former life, the space served as a chandelier factory, and it was “really rough.” He divided it in half and made it his workspace for eight years. But with rising rent and a plethora of space at his disposal, he started renting it out. “Business was great, even from the very beginning, so we picked up another space on the fourth floor in early 2006.
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Fabio Enes
behind the biz
"We make people feel like it's their house. And we also provide solutions.” Bill White
And it’s continued to be great,” said White. For proof look no further than their recent expansion: Neo boasts two studios, each 2,500 square feet and, starting this July, a new space, which can be used for a large set or divided into two smaller still life studios. They also have full kitchens (for food shoots), client lounges, make-up stations and huge cycs—one of which was built by White himself. “You wouldn’t know it unless you built it, but we killed ourselves,” White admitted. “I became a very good carpenter after that!”
Neo Studios is home to a tight-knit group of employees. In addition to freelancers, there’s Bill White, the owner, Ruben Rodas, the DP (who sets up and assists on shoots), and Jonny Florez, the Studio Director. But what they may lack in numbers, said Florez, they make up for in experience: “Bill has a background from being a photographer, Ruben is established as a DP, and I have experience in social media and embarking on these kinds of endeavors.” The three men acknowledge where photography is headed and have strived to meet it head-on. They’ve made a point of understanding new, young trends in the industry and want to engage with a new brand of photographer. “The younger generation is being very, very influential right now with how photography is evolving. Bill made a good call in acknowledging that there needed to be different tiers,” explained Florez. “We try to cater to upand-coming photographers—people who are not necessarily established yet, people who need additional support. With the flexibility that we provide here, we help them move further up in their careers.” Although they might target the “up-and-comers,” Neo is host to a diverse clientele. And because the space is so open and versatile, there is little they can’t accommodate for, said White. “We can bring in shoots that are more industrial. Chipotle shot here for two weeks. Burger King also shot here. We brought in ice cream machines and deep fat fryers and griddles and freezers and whatnot—the kitchen itself might be small but
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Neo Studios: www.neostudiosnyc.com / Julio Gamboa: www.juliogamboa.com
On top of renting studio space for shoots, Neo also hosts small events. “We do trunk shows, show rooms, small cocktail parties, that sort of thing. We do a fair amount. Some studios won’t do them at all,” White said, adding, “We just can’t disturb our neighbors.”
BIZ: BEHIND THE BIZ“Neo Studios” Page 25
we can add to it. It’s nice because we have a mix of different types of shooters. One week it’ll be a GQ film shoot, celebrity the next, and then a fashion thing.” “One of the advantages I always hear people saying,” Rodas added, “is that because the space is so big, you can make your own layout. You can make a workspace the way you want it. Because it’s not just a bunch of rooms, you can do whatever you want, and people like that.” When talking to the three men, one thing was made pretty obvious: they absolutely love their jobs. They sat and talked about what they did everyday as if it was the greatest thing on earth.And their enthusiasm spills over. “I’m at home here. I feel comfortable,” said Rodas. “You know, every shoot is a challenge. There might be creative and technical challenges, but we like to think that between Bill and me, and now Johnny, we have enough experience to say, ‘Maybe you should do this or do that.’ Because of our experience and readiness to help, people feel even more welcome.” “The photographers, the producers— ultimately it’s not their house,” added White, “but we make them feel like it is, and we also provide solutions.” The team’s ability to provide solutions is what Neo prides itself on above all else. They see themselves as more than just a photo studio crew—they’re problem solvers. “I say that producing is like being a firefighter,” Ruben said, laughing. “You put fires away. And that’s what’s fun about producing. It’s no fun if everything runs smoothly. When it does, I say, ‘I think something is wrong because nothing is wrong.’ (laughs) The best reward is when people have a great experience, and they don’t know that things could have gone wrong—that’s what you want. If you’re a photographer, you want to be worried about your framing and your lighting and that should be it.” “The photographers come first, and we support them. It sounds boring, but that’s what we’re about,” White said, smiling. “And that’s why we’re still here.”
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BIZ: BEHIND THE BIZ “Neo Studios” Page 27
going pro
Extending Your Brand (PART 7) By Skip Cohen - Illustrations by Shirley Hernàndez Ticona
Your business is a success? Congrats! Why don’t you give it a little spin (off)?
W
e’re so used to the concept of “spin-offs,” typically from our favorite TV shows. How many different Law & Order shows have spun off from the success of the original series? Then there are sitcoms that come and go, and even retailers spin off other businesses—for instance, Walmart extended their brand into Sam’s Club. The list goes on and on. If we all understand the concept, then why do so few photographers realize their potential to do their own spin-off or brand extension?
Here’s a perfect example from one of the industry’s finest wedding and portrait photographers: Clay Blackmore. Clay has an incredible passion for golf. He loves the game, whether watching a tournament or playing himself. Years ago, he approached the PGA and started to photograph some tournaments. That passion has today turned into an extension of his business. It’s not just another revenue stream, but includes the benefits of special projects, because it’s something that he loves doing. The extension of Clay’s skill set into other business areas doesn’t stop there. A few years ago, he landed a contract to decorate a hotel in Park City, Utah, with 1,500 framed black and white images. Clay isn’t known
as a landscape photographer, but the images were stunning and the project created an entirely new extension of his brand. Then there’s his new video production projects—what started that spin off was a caterer who, while at a wedding, asked Clay if he could grab a few shots to have a record of the event. Clay went beyond and shot a short video. “It wasn’t hard for me to do. I just thought I’d surprise him and give him something more than just a few prints of table setups!” he recalls. Well, that video lead to the caterer referring Clay to what’s become some of his biggest weddings—and all because Clay was just doing what he does best, simply being a good guy! Here’s another profile of a great brand extension, from children’s photographer, Vicki Taufer. Four years ago, knowing that there was a high correlation between pets, families and children, she set up a pet promotion. Working with the Peoria Animal Shelter, she did a fundraiser: if you brought a food donation for the shelter, you got a free sitting and a 5x7 print of your pet. Vicki and her crew ended up photographing over 140 sessions that day, finishing with more than fifty people on their waitlist. She’s run the promotion every summer since then, and today is the area’s best-known pet photographer!
So, let’s come up with a list of things you should be thinking about to extend your brand and build some new business.
1) YOUR SKILL SET HAS TO BE OUTSTANDING! Don’t jump into extending your brand if you can’t walk the talk! You’ve got to understand composition, lighting, exposure, and be able to communicate with your subject first and foremost. Clay was able to take his skills as one of the finest wedding and portrait photographers into golf tournaments because he understood and loved the game and then had the necessary skills. The sport is about people and their interaction—having photographed hundreds of weddings, Clay was able to apply many of the same principles.
2) BE LOGICAL WITH YOUR FIRST LEVEL OF EXTENSION. A wedding photographer is an event photographer, so start by looking for other kinds of events. I remember one year when the market was slow; Andy Marcus, one of the industry’s finest celebrity and wedding photographers out of NYC, told me that his business for that year had shifted heavily into high-end parties in the Hamptons. A party might not be a wedding, but it’s still an event and you’ll need and use the same skills in working with people. Andy was simply taking what he does best and extending it into other markets.
You might not be photographing an event this high profile, but your lab, album and frame companies all offer product extensions that you might not normally be familiar with. Check with them before you take on the assignment and see what you can offer that’s unique to the event. A mother-in-law album from a wedding, with a few changes in design and colors, can easily become a collection of memories from a local golf tournament.
8) MODEL RELEASES. Always have a stash of blank model releases in your camera bag. At some point, you’re going to get a shot you will want to use for promotional purposes. While this really doesn’t belong in a list like this, it’s important enough that I don’t want you to forget it! Here’s the biggest challenge—the economy is still tough and we’re hardly out of the woods and walking on streets paved with gold. Business is out there, but you’re going to work harder than you’ve ever worked in your life to get it. That means you’ve got to be creative and think outside the box and beyond the normal focus of your business. But, remember, I’m not suggesting you stray from whatever your core business is. Just expand its potential! About the author: Author of six books on photography, including “Going Pro”, which this article series is based upon, Skip Cohen has been a fixture in the photographic industry for his entire adult life. He’s served as President of Hasselblad, Rangefinder/WPPI, and in 2009 founded Marketing Essentials International. His exciting new venture is SkipCohenUniversity.com, with a faculty that represents the "Who's Who" in photographic education.
3) START SMALL! You don’t need to take on Madison Square Garden your first time out. Look for events and clients on a small scale in your area before you jump into the big leagues. A portrait photographer would have a logical extension photographing a local beauty pageant. Another example is a fundraiser walkathon—it’s got all the right ingredients plus one more: giving back to your community.
4) TALK IT UP! Before and after the event, USE YOUR BLOG!
5) BE GENEROUS! Whether giving your time or sharing images, remember that whatever you give is going to come back ten times over. Clay Blackmore is the first photographer who I heard say that during a workshop close to twenty years ago, and what hit me was how wise it was coming from a “kid!” 6) LOOK FOR PARTNERS. Getting into brand extensions and new projects is perfect for new partnerships and working with other vendors and photographers. Sharing the spotlight gives you double the potential for publicity and talking up the event.
7) LOOK FOR PRODUCTS TO EXTEND YOUR BRAND. When the Olympics were in Atlanta, Denis Reggie was hired by American Express to photograph some of their best customers who were flown in for three days to attend the Games. Upon leaving, they were presented with an album documenting their experience.
Shirley Hernàndez Ticona: www.unchililin.com
While your website is all about what you sell—it’s your storefront—your blog is about what you feel and where you get to open your heart. Share with your readers what you’re doing in other areas of imaging. Don’t be afraid to show your passion for capturing memories. You don’t need any sales pitch, just the ability to show your excitement for the projects and the people involved.
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BIZ: GRAPH-IC“Photo Festivals” Page 33
get smart
Peter Hurley and the Art of Portraiture By Jessica Harris – Photo courtesy of Peter Hurley
Peter Hurley is now known for his great portraits and amazing lighting. More recently he’s been sharing his success by teaching the techniques of portrait and headshot photography through workshops and a DVD aptly called, “The Art Behind The Headshot.” But Hurley wasn’t always behind a camera—he actually became a photographer in the most roundabout way. After training for the 1996 Olympics in Sydney, he later found himself pursuing three diverging paths. “I was your typical bartender-modelactor guy in New York,” he recalled. “I bartended to support my acting career, and I started thinking I had to make money so I wouldn’t have to bartend,” he said. A photographer he met on set when he was modeling planted the photography seed. Hurley then shot photos of a model friend to start his portfolio. “And that was it,” he said. Here, Hurley explains what he loves about portrait photography and how it led him to teach and develop workshops for other photographers. What do you find so fascinating about portrait photography versus shooting nature, architecture or still life?
Is there ever a moment when you just experience the now rather than photographing it?
That’s an easy one: I love the human face, with all its unique features. I have identical twin daughters and they look nothing like me! When I have a person in front of my camera, I’m not only dealing with their physical attributes but their mental ones as well […] It’s an interesting combination of the way people look and the facial expression that’s captured in the camera—your aim is to intrigue your viewer.
I actually rarely take my camera out of the studio. When I’m in the studio I’m actively pursuing an image. Once outside, I’m always hoping something interesting comes into the viewfinder, but I don’t actively search for things. It is also difficult to shoot outside the studio because I’m so particular about my work and the way I organize things—I think of what camera to use or how I want things to look. My wife says we have shoemaker’s kids with no shoes!
What I’ve found to be true is that most people have no clue what their face looks like. When we make certain expressions, they don’t necessarily match what we’re doing, or what we think we’re doing. […] It’s a conundrum that photographers get stuck in: when people get in front of a camera, they change, so it’s the photographer’s job to change them back. Everything I do is to get them to behave normally. How did you get into doing workshops? The guys at FStoppers shot a video of me working and posted it on their website. After the video was published, people started contacting me with all these questions. I met with Zack Arias, another teacher/photographer, who said, “You gotta teach—when I think of headshots all roads lead to you.” Then I got a call from FStoppers asking me if I was interested in doing a DVD. The DVD led to workshop—the next workshop is going to be on July 1; it’s an online twelve-week course. What was the response you received from the workshops and DVD? I originally put together a curriculum of six or seven classes. I showed the first one and it snowballed from there. For the past two years, the workshops have sold out. I think shooting headshots is an entry point for those who are trying to transition from amateur to professional. […] No one was really teaching headshot photography, but, with personal branding becoming huge, people are putting themselves out there in a professional way, and they seek a professional to take their photos.
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Do you prefer color or black and white? When I first started, I shot mostly in black and white. I was doing the processing out of my apartment in New York, but then I built a darkroom in my mom’s basement in New Jersey. I would shoot all week, process the film and hang it up in my closet, and then take it out to New Jersey to do the printing. […] Eventually, the headshot thing took off. I was already shooting in color when the conversion happened. I was processing my own color film and then getting them printed. The printing and processing were difficult, but going digital changed everything. In the last five years how have you grown as a photographer? I’m more aware—way more aware of people, lighting and fine-tuning. If I look back at my work three or four years ago, it might not be noticeable to someone else, but there’s a huge difference to me. It’s subtle but it’s the tiny little things that all add up. Peter Hurley has recently partnered with PH2 Pro to launch a new line of photography gear, which offers camera gear, lighting and tethering tools among other things. You can also check out his DVD “Mastering The Headshot,” directed by FStoppers, for tips and techniques on how to capture great shots. Hurley is now in the process of releasing a book and plans to do more tutorials with FStoppers. *The interview has been edited for clarity.
Peter Hurley: www.peterhurley.com / www.ph2pro.com
How do you find the balance between coaching your subjects and giving them freedom when shooting?
sociomediapath
Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn, we’re increasingly communicating our online personas and presence through images. We may not be judging a book by its cover anymore, but judging an online profile by its cover photo is inevitable. Since each social media platform has its own unique set of picture dimensions, too often, knowing how to properly size your photos for each becomes a series of re-sizing guesswork.
By Janet Alexander – Illustrations by Hyo Ri Nam
Well, not anymore! Thanks to a “how did I ever live without this” social media image sizing guide from LunaMetrics, an online analytics consultant, measurement mishaps are a thing of the past. As a Google Analytics Certified Partner, LunaMetrics knows how the importance of an image goes beyond face value to impact page views, conversions (i.e. likes and shares) and your virtual popularity overall. Pixelation and ill-cropped photographs are simply unacceptable, not to mention, a little embarrassing—I mean, it is 2013, after all. Your various profiles’ photos are the basis of making a good virtual first impression, so know your specs!
Profile Specs TWITTER 90% see at least 78 px1
67% see at least 204 px
43% 247
21% 284
Profile Picture 81x81px
User Interface
Header Image 520 x 260 px
Visible Background Area by Screen Resolution
Recent Image 90 x 90
Tweet - 140 characters
Gap 23 px
Gap 210 px
FACEBOOK TIMELINE
Profile Picture 160 x 160 px Must be uploaded 180 x 180 px
Total Length of App Images
350 px
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LINKEDIN Profile Picture Profile Picture 100 x 60 px 100 x 60 px
Cover Photo 646 x 220 px
1192 px
GOOGLE +
Cover Photo 2120x 1192 px
160 px
Area shown when first landing Profile Picture Area shown when scrolling down
60 px
120 px
Recent Image 90 x 90
BIZ: SOCIOMEDIAPATH “Profile Specs” Page 37
pro-pinion
United Photo Industries on The Era of the Photo Festival By Sam Barzilay and Dave Shelley of United Photo Industries Illustrations by Hyo Ri Nam
T
here is no denying that the era of the photo festival has arrived. Over the last decade we have witnessed a rapid proliferation of photo festivals around the world, with each new years bringing word of another festival sprouting up in another city. What’s caused this sudden growth spurt? One possible reason would be the shrinking of the publishing industry, leading to print budgets being squeezed, and traditional outlets thinning out.
If you combine the steady flow of new photographers, shrinking budgets, and a rapidly polarizing art market torn between artists commanding stratospheric prices and others struggling to be noticed, you end up with a veritable black hole for emerging and mid-career photographers trying to be discovered, gain representation and make a living. Social media has opened up new routes for photographers to have their work seen by a global audience, but that is only one element in the new photographic ecosystem that is slowly replacing the traditional distribution models. Photo festivals offer another element, a much-needed physical outlet for the dissemination of new work. They provide a more transient, free-flowing structure outside of traditional gallery exhibitions, by combining short bursts of exposure to large audiences to create an intense, immersive photographic experience. Festivals offer an opportunity to meet fellow professionals in the field, foster artistic exchanges and introduce audiences to contemporary photographic work. Whether built with government support, corporate funds, or elbow grease and crowd-funding, every festival must devise its own approach and its own model for success. Festival organizers must carefully balance financial considerations, the type of content best suited for their audience, and how much creative control to hold or to cede. These are key decisions that will ultimately influence and shape the direction and personality of each festival. Hopefully this new chapter in the photographic narrative will continue to help introduce new work by talented photographers while expanding photography’s reach beyond the traditional audiences of the past. Vive le Festival! About the authors: Sam Barzilay and Dave Shelley are the Creative Director and Creative Producer of United Photo Industries and CoFounders of PHOTOVILLE. United Photo Industries is a Brooklyn-born, art-presenting cooperative dedicated to identifying, harnessing and occasionally conjuring unexpected exhibition opportunities. Working in partnership with local and international programming and media partners, UPI concentrates on producing unique site-specific exhibitions and opportunities that explore new thematic directions in photography throughout the globe that demonstrate the universal power of photography.
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stats
Job Outlook for Photographers
By Vanessa Oswald Employment of photographers is estimated to increase by 13% between 2010 and 2020, which follows the average growth rate for all occupations. In 2010, there were 139,500 photography jobs, although getting a full-time position is tough, as we all know. However, the market is good for freelancers, as most companies nowadays prefer hiring freelance photographers. The amount of selfemployed freelancers in 2010 was 63%. The growth expected for freelance photographers from 2010 to 2020 is 15%. Newspaper photographers will see an estimated decrease of 30% in work from 2010 to 2020, due to the reduction in demand because of the declining newspaper industry.
63%
*Statistics courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Estimated growth expected for all photographers from 2010 to 2020
15% 13% Estimated growth expected for freelance photographers from 2010 to 2020
Estimated decrease in work for newspaper photographers from 2010 to 2020
Employed freelancers in 2010
www.unitedphotoindustries.com
30%
BIZ: YOU ARE HERE“Chicago-The Windy City� Page 39
sell yourself
Heaven's List
Production Paradise showcases the best of the photo and video industry.
N
By Katharina Gadow – Images from Production Paradise
owadays, clients spend more and more time online looking for visual professionals, whether it be stylists, model agencies, or makeup artists. Sifting through all the clutter is a whole lot easier thanks to Production Paradise. Having a blog or a Facebook page is nothing compared to what this website can do for you and your business. The site reaches across the globe and is viewed by countless professionals in the visual fields, giving you a far wider reach and allowing more eyeballs to view your work. With 115,371 magazine subscribers in 164 countries, 4,280 videos and 100,198 images in their video and photo archives respectively, and 10,381 listed service providers from 107 different countries in their online directory, you could say that Production Paradise is the online one-stopshop for the photo and video world. The company started in 2002 in Barcelona, Spain. The founders, Andreas and Mariela von Estorff— who have backgrounds in modeling, production and technology—came up with the idea to start a production hotel, which could be used both for lodging a photo crew and as a location for a shoot. This idea, however, never came to fruition; instead, an online directory for fashion photographers, ad agencies, photo editors and producers came to mind, which lead to the creation of Production Paradise. “Our visitors are usually looking for photographers, photo agencies, etc. to get more information on the creator of specific images or videos,” said Neska Husar, Production Paradise’s marketing manager. “They also look for services like production companies, rental studios, lighting and camera rental, casting agencies and hotels for production. The biggest percentage of our visitors comes from the USA and Europe, followed by Asia and South America.” Through Production Paradise’s directory, marketplace and online magazines, professionals have the opportunity to display their work to hundreds of thousands of potential clients and collaborators. The focus of the site is on advertising and fashion professionals who come to the website to find talent or services to work with. “We only approach companies and professionals that we want to feature on our website and in our magazines. We focus on advertising and fashion because that’s what our users are expecting to see and find. We work with local experts to guarantee the quality [of our listings]. Our local representatives are very connected to the industry and know the relevant companies and creatives that work in that market,” Husar said. “Production Paradise is an efficient tool for the industry, especially for art buyers, to
Working with local partners is an important part of Production Paradise’s strategy and success. "Think global—act local," as Husar puts it, is the main approach they follow when establishing their presence in a new market. Production Paradise also has a team of researchers who look for relevant contacts in different countries, especially within the advertising agency sector; this allows them to constantly update their directory with new and relevant infomation. The site gets a lot of views from their tailored SEO plan, as well as from their various social media sites, bringing in traffic from over 200 countries. Their digital magazines also drive traffic to the site: Showcase was designed to be a platform for creative professionals to show their work, while each issue of Spotlight focuses on a specific topic, like food and drink photography, photographers’ agents, studios, production companies or CGI designers for example. Last, Production Paradise offers a marketplace feature on their site that anyone has access to, for either viewing or posting purposes. “It’s a space to post jobs, discounts, offers, sell used equipment, or to find something specific. We have had many companies find a new person to work with or people who sold cameras for example. Our members get the advantage of having their post promoted and linked to their listings.” Husar said. “We promote them with the directory, the magazines and through our social media on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn.” So who is a member? “Everyone who has a listing in our directory. That is the basic level. Then, based on the exposure they get in our magazines, we have different packages. Photo agencies and commercial production companies get all their artists represented in the Agent Pack,” Husar said. “We also have a member program where other Production Paradise members and hotels offer discounts to our network.” Some of the major agencies and companies using the website and subscribing to Production Paradise’s magazines include Mercedez Benz, BMW, Adidas, Lancome, McDonald’s, 20th Century Fox, Condé Nast and many more. “Our members are in the top of the industry and have worked with amazing athletes, models, actors and politicians. If you look for images of Barack Obama, Messi, Angelina Jolie or Kate Moss to name a few, you will find results for all of them on our site,” Husar said. Regardless if you want to showcase your work or discover new people to work with, with all of the different features and services Production Paradise has to offer, their site seems like a good place to start—no matter where it is you live or which country you hope to shoot in.
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Production Paradise: www.productionparadise.com
find a high quality selection of providers wherever they need it. Our mission is to promote the creative people and services that will be able to connect with other industry professionals and create something new together. We won’t approach someone if we think they will not benefit from their exposure with Production Paradise. This is how we keep the quality level high.”
tips
5 Ways to Repurpose your Photos By Alexandra Niki – Illustrations by Erin Lynch
As a photographer, you shoot a lot, but not everything you create is putting a check in your mailbox—or even making its way to your portfolio. Here are ways to use and reuse some of those photos sitting on your hard drives. STOCK: You’ve heard of sites like Getty and Corbis. These stock agencies house millions of images in their archives, including some of the most historical and iconic shots in existence. There are also smaller, more “niche” companies that can be good options if your work is more editorial or edgy. Usage fees are not always great, but it all adds up at the end of the year. If you good results, don’t be surprised if they come knocking on your door asking for more—and assignment work usually mean increased sales.
LICENSING: This opens the door to many things as corporations create products, t-shirts, labels, etc.. all the time. As soon as they pick your photo to use on their three million key chains, you are opening yourself up to a cut of their sales or a hefty paycheck for a licensing contract. There is often some significant footwork involved in getting these accounts, but they are well worth your time.
ECOMMERCE: You have a website (as is expected). Don’t put it out there for people to only see pretty pictures—let them buy, buy, buy! Ecommerce is now a viable tool thanks to several companies, such as livebooks (with their fotomoto integration) and SmugMug. Use this resource to make some cash on the side. Hey, some people even use this as their primary business model! EBOOKS/ BOOKS: Take that beautiful series you shot in Thailand and turn it into a book. Start with an e-book and grow from there. There are self-publishing sites, like vook.com or createspace.com (in direct association to Amazon), that make the design and publishing process easier to navigate. Ready to print? Don’t be the bank and print too many copies upfront—use platforms that offer an on-demand ordering system, such as blurb.com, pinholepro.com or lulu.com.
SELL PRINTS AND PRODUCTS: Think outside the box when considering what you can put a photograph on. By using sites like redbubble.com, zazzle.com or pikistore.com (which allows you to create your own storefront), you can create a whole array of products with your photos on it. If you plan on selling prints of your work, there are several online art galleries, from luster.com (which is selective, to maintain their high-end inventory) to imagekind.com (with no selection process).
BIZ: YOU ARE HERE“Chicago-The Windy City” Page 43
By Stephanie Zakas – Photos by Matt Farrell
Matt Farrell: www.matt-farrell.com
// GEAR AND GADGETS
P H O T O B O OT H Offering a photo booth as part of your professional photography package is awesome. Turning your subjects into bearded Frenchmen wearing a bowtie, or into a mustached pipe-smoking mystery woman is just amazing. The Photo Booth prop set is filled with mustaches, pretty red lips, glasses, hats and more. $20.00 www.pylones-usa.com
UTILITY CHARGE This multi-tool is the tool of this generation. No, it won’t help you when you are in the woods camping and, no, it won’t help build your new DIY creation. But it will charge most of your gadgets in one convenient location. The charger is equipped with a USB plug, mini USB plug, micro USB plug and an iPhone plug (4/4S or older—sorry iPhone 5 users). Just plug your electronic accessories and use the attached USB to connect the charger to your computer. Now, you will be prepared for what this 24/7 “always on” world throws at you. $24.00 www.dcigift.com
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CAMERA MESSENGER BAG I’m sure you hold your head up with pride as you walk around because you’re a photographer. Now, you can show your pride and hold your stuff at the same time! This bag is covered with camera art from artist Christine Berrie and will let the entire world know you are a photographer—and if you aren’t, it will at least make you look pretty cool. $18.99 www.blueq.com
LED CLIP-ON LIGHT You’re shooting an event: the lights are low when you realize you need to search through your camera bag for that tiny cable, battery, or extra card—but you just can’t see anything. Kikerland has the solution for you! Just turn on your clip-on LED light for a spotlight that won’t distract the event guests from having fun. Bonus: it’s also great for reading your new issue of Resource Magazine at night! $5.00 www.kikkerland.com
LENTICULAR IPHONE 5 CASE Being able to turn everything you own into looking like a camera is probably your dream—I know it’s mine. This Lenticular iPhone 5 cover turns your phone into a sleek looking camera while keeping all of your controls free so your iPhoneography can be at the top of its game. The cover is also durable and shock-absorbent to maximize your phone’s protection. $24.95 www.bokehmasterskit.com
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Lisa Congdon joined her passion for photography and illustration into this beautiful journal. The lovely typography, inspirational photography quotes and remarkable artwork displayed inside the soft covers compliment the ample amount of lined pages. We love the journal so much that we interviewed the gifted illustrator for our blog earlier this year; she told us that she is deeply influenced by history, vintage topography and things from the past. Let this journal help you brainstorm your most creative project yet. $6.95 www.live-inspired.com
WRITE NOW JOURNAL
S N A P S H OT S T I N C I G A R B OX
Store your photos the vintage way. The way it was before there were hard drives, the way our photographer ancestors did—use a box. Fill this fun, technicolor tin box with all of your printed and developed memories and get a break from your computer screen. $14.99 www.blueq.com
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Have you dreamed of shooting Justin Bieber, but are too afraid of getting your memory card stolen? Or do you wish you had Jay Z, Steve Buscemi, Morgan Freeman and David Hasselhoff at your next shoot? Now you can! These masks from the UK are the answers to all your celebrity photography dreams. $9.00 each www.highlifeleisureltd.co.uk
CELEBRITY MASKS
Retired retro twin-lens reflex cameras are often used as house decorations, but they cost a pretty penny and are hard to find. This pencil sharpener doubles as a miniature camera decoration when you aren’t getting your pencils ready for your next sketch. $16.50 www.kikkerland.com
CAMERA PENCIL SHARPENER RESOURCEMAGONLINE.com
COLOR POLAFRAMES Can’t afford an instant film camera (or the film to go with it), but feeling nostalgic for the Polaroid’s iconic square format? No problem! With these colorful magnetic Polaframes you will have the freedom to turn your digital prints, Instagram photos, or anything you want into instant photos and decorate your apartment in style. $18.00 www.pylones-usa.com
Losing Your Head Over Social Media User Rights? Get your Free Report on encroaching social media with APA membership.
Never Stand Alone. Join apanational.com. United We Lead the Photographic Community. © 2007 Ann Elliot Cutting
// DECONSTRUCTED
FAKE ICE By Tom Kray – Photo by James Worrell Studio space provided by Some Studios As anyone who has ever spent five minutes on set knows, studio lights are hot. So when a shoot calls for snow or ice, there’s just no way to get enough of the real stuff to keep up with the loss from the heat—not to mention that trying to would end up flooding your location pretty quickly. That’s why we have the fake stuff. Just mix a few scoops of fine, white, crystalline granules (good luck trying to fly with it) with water and watch the container overflow with a fluffy, white powder that looks just like snow. The fake stuff is even cold to the touch. What goes into fake snow to make it act the way it does? In a word: nothing. Fake snow is a chemically simple compound—a single sodium-based, artificial polymer called Sodium Polyacrylate, which is more commonly known as “waterlock” due to its highly absorbent properties. It’s capable of absorbing 200 to 300 times its mass in water. Which is why a few small scoops of dry crystals will produce such large volumes of “snow.” So if you’ve flooded your studio trying to shoot actual snow, you could use the fake stuff to clean up the mess. Of course, then you would end up with an entire studio filled with “snow,” which is both exactly and in no way what you wanted—but at least it will be dry. Sodium Polyacrylate is non-toxic, so besides using it to create convincing snow banks, it’s safe to use in place of real ice cubes or to thicken smoothies on set. That being said, it’s still best to avoid consuming it outright. Don’t put it on doughnuts and try to pass them off as “powdered”, just to, “see what happens.” You won’t have any friends. That’s what will happen.
OT H E R U S E S DETERGENT: It binds with hard water elements, like calcium, to clean clothes more efficiently. THICKENING AGENT: It’s used in cosmetics. DIAPERS: Do I really need to explain this one? Weren’t you paying attention at all? PROTECTIVE COATINGS.
HOW TO GET RID OF IT Here’s a cheat sheet on disposing of fake ice (and remember, always follow local, state and federal regulations for all methods of waste disposal). FOR SMALL AMOUNTS: If you are just rinsing your spoon off after mixing some fake ice and water, feel free to let it go down the drain. Small amounts like this should dissolve and cause no plumbing issue. FOR MEDIUM AMOUNTS: If you’ve made a fake snow cone, frozen margarita, or other fake concoction, be sure to dump the mass of it into the garbage. Rinse the rest off in the sink. DO NOT attempt to dump it all down a drain.
P R E C A U T I O N S TO TA K E SPECIAL FIRE FIGHTING PROCEDURES: No special procedures. However, wetted product presents a slip hazard. UNUSUAL FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARD: Dust in sufficient concentration can result in an explosive mixture in air. Handle to minimize dusting and eliminate open flame and other source of ignition. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS: Do not get in eyes, on skin or clothing. Avoid prolonged or repeated inhalation of dust. Avoid prolonged or repeated skin contact.
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FOR LARGE AMOUNTS: Suppose you’ve used a barrel of this stuff to make summertime in New York look like it’s -20 degrees. If you are covering an entire surface in snow, lay down some canvas or tarp (caution: that plastic will get slippery); mix the fake ice or snow into buckets beforehand, then lay it out onto your canvas. When the shoot is over, just fold up the canvas with all the snow and put directly into a garbage bag. If your set is not completely covered, you can shovel the snow off the ground, sweep up the remainder and dilute the small leftover with a hose.
CHOOSE YOUR POISON There are several kinds of fake ice. Different suppliers offer products that have slight differences in consistency—Crystal Snow, Crystal Ice and Ice Powder are all available at Trengove Studios, while J&M Special Effects can provide large quantities of polymer snow with either big or small crystals, along with polymer ice and polymer snow already mixed with water. If you are in a major city, there will most likely be a similar supplier you can order from. If not, contact Trengove or J&M and see if they can ship things to you. In order to choose which product to use, you need to determine the type of effect you are trying to accomplish and the quantity that will be needed. If you are icing a bottle or a glass, you will most likely want to choose an Ice Powder or small crystal polymer snow. If you are covering a set with snow, you should go with a large crystal polymer snow. And if you are under time constrains, get the snow already mixed with water (keep in mind the transportation).
James Worrell: www.jamesworrell.net, Some Studio: www.somestudio.com
WAT E R V S . P O LY M E R You typically want to add 32 ounces of water for every tablespoon of powder, but this changes based on how you want your ice/snow to look.
G O O D TO K N O W Fake ice or snow will never melt under hot lights but are adjustable by adding water. They are fully biodegradable, will wash away with water and are non-irritating. They work great for a number of uses, including frozen drinks, snow cones, snowballs, frost and more.
- For margaritas or other frozen drinks, we recommend 16 ounces of water and 16 ounces of margarita mix or colored water. Always mix in a bowl, not in the actual glass, especially when adding colorants—this will give you more control and get you a consistent batch, which will be available for second takes. - To make snow cones, 16 ounces of colored water to 1 tablespoon of fake ice will do - To ice a bottle, spritz it with water; sprinkle small amounts of powder onto the bottle, then spritz more until you get your desired look. -For large quantities of snow, you want what you have to go the distance so continue to add water, let the snow grow and stop before it gets too transparent.
Super absorbent polymers were developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the ‘60s to improve water conservation in soils.
W H O CA M E U P W I T H T H I S ST U F F ?
*Source: Trengove Studios, a New York-based special effect studio that supplies fake snow and ice, among other fake goodies: www.trengovestudios.com *J&M Special Effects: www.jmfx.net
TECH: DECONSTRUCTED“Fake TECH: XXXX-“xxxxx” Ice” Page 55
// ASK A GEEK
C By Adam Sherwin – Photos by Matt Farrell
MOBILE WORKSTATION
As the saying goes, “These times they are a changing.” No more rushing back from a job or event to wrap your assignment and get your work posted online for busy editors or clients to see. From photo and video editing to updating your website and making sales, blog posts, accounting and conference calls, equip yourself with the right combination of gear and software and you can wrap your assignments from anywhere, quickly and effectively.
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B L O G G E R S W O R K S TAT I O N A. Full or mini, it’s up to you. With the ability to accomplish most tasks a computer can, the iPad and its apps have become powerful allies for the mobile blogger. Apple offers WIFI options on both iPads, but if you’re going to be truly mobile, throw down the extra cash for the cellular model. Also, skip the 16GB version: for this type of workflow, you need a minimum of 32GB.
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Apple iPad /iPad Mini– $429.00 and up. www.apple.com
B. The new 12MP Canon N is a leap forward in camera design and has the features to prove it. Built-in WIFI allows you to connect and upload to your PC, or to your smartphone, via a dedicated mobile connect button, and share to your favorite social networks. The N also has a tilting 2.8” touchscreen, intuitive shutter and zoom rings, dedicated movie button for capturing 1080p HD video and Canon’s Intelligent IS. The new Creative Shot Mode means you can capture five different images each time you take one. Canon PowerShot N – $299.99 www.usa.canon.com
C.
Made for use with the iPad 2, 3 and 4, the Profolio Plus provides full protection in an ultra-thin case with a magnetic closure that activates the iPad’s sleep/wake function. The backlit keyboard, quick keys for common functions, integrated stand and exceptional battery life make for a very productive workflow. Also available in 7” and 9” versions for the iPad mini. Zagg Keys Profolio Plus – $129.99 www.zagg.com
D.
A dead device is the mobile blogger’s worst nightmare. Never be without power again! The MyCharge HUB 6000 can charge three devices at once and offers a USB port, Apple Lighting and Mini USB connections. The 6000mAh lithium ion battery means 27 hours of additional talk time, while the built-in wall prongs mean you can recharge your HUB just about anywhere.
1. Blogsy 2. Mindgenius 3. Tiffen Photo FX Ultra 4. Hootesuite 5. Captain Dash 6. News 380 7. Sign Now
MyCharge HUB 6000 – $99.00 www.mycharge.com
E.
The Bose AE2w Bluetooth on-ear headphones allow you to connect to your devices wirelessly and shut the world out to get some work done. Essential iOS functions can be controlled directly from your headphones. Users can also connect to two different devices to take the occasional call while working. The headphones are charged via the included USB cable. Bose AE2w Headphones – $249.95 www.bose.com
F. The Targus Stylus for iPad allows you to take notes, sketch out ideas, or do anything else you’d normally use your finger for on the iPad. The stylus has a durable rubber tip that won’t scratch your screen and requires no additional software. It also works across Apple’s entire line of iOS devices. Targus Stylus for iPad – $14.99 www.targus.com
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A. Eye-fi’s Pro X2 offers
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a wireless solution for busy photographers on location or helps to eliminate cables in the studio. Connect to smart devices or transfer RAW files wirelessly for easy viewing. Eye-Fi Pro X2 16GB Wi-Fi SD Card $99.99 www.eye.fi
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B.
The Wireless Plus offers incredible mobility with up to ten hours of wireless connection to the iPad, iPhone, Kindle Fire and Android devices. It creates its own WIFI network and allows users to store up to 500+ movies—three of which can be streamed simultaneously to three different users. Up to eight users can access thousands of photos, docs and songs at the same time. 1TB Seagate Wireless Plus $199.99 www.seagate.com
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Fiilex is a newcomer to the imaging industry but they’ve been making LED lights for scientific and medical purposes for years. This experience and knowledge has helped them create one of the most powerful LED light sources in its class. The P360 is dimmable, CCT tunable and flickerfree at any frame rate. Its lightweight and compact size make it the perfect light for a mobile workflow. Fiilex P360 LED $695.00 single head $2,2249 3 head kit with stands and access. www.fiilex.com
D. The A2T fits in your pocket and acts as a reverse monopod to help photographers stabilize and support their cameras (up to 2 stops of vibration reduction), without having to cart around heavy tripods or monopods. You can also use it in places where gear isn’t allowed. To purchase and use the Vulture Equipment Works A2T A2T on its own you’ll need to $129.99 as add on to A-Series strap add $40 for some basic but www.vultureequipmentworks.com necessary accessories.
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P R O S W O R K S TAT I O N
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For times when you need a tripod, the RoadTrip provides great support without adding too much bulk to your kit. At just 3.6lbs, it folds down small enough to fit in a backpack yet extends to 61.6” when you need it. It supports up to 17.6lbs and converts to a monopod in seconds. It also comes in a variety of colors and is available in aluminum or carbon fiber.
Matt Farrell: www.matt-farrell.com
MeFoto RoadTrip $189.99 www.mefoto.com
F. The perfect companion for any pro, the iPad lets clients and crew view images remotely on its stunning Retina display, while you keep busy shooting. Show off your portfolio everywhere; and with dozens of apps to edit, and adjust your photos on the go, the iPad is a necessity for the mobile pro. You need at least 32GB and should definitely invest in a cellular model with a data plan. Apple iPad with Retina Display $729.00 and up for WIFI/Cellular www.apple.com
1. Morfolio 2. Photoshop Touch 3. Buffer 4. Dropbox 5. Visual Media Release 6. Tempo Smart Calendar 7. Freshbooks
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APPS FOR BLOGGERS 1. BLOGSY A full-featured app that allows you to drag and drop photos and data from social network and sites, create offline drafts, schedule posts and edit HTML on the fly. If you blog from your iPad, this app is a must-have. $4.99 (iPad only) www.blogsyapp.com
2. MINDGENIUS
A P P S F O R P RO S 1. MORPHOLIO Hands down one of the best apps for presenting your portfolio. Users can share, collaborate and discuss their work privately or publicly in a professional environment and a beautiful minimalistic interface. Free (iPad and iPhone) www.mymorpholio.com
2. PHOTOSHOP TOUCH
This app lets you brainstorm and storyboard your blog post, or any other list, in an intuitive visual interface. Collect notes from meetings, seminars or calls and organize them into a more productive visual map. Free (iPad only) www.mindgenius.com
A precision photo-editing app, which includes a scribble selection tool, lets you doodle your selection while the app takes care of the rough edges. It also features layers and integration with the full version of Photoshop. $9.99 (iPad) - $4.99 (iPhone) www.adobe.com
3 . T I F F E N P H OTO F X U LT R A
3. BUFFER
This is the most comprehensive photo editing and manipulation app available for the iPad offering 77 different filters in 8 groups for a total of 934 presets. Insta.. what? $4.99 (iPad only) www.tiffensoftware.com
Busy pros don’t always have time to work on their social media presence. Buffer adds content and auto schedules the things you want, to the networks you want, at peak times to ensure the most traffic. Free (iPad and iPhone) www.bufferapp.com
4. HOOTSUITE Monitor multiple Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and check-in on your Linked In contacts through a convenient stream view. Add-on apps let you add additional streams to monitor trends, as well as some of your other networks. Free (iPad and iPhone) www.hootsuite.com
5 . C A P TA I N DA S H This is real-time data for all your important social networks and blogs. Monitor, understand and optimize your online performance based on facts and data you can access right there in the app. Free (iPad and iPhone) www.captaindash.com
6. NEWS 360 This is a newsreader for the modern blogger. News 360 learns your favorite types of news as you go and determines how you use Facebook and Twitter. It also collects news about a single story from various sources. Free (iPad and iPhone) www.news360.com
7. S I G N N O W Receive, send and share PDF documents that need to be signed and convert photos to PDF. Pro version lets you sign more PDFs each month as well as create and save re-useable templates. Free (iPad and iPhone) - Pro version available www.signnow.com
4 . D RO P B OX This app offers 2GB of free online storage for all the data in your life and lets you share your content with clients and friends via a link instead of an attachment. Share your photos automatically to Dropbox and get 3GB more for free. Free (iPad and iPhone) - $99.00 Pro version available www.dropbox.com
5 . V I S UA L M E D I A R E L E A S E If you shoot any kind of stock or street photography you know how important it is to have a model release close by. VM Release collects important data for property, minor and model release. $9.99 (iPad and iPhone) www.vmrelease.com
6. TEMPO SMART CALENDAR Created by the same company that made SIRI, Tempo uses artificial intelligence to monitor your calendar and help you find everything, from parking and restaurants near your meeting to monitoring your flight status and giving you directions. Free (iPad and iPhone) www.tempo.ai
7. F R E S H B O O K S A cloud accounting app that lets you send invoices, capture image of receipts for categorizing expenses and track your hours on a specific project. The iPad version has a dashboard feature that gives you a complete overview of your account. Free (iPad and iPhone) www.freshbooks.com
PREZENT
// SICK APP By Stephanie Zakas – Visuals courtesy of PreZent
P L AT F O R M S : iPad, iPad mini. Requires an iOS 4.3 or later.
C O M PAT I B L E F I L E S :
jpeg, tiff, png, bmp, or psd for photo. Mp4 with an h.264 codec should be used exclusively for video. Price: $8.99 – available on iTunes.
// DO IT YOURSELF
MAKE YOUR OWN RAIN MACHINE By Toni Palumbo - Illustrations by Kelly Kaminski
YOU WILL NEED • 25 foot hose • 5-6 feet long cheap but treated wood so it will not rot • Cable ties or duck tape • Plastic hose cap • Female-to-male hose adapter • 4 eyebolts • Rope that is strong enough to support the rig • Wood screws • Drill
SUMMARY:
PreZent is a multimedia, interactive, portfolio-viewing app, which allows visual artists and other creative professionals to showcase their work in a seamless presentation. One of the features that make this app a little different than the rest is its ability to integrate motion or video to the classic “page turning” photo presentation. The video plays automatically, making a “play” button unnecessary. All the viewer needs to do is “turn” the page. “Motion is the future, it’s the way to sell a product. It’s here to stay,” explained Jeff Sciortino, PreZent creator and a Chicago-based photographer/ videographer.
L OV E S :
PreZent: www.prezentapp.com
You can create presentations super easily. Just tap and select the files you want, then drag them to the desired organization. You can even make sub-categories on each page leading to an infinite amount of chosen places. After the presentation is made, there are built-in “contact” information and the ability to link to the artist’s website, or email the viewer right from the portfolio that’s being viewed.
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Using two pieces of wood that are 5-6 feet long make an “X” and use wood screws to secure the wood in place.
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To make the rig stronger, add cross bracing using more wood and wood screws to attach the pieces.
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Next take the eyebolts and install them where the cross braces meet the “X.”
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Place the hose around the frame in a spiral starting from the outside of the frame. The hose end should end up in the center of the frame. Cap the end of the hose and place the female-to-male adaptor to the beginning of the hose.
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Once you have the hose in place, secure it to the frame with the cable ties.
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Take a small drill and place a hole every 4-6 inches. Start with the smallest hole possible—if needed, you can always make the holes bigger.
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Using the four eyebolts and rope, hang the rain machine like a chandelier with holes up. The higher you hang the rig the better the rain will look.
H AT E S :
The inability to choose files that are not already in your iPad or iTunes, such as ones on an external hard drive. Also, if the original photo sizing is too big, you must resize the image before uploading to your portfolio to prevent image cropping.
WHO NEEDS THIS:
Anyone who works with more than one form of media—a photographer who shoots both stills and video, a real estate agent showing multiple properties in one meeting, an interior decorator showcasing their projects, or anyone who wants to spice up their portfolio presentation without just showing their website. “This app replaces the boring printed portfolio, and makes it more face-to-face,” Sciortino said.
// CAMERA CORNER
FUJI x100s Words and lifestyle photos by Adama Sherwin Still life shots of camera by Matt Farrell
I often travel with a camera of some sort in tow; I’ve long surrendered the weight and bulk of carrying a DSLR for a more compact system, unless I’m in a studio or shooting for a client. I love the convenience and image quality of many of today’s compact systems. While I have my personal favorites, as a tech editor and photographer to the bone, it’s my job to test new cameras. The last couple of years have seen a slew of mirrorless compact releases from every major manufacturer. While their popularity is on the rise, these cameras have yet to conquer the dominance of the mighty DSLR in the U.S. However, there is one company that is making some major headway in the battle for supremacy. Fujifilm’s entire X-line of mirrorless compact cameras has been applauded and rewarded, but, at the same time, often criticized. What makes Fuji’s quest for excellence so commendable is that each of their new release brings a series of improvements based on the feedback they receive from photographers. This partnership between manufacturer and user has silenced glib-mouthed critics and Internet trolls and gained Fuji the appreciation of enthusiasts and professionals alike.
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FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
THE FILES:
Everywhere I went people looked at the camera and wanted to know about it. As far as style goes, the X100S is dialed in. If you’re looking to start shooting right away, there is a great AUTO mode: just switch the top dial to “A,” pick your aperture and fire away. The X100S has a sturdy construction and feels substantial in your hands. I loved having the option of jumping from EVF to OVF or using the rear LCD to frame my shots. The great selection of simulated film options and creative filters opens up a ton of creative options and makes the X100S a blast to shoot with. It’s really a great camera for street photographers or enthusiast shooters looking for some of the same options and effects offered by today’s popular smartphone apps.
The X100S creates a damn fine RAW file. The 16MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor that Fuji pulled from the X-Pro 1 has elevated the overall X100S’ image quality and vastly improved its dynamic range. I like being able to use the film simulation mode while shooting RAW. It creates a nice clean JPEG while keeping an unaffected RAW file to use later. The RAW files can also be processed and converted to JPEG in-camera based on a selection of options chosen by the user. Options include color balance, sharpness, noise reduction, dynamic range, highlight and shadow adjustment, film simulation and push/pull processing. Fuji also provides eight advanced filter options. You can only capture in JPEG, but with this style of shooting I find most users prefer that anyway.
THE CAMERA:
IN THE FIELD:
As I mentioned, the X100S has a sturdy construction. The die-cast magnesium alloy body feels substantial in your hands but not so heavy that it overwhelms you when carrying it around for long periods of time. Many of the minor changes Fuji made increase the efficiency and layout of the camera’s different buttons and dials. Placement of the Focus Mode switch and front lever for switching between OVF and EVF are great improvements, while a more durable construction for the top dials, used for shutter speed and exposure compensation, provide users with a reassured sense of professional handling in these basic controls. This includes a greatly improved MF focus ring that allows for much more subtle adjustment when focusing manually.
I loved using the camera. I’m not incredibly used to the rangefinder style, but the X100S brought me to a new level of comfort with this type of camera. Having the option to shoot in AUTO mode with the EVF and then switch to full MANUAL, including focus, and use the OVF gave me time to adapt to the camera and the way I shot with it. Something I think enthusiasts and novice users will appreciate—the camera allows users to grow and learn at a comfortable pace and implement certain features into their shooting style when they’re ready. Generally speaking, I was able to get great results in pretty much any situation. From shots of the kids to shooting events, street portraits and architectural details, the X100S delivered at every turn. I was absolutely stunned by the low-light results—it was definitely one of my favorite aspects of this camera. I also really love the lens. As an avid portrait shooter, I love shooting this lens wide open; the bokeh is incredible. As an experienced shooter, I had access to the features I needed and the creative filter options made the camera fun to shoot with when I didn’t want to think about the technical aspect of things.
Initially, the on-screen tabbed menu seems overwhelming but, upon further inspection, it’s well laid out and fairly easy to navigate once you are familiar with the location of the options you’re looking for. Also, the “Q” menu makes it easy to access the most common and important menu items, such as ISO, WB, simulated film options and file size, among others. The onboard “Fn” button, placed conveniently near the other main controls on top of the camera, allows users to program it with their preferred function. Choices are somewhat limited but include ISO, ND filter, creative filters, depth of field preview and a few more. Fuji may want to add the ability to switch to RAW after removing the secondary “Fn” button found on the X100. The X100S also comes complete with the bells and whistles you need for moderate video shooting, but the shape of the camera lends itself much more to stills than video. There is an integrated ND filter, but use with caution as it has a tendency to slightly degrade the quality of the files.
ISO 320 1/50s F5.6
TECH: GEAR TECH: HEADS-“Let CAMERA CORNER there be (LED) “Fuji x100s” Light” Page 65
P RO S : - Beautiful low-light images. Virtually noise-free at ISO 6400. - Bright F2.0 lens. - Built-in Eye-Fi card support.
ISO 160 1/1000s F2.0
- Programmable function button for quick access to your most important menu items. - Sweet retro design. - Addition of two different MF aids.
CONS: - AF struggles in low light and high key situations. - Extensive menus could be a bit overwhelming for greenhorns. - Would like to see option to use creative filters for in-camera processing. - Battery life could use a little boost—it’s good, but not great.
ISO 6400 1/40s F4.0
UNDER THE HOOD: • 16.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II sensor
OV E R A L L I M P R E S S I O N S : The X100S presented itself with style, grace and technical prowess. Regardless of what critics say to put this minimalistic beauty down, my overall impression was that this is a camera designed by photographers for photographers. Fuji may have come up with the original design, but it is the feedback from photographers like you and I that have brought it to the brink of perfection. While not designed specifically as an enthusiast’s camera, it exemplifies Fuji’s efforts to reach photographers of all levels, by offering a system that appeals to the creative and technical needs of the widest range of users. The X100S really has something for everyone. It’s a little out of the traditional enthusiasts’ price range, but if you’re looking to make the jump to a rangefinder style mirrorless compact and you’ve got the money, this is a great option.
• EXR II Image Processor • FUJINON 23mm F2 fixed lens • Intelligent Hybrid AF with on Sensor Phase Detection • High Definition Hybrid Viewfinder (Optical + Electronic) • Digital Split Image display or Focus Peaking function for MF assist • High-contrast and wide viewing-angle 2.8inch Premium Clear LCD (460K dots) • Expandable ISO 100-25,600 • Super Intelligent Flash • Up to 6 frames per second at full resolution (max 29 frames) • Film Simulation (RAW and JPEG)
Fuji X100S $1,299.99 with fixed 23mm Fujinon F2.0 www.fujifilm.com
• Artistic filters (JPEG Only) • Full HD video recording (60fps / 30fps) 36Mbps bitrate • Quick access “Q” control panel and tabbed menus
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Matt Farrell: www.matt-farrell.com
TECH: GEAR TECH: HEADS-“Let CAMERA CORNER there be (LED) “Fuji x100s” Light” Page 67
// GEARHEADS
By Adam Sherwin Over the last six years, the rise of smartphone photography has cut into the profits of major camera manufacturers. And it has changed the way photographers shoot and share their work, as well as the types of technical features they desire in the devices they use to capture photos and video. In a combative effort, manufacturers have recently released new cameras that reflect the needs of today’s photographers. The updates include adding WIFI connectivity and more in-camera creative filters and image manipulation tools, similar to what we see from many of the top smartphone photo apps. While discerning photographers would see the advantages of choosing one of these mirrorless compact systems over a smartphone, many casual users are not yet convinced it’s worth giving up the freedom of carrying just one device. Can manufacturers win people’s hearts back, or are compacts destined to go the way of the dinosaur? We’ve chosen here four of our favorite compact connected mirrorless cameras that create some serious competition for the smartphone photography set—or, at least, are worthy companions for smartphone photographers looking for higher quality photos and videos.
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The PEN cameras have been a staple in the Olympus line-up for the last four years. The new E-P5 comes with a few design and technological tweaks over its predecessors, but it still holds true to what users have come to expect and love about the line. Features like the 16MP Live MOS sensor, 3” tilting touch screen display, 5-axis image stabilization and 9 FPS shooting are complemented with the inclusion of more recent updates, like advanced in-body RAW conversion and the choice between in-body and in-lens image stabilization. The E-P5 also comes with a new top shutter speed of 1/8000th and works nicely with Olympus’ stellar collection of prime lenses. With an AF tracking operating at 5 FPS and Olympus’ F.A.S.T AF touch focus and short release time lag option, users won’t miss capturing a single second of the action. Rounding out the E-P5’s new features are the 2x2 dial controls and custom lever, 1/320th sync with built-in flash and 1/250th with external flash, and at last, the thing we’re all here to talk about: WIFI connectivity. Olympus offers a remote trigger, direct upload to smartphones and tablets via its OI.Share app, along with the ability to geo-tag your images using your synced smartphone’s internal GPS function.
O LY M P U S P E N E - P 5
$999.99 Body Only $1,499.99 with M. Zuiko Digital 17mm F1.8 lens and VF-4 Electronic Viewfinder www.getolympus.com
SAMSUNG NX300 Samsung stepped away from its familiar modern designs and went retro with the NX300. Fortunately, the only thing retro about this camera is its appearance; inside is a bevvy of features that makes the NX300 a powerhouse point-and-shoot. With nine Smartphone 2.0 connectivity options and dual band WIFI, Samsung is definitely aiming for a place at the head of the pack when it comes to the connectivity game. The NX300 is powered by a 20.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor and offers a top shutter speed of 1/6000th, which pairs nicely with Samsung’s advanced hybrid AF system and 8.6F PS. There’s a dedicated video button so full 1080p HD video capture is always ready to go. The user interface on the tilting 3.31” AMOLED touchscreen makes navigating the many functions of the NX300 a breeze. The price point puts this camera well within reach of enthusiasts looking to make the jump to a mirrorless compact system from their smartphone. Last but not least, one of the standout features of the NX300 is Samsung’s foray into 3D imaging—the camera has the ability to shoot 3D stills and video with a special 45mm lens (sold separately). $799.99 with 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 ED Lens www.samsung.com
TECH: GEARHEADS “Connected Mirrorless Cameras” Page 69
S O N Y N E X- 6 Sony’s introduction of the NEX-6 was exciting news for both enthusiasts and pros. This mirrorless compact not only features the advanced WIFI connectivity of Sony’s NEX-5R, but also includes the same 16MP APS-C CMOS sensor as Sony’s mid-range DSLRs and more expensive NEX-7. This makes the NEX-6 a great second, more compact system for pros to tote around and a seriously advanced compact mirrorless for enthusiasts. Other highlights include the blazingly fast 10 FPS shooting, hybrid AF with phase detection and Sony’s stunning XGA OLED electronic viewfinder. The camera also boats a new multi-interface hot shoe that allows users to take advantage of Sony’s line of Handycam accessories and expand their creative use of the AVCHD 1080 60p/i and 24p functions. The one feature that did not make it onto the NEX-6 is the touchscreen function of the NEX-5R—if Sony wants to keep the smartphone set interested, they may want to add it back in a future release. As far as WIFI goes, the company is taking a page directly from the smartphone playbook by including the ability to use and download onboard apps for pairing, sharing and transferring photos and video to your social networks and other smart devices. While the current list of apps is somewhat limited, the company has promised that they will continue to support and develop this feature as the technology and demand warrant it. $799.99 with E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS www.store.sony.com
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PA N A S O N I C L U M I X D M C G F - 6 Panasonic LUMIX cameras have long been a leader in the compact camera market place. In fact, their DMC G-1, released in 2008, was the world’s first compact mirrorless camera. The company continues to innovate and maintain its role as trendsetter with the introduction of the GF-6, which offers built-in NFC technology. Of all the mirrorless compact cameras with connectivity options, the GF-6 makes it incredibly easy to connect to an NFC-enabled phone or tablet—all you have to do is to bump the two devices together. Once connected, you can use your device as a live monitor shutter release and transfer photos or video directly after capture or upload to the social network of your choice. All of these functions are also available via Panasonic’s iOS friendly Image App. The initial connection takes a little work but it’s all there: pair your GF-6 with your home network and back up all your photos and video automatically as you walk in the door. As far as bells and whistles, the GF-6 offers a 16MP Live MOS sensor, nineteen in-camera creative control effect and basic retouching options right on the camera's touchscreen. This is definitely a feature to watch, one that we have yet to see from competing brands. While the GF-6 is missing a hot shoe for an external flash unit and a connection for an external viewfinder, it is rounded out nicely for a camera in this price range, with features such as four customizable function buttons, 1080p30 video and 3” LCD multi-position tilting touchscreen. $599.99 with 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II Lens www.shop.panasonic.com
TECH: GEARHEADS “Connected Mirrorless Cameras”Page 71
TIFFEN PHOTO fx ULTRA V5 FOR IPAD
// SOFTWARE By Adam Sherwin The name Tiffen has been synonymous with high-quality glass filters for generations. So, how does a company with such deep roots in the world of traditional photography maintain its relevance as the technological balance shifts toward digital photography and post-production applications that have made the need for on-camera filtering redundant? Within Dfx 3.0, its powerful desktop software, the company was able to create a digital library of almost every filter they ever made; it can be used as a plug-in with today’s most popular photo and video editing platforms or as a standalone application. As the industry shifts once again, this time toward a more mobile friendly workflow, Tiffen has managed to side-step the competition and create one of the most comprehensive iPad photo apps to ever hit the iTunes Store. Best of all, it can be used by photographers of all levels.
www.tiffensoftware.com $4.99 on iTunes
By sheer numbers alone, the casual photographer/iPad user is going to be intimidated, while the seasoned photographer is going to be impressed with the available options inside this app. FX Ultra offers eight categories of seventy-seven filters, totaling 934 presets. Base categories include Film Lab, Diffusion, Gradients and Tints, Image Correction, Specialized Lenses, Lighting Effects, Photographic Effects and Special Effects—suck on that, Instagram! Fortunately, the user interface is well organized. Navigating between filters and effects is easy thanks to the convenient side panel that offers pre-rendered thumbnails of each filter applied to your photo, appearing in a filmstrip style display. Users can work in portrait or landscape mode, allowing them to maximize their screen space for working with and without the side panel. Tiffen has also added the ability to modify each filter with convenient pop-up sliders. And users can combine different filters by layering them one on top of the other, or create masks to selectively apply filters by painting right over their photo on screen. The paint function adds brushes for adding color, cloning, blurring, mosaic, red-eye, repair and erasing. Any combination or custom-created effect can be saved and used across iOS platforms or imported into Tiffen’s Dfx 3.0, and you can share your final image via Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr. Additionally, you can email, print or use the Sincerely Ship and Print service. To round out the user-friendly nature of this app and help newcomers navigate its multitude of options and features, Tiffen has built a search tool for finding your favorites and an integrated HELP module full of valuable information.
// PHOTO DAD
FAMILY PHOTO WALK By Adam Sherwin One of the great things about photography is our kids are often intrigued by all the cool gear and gadgets we get to use. For me it seemed natural to use this curiosity as a way to get closer to them and help them develop a great hobby at the same time.
PROS: - Incredibly fast rendering when switching between or adjusting filters. - Inclusion of basic photo editing features makes it a great all-in-one photo app. - Ability to layer and mask filters gives users the ability to individualize their results. - FX Ultra is Retina-ready but available to all iPad owners running iOS 4.3 or later. - Variety is simply unmatched by other similar apps.
You’ve probably owned several cameras over the years, most likely now sitting on a shelf. Time to pull them out and blow off the dust! Then head out the door with your young protégé and start snapping. You’ll notice that your kids take photos of almost everything they see. Thankfully they’re shooting digital and not film so you won’t go broke. Unfortunately, a couple of lengthy, boring editing sessions later and they’ll lose interest. This is where you can lead by example: Just stop to carefully frame your own photos and take your time capturing each image. Your child’s natural instinct to mimic you will help them develop a technique for visualizing individual images and rein in their tendency to snap away. As kids see the world from a different perspective than we do, it’s important to let them develop their own style. Don’t tell them they have to do it this way or that way to be successful. Just let them do it—you’ll be surprised by the results you see. While editing, you can show them how software can help them tweak their final results if they’re not happy with something about a particular shot. Having a photo walk is about connecting with your kids, so use this time to just let it all go. In my experience, the more relaxed your child feels, the more likely they are to open up to you. And the time you spend taking photos with your child will likely inspire you—there’s something incredibly rewarding about passing on what we’ve learned about photography. And it’s definitely a proud moment when you hang their first framed photo on your wall!
5 TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL FAMILY PHOTO WALK
CONS:
• Kids are often shy at first so find a place where they enjoy spending time or are a little more familiar with, like your own neighborhood.
- Missing the ability to pinch zoom.
• Ease into the mechanics of photography. Don’t overwhelm them with technical information or camera features. Just keep the camera on auto to start. As they grow, you can teach them about aperture and shutter by using the camera’s priority modes.
- A few of the popular social media networks and portfolio sites are missing. - I would like to see the ability to swipe between filter options for quick viewing. As you can most likely tell from my short list of cons, I’m finding it difficult to find fault in this incredible app. I’m already a user and fan of Tiffen’s Dfx software and the fact that I can now save and use my customized FX Ultra results in Dfx makes it a great choice for a consistent and familiar workflow. In the end, Tiffen FX Ultra is five bucks—I can’t think of another iPad app that offers so much for so little. The creative potential of this app is limited only by your ability to learn to navigate its endless layers of options and features.
• Get them off the smartphone and get a real camera in their hands. Start with old point and shoots for small kids, but as soon as they can handle the size and weight, move them up to a small DSLR. It’s important that they use the right tools in order to understand the theory. • Just let them shoot. Don’t ask to see every image they capture. Part of the fun is looking at everything together when you get home. • When your child gets some great shots don’t hesitate to print something out and get a frame to hang it on the wall. Encourage them. Let them know how much you love them and their work.
SHAINA FISHMAN By Tom Kray – Photos by Shaina Fishman
“NEVER WORK WITH ANIMALS OR CHILDREN.”-W.C. FIELDS It’s one piece of advice New York-based photographer, Shaina Fishman, has never taken to heart. Shaina is a commercial and editorial photographer who makes her living photographing animals. Resource Magazine had an opportunity to join her on one of her shoots to see, firsthand, what that entails. And one of the first things we learned was Shania is a photographer of infinite patience. It’s that patience that’s earned her quite a list of clients, including Purina, Iams, Animal Planet, Trader Joe’s, Nyla Bone, Avanti Press and Borealis Press. This shoot was part of Shaina’s latest personal project—recreating painted portraits of hunting dogs. While waiting for the dogs to arrive, Shaina and her crew made last minute adjustments to the set. As she repositioned the foliage she explained, “I’m not an animal photographer. I’m a photographer who specializes photographing animals. I don’t want to be pigeonholed (no pun intended). I don’t dress animals up and pretend they’re little humans, because they’re not. I try to capture the real emotions that the animals have.” After a few test shots, it was decided that the painted backdrop and fake plants weren’t enough and that leaves were needed to complete the scene, so the set designer ran out for a bag of fake leaves, because that’s something you can buy in New York apparently.
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“I TRY TO CAPTURE THE REAL EMOTIONS THAT THE ANIMALS HAVE.” SHAINA FISHMAN
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While we waited for the set designer to return, Shaina told Resource how she first got involved in animal photography. Her interest in photography developed in high school, but she had not considered it for a career. So she went on to Syracuse University where she studied biology with plans of pursuing veterinary medicine. But ultimately decided she could never be vet; she said, “I just couldn’t put a pet to sleep.” It was after undertaking an extra credit project, creating a children’s photo book she realized what she needed be doing. “I loved it so much, I knew it’s what I wanted to do with my life. So I changed my major to photography.” After graduating she found herself working in fashion photography, working as the digital tech for the famous Peter Lindbergh. “Fashion photography wasn’t my dream; it’s just what I fell into. But it was great and I learned a lot.” But the work kept her busy. Extremely busy. Sometimes going months on end without picking up a camera for herself. One evening, after a six-month hiatus from shooting, she went down to a dog run in a park and started snapping the dogs as they played. “That’s where it all
started. I think my first animal client was an owner who wanted me to do shoot a portrait of their pet. I found I really enjoy the challenge of working with animals as opposed to models.” When the set designer returned, the leaves were placed, removed, placed again, half removed and the other half rearranged before the two dogs arrived. They were two huge, high-spirited Vizslas, named Jax and Diego. The first several minutes after
their arrival was marked by them charging about the studio, sniffing everything and everyone present. Fortunately the shoot was taking place at New York’s Go Studios—a large, open studio that allowed Jax and Diego to run without risking thousands in equipment. After the dogs had a chance to explore and get some water, the shooting began. One dog waited in the hall while Shaina and the trainer attempted to get the other to stand on his mark.
It was off to a slow start. The dogs needed to take frequent breaks because eventually the prospect of another treat wasn’t enough to hold their attention, and they would run off the set to gaze out the studio’s seventh floor windows, or worm their way around the kitchenette. Shaina’s good nature shone through, though, petting the dogs as they ran past. After forty minutes of being unable to get either dog into the correct position, the trainer was visibly
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When the dogs decided it was time for another break, Shaina and the trainer scrolled through the images on the monitor. “Maybe instead of having him start sitting on his mark you could get him to walk across the platform,” Shaina suggested. The dogs were brought back and the shoot fell into a rhythm. The trainer led Jax across the platform, fed him a treat on his mark, and held a second up high to get him to stretch his neck into the correct
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position. “Good. Good, keep him right there,” Shaina called out as she clicked away. The strobes distracted Jax and his attention shifted from the treat to the lights around him. “Use the squeak,” Shaina said; the trainer would squeeze a small plastic ball bringing Jax’s head back into the correct position. An hour of marching Jax across the stage and the shoot was finished, Shaina having dozens of usable images. The dogs and handlers gone and the assistants striking the set, Shaina reflected, “I don’t really work with the animals; I work with the people.”
Shaina Fishman: www.shainafishman.com
stressed, but Shaina, if she was bothered at all by how long the process was taking, didn’t show it.
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At a time when West Coast rap and hip-hop acts dominated the scene, Brooklyn-born rapper Notorious B.I.G., whose real name was Christopher Wallace, forced the nation to recognize the East. With a thick voice, dark semi-autobiographical lyrics and an inimitable, free and loose flow, Wallace rapidly became one of rap’s biggest and most beloved names, spitting out charttopper after chart-topper, most of which remain mainstays in pop culture and music today.
K O N Y Photo by Barron Claiborne Words by Charlie Fish
Soon, a nasty feud erupted between East Coast and West Coast studios Bad Boy (headed by Sean “Diddy” Combs) and Death Row (Suge Knight), respectively. Once former friends, Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls became symbols of the feud after Tupac was robbed and shot five times while visiting a NYC studio where Biggie was recording. The feud gained public and media attention, and “diss” songs between the two houses did little to quell it. In September 1996, Tupac was shot multiple times and died of complications. The feud reached a fever pitch when angry members of Death Row implicated Biggie. A few months later, in March 1997, Christopher Wallace was shot in similar fashion: a car pulled up to the car he was riding in, the assailant pulled his window down and opened fire. The deaths signaled the end of the feud. Both rappers’ mothers appeared together in an awards show, demanding the hatchet be buried once and for all, for the sake of peace. Three days before the shooting, The Notorious B.I.G. sat for a portrait with photographer Barron Claiborne. Barron had photographed him before, and has only ever said that Biggie was a gentle, kind person—a stark difference between the persona Smalls had in the public eye. For the tenth anniversary of Biggie’s death, Barron re-released two versions of the image featured here. One showed a superimposed skull over Biggie’s face, and one had guns. Resource spoke to Barron to find out why he rereleased the image, what photographing the “notorious” rapper was really like, and to get the behind-the-scenes story on this regal image. THE ASSIGNMENT I originally did it for Rap Pages because my friend Rob Marriott was a writer there and wanted me to do a picture of Biggie. I had already taken Biggie’s picture once. The first photograph I did of him was in a white suit.
If you’ve ever read Spider-Man comic books, there used to be a guy called Kingpin. I got the idea for the first shot from that, with the white suit and everything. But for the second one, I told him he reminded me of a big, black African king, and he thought that was funny. I told him I wanted to shoot him as a king, so I got the crown. But at first his handlers didn’t want me to do it. PUSHBACK FROM PUFFY Puffy was there at my studio. He and most of the people didn’t want me to do it. They said it was going to be stupid and said, “He’s going to look like The Burger King.” But Biggie did it because he liked the idea. He was pretty cooperative. I thought he was a pretty nice person.
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Barron Claiborne: www.barronclaiborne.com
THE KINGPIN AND THE AFRICAN KING
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“The picture became so big because he died three days after I took the picture.” Barron Claiborne BIGGIE’S LAST STUDIO SITTING The picture became so big because he died three days after I took [it]. It’s pretty much the last studio sitting, I would think, but I don’t know [for sure]. He was leaving for the airport to go out to Los Angeles, where he was killed. PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE PERSONA He was a very gentle person—it’s funny because the persona of the celebrity is different from what people are actually like. A lot of it is just bullshit. They make it up. I liked Biggie. I thought he was really nice. He had a great voice; he was a great lyricist. As far as rap goes he had a great flow. […] I thought it was sad because he died right at the beginning of his life. All of his songs were always about death—his first album was called Ready to Die , his second was Life After Death, and then he had the single “Suicidal Thoughts.” It was just weird. You have to be careful what you wish for. THE SET, THE SET-UP This was shot at my studio, at 98-100th Greenwich Street, a block from the World Trade Center. He had an entourage of like fifteen people. Puffy and a bunch of people. His cousin was there. Lil’ Cease was there. They would play music, smoke weed and eat. It took about a couple hours. I basically just did that crown set up and a few other shots. I shot large format, so at that time I wasn’t really taking a lot of film. I was usually taking
an 8x10, but I think that day I used a 4x5 or something. I probably shot about twelve rolls, if that. I made a light out of a bike and a tube, and I put the lights in a circle at a certain diameter so it surrounded the lens like a ring flash. It faced a certain way so it really made the person pop out of the background. It makes you look three-dimensional in a weird way when you’re close. It also puts the ring around your eyes, around your iris. I built it originally for Tricky’s album covers. THE REACTIONS People call the image the King of New York, the KONY. The white suit one’s called Universal Biggie. A lot of people are surprised to learn that I did it because it’s so different from the rest of my work. I didn’t do a lot of hip-hop or anything. I shot music videos. I was doing a lot of fashion, sports and a lot of other things. It shocked me that people loved the picture so much. It’s pretty much the most popular picture of him. I actually like the one in the white suit more, but the other one is very symbolic. Then he died right afterward—I remember people sending me pictures from his funeral where they had pasted the crown picture millions of times on buildings. At that point [the image] hadn’t been out very long and it was just funny that they had already gotten it. THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY IMAGES I did one made of guns and one with the skull, inspired by people dying and
being killed young. The whole gangster is bullshit—people are actually being killed over just silliness; other people are making money off of them and they’re too young and naïve to realize what’s going on until it’s too late. ON HAVING HIS IMAGE RIPPED OFF When it comes to merchandising, some of them are licensed, others are stolen and it is very hard to keep up. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery but it also seems to be a high form of thievery. If you copy the work of another artist and believe by altering it just a bit here and there, somehow it magically becomes your creation and you can then sell it for a profit without the permission of its original creator that makes you a thoughtless fucking thief with no ideas of your own who sucks the blood of others like the parasitic simple scoundrel you truly are. I hope someone steals your dog and children. RECENT PROJECTS I’ve been doing a lot of cinematography. I just finished making a film with a friend—a documentary about us growing up in Boston called The Love Supreme. It’s about a guy I grew up with. I’ve known him since I was about fifteen. We have very different lives but we’ve still remained friends over all these years. I also have a show at the Giacobetti Paul Gallery that ran through June. I just finished three films for Afro-Punk on the artists Wangechi Mutu, Sanford Biggers and then I did one on myself. It’s called the Illuminated Sable Goddess project. It shows all these 8x10 Polaroids I’ve been doing over the years of women.
D I S C O G R A P H Y O F N O T O R I O U S B. I. G. SEPTEMBER 13, 1994
READY TO DIE
AUGUST 29, 1995
CONSPIRACY
MARCH 25, 1997
LIFE AFTER DEATH
DECEMBER 7, 1999
BORN AGAIN
DECEMBER 2, 2005
DUETS: THE FINAL CHAPTER
MARCH 6, 2007
GREATEST HITS
JANUARY 13, 2009
NOTORIOUS: ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK
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NICHOLAS ALAN
OPE
CREATING A WORLD THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS By Matthew Corkins – Photos by Nicholas Alan Cope
While in high school, sixteen-year-old Nicholas Alan Cope skipped lunch to work in the darkroom, and beneath the red light, the world he would later capture in his photos began to form. “I was immediately dedicated to photography,” Nicholas recalled. Today, his world is unlike everyone else’s— it’s simpler and more geometric. His subjects too have a subtle presence that is both awe-inspiring and, in a way, terrifying—the epitome of sublime. Of course, Nicholas eventually left his high school’s darkroom. He continued, however, to dedicate himself to photography after he moved to Los Angeles in 2002. “I was trying to find the best photography program,” he said. “So I bounced around for awhile after high school until I found Art Center College of Design.” In L.A., where he still lives, Nicholas learned and grew into a photographer who has shot for clients like HBO, TOMS Shoes, Los Angeles Magazine, New York Magazine and numerous other clients. In the city, he also found his inspiration for his latest book, Whitewash.
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Nicholas Alan Cope’s world is unlike everyone else’s—it’s simpler and more geometric.
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Nicholas Alan Cope: www.cope1.com
Whitewash is a collection of architectural photographs shot around the legendary city. Nicholas has no background in architecture but has always found it to be a source of inspiration. “I just enjoy taking pictures of architecture,” he said. In Whitewash, Nicholas sets L.A. down into the middle of his simpler, geometric world, and the city becomes unfamiliar. The photos show harsh whites that mingle with deep blacks as the contrasts are set to extreme. The buildings are reduced to their simplest lines and shapes and look like something from science-fiction or the jagged, sinister sets of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. And something seems off and slightly uncomfortable. There are no people, and there are few extraneous objects. Doors look as though they are nailed shut, and windows only show dark, unwelcoming interiors. Much like the feeling some have toward Los Angeles, the photos cause awe and fear. Nicholas’ minimalistic style, which is reflected throughout his work,
“I’m influenced by a lot of things—film, sculpture, architecture and everyday life. Furniture. Some fashion. It comes from all over,” he said. And within film and science-fiction, Nicholas found the idea of creating a world for his subjects: “I like the idea that you can really create another world. And you can do it with limitless detail.” These diverse influences and Nicholas’ style reach outside of architecture to touch all of his work.
Vedas is one of the few projects featuring models, though they too are basically reduced to sculptures. Some of the photos are architectural, however, displaying mysterious, minimalistic rooms, which contrast, as in Whitewash, light and dark. The rest of the pictures are of figures in mesh robes, framed by wires. The human form of the models may try to influence the mesh and wire, but it is lost to lines and curves of the statue-like form of the cloth. The figures are practically mummifications of the human form, and their presence is intimidating. Vedas was one of many co l l a b o ra t i ve p r o j e c t s b e t w e e n Nicholas and Dustin Edward Arnold. “He’s a close friend and a creative director in L.A.,” Nicholas explained. “We started working together on a commercial project.” Since then, they’ve worked on various projects. Generally, Dustin takes care of the pre-production, the two take on production together, and then Nicholas finishes the images in post-production. Though, they’re not committed to any roles: “We’ll make it happen. We build everything together, and shoot it together.” Their projects often involve big productions, creating elaborate environments for their subjects, whether human or inanimate objects.
contributes to the empty scenes and the lack of color. “I try to reduce as much as possible without making it boring.” That’s where the shapes, jagged peaks and hard contrasts come in and add life. Anything else, like people or cars, is considered extra in Nicholas’ photos. Though, in Los Angeles, reducing the extraneous is not an easy task. “I spent hundreds of hours looking for the right buildings,” he explained. His photographic style in Whitewash is reminiscent of Grant Mudford’s. “A professor showed me Mudford’s work,” Nicholas recalled. “His photos really changed how I thought about architecture.” Mudford’s photographs too show deserted scenes that don’t quite seem right, and his pictures reduce buildings to structural shapes and lines. His scenes, however, are not quite as minimalist as Nicholas’. This extreme minimalism is unique to Nicholas’ style and world, which are influenced by much more than photography.
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Like a sculptor, Nicholas Allen Cope takes what he sees in everyday life and carves out a new and unique world to create beautiful pictures filled with awe and mystery. He leaves only what is necessary. The only thing anyone could want from his pictures is to see even more of his world.
Whitewash is available from powerHouse Books: powerhousebooks.com
“I try to reduce as much as possible without making it boring.” Nicholas Alan Cope
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“STREAMLINE YOUR WORKFLOW” WINNERS By Adam Sherwin – Photos courtesy of the artists
At the end of 2012, Resource Magazine teamed up with a few of the photo industry’s top companies and formed a monthly contest for professional photographers across the USA. The idea? Take a high-end medium format digital camera s y ste m , a s o p h i st i ca te d digital asset management and online cloud storage tool and a boutique handmade digital print lab and create a contest that puts these tools in the hands of one winner every month. Enter Phase One, DF Studio and Gotham Imaging. The trifecta when it comes to streamlining your high-end digital photography workflow. Every month, for twelve months, Resource will choose a photographer to work with a Phase One IQ180
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and 645DF+ for one month. In addition, each photographer will receive a free copy of Phase One’s C1 Pro V7.0 and one year of unlimited storage on DF Studio. Finally, each winner will have a large format handmade digital print by Gotham Imaging to be featured in a gallery show in New York at the end of the twelve-month contest. We’re taking this opportunity to present a few of the winners of the “Streamline Your Workflow” contest and the beautiful work being created with these powerful tools and services. Professional photographers need a professional workflow—enter at resourcmagonline.com for a chance to streamline your workflow.
ADRIAN MUELLER
DECEMBER WINNER. fabrik-studios.com
Swiss born and now living in NY, photographer Adrian Mueller states that his experience as a student of architectural engineering and his time spent in Japan are two major influences in his work. They are fitfully responsible for the beautiful clean aesthetic behind his award-winning still life and liquid images. When he’s not obsessing over every little detail of his impeccable work, you can find Adrian spending time with his wife and daughter, the other passion in his life. “I couldn’t believe how I could pull the smallest detail out of a still life image and it still resulted in a huge, stunning file… With 80MP image quality, the IQ180 is the most advanced camera system I’ve ever used and there’s no doubt, in my mind, that it is the best available.”
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JEFF MIKKELSON
JANUARY WINNER.
www.jeffmikkelson.com
New York-based fashion and beauty photographer, Jeff Mikkelson is a self-proclaimed Ping Pong master and a published philosopher, in addition to an incredibly talented shooter. Jeff’ has travelled the globe shooting editorial and advertising jobs for a variety of clients but always returns home to SoHo, NY where he can be found working in his studio or on his blog, The Philosophotographer. “DF Studio is fast, secure, easy-to-use and incredibly useful. For many of my shoots this month, I had my digital tech upload jpegs toward the end of the day, and the job was posted for the client before we left the studio. It really did streamline that whole process for me—and there’s nothing a client likes better than a fast turnaround.”
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JESSE FROHMAN
MARCH WINNER.
www.jessefrohman.com
Native New Yorker, Jesse Frohman didn’t start out studying photography but caught the bug while in college and never looked back. After spending time as Irving Penn’s studio manager, Jesse set out on a successful career shooting celebrities, advertising and editorial for some of the world’s top magazines. Jesse put his “Streamline Your Workflow” experience to the test by setting out on a mission to capture some of New York’s most iconic architecture. “After testing the camera in studio, I decided to venture out and explore the cityscapes of the city. I was impressed with the incredible resolution of the Phase One RAW files. For a medium format camera I was shocked by how lightweight and easy the 645DF+ system was to use.“
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MASHA SARDARI SURREAL IMAGES FROM A TEENAGE MIND. By Tom Kray – Photos by Masha Sardari
Masha Sardari: www.mashasardari.com
“THERE IS ALWAYS A STORY. EACH PHOTO IS MEANT TO CONNECT TO THE VIEWER ON SOME LEVEL EITHER EMOTIONAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL.”
Masha Sardari is a photographer whose work has graced album and book covers, been featured in Racing Minds Magazine and Aperture.com; she was a speaker at TEDxKids and she is just nineteen years old. Regarding her success she said, “Much of the time I feel as if this is not my life, possibly I’m dreaming.”
hand at sketching, piano and running, at fifteen she picked up a small point-andshoot camera. Her mom took note and that Christmas gave her a camera of her own. While learning how to operate a manual camera, she discovered Flickr, where she found that a lot of artists were doing 365-day projects. She set out to start her own.
After moving from Moldova to the United States when she was twelve, Masha, being a shy girl, looked for a way to express herself without language. After trying her
“My greatest goal was to actually go through with it and finish. I hoped I would improve both technically and conceptually. My earliest interest was focused on nature and
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“I FIND IT MORE INTERESTING AND MEANINGFUL TO CONCENTRATE ON THE HUMAN RELATIONSHIP WITH GRIEF, DEATH AND LOSS.” the small details I noticed throughout my daily life. But I eventually began to take portraits of my friends and of course self-portraits as well. The first model I worked with consistently was Cathy Kiin, an exchange student from Estonia. It was strange at first because I was used to knowing exactly what to do and how to do it. With a model, I had to somehow convey the concept and pose to him or her. It took some time to get used to, but it was also easier in many ways.” As Masha’s skill developed, her style became more surreal, hinting at narrative elements. “There is always a story. Each photo is meant to connect to the viewer on some level, either emotional or psychological. Many of my pieces have focused on the darker side of life. I find it more interesting and meaningful to concentrate on the human relationship with grief, death and loss. I draw much inspiration from my childhood memories and my life in Moldova, but much of the time the sources are unidentifiable. An idea may come from anywhere, and I don’t always know how it came about. It is up to the audience to decipher the meaning held in each photograph.” I asked Masha what her plans were for the future. She said, “Photography will definitely always be part of my life whether I am able to make a career of it or not. At the moment, I am working on a series built around the original Grimm Brothers tales—with a darker twist of course. I have many plans but often not enough time and resources. I would love to shoot in some sort of extreme location—on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean, on top of a volcano, or if it was possible, among the clouds.”
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ZACK GROSS
Interview by Aimee Baldridge — Photos by Zack Gross
ZACH GROSS
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How many photographers had the first glimmer of their future vocation while leafing through the pages of a magazine? OK, maybe not you Internet kids, but indulge our romanticism. Whether you find them on an iPad or on glossy sheets of tree, it’s those arresting pictures tucked in between the swaths of text that put a moment of beauty in our hands and inspire so many to get behind the lens. We asked Zach Gross, whose meditative and intimate images have already won him a place in the pages of the venerable New Yorker magazine, about what it’s like to be a successful young fine art editorial photographer in today’s competitive market. Gross talked with us about how drawing strength from his work made it stronger, the value of portfolio reviews, and what day-to-day life is like in his field. WHAT WAS YOUR EDUCATION IN PHOTOGRAPHY LIKE? I did a lot of photography in high school. I had a great teacher and learned a lot from him. Then I went to Hallmark Institute of Photography for a year. When I was nineteen, I started working at Blue Sky Studios and freelance assisting in San Francisco. I needed time to develop my confidence as a photographer, to explore and find myself. I was always shooting and asking people to sit for portraits. After about two years I moved back to New York and I took some classes at ICP. I learned a lot there and highly recommend it. I also TA’d there. DID YOU MAKE A CONSCIOUS DECISION AT SOME POINT THAT YOU WANTED TO DO PHOTOGRAPHY FOR A LIVING? Photography set the tone in my life. It helped me understand who I was, because I didn’t really learn the way everyone else learned in school. Photography taught me how to live. I kind of invented my own way of having a dialogue with the world around me. I spent a lot of time in the darkroom experimenting, and I was really inspired by Man Ray. I made tons of rayographs and developed my own processes as well. I really wanted to learn about how to be connected to people and understand and talk to them. I was pretty shy, but through photography I was able to connect to people. My shyness got in the way of expressing myself, so I would force myself over and over again to go where I was uncomfortable. I knew I needed to get past that stuff. If you have a weakness, you have to go there. That’s a big thing in my life: If I feel I’m falling short in some way, I’m obsessed with
IMAGE: BREAKING IN -“Fine Art Editorial Photographer - Zach Gross” Page 111
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fixing it, however uncomfortable that is. So photography got me past my shyness. Of course, I wanted to make a living with it, but I also knew that I didn’t want to do anything else, so I was going to make it work. WHAT TYPE OF WORK MAKES UP MOST OF WHAT YOU DO THESE DAYS? I’d say most is editorial, but I do a lot of things. I’ve done larger and smaller advertising. I shoot for The New Yorker and some fashion/art magazines. I paint and I do my darkroom projects. I also photograph artists and other creative people I find interesting. HOW DID YOU COME TO WORK FOR THE NEW YORKER? A fe w ye a rs a g o I w a s a t a NYCFotoWorks portfolio review and showed my work to one of their photo editors. She saw that I had some potential and told me to stay in touch. Every six months or so I sent her an e-mail and showed her the work I was doing. They saw my work evolve and trusted me a little more as I got experience. I also went in there a few times over the years, and I would send them printed promos. They’re accordion-folded pieces with photos on each side; it’s a good reminder for people to see physical copies of your images that are beautiful and designed well. When they felt I was ready, they started giving me assignments. DID YOU FIND PORTFOLIO REVIEWS VALUABLE IN GENERAL? Yes. I went to the ASMP and APA ones too. There would definitely be shared opinions about my work, but people have different tastes. Someone would tell me, “This [image] works and this one doesn’t.” And then another person would tell me something completely different. So it also taught me to be more confident in my work, because not all of my work is for everyone. I used to take it really personally and feel depressed after, because I’d spent my whole life coming to that point
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Zack Gross: www.zachgross.com
and trying to get my shit together. But it was good for me to learn how not to take things personally and just say, “OK, I learned something from that.” It also taught me something about the real world, because the reviewers were working photo editors and art buyers. I learned what they were looking for and how their thought process worked. I learned a lot about what goes on the other end, and about editing and cohesion. DO YOU THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHERS DOING FINE ART OR EDITORIAL WORK TO SPEND TIME IN NEW YORK? I think it’s a great experience to live in New York. It’s a cliché, but if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. It’s a hard city. It takes a lot of mental strength and focus to succeed and do what you want to do here. So it’s a good way to toughen somebody up. But every photographer is different. There are a lot of other great cities. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE LIKE DAY TO DAY? It’s different every day. I have so many projects going on all the time. If I have a job, then I’ll do that. If I don’t, then I’m always working on my projects in the darkroom, or I’ll make paintings or read or write. Through creativity and art is how I focus and make sense of my life.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU DON’T LIKE ABOUT YOUR JOB? I don’t really see it as a job. It’s my life. I’m always looking for ways of understanding life and myself and feeling comfortable and happy and connected to people. I can get isolated, so if I have the opportunity to meet someone interesting, that’s really great. If I let myself be stagnant, my mind goes off into unproductive territory. So it’s important to keep things moving forward and focused. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO EDITORIAL FINE ART WORK? Understand what came before you, and shoot as much as possible. Don’t wait for things to shoot. A lot of things happen just by finding something interesting and photographing it. Meet as many people as you can and photograph people you find interesting. DO YOU WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND MAKING A LIVING OVER THE LONG TERM, OR DO YOU THINK THINGS WILL WORK OUT? I’m optimistic. There are more people doing it, but there are also a lot more opportunities than there used to be. It’s about putting the time and effort in. It’s definitely hard, but if you want something badly enough, you’ll get there.
WHAT IS THE DAY LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT? I jump on a train or take a taxi. I don’t use a lot of equipment. I go to the location, usually by myself, occasionally with an assistant. I’ll meet the person and shoot pictures and we’ll walk around a little bit or explore their space. I really love photographing people one-on-one because there’s less tension, and there’s more of an opportunity for understanding them as a person and having something true and honest come out. I just love learning about people.
The “Breaking In” series asks successful young professionals in photo-related fields about what it took to get into their line of work, what it’s like to make a living doing what they do, and how they made the transition from student days to working life. You can find more “Breaking In” articles and a wealth of other resources for photography students, educators, and emerging pros at MAC-On-Campus.com.
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WHEN IT COMES TO PARTYING, THE NEW GENERATION GOES ALL OUT. IS YOUR (NIGHT) JOB TO COVER THE NIGHT CLUB SCENE? HERE ARE SOME ADVICE FROM THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS TO GET THROUGH THE MIST. PARTY HARD, SHOOT HARD,
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HOW TO SHOOT A [ PARTY ] It’s amazing how many parties there are every night, yet almost everyone has forgotten how to have a good time. Social media has made so many people anti-social. Everyone’s on their phone talking about how good the party is—if the party was that good, you wouldn’t have time to remember to Tweet. And because of EDM, DJs are the new rock stars, so people go to clubs as if it’s a concert, staring at the DJ instead of enjoying the music… You got dressed up and already committed to the fact that you’ll be showing up to work hungover tomorrow, so put your phone away, buy a round of shots and make an ass of yourself on the dance floor!
*Who the fuck is Kirill Bichutsky, you wonder? Well, he’s one of NYC’s top party photographers and a cool guy to hang around with as our writer discovered (read her article on page 114).
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Words and photos by Kirill Bichutsky*
SHOW PEOPLE YOU’RE HAVING A GOOD TIME AND THEY’LL DO THE SAME.
SCOPE OUT THE SCENE Spend the first hour or so hanging out, mingling, getting a slight buzz, all while making mental notes of the personalities around you—anyone you’ll be able to use to your advantage for better photos.
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JOIN THE FUN Run around and party with people, don’t just focus on taking photos. Your first priority is tearing down the awkward wall between photographer and subject. Make yourself one of the guys/girls, so that once everyone’s drunk and wild they don’t see you as an intruder and let you take whatever crazy photos you want.
BE SEEN Party! And make it obvious! People are attracted to the fun person in the room. Don’t be a somber, straight-faced party photographer—show people you’re having a good time and they’ll do the same.
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BEFRIEND THE BARTENDER Always tip bartenders—unless you like paying for booze. Most of the time you’ll see the same staff in different places; if you take care of them, they’ll always make sure you’re taken care of.
FOCUS: ”Kirill Tips: How to Shoot a Party” Page 119
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ALWAYS CHOOSE A GOOD PARTY FOR FREE OVER A BAD PARTY FOR PAY.
BRING BACKUPS Bring extra flash batteries and an extra flash! Parties are dark. Lord knows how many times I’ve drained my flash batteries shooting a dark room. I always carry a backup flash, ever since a drunk girl waving her arms knocked mine clean off the hot shoe.
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PROMOTE YOURSELF Brand! Brand! Brand! Always have business cards with you—there’s no point in shooting a party and not making sure everyone there knows where to find the photos.
HAVE STANDARDS
SECURITY IS YOUR BEST FRIEND People are drunk. Tensions run high. Last thing you want is some guy punching you in the face for pouring champagne on his girlfriend’s face (this happened to me). So always make sure security has your back. My move? Sneak them alcohol throughout the night, or bring them waters and Red Bulls—it’s a small gesture that goes a long way.
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Michael Kenna: www.michaelkenna.com
Always choose a good party for free over a bad party for pay. You’re an artist, right? Not just a service. Stay true to you and always work the better events and parties. People will respect you more if you have consistency in finding and shooting only the best events.
HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT PARTY The right party to attend is whatever party is right for you. I like to attend a variety of parties; it all depends on my mood for the evening. Some nights I’m looking to get fucked up and throw up, while other nights I may want to dress up, sip on some cocktails and hang out with middle-aged wealthy widows at an art opening. • Follow the right tastemakers and DJs on social media. See who your favorite DJs are themselves following and find out where they’re going. • Befriend lots of hot girls and weirdos—weirdos usually find the most fun and crazy parties to attend. • Never go to a party based on the flyer artwork. The hotter the girl on the flyer, the uglier the crowd is going to be. • Bring the party. Go out with a group of folks who are just as down to get down as you are. It’s all about the company you keep. Most parties are only fun because of the people you’re with!
IF ALL ELSE FAILS HERE ARE SOME ONLINE RESOURCES TO TRY AND FIND YOUR NEXT PARTY DESTINATION
2 Search internationally: Party List – www.partylist.com
Search by music type: Party Hunter – www.partyhunter.com Search by city: All The Parties – nyc.alltheparties.com
WHERE DA PARTY AT?
By Stephanie Zakas
FOTOJELLY FotoJelly makes private albums based on your calendar, RSVP services you use and Facebook RSVPs. It shares photos based on the people in the audience. Edit photos on the spot using FotoJelly’s i n te g ra te d re to u c h i n g software, then cross-post to other social sites. Windows phones only – Free www.fotojelly.com
BONFYRE Bonfyre is a “hyper-social app” that allows users to privately share photos. It also has a private chat system—you can create one chat per event, so you can stop the annoying group emails and leave the talking on Bonfyre. iOS, Android – Free www.bonfyreapp.com
NAPA Short for “not another photo app,” Napa allows you to share photos privately among your friends. It automatically finds photos from your friends who are at the same event and streams the photos directly to your iPhone. iOS – $0.99 www.juper.me
SHARYPIC Sharypic makes it easy for the party-hoppers or event organizers to group their photos live, including from other social sites. Users join the event, upload and share. Now you can check out that party to see if it’s really the “craziest party ever” before heading out the door. iOS – Plans vary: Free, per event ($39 or $99), or $11/month www.sharypic.com
”Kirill Tips: How to Find the Right Party” Page 121
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PARTY PERFORMERS
By Adam Sherwin
Shooting with on-camera flash or portable strobes can be obtrusive and add unnecessary weight to your kit. So, whether you’re shooting events, parties or just taking pictures of hot drunk girls in dirty club bathrooms, having a camera that performs well in low light can mean the difference between getting a great shot or ending with an out of focus and noisy snapshot.
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*Read “Kirill Was Here” (page 112) to learn what a champagne facial is—and never look at a bottle of Veuve Cliquot the same way.
1. PENTAX K5-II The K5-II gives you some decent bang for your buck and helps you save a little scratch on the way. It offers a 16MP CMOS sensor, top ISO of 51200, in-body shake reduction and some in-camera processing features that’ll make even the savviest Instagramer jealous. Plus, the fully weather-sealed body ensures your camera won’t get damaged while shooting all those messy champagne facials.* $999.99 Body Only pentaximaging.com
2. SONY CYBERSHOT DSC RX-100 If you’re going to hang out in seedy bars you might need a little class to separate yourself from all those dirty hipsters. The sophisticated RX-100 offers a fast 28-100mm F1.8 Zeiss zoom lens powered by a 20MP Exmor CMOS sensor that delivers pretty sick pics in low-light conditions. The RX-100’s lightweight body and pocket size are complimented by some awesome video features and great battery life, which will keep you taking photos into the early morning when the real fun starts. $649.99 store.sony.com
3. FUJIFILM X-20 The X-20 lets people know you mean business while maintaining a low profile. It offers up some sweet retro styling with the power and features of a DSLR minus the bulk. Inside is a 12MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor that plays exceptionally well with the bright F2.0-2.8 28-112mm zoom for awesome low-light results. The manual zoom and built-in creative pre-sets give you control, and Fuji’s new, advanced EOVF lets you see all your shooting data in real time.
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TIPS FOR
By Adam Sherwin
So you’re in the dark, so to speak. The sign clearly states, “No Flash Photography,” but you can’t go home empty-handed. You need to get the shot. Not to fret—short of being stranded in a dark closet with Andy Dick, these tips should get you up and shooting in a variety of low-light situations. (Besides, no one should ever be in a dark closet with Andy Dick. If you are, we can’t help you; just scream for help and hope for the best.)
1. SCOUT THE LOCATION AHEAD OF TIME. If you can’t make it in person, look for images online to get an idea of the ambient light. If you know you’re going to be in a low light situation, make sure you have your fastest lenses with you. If you don’t own any, rent them. 2. HIGH ISO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND. If you’re going in blind and get a lens full of darkness, it’s time to crank up the ISO. Just make sure you’re shooting RAW as these files have much more information than your regular JPEGs. 3. GET SOME SUPPORT. I know it’s like having training wheels on your BMX, but several companies are making lightweight monopods and tripods. Some even fit in a shoulder bag or backpack. Come on… don’t be shy. No one is going to laugh at you for using a support. 4. SHOOT FAST, SHOOT MORE. You know that fancy high-speed motor drive on your camera? Well, now is the time to use it. Subject and shooter might be moving slightly, but you will have more chances to get a sharp frame if you shoot continuously for a few frames. 5. HEY, KEEP THE NOISE DOWN! If your camera has a noise reduction feature, make sure it’s on. Additionally, several companies make software specifically for controlling digital noise levels in your images—a good investment if you find yourself in these low light situations on a regular basis.
$599.99 fujifilm-x.com
4. NIKON D800 If you’re looking to impress, or if you need a little more mega-pixel power under the hood, the D800 is our choice for a higher-end DSLR. It’s not cheap, but with 36MP, a top ISO of 25,600 and the ability to shoot uncompressed full HD 1080p video via an external HDMI recording device, the D800 is king of the underground scene and a great choice for pros who can afford it.
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$2,9995.99 Body Only nikonusa.com
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This twenty-eight-year-year-old Los Angelino–real name Mark Hunter–is considered the definitive photographer of hipster party culture worldwide, and, in fact, was once quoted saying, “I find irony in everything.” Initiated into the club scene as an assistant to famed graffiti artist Shepard Fairey, Hunter is now a fixture of celebrity parties. He shared an apartment with Steve Aoki in New York for about two years, before extending his lens into international territory, namely Sydney, Tokyo and Paris–his favorites. Hunter also sells totes vintage apparel at his Cobra Shop.
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Originally from Hawaii, “the grandfather of nightlife photography,” Hew Burney is one of the most reputed scenesters you’ve never heard of. At the age of nineteen, having seen more of the world as a surf prodigy than most even hope to in their entire life, he returned to the States–as a self-described, “raging alcoholic” with an Australian accent–to live with his dad in Florida for nine years before moving to Los Angeles where he realized a natural knack for “sticky photos.” He’s since lost the accent, quit the bottle, re-located to Las Vegas, and subsequently became known as The Strip’s biggest celebrity photographer. Born and raised in Syracuse, New York, and now living in Jersey City, Mel Cole began teaching himself how to shoot with a disposable camera in 2001 after taking a concert fan picture of Erykah Badu and Common. “I sat on that photo until 2004, until one day I said, ‘I think I have a something here and I want to see if I can make photography my life.’” The raw, black & white, grainy aesthetic caught the eye of Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, who dubbed Cole the Roots Crew’s “house photographer.” He’s now the hip hop darling of performance and nightlife photography.
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Rony Alwin set up his first light kit and medium format camera in his living room, taking photos of friends for fun, before he was asked to shoot at a buddy’s nightclub... and then another, and another, selling his Polaroid party pics for $5 a piece. It wasn’t until he booked a job in Miami that he bought a computer and learned how to build his online photo gallery and website. Working for a year unpaid, “meeting everyone and their mother” networking his name to celebrity recognition, Rony is now Snoop Dogg’s personal party photographer.
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COBRASNAKE thecobrasnake.com
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HEW BURNEY hewburney.com
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MEL D. COLE slumvillage.com
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CAN SHOOTING DEBAUCHED PARTY DENIZENS GET YOU INTO LEGAL HOT WATER? By Adam Davids, Lawyer When does a photograph of someone in public cross the line and become a legal liability for the photographer? The answer is not always clear, but generally:
1. IS THERE A RULE PROHIBITING PHOTOGRAPHY? Some spaces like gyms, strip clubs, airlines, subways, nuclear facilities and other locations may have rules or laws prohibiting or limiting photographs. Rules may be marked by a sign, but they might not be. Particularly if the photo is to be used for commercial purposes, check with the location first.
2. DOES THE SUBJECT HAVE A REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY? If the subject is a celebrity, the usual answer to this question is “no.” Additionally, people in public places generally do not have any expectations of privacy; their photos may be taken without permission. However, if a guest at a house party went into a quiet room and shut the door, there is an expectation that he will not become the subject of a photo from that space. Similarly, if someone is in his own home, even if the photographer is on public land, the person has an expectation of privacy. Using hidden cameras (even in public spaces) may carry greater liability for photographers. And always, if a caption is being used in association with a photo, it must be a truthful account.
3. IS THE SUBJECT PERFORMING AN ILLEGAL ACT? Assuming the subject is not a minor (minors have a range of protections which may trump First Amendment rights), generally speaking, photographers may capture and distribute any shot that has religious, political, scientific, educational, journalistic, historical, or artistic value – even if this includes illegal activity. You cannot be complicit in the illegal act, but capturing it alone will not likely lead to liability. If authorities seek to prosecute the offender, the photographer may be the subject of a warrant for evidence and be questioned by authorities, but the photographs themselves will typically have First Amendment protections.
4. WHAT IF YOU CAPTURE SOMEONE DOING SOMETHING THAT THEY LATER REGRET? Everybody does dumb things from time to time. Sometimes these acts get captured on camera. If the person is a minor and there is nudity or the photo is of a sexual nature, there could be large liabilities for the photographer and any distributor of the photo (even if you did not know the age of the person when the photo was taken). However, if the person did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy and the photographer did not induce the person to act out, then there will not likely be any liability for capturing someone doing something dumb in public.
5. CAN THE PHOTO BE DEEMED A “COMMERCIAL WORK”? If someone is in a public place, that person may be the subject of a photograph; however, they may not consent to their image being used for commercial purposes. If the photo is being used for non-artistic, non-newsworthy, monetary gain by the photographer, generally speaking, a release is required. Even when there is not a human subject, commercial photographers have to be aware of other restrictions on their use of a space, such as the permitting requirements of national, state and local parks, or the need to obtain releases from the rights holders of all copyrights and trademarks in the shot.
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KIRILL
p REDEFINING PROFESSIONAL EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY ONE SALACIOUS PARTY PIC AT A TIME, KIRILL BICHUTSKY CAPTURES MOMENTS NO ONE ELSE CAN. HAVING PERFECTED NIGHTLIFE SWAG INTO AN ART FORM, THIS PROVOCATEUR-CUMPHOTOGRAPER HAS DOMINATED THIS UNRULY MARKET . BY JANET ALEXANDER PHOTOS BY KIRILL BICHUTSKY
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AS A NIGHTLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER, AND RESIDING JUST TWO AVENUES OVER FROM TIMES SQUARE, KIRILL BICHUTSKY IS NEVER FAR FROM THE ACTION. IN FACT, EVER SINCE MOVING IN FOUR YEARS AGO, HE’S ESSENTIALLY MADE A CAREER OUT OF FORGING PROXIMITY BETWEEN HIS LIFE AND WORK. ARRIVING FROM MOSCOW, RUSSIA, TO THE UNITED STATES AT THE AGE OF FIVE IN 1990, KIRILL WAS RAISED IN THE SMALL NEW JERSEY TOWNSHIP OF ROXBURY, WHICH BY SOME STORYBOOK COINCIDENCE SHARES ITS NAME WITH THE FICTITIOUS NIGHTCLUB FROM THE SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE SKETCH-BASED MOVIE, A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY. BUT KIRILL’S CURRENT LIFE AS A PARTY PHOTOGRAPHER WASN’T EXACTLY FATED. It’s 2 p.m. when I’m greeted by Kirill’s full-faced five o’clock shadow. Standing at an overestimated 5’ 10’’, with thick eyebrows, down-turned eyes and a button-nose, Kirill has an uncanny Frankie Muniz man-boy quality. While ascending his four-flight walkup, he remarks in a raspy morning-after voice, “It’s brutal when you’re drunk,” as though referring to a climb from just last night. And as he clears some space on his beige suede sectional, putting away a bag of Terra Blue potato chips, he says, “The best 4 a.m. purchase I’ve made,” confirming my suspicion from the stairwell. Already, Kirill seems to be living up to his public persona, but the comments feel like they’re delivered on cue, understated for comic effect. Deliberate or not, it brings to bear the apparent influence of his hazing days hooked on New York comedy shows when he had just started going to William Patterson College for graphic design. With no stand-up career aspirations of his own, Kirill describes, “You go see a rock band, and everyone tells them to play their hits. But for a comedian it’s like, ‘I already heard that one.’ I was drawn to comedy because it has to be new every time.” By the age of nineteen, Kirill’s frequenting led to graphic designing for Dane Cook and Bill Burr, among other comedians. He subsequently dropped out of art school. “I hate structure, and I was being taught something I could learn myself,” he explains. While working at midtown Manhattan comedy club Caroline’s, Kirill met Nick, known as DJ NVM and now Kirill’s best friend, who began taking him to clubs where Kirill would photograph DJs for their MySpace pages. Kirill says that up until then he’d been a “late-bloomer type” and never went out. It was only after getting shitfaced drunk to venture out onto the dance floor to snap pictures, that Kirill saw potential in his images and followed Nick’s advice to launch a website: Kirill Was Here.
At first using a fisheye lens before realizing he needed to get a “real lens,” Kirill says, “I was the photographer who used to crash parties.” True to his anti-establishment attitude, he proudly states, “Everything I do, I do myself,” and it was while working a day job at a comedy club that he hustled his way into dance clubs’ VIP sections, photographing for free in order to build a name that “stands for something that no one can mess with it.” And what Kirill stands for is fun. He holds a casual air, describing his mentality, “I’m there to have a good time, and I just happen to have a camera in my hand.” Based on his experience, Kirill didn’t think event photography was capturing the energy of what really happens. “Nightlife is taken so seriously–you’re in a room designed to have a good time, you walk in, and they strip you of having a good time with rules,” so Kirill made himself an exception to all the rules—except for one: know your subject. “You have to be a partier to do this, because then the walls come down and you’re just like one of their girlfriends, and not some awkward guy with a camera.” Kirill gets up, stepping into his room just on the other side of the wall, to toss a Nikon D3S onto the couch, which in his owns words, “is beat to crap,” and candidly states, “I treat my camera like shit; the shot is more important than the lens or camera.” A SB900 flash gives the images a stark brightness that Kirill knowingly acknowledges as, “Terry Richardson-y,” but technically, he’s still learning and says that what defines his photographs is simply the watermark, adding, “[A club] is not a controlled environment, so your style is in what you capture, not so much as how you’re capturing it.”
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In no instance did this become truer than last spring, when Kirill began photographing brunch parties where he’d quickly get bored. “If you do a brunch party, you can’t go out at night–you’re already hungover–so somebody’s gotta set something off,” he remembers thinking at the time. Naturally, champagne was on hand for Kirill to pour into the willing mouths of women, and he soon realized, “If you miss, then it looks cooler in a photo and it has that sexual side to it.” Consequently, Kirill avoids gaping mouths and instead dramatically douses women in a shower of the foamy libation. These so-called “Champagne Facials” are now Kirill’s signature, “a mini-show thing” that girls were requesting within two weeks of debuting his Champagne Facials Tumblr page. The facials caught on as an international trend that has since put Kirill on the top of every guest list and into a league of his own within the event photography industry. Case in point, while most photographers have agents, as of two summers ago, Kirill has a manager. He had always wanted to be a Disney animator, but at the age of twenty-eight, Kirill now embodies a kind of Peter Pan Complex–a caricature of himself, drawing out all manners of misbehavior from dance floor denizens in the unabashed form of a provocateur-cumphotographer. The life of an event photographer can easily be discredited, often thought of as nothing more than getting paid to party, but Kirill insists, “Partying when working is not your social life,” and considers the write-off a compliment. “If you make your job look easy then you’re doing it right,” he figures. Capturing the spectacular indecencies and spontaneity of city nights suits Kirill’s predilection for novelty and reckless abandon, but he admits, “I still get nervous before every gig.” His antics are tempered with a surprising degree of practicality, “There’s no reason I should be in a club doing drugs,” he says, and limits himself to drinking when he’s out and what he’s offered on jobs. Kirill mentions, “My mom tells me, ‘You’re always blacking out, but you’re never drunk at home.’” Contrary to common presumption, in Kirill’s case, he is not acting out an un-lived childhood and doesn’t identify with the 19-24 year-old city kids he photographs, who he generally thinks must have missed out on theirs. A kind of rebel without a cause–other than perhaps a Beastie Boys-inspired campaign to fight for your right to party– Kirill doesn’t merely document but tours high-profile parties. Earning the trust of clubs who know he won’t embarrass their clientele, Kirill is an industry maverick with the cachet of an Internet celebrity. And he knows it. “Now they can’t really tell me what to do, so I abuse my power to have a good time, which makes people realize that’s what’s been missing in nightlife.” Likening himself to a product, he says, “People know Kirill and know a good time is on its way.” With a fan following like his, he’s exempt from shot lists and instructions from club owners who believe in his “Party, aim, fire!” methods as much as he does. “You have a better time, or I won’t take your photo,” is as much of a promise as it is a threat, and pays out five-figures for a night of “making slutty drunk girls famous,” as he once Tweeted. 137
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p From New York City stand-up, Kirill developed the crude sense of humor that sustains the viral following of his website, which attracts six million monthly page views. A flippant attitude, in the form of salacious photos and lewd captions, is the trademark of his namesake. The dividing line between his admirers and critics is the difference between extolling machismo and chastising misogyny. Kirill says in his defense, “I’m not shooting an orgy, but sex sells—never more than ten percent [of the images] are topless, but everyone talks about the five topless shots out of five hundred.” Calling himself “The Slut Whisperer,” Kirill has embraced the hyperbole and sensationalism of marketing and says with nonchalance, “Hate me, or love me, I’m happy because I made you form an opinion.” He attributes his thick skin to his time in the comedy scene as well, and calmly recounts getting punched in the face two weeks ago: “This Hoboken girl came up to me asking for a champagne facial, and her brother confronted me, security threw me out, and on my way back to the car he came out of nowhere and sucker-punched me,” concluding matter-of-factly, “It was bound to happen.” For better or worse, he revels in the popularity of his infamy, promoting his brand of debauchery with an iconic calling card–a black and white "Kirill Was Here" sticker that can be seen covering pairs of nipples and buttocks alike. Pandering to the nightclub circuit crowd to be heard above the din of bumping bass lines as much as the virtual noise of competing social media networks, Kirill amplifies his club kid personality, obliged by the expectations and demands of an irreverent reputation that precedes itself. He resolutely says, “I am my own worst enemy,” resigning to the enticement of his own controversy. Considering his party-fueled lifestyle, it’s not surprising that his apartment is littered with cardboard boxes and department store shopping bags, but without me mentioning anything, Kirill apologizes for the mess and explains that he’s knocking down the wall to his bedroom that we’re seated up against. He excitedly says, “I outgrew my room, so it’s going to be twice the size it is now.” Like his room, the confines of conventional event photography have become too small to contain Kirill, who now aspires to fine art status. “My goal is to make it more of an artistic career,” he says. By breaking down the barrier between passively documenting and actively being a part of a party, he is looking to expand his career to be bigger than ever before. You could say that Kirill puts the “art” in “party,” or as he says, “Anyone could have taken it, but it’s a dope moment.” He is as much responsible for taking an image as he is for the image itself, with much of what distinguishes a Kirill Was Here moment actually being what immediately preceded it. To skeptics who challenge the aesthetic value of raunchy escapades, Kirill challenges the institutions that determined those values in the first place. Invoking his art school frustrations he exclaims, “The way we’re made to perceive art is bullshit,” before waving a defiant finger around his living room, “This hat, that garbage can–if an all-blue canvas is art in the MoMA, then everything is art,” he concludes exasperated.
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p Kirill Bichutsky: www.kirillwashere.com
In the tradition of documentary photography, Kirill believes the artistic merit of his work is in the moment, but like the youthful indiscretions of his partying, the moments are fleeting, “I can’t shoot parties forever because then I’m the old creepy guy at the club.” He is riding his own melt on the periphery of party life as much as he has become the life of the party, but Kirill’s party boy swag belies sobering uncertainty. “I never wanted to be a photographer. I’m just in the moment, and it’s scary at times. I don’t know where the photography is going.” In taking a photo and in his career, Kirill says the same always applies, “I don’t force anything; when it feels right, I do it.” Moving into a new direction, Kirill continues to be his own worst enemy. While he’s comfortable with a reliably volatile audience, he also understands that his online fans are unlikely to follow him into the art world. And he’s the first one to acknowledge that images “lose value when they are on the Internet,” as a victim of his self-made transience. Knowing when to capitalize on his ability to make a picture out of making a good time is one and the same as figuring out how to make his moment lasting. And to elevate event photography from spectator sport into limited edition collectors’ investments will take some time. “I’ve been talking about it for two years now, and I finally got it in Miami at this party where my boys were doing free tattoos,” Kirill says, as he shows me black outlined Russian letters on the outside of his right arm–his shooting arm–and explains, “Nu Pogodi is the name of the Russian equivalent of the Tom & Jerry cartoon.” It means, “Just you wait.”
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N IDO
REATIN
GIGI GASTON WAS ONCE A FAMOUS FRENCH POP SINGER. THE PAPARAZZI AND FANS CHASED HER EVERYWHERE. HER IMAGE APPEARED IN EVERY MAGAZINE. BUT WAS SHE EVEN REAL?
Interview by Tom Kray Photos courtesy of Josh Gosfield 149
YOU CAN CONVINCE YOURSELF THAT GIGI GASTON IS SOMEONE YOU MIGHT REMEMBER, SOME OBSCURE, FORGOTTEN FIGURE FROM FRENCH POP MUSIC HISTORY.
In 1973, after being found not guilty for the murder of her husband, Gigi simply disappeared, never to be seen again. But that was not entirely unsurprising: 1973 wasn’t her first disappearing act. No. When she was a child, growing up in Bulgaria, the communists forced Gigi and her family into a labor camp. Gigi escaped, though no one knows how. Fleeing her home country alone, she made her way to Paris, where she was eventually adopted by the Gastons. The rest, as they say, is history. Except for the end. Gigi never had an end. Like all the greatest characters, she isn’t real, and never was in the first place. Josh Gosfield is the artist responsible for creating Gigi and inserting her into pop culture history. I sat down with Josh and discussed what it takes to create a celebrity out of thin air.
All images © Josh Gosfield
Have you ever heard of Gigi Gaston? She was very famous once. In the ‘60s she was a French pop sensation who sang so sweet and sad. How could you not fall in love with that? Many did. She was barely eighteen when she exploded into stardom, yet there were many questions about her life the tabloids never answered. The biggest one: Where did she go?
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE GIGI? The genesis of this project came from a walk in Joshua Tre e N a t i o n a l P a r k , i n California. There were these surrealistic-looking rock formations. As an artist I thought, what could I do with these? The first thing that came to mind was that it looked like the backdrop for a psychedelic album cover from the ‘60s. So I thought, create an album cover. Then the idea expanded into, why don’t I make a series of album covers? A reggae album cover, a polka album cover, a folk album cover, a co u n t r y a l b u m co v e r and a salsa album cover. I thought more about it, and it evolved into, why don’t I do a bunch of covers from a singular singer? I eventually angled toward the French yé-yé artists from the ‘60s because, while the stars were phenomenally successful, the public knew little about them. America is so in love with and obsessed with its pop culture history— we know everybody who was ever famous. I couldn’t really fake a great psychedelic band because too many people would go, “Well, I never heard of them.” The idea turned into telling this imaginary singer’s story through media archive. We would know as a much and as little about her as we know about Elizabeth Taylor or Brittany Spears. We [can] say so many things about Madonna, or George Clooney, or anybody like that. We know the same stuff, and it all comes from the media. So I came up with Gigi Gaston, a girl who was so ambitious to get a record contract that she played in front of the office of the biggest French recording company at the time, until the president said, “Look, if I record you, do you promise to stop playing in front of here everyday?” The song went on to be a big
hit and launch her career. I started writing Gigi’s story in the middle, with her younger period, her early 45s. Then I wrote the story back into the past and forward into the future simultaneously. It was a really interesting process because, along with all the aesthetics judgments, I had to think about what makes somebody famous. Many people are famous—writers, artists, politicians are famous for doing what they do—but a certain percentage of those people vault out of it, like Amy Winehouse, for misbehavior. Other people might vault out of it because of some tragic thing that happens to them—how famous would James Dean be if he hadn’t died young? So writing the story was like reverseengineering—I needed to define what has had to happen to Gigi to vault her out of just being a teen idol. DID YOU WRITE THE WHOLE STORY BEFORE YOU STARTED SHOOTING? N o . T h e sto r y g o t ve r y influenced by the people I cast. Elisaveta Stoilova [who plays Gigi] is actually Bulgarian, so Gigi became Bulgarian. In the beginning, I thought she would be much more of a pop figure, but Elisaveta had a solemn presence, so the story went much darker. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO CREATE GIGI’S LIFE? It only took about a year and about eight photo sessions. I was extremely organized—I knew exactly what I wanted for each shot, but if accidents happened, that was okay. WHAT KIND OF RESEARCH DID YOU DO? I did a lot of research for this project—the clothes people wore, the particular poses they used. I also looked at the history of vernacular graphic design. Somebody putting a 45 out, as an unknown artist, wouldn’t have a professional shooting their cover, so it
was always fun designing the early stuff. I pretended to be the cousin of the owner of the record store, who had a little bit of facility with design, so the owner would throw me a couple of photographs and say, “I need a cover by the end of the afternoon.” Those sorts of images were incredibly rushed, but as you go forward through time, her album covers become more sophisticated. In the second part of her career, some of them are supposed to be shot by Avedon, so I shot them like Avedon. I studied paparazzi shots too. They would be shot from so far away there would be little data—just a tiny section of film would be enlarged. I would take the digital files to make them smaller and then blow them back up to simulate that look. DID YOU EXPECT PEOPLE TO BELIEVE GIGI WAS A REAL PERSON? Yeah, that was the goal. The great thing about this character is that even most of the Europeans wouldn’t know she’s not real because they’re not constantly recycling their cultural icons. I had people come into the gallery and say that they remembered her, or that their mother had her album. When my printer saw the project for the first time, I had to explain to him that he wasn’t looking at photographs of old magazines—they never were magazines pages. The pages were the project. I have a background in art direction, photography and illustration. I’m old enough to have worked with printers before everything was digital, so I’d create something in Photoshop, deconstruct it and prepare it in four different plates, in CMYK with half tones. It was typical in the ‘60s for a lot of printed material to be printed slightly off register, so I did a lot of that, which was really fun. But if something went wrong or I forgot something, it was a lot of work because I’d have to do it all over again.
“WHEN MY PRINTER SAW THE PROJECT FOR THE FIRST TIME, I HAD TO EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT HE WASN’T LOOKING AT PHOTOGRAPHS OF OLD MAGAZINES— THEY NEVER WERE MAGAZINES PAGES. THE PAGES WERE THE PROJECT.” JOSH GOSFIELD 155
“WRITING THE STORY WAS LIKE REVERSE-ENGINEERING— I NEEDED TO DEFINE WHAT HAS HAD TO HAPPEN TO GIGI TO VAULT HER OUT OF JUST BEING A TEEN IDOL.” JOSH GOSFIELD
CAST:
ELISAVETA STOILOVA (GIGI GASTON),
GERALD KEYSER (GIORGIO FORTUNA)
HAIR & MAKE UP: RACHEL EBGI
WARDROBE TERI FO
SINGER:
ARMELLE PIOLINE
COMPOSER: STEWART D’ARRIETTA
DID YOU FIND THE MUSIC THAT GIGI SINGS OR DID YOU CREATE IT TOO? It’s original music. One night, I was out having drinks and I ran into some guy named Stewart D’Arrietta, and we started talking—just one of those conversations you think nothing will ever come off. Well, it turned out the guy was a musical genius. When I told him about the Gigi project, he loved it. I sent him all the material and he wrote a great song for her.
My next mission was to find a French singer. But every single French singer I found had very pure voices—they all sounded like Judy Collins when I wanted somebody whose voice was tougher. I didn’t care where they were from, although they had to be close to a native speaker. Since Gigi is Bulgarian, she could have a slight accent. After searching for ages, I finally found Armelle Pioline and it was like, “Oh my God, her voice is brilliant.” I sent her the music files. Stewart had a title for the song, Je Suis Perdue, which means “I’m lost,” which was perfect for her. The next day she wrote the whole song with killer lyrics and she sang it to me over the phone; Stewart and I then went into a studio and recorded some of the instruments, live. It was a very fortuitous project where everything really worked out. WHAT ABOUT GIGI’S CLOTHING? There might have been the rare piece of custom clothing, but a great wardrobe stylist can find anything. I try to work with really good people, so I can say, “Here’s my inspiration, go for it.” It’s all storytelling. It’s about connecting the dots with hopefully a compelling narrative. I originally wanted her lover to kill her, but my wife said that it would be more interesting if she killed him, had the trial in Italy and got off as a crime of passion.
DID YOU USE THE SAME MODEL FOR THE WHOLE PROJECT? Yes. The early pictures of Gigi are actually just photos of Elisaveta Stoilova as a girl. Elisaveta also plays Gigi’s mother. I decided to make her a gypsy because it was the right time and place historically and I’ve always had a fascination with gypsies— that’s how it became part of the narrative. For the next celebrity project I’m doing, the story will cover a woman’s life from age sixteen to forty. That will require a lot of makeup, and maybe even prosthetics, but I’ll still work with only one model. TELL US ABOUT THIS NEW PROJECT. Gigi’s story is mythical. The next project is much more picturesque. The character’s name is Fathom Butterfly and she’s a British actress. She’s been a beauty queen, a showgirl and a “B” movie actress. She comes to the States where she gets into exploitation films and porn, and eventually becomes a feminist filmmaker. Her story covers every generation. Gigi had more of a singular personality while this woman is working whatever the cultural zeitgeist is. For research, I read a lot of memoirs of showgirls and producers. There are so many great stories there that I decided I wanted to write her memoirs. I want to have a show at the same time I release the book, The Rise and Fall of Fathom Butterfly as told by Josh Gosfield. It will be written as if she’s telling it to me. The material I have is so exciting. I know everything that happens—I haven’t written it yet but most of it has been shot. I’m also talking to some people about doing a live theater piece. ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP CREATING NEW UNREAL PEOPLE? I would love to. I would love to do a politician or a sports figure. It’s really fun.
*The interview has been edited for clarity.
GIGI CAST OF CONTRIBUTORS
GONE
157
W N
WHAT NEXT? 159
TOO BE CONTINUED ...
With Swinging 60’s London as her backdrop,
Fathom’s public relations genius and her selfstaged scandals kept her in the public eye.
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PORTUGAL PORTUGAL IS SOMETIMES CALLED THE “FOSTER KID OF EUROPE.” Its southwestwardly location, year-round comfortable Mediterranean climate and easy-going population can indeed feel un-European at times.
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY SIVAN ASKAYO
THE PORTUGUESE PEOPLE LOVE TO TRAVEL. Because the Portuguese love to travel, it’s no surprise that Lisbon, their capital, is a sophisticated, global city, which offers endless opportunities to both visitors and residents. Recently, Lisbon has started to wake up to tourism and has become a desired destination among younger crowds. A new generation of venues has popped up in the last couple of
years, upgrading the nightlife and dining scene. Bars and clubs are paying more attention to design and trendy fashion boutiques are spreading. Combine this with the history, the architecture, the beaches, and the fact that it is a relatively easy-to-navigate place, and you get a great destination to visit and a diverse city to shoot in.
GEOGRAPHY
Lisbon lies on the north bank of the Tagus Estuary, on the European Atlantic coast and is considered the westernmost city in the European continent. Greater Lisbon has an area of approximately 1000 km2. The city itself lies more or less in the center of the country, 300 km from the Algarve in the south and 400 km from the northern border with Spain. Lisbon offers a wide variety of landscape options, but among them all, an overview of the city from one of the hills is not to be missed. Lisbon is referred to as The City of Seven Hills (even though there are more than seven): Alfama, Bairro Alto, Baixa, Belem, Castelo de San Jorge are stand out destination spots.
TIME ZONE
During wintertime (from the last Sunday in October to the last Sunday in March), the official time in mainland Portugal and Madeira is the Universal Time Coordinator (UTC). The rest of the year (the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October), summertime is in effect and the official time in mainland Portugal and Madeira is UTC+1.
CLIMATE
WINTER AVG°
SUMMER AVG°
Thanks to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, Lisbon has a pleasant climate throughout the year. In winter (JanuaryMarch), average temperatures are between 52 °F and 57 °F, with temperatures as low as 46 °F and as high as 64 °F. In summer (July-September) average temperatures are between 75 °F and 84 °F. Although temperatures may fall somewhat in the autumn and winter months, it hardly ever snows and the sun is almost always out, which make Lisbon suitable to visit year-round. 165 PRODUCTIONS OF THE WORLD:
SHOOTING LOCATIONS IN LISBON: LISBON IS QUITE A COMPACT CITY AND RELATIVELY EASY TO NAVIGATE. THERE ARE FEW AREAS/NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE CONSIDERED.
COBBLED STREETS / CHURCHES
NIGHTLIFE / TRENDY BOUTIQUES / DESIGNED HOTELS
ARTSY DISTRICTS
50’S STYLE APARTMENTS
AMOREIRAS TOWERS
Alfama and Graca are the historic districts below Castelo de São Jorge, reknowned for their maze of cobbled streets and churches.
Barrio Alto and Chiado are Lisbon’s nightlife hub, full of hip trendy boutiques, old-fashioned stores and cool hotels.
Restelo and Alcantara are artsy districts on the riverbank.
Avenidas Novas is downtown and filled with 1950s-style apartment blocks.
Amoreiras and Campo de Ourique are the offices and residential blocks where the Amoreiras Towers are located.
SQUARES
CASTLES & TOWERS
OUTSIDE LISBON
Lisbon is dotted with historic squares that can serve as an authentic backdrop for a shoot.
As one of the oldest nation in Europe, Portugal is home to numerous castles and towers.
Lisbon has the advantage of being at the center of Portugal. Traveling times have been reduced by a new highway system and a network of trains and airports. Here are some suggestions for locations outside Lisbon (all less than a hour away), either for a visit or a location shoot.
Praca do Comercio (Commerce Square) is also referred to as the Palace Square (Terreiro do Paco) Rossio Square is the way locals refer to the historical Praca de Dom Pedro the king Praca da Figueira (Square of the Fig Tree) is located in Baixa district of Lisbon Praca dos Restauradores is also located in Baixa district and is close to Rossio Square Praca do Marques de Pombal is located between Liberty Avenue and Eduardo Park. Also in the Baixa district and it is a major public transportation hub of the city
Castelo de São Jorge is located at the top of the tallest of Lisbon´s seven hills, above the old Moorish quarter. The castle is clearly visible from a distance and is famous for its panoramic views of the city and surrounding countryside. You have to request permission in advance to shoot there. Contact the Egeac organization - egeac.pt Belém Tower is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built by the military architect Francisco de Arruda, who built several fortresses in Portuguese territories in Morocco. The Moorish influence manifests itself in the delicate ornamentations, arched windows, balconies and ribbed cupolas of the watchtowers. Palacio Belmonte may be considered one of the most veiled secrets in Lisbon, but its history is the story of Portugal itself. It’s the oldest building of its kind in the city—it was built in 1449, atop ancient Roman and Moorish walls. Today Palacio Belmonte serves as a luxury boutique hotel and numerous fashion shoots and productions take place there. The site is owned and managed by Fredric Coustols; to book a shoot or room, contact him at www.palaciobelmonte.com.
Sintra has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to its numerous royal retreats, castles and estates dating from the eighth and ninth century. You can find Castelo dos Mouros, the Pena National Palace, Quinta da Regaleira and the Sintra National Palace. Mafra is well known for the Palacio de Mafra, a baroque palace that inspired the Portuguese writer José Saramago for one of his novels. Estoril Coast includes several smaller boroughs and localities along the coastline, such as São Pedro do Estoril, São João do Estoril, Santo António do Estoril and Monte Estoril. Cascais is a coastal town in the Cascais Municipality, which is considered to be one of the richest municipalities in Portugal. It used to be a fishing village, but has since expanded into a beach resort and serves as a weekend retreat for Lisbon residents.
Praca do Imperio (The Empire Square) is located in the Belem district and considered as a major tourist hotspot.
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GENERAL INFORMATION INTERNET
VISA REQUIREMENT
LANGUAGE
HOLIDAYS
Lisbon is a wired city and a lot of places have Wi-Fi. However, not everywhere is it free. You can either rent a cell phone or buy a local Sim card (to use with your American cell phone) at one of the Vodafone or TMN stores.
Portugal is part of the Schengen Agreement. As such, U.S. citizens are permitted to stay in the country for 90 days without a visa. Passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay. Portuguese law requires some non-European Union foreign nationals to register with immigrations officials within three working days of entering Portugal. (The law only affects those who transit through another Schengen area country by air en route to Portugal and stay at non-commercial accommodations.) If you would like to ensure that your entry is properly documented, you may need to request a stamp at an official point of entry.
The official language is Portuguese, but some areas have different dialects. In most parts of Lisbon you can find people who speak English fluently, most likely in touristic places, museums, hotels, restaurants and bars.
Beside the catholic holidays, Portugal observes the following: Freedom Day - April 25 Workers Day - May 1 Portugal Day - June 10 Feast of the Assumption August 15
* USEFUL INFORMATION:
COUNTRY CODE 351.
21.
CITY CODE FOR LISBON
TO CALL FROM THE US TO LISBON, DIAL
011351-21XXXXXXX VIDEO FORMAT IS PAL
Power Outlet Format is 230/400 VOLTS at a frequency of 50 hertz, and sockets comply with European standards. Better bring a 230-volt transformer and an adaptor to use American style flat prong plugs.
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A DIVERSE CITY TO SHOOT IN.
PRODUCTIONS OF THE WORLD:
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TRANSPORTATION: People drive on the right side of the road. Unless otherwise indicated, vehicles coming from the right have priority in squares and intersections. Road signs comply with international rules.
TAXIS
CAR OR VAN RENTAL
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
TRAIN STATIONS
The majority of taxis in Lisbon are cream colored, although the traditional black with a green roof design has been making a comeback. Taxis are quite common and easy to find. Most taxi drivers speak or understand English. A ride from the airport to the center of the city will cost approximately 20 to 35€.
There are several car rental companies at the airport, including Europcar, Hertz, Avis and Budget, among others. The cost for renting a vehicle depends on the destination—in Lisbon, the average charge is 80€ per week. To rent a car you must be at least between the ages of 21 to 25 and have a valid ID/passport. Drivers should have their license for more than one year.
Lisbon offers various options for public transportation: buses, trams and the metro system. Regular service is provided from 5am until midnight. Early morning routes operate from midnight to 5am. Regular bus ticket in the city costs 1.75€. Regular metro ticket in the city costs 1.25€
There are various train stations in Lisbon that connect the city to other destinations in Portugal; Cais do Sodre (Lisboa-Cascais) Rossio (Lisboa-Sintra) Gare do Oriente (Lisboa-Algarve) Santa Apolonia (Portugal and Europe)
You can easily take a bus from the airport to the city center: Aerobus 91 runs from 7:30am- 10:30pm and departs every 20 minutes. One-way ride costs 3.5€.
GUIDES For more ideas, check out these online city guides:
TIME OUT LISBOA timeout.sapo.pt
LE COOL LISBOA lisboa.lecool.com
LISBON LUX lisbonlux.com
GO LISBON golisbon.com
LISBON CITY GUIDE viator.com
PHAIDON WALL PAPER CITY GUIDE LISBON 2012 Ipad App
LOCATION PERMITS:
Lisbon has a variety of castles, old towers, hidden gardens, parks, public squares, monuments and promenades along the hills and the Tagus river—all serve as beautiful backdrops for shoots. Photographers, commercial film crews (for advertising, television, video clips, etc.) must obtain a permit. Contact Lisboa Film Commission - www.cm-lisboa.pt/en/business/lisboa-film-commission. National parks and monuments should be asked individually.
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CREW: The best and easiest way to find your crew is to hire a local production company or a producer, as they can recommend the right people based on your needs and budget. Production Paradise is a good resource to find local talents - productionparadise.com.
PRODUCTION AGENCY: .CRU - cru.pt
Production Service Portugal - productionportugal.com Artists Group - artists-group.com Gaby Correa Productions gabycorreaproductions.com
MODELS AGENCY:
PHOTO ASSISTANT
WARDROBE STYLIST:
Hugo Jose facebook.com /hugo.jose.10 Michael Santos michaelsantosphoto.com
HAIR:
STUDIO AND EQ
L’Agence - lagence.pt Central Models - centralmodels.pt
Strazzera - strazzera.pt Agency 37 - agenceg37.com Susana Marques Pinto pulpfashion.pt
Strazzera - strazzera.pt Paulo Vieira - paulo-vieira.com
MAKE UP:
Strazzera - strazzera.pt Alex Me Make Up alexmemakeup.com Agency 37 - agenceg37.com
PHOTO EQUIPMENT RENTAL: Photo Graphicas photographicas.com Digital Azul - digitalazul.pt
G9 Studio - g9studiolx. blogspot.pt
LOCATION SCOUT .CRU cru.pt/hOme.html Production Service Portugal productionportugal. com/
Sivan Askayo: www.sivanaskayo.com
Artists Group artists-group.com/ home/
PRODUCER: Marylin Alexander, Artists Group artists-group.com Travelling Films travellingproductions.com
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PRODUCTIONS OF THE WORLD:
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FOOD FOOD AND DRINKS
RECOMMENDED HOTELS: Funny enough, it seems that most international hotel conglomerates have bypassed the city. However, Lisbon is well dotted with a wide range of hotels and boutique hotels have recently spread in the city. Barrio Alto Hotel bairroaltohotel.com
Portugal has a long fishing tradition, and it shows in the amount of fish and seafood eaten there. During summer, it’s very common to get grilled sardines on the streets of Lisbon, better followed with a cold beer. Portugal is also known for its pastries and rich egg-based desserts; the most common one is Pasties de Nata. There are a lot of bakeries in Lisbon, but one of the most popular ones is Confeitaria Nacional (founded in 1829) and located in Praca da Figueira 18 - confeitarianacional.com
Prices vary in function of the type of establishment and whether or not they include a table service. An espresso coffee (which is very popular and referred to as “bica”): 0.6-1.5€ A glass of natural orange juice: 2.50€ A glass of beer or Coca Cola: 2-4€ A glass of wine: 3-5€ An average full meal in a snack bar can cost 8-11€, 13-20€ in a restaurant and 30-50€ in an upscale fashionable restaurant (or Fado house).
Four Season Hotel Ritz fourseasons.com/lisbon Gat Rossio gatroomspt.com Heritage Avenida de Liberdade - heritageavliberdade.com
MONEY
Hotel Fonte Cruz eng.fontecruzhoteles.com LX Boutique Hotel lxboutiquehotel.pt The Independente theindependente.pt
RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS AND BARS: Aqui ha Peixe aquihapeixe.pt Belcanto by Jose Avillez - joseavillez.pt/#/en/belcanto Can The Can canthecanlisboa.com Feitoria restaurantefeitoria.com Kaffee Haus kaffeehaus-lisboa.com Pensao Amor facebook.com/pensaoamor The Decadente thedecadente.pt Ramiro cervejariaramiro.pt Restaurante Eleven restauranteleven.com
CURRENCY
EXCHANGE MONEY
COST OF LIVING
TIPPING
The currency in Portugal is Euro. The exchange rate with the $US $1= 0.75 Euros (as of June 2013).
Banks might be the best place to exchange money. They are open from 8:30am to 3pm, form Monday to Friday. ATMs are identified by the symbol MB (Multibanco).
In the last couple of years, Portugal has been in an economic recession, much like other countries in Europe, such as Spain and Greece. While locals buy less and tighten their budgets, Lisbon is becoming a more affordable destination for foreign tourists. Lisbon’s affordability has always been one of the city’s main advantages—now more than ever!
Service is included in restaurants’ bills, though it is customary to leave an additional tip of 5-10% of the total. Tipping a taxi driver is at the passenger’s discretion, though it is normal to tip 5-10% or round the amount up to the nearest euro.
Transportation:
Driving is on the right in Portugal. Unless otherwise indicated, vehicles coming from the right have priority in squares and intersections. Road signs comply with international rules.
TAXIS
CAR OR VAN RENTAL
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
TRAIN STATIONS
The majority of the taxis in Lisbon are creamcolor, although recently there is a returning to the black color taxis with a green roof (what used to be called the traditional Portuguese style) The taxis are quite common in Lisbon and easy to find. The fare is shown on the taximeter. If you call for a taxi in advance, you have to pay an extra of 1 Euro The maximum number of people in one taxi is four people (vans taxis are even more) and the majority of the taxi drivers speak or understand English. A ride from the airport to the center of the city will cost approx 20-35 Euros.
There are car rental services at airports, international rail terminuses and in the main towns and cities. To rent a car you must be at least between 21-25 (depending on the company’s rental policy) and have a valid ID/Passport to show identification. Each driver should have a driving license for more than one year. There are several car rental companies within the airport including Europcar, Hertz, Avis, and Budget among others. The charges for renting a vehicle depend on the destination. To Lisbon, the average charge is €80 per week.
There are various options to choose from for public transportation; Buses, trams and metro system. Regular service is provided from 5am until midnight. Early morning routes operate from midnight to 5am. Regular bus ticket in the city costs 1.75 Euro Regular metro ticket in the city costs 1.25 Euro CARRIS Public Transportation http://www.carris.pt/ Matro/Subway lines http://www.metrolisboa.pt/ You can easily take a bus from the airport to the city center; Aerobus 91 that runs from 7:30am22:30pm and departs every 20 minutes. One way ride costs 3.5 Euro
There are various train stations in Lisbon that connect the city to other destinations in Portugal; Cais do Sodre (Lisboa-Cascais) Rossio (Lisboa-Sintra) Gare do Oriente (Lisboa-Algarve) Santa Apolonia (Portugal and Europe)
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ARTS
& entertainment BOOK CLUB
Summer Reading Reviews by Michael Corsentino
PETER LINDBERGH: IMAGES OF WOMEN INTRODUCTION BY MARTIN HARRISON
PUBLISHED BY SCHIRMER/MOSEL 312 PAGES
As Martin Harrison writes in his forward to Peter Lindberg’s Images of Women, “The best fashion photographs are photographs of people first and fashion second.” This gorgeous collection of black-and-white images spanning Lindbergh’s impressive career is proof of this. Lindberg’s iconic images from the ‘80s and ‘90s helped usher the era of the supermodel and left an indelible mark, influencing an entire generation of fashion photographers. Long out of print, Images of Women has been rereleased and includes over 300 pages of portraits, fashion work and candids of some the world’s most beautiful and interesting women, including Isabella Rossellini, Sharon Stone, Catherine Deneuve, Charlotte Rampling and Darryl Hannah, along with Lindberg’s signature images of supermodels. By bringing us back to a time when photographs were made without digital production values, this book reminds us that true beauty lies in the imperfect. A few spreads unfortunately contain faces bisected by the page gutter, however this a small quibble for an otherwise splendid book.
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THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S MBA:
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS BY SAL CINCOTTA PUBLISHED BY PEACHPIT PRESS 192 PAGES
The business of photography—an often neglected but critical subject—gets a fresh light cast on it in two recent books. Photography business guru Sal Cincotta’s The Photographer’s MBA: Everything You Need to Know for Your Photography Business leads readers through the sometimes confusing business side of photography. Cincotta explains how to structure your business, draw up business and marketing plans, set and reach new goals, implement successful branding, and understand costs, pricing and contracts. The book’s no-nonsense style, solid guidance and “next steps” and exercise sections at the end of each chapter will help you get on the road to better business.
PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS SECRETS:
THE SAVVY PHOTOGRAPHER’S GUIDE TO SALES, MARKETING, AND MORE BY LARA WHITE PUBLISHED BY WHILEY 336 PAGES
Photographer Lara White has collected the best advice from her popular photography business website, PhotoMint.com, into her recent book, Photography Business Secrets: The Savvy Photographer’s Guide to Sales, Marketing, and More. White covers topics such as establishing your brand, defining studio policies, setting prices, creating a marketing plan, networking, understanding your audience, and using social media effectively. The book is a welcomed addition as it provides clear, concise and useful business guidance on one of the most important topics for photographers today.
ARTS: BOOK CLUB -“Summer Reading” Page 181
PLUG IN WITH NIK: A PHOTOGRAPHER’S GUIDE TO CREATING DYNAMIC IMAGES WITH NIK SOFTWARE BY JOHN BATDORFF PUBLISHED BY PEACHPIT PRESS 240 PAGES
In Plug In with Nik: A Photographer’s Guide to Creating Dynamic Images with Nik Software, landscape and travel shooter John Batdorff digs deep into the Nik suite of plug-ins available for Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom and Apple Aperture. Using a complete start-to-finish workflow approach, Batdorf clearly guides readers how to best create dynamic landscapes, portraits and streetscapes using Nik tools. Readers learn how to combine existing presets, create their own presets, understand global and selective adjustments, and much more.
PLUG IN WITH ONONE SOFTWARE:
A PHOTOGRAPHER’S GUIDE TO VISION AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION BY NICOLE S. YOUNG PUBLISHED BY PEACHPIT PRESS 352 PAGES
Plug In with onOne Software: A Photographer’s Guide to Vision and Creative Expression by commercial shooter Nicole S. Young walks readers through each of the seven integrated programs that comprise onOne’s Perfect Photo Suite, as well as Perfect Layers, a plug-in exclusively for Lightroom. Young’s relaxed style, clear and easy to understand instructions and well laid-out examples make this book a useful reference guide and enjoyable read for onOne users.
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HERB RITTS: LA STYLE BY PAUL MARTINEAU, JAMES CRUMP
PUBLISHED BY J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM 224 PAGES
Herb Ritts: L.A. Style, a monograph from The J. Paul Getty Museum and companion to the 2012 traveling exhibit of the same name, pays tribute to the broad range of commercial and personal work produced by Ritts from the late ‘70s until his untimely death in 2002. Looking through his unforgettable portraits of Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Cindy Crawford, Ritts’s impact on fashion and the burgeoning supermodel era of the ‘80s is unmistakable. At his height, he photographed all the big names of the day, producing celebrity portraits of Madonna, Elton John, Richard Gere, David Bowie and many others, for GQ, Interview, Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair. Despite his commercial success producing iconic images for the leading fashion designers of the time, Ritts felt his personal work and fine art nudes were his greatest accomplishment. These images were lesser know to me and are truly something to behold and learn from. His use of light, form and composition to communicate strength and poise evince his true genius. An avid collector and scholar of photography, Ritts drew inspiration from many of the greats before him but was inarguably a true visionary in his own right.
PHOTOGRAPHING SHADOW AND LIGHT:
INSIDE THE DRAMATIC LIGHTING TECHNIQUES AND CREATIVE VISION OF PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER JOEY L. BY JOEY L., DAVID HOBBY PUBLISHED BY AMPHOTO BOOKS 176 PAGES Admittedly, I’m a lighting geek and long-time fan of Joey L. for his commercial and social portrait photography. Don’t let my personal biases dissuade you from looking into his recently released Photographing Shadow and Light: Inside the Dramatic Lighting Techniques and Creative Vision of Portrait Photographer Joey L. The book is beautifully laid-out and contains more than eighty-five stunning portraits and a behind-the-scenes look into fifteen of his photo shoots. Also included are detailed lighting diagrams, Joey’s personal philosophy and a foreword from “Strobist” David Hobby. The book pulls back the curtain on the lighting wunderkind’s creative process, speaks of the importance of pre-visualization and looks at the fresh point of view, passion and drama Joey L. brings to his work.
ARTS: BOOK CLUB -“Summer Reading” Page 183
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MOVIES FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
8½ Turns Fifty By Jean-Paul Pretat – Illustration by Emil Rivera
8½ US RELEASE DATE: JUNE 25, 1963 DIRECTOR: FEDERICO FELLINI SCREENPLAY: FEDERICO FELLINI, ENNIO FLAIANO, TULLIO PINELLI, BRUNELLO RONDI CINEMATOGRAPHY: GIANNI DI VENANZO MUSIC: NINO ROTA PRODUCER: ANGELO RIZZOLI CAST: MARCELLO MASTROIANNI, CLAUDIA CARDINALE, ANOUK AIMEE, SANDRA MILO
In 1963 Frank Sinatra hosted the Oscars, and Federico Fellini’s film 8 ½ took home the award for Best Foreign Film. The movie marked Fellini’s departure from the rigors of Italian Neo-realism, a film movement following WWII that captured the harshness of postwar reality in Italy. 8 ½ marks the emergence of Fellini’s signature image-driven style. As we journey through dreams, fantasies, visions and the subconscious, we get to know our main character, Guido Anselmi, on a deeply personal level. Guido, at odds with himself, is trying to solve his director’s block but ends up solving a spiritual block instead. This is merely an overview of the work critic Roger Ebert called, “The best film ever made about filmmaking.” Fellini’s last film in black and white, 8 ½ is full of low levels of light or “hard lighting,” particularly in the flashback scenes, to express the intensity of memory. All of the lighting schemes reflect the internal struggles and attitudes of our main character—for example, while men are dimly lit, women are bathed in light like angels. Light and dark often take on a good versus evil, female versus male quality. The score by Nino Rota is an absolute triumph. A light on its feet, comic theme with moments of darkness and crescendo, it matches the film perfectly in tone. Rota worked on many films with Fellini and would go on to compose the music for Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather, for which he is perhaps best known. The rhythm of Fellini’s films however can be seen on screen as well as heard on the soundtrack: 8 ½ is well served by an Italian cinema style of the time, where Fellini played music while shooting and dubbed over the dialogue in post-production. This technique gives all of the characters a rhythm of their own that is well accented by the Rota’s soundtrack.
The film is famous for its stunning opening dream sequence where Guido sits in a tunnel in bumperto-bumper traffic. We glimpse visual representations of internal conflicts in his life: an old man sits in the back seat of a car driven by a woman. Another one pets the arm of his passenger, a young woman, as she gasps in theatrical delight. Guido begins to suffocate as his car fills with smoke. Onlookers study him from their vehicles, unconcerned. People are seen from the neck down, sitting in a bus or nearby cars; with no vision, we feel them staring at Guido as we hear him cough and choke, the only soundtrack of this eerie beginning scene. Guido eventually escapes from tunnel vision, floating out of his car window and up into the clouds—only to be pulled back down to Earth by a rope tied around his ankle. Fe l l i n i ’s c a m e r a i s a l w a y s purposeful. Early on, it rotates 360 degrees around the grounds of a health spa where Guido seeks refuge; taking us through a sea of people, the camera searches for a subject worthy of attention—the style matches Guido’s wandering state of searching for answers in both his personal and professional life. Camera shots will often begin without a defined subject; they will appear to be an establishing shot or a break in the narrative, simply showing the surrounding landscape, until after a few seconds actors will step into frame. This method nudges the audience to question and interpret both who and what is the subject of each scene. At some point, we see Guido sit on a bench to read his screenwriter’s notes about how his script “lacks a philosophical premise.” He’s shot from a distance; when he crumples the notes and throws them, the camera follow them, placing Guido at the edge of the shot instead of its center. So the notes (and what they say) are revealed to be the true subject of
the shot, not him. He then walks over and picks them up, and the camera tracks over as a train is pulling in— we now see he has been waiting at a train station. The train is now the subject of the shot as it motivates his being there. However, the writer’s notes stole the focus because of what they say about Guido—his ability to throw something away and then pick it up again reflects his crumpled up marriage and neglected wife. When he doesn’t see his mistress on the platform at first, he says he hopes she hasn’t come. But she has come—women have a way of barreling through Guido’s life. At the end of the shot, Guido steps out onto the middle of the tracks as the train slows to a stop. In contrast to his difficult relationships with women as an adult, Guido’s memories of his childhood show women as a constant and a source of refuge from the world. One of his memories is of ditching class at his catholic school: Guido and his friends go to see the larger-than-life buxom beach dweller, Saraghina, and pay her to dance seductively. She chooses Guido of all the boys and lifts him up out of the air into her arms—this being one of many images where Guido is lifted in the air by women, in contrast to male figures who pull him down. When caught, two priests chase him along the shore in almost Chaplin-like sped-up motion—Fellini’s gentle criticism of religion. The priests tell young Guido that Saraghina is the devil, but he immediately goes back to see her, dropping to his knees in the sand before her. He has found something to worship. Embrace your inner child, Fellini tells us, as he is both fearless, agelessand the only defense against stagnation.
ARTS: MOVIES FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS -“8 ½ turns Fifty” Page 185
GALLERY
VII
MAKING A CASE FOR PHOTOJOURNALISM AS ART, HOW VII IS FORGING A NEW COLLECTORS MARKET. By Janet Alexander – Photos courtesy of VII Gallery
By its nature, a photography gallery is a place of incidents, reflecting conditions of image making in both what and how it exhibits. While photography has been embraced by the art world, the acceptance of photojournalism’s artistic merits continues to lag. Incidentally enough, just two doors down from Resource Magazine sits the preeminent photojournalist agency VII. And with the resignation of its fourth and longest-serving Managing Director, Stephen Mayes, last spring, came the occasion for reflecting on the legacy of his tenure—namely, the VII Gallery. The outgrowth is not only emblematic of VII’s institutional progress, but is ushering in a change in the reception of its medium. The VII Photo Agency was initially founded as a pioneering collective of seven photojournalists in 2001, but over the course of Mayes’ five-year term, VII has reformed itself to more artfully manifest its genre. The Agency was formerly located in the Garment District of Manhattan, “up many stairs, pretty grim, very bleak, small and dark,” as Mayes remembers. It was 2007 when Mayes’ predecessor, Frank Evers, was approached by Two Trees Management, a New York-based real estate development company. At the time, the firm was just beginning to forge an “enlightened self-interest” deal, refurbishing Brooklyn’s historic Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass (DUMBO) district into one of New York’s premier art scenes by offering low to no rent spaces to creative and cultural businesses. Mayes describes the decision to move as, “a consequence of opportunity and strategy,” and less than a year after, in June 2008, he took on the Chief Executive Officer title.
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ARTS: GALLERY-“Gallery VII” Page 187
The L-shaped VII Gallery wraps around the corner where Jay and Plymouth Street intersect–just a block away from the East River–and as part of the cultural incubating scheme, it is obliged to bring in traffic in order to promote the surrounding neighborhood’s property value. Maximizing form to follow function, the gallery underwent a re-design eight months ago that resulted in adding more gallery wall space. The Gallery exhibits eight shows a year that typically run for six weeks each, but in an unprecedented effort to draw in more visitors, it no longer exclusively exhibits VII photographers’ work. Its first, “non-VII” show took place in the spring of 2009 and covered a familiar subject, i.e. conflict photography, but in a form not previously seen at VII: Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and First Second Books presented photos and illustrations from the graphic novel The Photographer. This past January, the gallery pushed beyond
DUMBO is steadily living up to the plans of its developers, growing into a reputable art destination, Mayes says, “We’re not competing with the New York art gallery scene.” The niche interest of the gallery puts it on the periphery–if not entirely outside–of the photo art market. “Our raison d’être is not to sell prints.” And though opening VII’s doors to a broader range of imagery may increase the potential commercial viability of photojournalism, he is just as quick to concede that photojournalism is, “not the most collectable form of photography.” What is collectable is very narrowly defined. “It’s very fashion driven–complex in conception,
a coherent narrative from layers of visual information is a hard sell. Its newly appointed CEO, Siobhan Riordan, w h o w a s p rev i o u s ly s e r v i n g a s t h e Operations Manager assisting Mayes with the production, logistics and scheduling of exhibitions, is embracing VII’s possibilities for education. The particulars are still in the early development stages, but in the coming year, Riordan is planning to partner with photography initiatives to develop a mentor program that emphasizes the merit of making a picture in contrast to taking a picture.
“There’s only a handful of places to go to see this work, and we’re making sure VII is a place in New York to see.”
“Look around at other galleries,” Mayes begins, “there’s only a handful of places to go to see this work, and we’re making sure VII is a place in New York to see.” While
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but simple in execution, with one clear subject, one plane of focus.” Speaking from over twenty-five years of experience, Mayes is enthusiastic to launch into the philosophical considerations of photography, as he expresses his frustrations with the collectors’ market. Mayes holds advertising responsible for training the public at-large to engage metaphorically with images and notes how, “finessed advertising photography is becoming the vernacular of documentary,” to become the object of buyers’ desires. The skill of a journalist is knowing the critical distinction between a picture that is about something and a picture that is of something. The former tells a story in a single frame by including extraneous information, or what is commonly called, “distracting” information, while the latter is a literal representation of a single subject that relies on viewers to infer or apply their own meaning. Apparently, the art of distilling
ABOVE: ©Stephanie Sinclair/VII Exhibition: Child Brides (2011) Surita, 16, looks out over the hill while waiting for the groom to show up to the wedding ceremony in Kagati Village, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal on Jan. 24 ,2007. The Kagati village, a Newar community, is most well known for its propensity towards early marriage. Many Hindu families believe blessings will come upon them if marry off their girls before their first menstruation. PREVIOUS PAGE: ©Ron Haviv/VII Exhibition: Haiti: 12 January 2010 (2010) People lie in front of a hospital without treatment at night in Port au Prince, Haiti on Jan. 13, 2010. An earthquake devastated much of the capital, killing thousands of people.
VII Gallery: www.viiphoto.com
the boundaries of its own customs, hosting a landmark showcase, Frieke Janssens’ “Smoking Kids.” Neither reportage nor journalism, this portraits series of children smoking cigarettes was, “the furthest reach, stylistically,” says Mayes, and redefined the aesthetic criteria of what VII displays. The gallery now features so-called, “issuebased” work, which was represented this past June in “Minescape,” a collection of landscape and still life photography by Brett Van Ort that Mayes explains is, “looking at the international issue of land mines as an aftermath of war.” As an adjunct to the photo agency, the gallery retains the central tenet of VII, which in Mayes words is, “dedicated to applying photography for positive change in the world.” To this end, issue-based images call attention to an incidence of social, cultural, political, environmental or sexual consequence that raise questions and challenge assumptions.
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MASSACHUSETTSBOSTON EQUIPMENT RENTAL Calumet Photographic* 105 First St. Cambridge, MA 02141 617.576.2600 www.calumetphoto.com
DIGITAL CAPTURE & FILM PRODUCTION Capture This NYC* 500 Broadway - 2nd Floor New York, NY 10012 646.801.8447 info@capturethisdigital.com www.capturethisnyc.com PHOTO EQUIPMENT ARC* 42 W 18th St. - 6th Fl. New York, NY 10011 212.627.8487 rent@adorama.com www.adoramarentals.com Calumet Photographic* 22 W 22nd St. New York, NY 10010 212.989.8500 www.calumetphoto.com
CSI Rentals* 133 W 19th St. New York, NY 10011 212.243.7368 www.csirentals.com Foto Care* 43 W 22nd St. New York, NY 10010 212.741.2991 rental@fotocare.com www.fotocare.com Headlight, inc.* 149 W 24th St. – Ground Floor New York, NY 10011 646.863.3070 www.headlightny.com ROOT [EQ] NYC* Capture, Post and Repair available 443 W 18th St. New York, NY 10011 212.645.2244 eq@rootnyc.com www.rootnyc.com ROOT [EQ] BKN* Capture, Post and Repair available 131 N 14th St. Brooklyn, NY 11211 718.349.2740 eq@rootbkn.com www.rootbkn.com Scheimpflug* 236 W 30th St. New York, NY 10001 212.244.8300 Info@scheimpflug.net www.scheimpflug.net,12 TREC [NYC]* 435 W 18th St. New York, NY 10011 212.727.1941 order@trecrental.com www.trecrental.com TREC [BROOKLYN]* 131 N 14th St. Brooklyn, NY 11211 718.349.2740 eq@rootbkn.com www.trecrental.com PHOTO LAB Duggal Visual Solutions* 29 W 23rd St. New York, NY 10010 212.242.7000 info@duggal.com www.duggal.com PRODUCTION COMPANY ajproductionsny, inc. 212.979.7585 ajprodnyc@mac.com www.ajproductionsny.com
PROP RENTALS Arenson Prop Center* 396 10th Ave. New York, NY 10001 212.564.8383 www.aof.com Prop N’ Spoon (Props For Today & The Spoon Group)* 32-00 Skillman Ave. - 3rd Fl. Long Island City, NY 11101 212.244.9600 info@propsfortoday.com www.propsfortoday.com www.thespoongroup.com The Prop Company* 111 W 19th St. - 8th Fl. New York, NY 10011 212.691.7767 propcompany@aol.com PROP STYLIST stylist@thepropstylist.com www.thepropstylist.com RENTAL STUDIOS 2 Stops Brighter* 231 W 29th St. New York, NY 10001 212.868.5555 info@2stopsbrighter.com www.2stopsbrighter.com 16 Beaver Street Studio 16 Beaver St. New York, NY 10004 212.425.4736 info@16beaverstudio.com www.16beaverstudio.com Above Studio 23 E 31st St. New York, NY 10016 212.545.0550 x3 info@abovestudiorental.com www.abovestudiorental.com Attic Studios 1105 44th Rd - 3rd Fl. Long Island City, NY 11101 718.360.1978 matt@atticstudios.net www.atticstudios.net Bathhouse Studios New York* 540 E 11th St. New York, NY 10009 212.388.1111 manager@bathhousestudios.com www.bathhousestudios.com Brooklyn Studios* 211 Meserole Ave. - 2nd Fl. Brooklyn, NY 11222 718.392.1007 brooklynstudios@verizon.net www.brooklynstudios.net
Camart Studio Rentals 6 W 20th St. - 4th Fl. New York, NY 10011 212.691.8840 rentals@camart.com www.camart.com
Dakota Studio 78 Fifth Ave. - 8th Fl. New York, NY 10011 212.691.2197 matt@dakotastudio.com www.dakotastudio.com
Gary’s Loft* 470 Flushing Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11205 917.837.2420 gary@garysloft.com www.garysloft.com
Jack Studios* 601 W 26th St. New York, NY 10001 212.367.7590 ron@jackstudios.com www.jackstudios.com
Canoe Studio* 601 W 26th St. – 14th Fl. New York, NY 10001 212. 924.9020 bookings@canoestudios.com www.canoestudios.com
elk Studios* 164 W 25th St. – 12th Fl. New York, NY 10001 212.252.8550 rentals@elkrentals.com www.elkrentals.com
Go Studios* 245 W 29th St. New York, NY 10001 212.564.4084 info@go-studios.com www.go-studios.com
Lightspace Studio* 1115 Flushing Ave. Brooklyn, New York 11237 212.202.0372 reserve@lightspace.tv www.lightspace.tv
Contra Studios* 122 W. 26th St. - 5th Fl. New York, NY 10001 646.480.5506 www.contrastudios.com
Factory Studios* 79 Lorimer St. Brooklyn, NY 11206 718.690.3980 carrie@factorybrooklyn.com www.factorybrooklyn.com
Go Studios Penthouse* 318 W 39th St. New York, NY 10018 212.564.4084 info@go-studios.com www.go-studios.com
Dune Studios NYC* 121 Varick St. New York, NY 10013 212.235.6500 info@dunestudiosnyc.com www.dunestudiosnyc.com
Fast Ashleys Brooklyn* 95 N 10th St. Brooklyn, NY 11249 718.782.9300 michael@fastashleysstudios.com www.fastashleysstudios.com
Good Light Studio* 450 W 31st St. - #9C New York, NY 10001 212.629.3764 manager@goodlightstudio.com www.goodlightstudio.com
Cinema World Studios 220 Dupont St. Greenpoint, NY 11222 718.389.9800 cinemaworldfd@verizon.net www.cinemaworldstudios.com
Gary’s Manhattan Penthouse Loft* 28 W 36th St. - PH New York, NY 10018 917.837.2420 gary@garysloft.com www.garysloft.com
Industria Superstudio* 775 Washington St. New York, NY 10014 212.366.1114 info@industrianyc.com www.industrianyc.com
Location 05* 509 W 34th St. – 2nd Fl. New York, NY 10001 212.219.2144 info@location05.com www.location05.com Metrodaylight Studio* 450 W 31st St. - 8 & 9th Fl. New York, NY 10001 212.967.2000 info@metromotion.com www.metromotion.com Milk/Formula* 450 W 15th St. New York, NY 10011 212.645.2797 www.milkstudios.com
daylight...tungsten...bi-color Battery Options
F-stop Control
Daylight Model
Bi-color Model
Tungsten Model
www.limelite.us.com
DMX Built-in
Light Wall
Power LED
AC / DC Powered
Remote Link
Get Creative with optional accessories including...
Get Creative with Pro-level specifications including...
• Color Control Filter Set • Color Control FX Set • 2x1 Joining Kit • 2x2 Joining Kit • Barn-Door Set • Ceiling Mounting Kit
• Up to 5200 Lux • DMX Input & DMX Output for remote operation • User-set power or f-stop mode* • Bright digital display • Mains or Battery Operation
The Mosaic from Limelite is a 12” square LED panel which is available as a daylight balanced panel, a tungsten panel or even as a bi-color panel with variable color temperature...the choice is yours...
Up to 3 times brighter than comparable LED panels ‘Limelite’® is a registered trademarks of Bowens International Ltd. All models and technical specifications featured here are subject to change and without notice. © 2013 Bowens International Ltd. *f-stop mode not available on Bi-color model
Neo Studios* 628 Broadway - #302 New York, NY 10012 212.533.4195 mail@neostudiosnyc.com www.neostudiosnyc.com NoHo Productions* 636 Broadway - 8th Fl. New York, NY 10012 212.228.4068 info@nohoproductions.com www.nohoproductions.com Picture Ray Studio* 245 W 18th St. New York, NY 10011 212.929.6370 bookings@pictureraystudio.com www.pictureraystudio.com Pier 59 Studios Pier #59 - 2nd Fl. New York, NY 10011 212.691.5959 booking@pier59studios.com www.pier59studios.com Pure Space* 601 W 26th St. - #1225A New York, NY 10001 212.937.6041 rida@purespacenyc.com www.purespacenyc.com ROOT [Drive-In]* EQ, Capture and Post available 443 W 18th St. New York, NY 10011 212.645.2244 bookings@rootnyc.com www.rootnyc.com
ROOT [Brooklyn]* EQ, Capture and Post available 131 N 14th St. Brooklyn, NY 11211 718.349.2740 bookings@rootbkn.com www.rootbkn.com Shoot Digital* 23 E 4th St. New York, NY 10003 212.353.3330 info@shootdigital.com www.shootdigital.com Shooting Kitchen* 13-17 Laight St. #12 New York, NY 10013 917.262.0816 jackie@shootingkitchen.com www.shootingkitchen.com Studios LIC* 2107 Borden Ave. - 5th Fl. Long Island City, NY 11101 347.689.4388 info@studioslic.com www.studioslic.com Some Studio 150 W 28th St. - #1602 New York, NY 10001 212.691.7663 somebody@somestudio.com www.somestudio.com Splashlight* 75 Varick St. - 3rd Fl. New York, NY 10013 212.268.7247 info@splashlight.com www.splashlight.com Studio 225 Chelsea* 225 W 28th St. - #2 New York, NY 10001 917.882.3724 james@jamesweberstudio.com www.studio225chelsea.com
Studio LIC* 21-07 Borden Ave. Long Island City, NY 11101 646.275.4090 info@studioslic.com www.studioslic.com Sun Studios* 628 Broadway - 6th Fl. New York, NY 10012 212.387.7777 sunstudios@sunnyc.com www.sunstudios.com Sun West Studios* 450 W 31st St. - 10th Fl. New York, NY 10001 212.330.9900 bookings@sunwestnyc.com www.sunwestnyc.com Tribeca Skyline Studios* 205 Hudson St. - PH New York, NY 10013 212.344.1999 bookings@tribecaskyline.com www.tribecaskyline.com SURFACE RENTALS Surface Studio* 242 W 30th St. - #1202 New York, NY 10001 212.244.6107 www.surfacestudio.com WARDROBE RENTALS RRRentals* 245 W 29th St. - #11 New York, NY 10001 212.242.6120 info@rrrentalsny.com www.rrrentalsny.com WARDROBE SUPPLY Manhattan Wardrobe Supply* 245 W 29th St. - 8th Fl. New York, NY 10001 212.268.9993 info@wardrobesupplies.com www.wardrobesupplies.com
PENNSYLVANIAPHILADELPHIA PHOTO EQUIPMENT Calumet Photographic* 1400 S. Columbus Blvd Philadelphia, PA 19147 215.399.2155 www.calumetphoto.com
VIRGINIA- VIENNA
PHOTO EQUIPMENT Penn Camera Tysons Corner* 8357-E Leesburg Pike Vienna, VA 22182 703.893.7366 www.calumetphoto.com
WASHINGTON D.C PHOTO EQUIPMENT Penn Camera E Street* 840 E. St. NW Washington, DC 20004 202.347.5777 www.calumetphoto.com
*Distribution sites.
FOR LISTING OR ADVERTISING INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT US AT: info@resourcemagonline.com
36 E 30th St NEw York NY 10016 212 457 0095 highlight-StudioS.com
Your Vision “Apricot” by Ben Briand
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Still life.
NOHO PRODUCTIONS
www.nohoproductions.com