Emerging Photographer, Vol. 11, No. 1

Photographer / Project

S P R I N G 2 019

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Ruairidh McGlynn / Revisited

PHOTO © RUAIRIDH MCGLYNN

Spring ’19

Ruairidh McGlynn, Revisited The photographer continues to explore the delicate relationship between nature and human occupation.

In the last issue of Emerging Photographer, we featured Ruairidh McGlynn, a Scottish photographer whose series “Emerging Land” explores the highlands of Scotland. McGlynn told us that he intentionally captures scenes from a distance, “showing people as small in their surroundings, perhaps communicating that the natural landscape is of serious consequence to those that inhabit it.” In his new work, McGlynn has continued to explore the tension between man and nature, and the meaning of wilderness.

RM: I am inspired by the paintings of artists Casper David Friedrich and Waller Hugh Paton. I’m interested in documenting the landscape in extreme weather conditions because it produces more evocative work and I lean towards using a fixed lens because it helps provide greater discipline in my composition. When these two elements are combined, I can connect better with my surroundings.

Emerging Photographer: When we spoke last year, you mentioned that your work is driven by social issues. Is this still true today in your work?

RM: I’m embarking on a new series that explores how past events have been inscribed into the landscape by human occupation.

The main focus for this series will be the built environment, documenting areas of past historical importance that are now at the margins of the human imagination. This project will highlight how time and decay have transformed these structures and the surrounding landscape in the past and present.

EM: What’s next for you?

Ruairidh McGlynn: I enjoy immersing myself in sparsely populated areas, and I’m driven by a desire to seek out and highlight unfamiliar territory. I’m drawn to places where the human impact on the landscape is less obvious, and I’m interested in examining areas that are on the periphery of society. My hope is that viewers will give the delicate relationship between mankind and the landscape greater consideration.

—Interview by Katelyn Peters PRESENTED BY

BHPHOTO BHPHOTOVIDEO

EM: It’s clear from the body of work on your website that the same aesthetic is present across many of your projects. How do you achieve this?

BHPHOTO BHPHOTO

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Emerging I S S U E 1 V O L . 11 S P R I N G 2 0 19

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Gannon Brousseau

INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO Philip Evans

GROUP PUBLISHER Mark Brown (646) 668-3702

CHIEF INFAORMATION OFFICER Bill Charles

DIRECTOR, CREATIVE SERVICES Moneer Masih-Tehrani

VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY David Gosling

SENIOR EDITOR Katelyn Peters

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE Dave Sunderland

DESIGNER Nora Molina

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING SERVICES Joanne Wheatley

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Kelly Holodak

VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES Eileen Deady

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Daniel Ryan

A PUBLICATION OF

JURY Katelyn Peters Stacey Goldberg Nora Molina Peter Berberian (Contest Manager, PDN, Rf and WPPI) Libby Peterson (Features Editor, Rangefinder) Conor Risch (Senior Editor, PDN)

PHOTO © AVA WILLAIMS

Masthead

CIRCULATION Lori Golczewski

SHOW DIRECTOR Mike Gangel (646) 668-3717 ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Dennis Tyhacz (646) 668-3779 Joseph Kowalsky (646) 668-3694 Tim Payne (646) 668-3738 EMERGING PHOTOGRAPHER 100 BROADWAY FLOOR 14, NEW YORK, NY 10005

On the Cover From Ava Williams' series The Twins. Williams explored her relationship with her twin sister, Chloe, through photography, diving into her true feelings about twinhood. According to Williams, life is different when your closest companion looks exactly like you.

Emerging Photographer is brought to you by Photo+, home to PDN and Rangefinder

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Spring ’19

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Ruairidh McGlynn Revisited

Letter from the Editor Photo © Laura Affolter

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Letter from the Editor Katelyn Peters

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Ava Williams The Twins

Karolina Ćwik National Good

20 Jordan Walczak Recent Works

Jacob Boll Disruptors

28 Jasmine De Silva How to Build Your Human

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14

22

Trending Color

Xavier Goins Built of Jade

Charlotte Margot Bergan Highlander Her

30 Sami Drasin Celebrity Portraits

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Visual Trends

16 Levi Mendel New Landscape

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Crummy Gummy (Mauricio Morilla) Salad Days

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Art Openings

Table of Contents

08 How Did You Meet?

Micaiah Carter & Emily Keegin

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A Letter From The Editor

How do you stay true to your artistic vision? In the following pages, you will get a glimpse of the unique way that ten artists respond to the complexity of the world through photography. They are expressing their own position in the world: their relationship to themselves and their relationship to the current cultural, economic and political situation.

Editor’s Letter

I think of artists as “shock absorbers” because they let themselves be bothered. They take in the events around them—from the smallest moments to national tragedies or their complicated relationships with their families—and they respond. They pick up their cameras and do something. They resist complacency and mindless escapes from the difficult questions raised by the world, by their interactions with other humans and by historical and current events, and they provide a way for the rest of us to understand and see the world. Artists and photographs are the bravest people I know and ensuring that their work is seen by a wider audience is the most rewarding part of my job.

As the Editor of Emerging Photographer, it was a privilege to learn more about the world and about these photographers by seeing through their eyes. I hope you also enjoy this opportunity. To view the digital edition of Emerging Photographer and to learn more about our 2019 contest, visit emergingphotographer.com.

Katelyn Peters

Guest Judge Elise Swopes

Thank You!

Elise Swopes is a self-taught photographer, graphic designer and marketing influencer. Her mission is to create art with a message that has the ability to reach millions and continue to innovate in the increasingly multimedia landscape of digital communication.

Photographers in this issue will receive a Canon camera, a Canon printer, and a $100 B&H Photo gift card.

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B hany Vargas

Chantal Anderson

@bethany.vargas

@chantalaanderson

lle Janee Jon s

@jnlljns

Trending Color

B haarngays V

@bethany.var

Chantal Anderson

gas

@chantala an

derson

lle Janee Jon s @jnlljns

TRENDING COLOR 16-1546 Living Coral

Pantone chose Living Coral as their 2019 Color of the Year. They describe Living Coral as “an animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge.” Every year, Pantone’s Color of the Year informs all elements of design, from visual arts to fashion.

Here are some photos with color elements inspired by PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral.

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These images capture some of the most captivating, current visual trends.

From the resurgence of film photography to the end of minimalism, we’re excited to see some of our favorite photographers, including PDN’s 30 and past Emerging Photographer winners, incorporating these new techniques and styles into their recent work.

PHOTO © KILIII YUYAN @kiliiiyuyan

Visual Trends

PHOTO © HOLLIE FERNANDO @holliefernando

This trend represents the current desire for authenticity.

People want to relate to the subjects they see in portraits and fashion photography, so diversity of all types, including body types, has replaced impossible-to-achieve postures and heavily retouched images.

PHOTO © ANTONIO PRIVITERA ©antonioprivitera_art

PHOTO © MAGGIE SHANNON @maggieshannon

Visual Trends

(left)

(left)

Minimalism is out! Gone are the days of one clear subject and surrounding white space. This trend is defined by intricate lighting and set design and prioritizes the theatrical elements of storytelling.

Spring ’19

Representing social causes is no longer limited to photojournalism, and social media has provided a platform that gives everyone an opportunity to take a stand. More art photographers are using their images to spread awareness about social and environmental causes, especially causes that are personally significant to them.

PHOTO Š PAUL SIMON @notpaulsimon

(left)

(above)

This trend is inspired by the DIY elements of zines, incorporating photo collage, paper cutouts, noise and grain textures and roughedged layers into imagemaking.

Visual Trends

(above)

This trend’s message is simple: everything old is new again. From the Huji filter to the number of photographers who are returning to film photography, nostalgia reigns.

(right)

Inspired by the opulence of the 1980s, this trend is defined by clashing materials, patterns like snakeskin and leopard print, and flourishes of fur and hard metal textures.

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How Did You Meet?

How Did You Meet?

These days, it seems like everyone is meeting online.

Photographers are forming relationships with new clients through their Internet presence, especially on social media apps. Emily Keegin, director of photography at The FADER, says that Instagram is the only way she discovers new photographers, such as Micaiah Carter, who she worked with on a shoot in The FADER’s Fall Fashion

Emily Keegin

Micaiah Carter

Issue in August 2018. Emily and

Director of Photography, The Fader

Photographer

Micaiah sat down with Emerging Photographer to talk about best practices for marketing yourself as an artist in the social-media era.

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This spread: Images from the article “Skip it: The best fall clothes for breaking the rules” in The Fader’s Fall 2018 Fashion issue. Micaiah Carter was hired by Emily Keegin for this shoot.

How Did You Meet?

ALL PHOTOS © MICAIAH CARTER

Emerging Photographer: Emily, you’ve said that Instagram is the only way you find new photographers. Why do you prefer looking at a photographer’s Instagram over their website?

Micaiah Carter: I didn’t really use a specific strategy. I used my Instagram as a moodboard for my work. I tend to like Instagram a bit more because you can be selective about what you share.

Emily Keegin: I’ve noticed that photographers are freer with their edits on Instagram. This grants me a better insight into the photographer’s creative process and artistic vision. That said, websites are still helpful. A well functioning up-to-date website means you’re a responsible and dedicated professional.

This is a good thing. Great photographers have a website that feels like a solid artistic statement and an Instagram that shows the joy of creative process.

EP: Emily, can you describe how you found Micaiah’s work on Instagram?

EK: I found Micaiah through stylist Shibon Kennedy’s feed. She had worked with him on a project and tagged the photos. I really liked the images and tumbled into Micaiah’s work that way.

EP: Micaiah, have you gotten any other work from clients who found you on Instagram?

Emerging Photographer: Micaiah, you have over 38,000 followers on Instagram. Did you use a specific strategy for building your Instagram audience?

MC: I have for sure! I think art directors and producers use it as a guide now to find new photographers.

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How Did You Meet?

Emerging

Styling: Shibon Kennedy Casting: Sarah Benjamin Production: Jacqueline Ladner Photo Assist: Nigel Ho Sang

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Spring ’19

EP: What are your opinions on hashtags and tagging?

EP: Outside of Instagram, what is the future of digital marketing?

EK: Tagging is helpful. Hashtags make you look sad and desperate. I bet #robots love hashtags though. Which is probably #helpful in the long-term.

MC: I think tagging is great for giving credit to the talent and crew on a job. I think hashtags can add comedic value.

EK: ??

MC: I can’t even imagine what the next thing will be.

EP: How should the text in a caption be used so that it complements the image?

EK: To get noticed on Instagram, you have to make great work and work with great people. How do you do that? Get off Instagram and go meet people. Face to face. In real life. Find strong and reliable relationships that will help you grow as an artist. Work with people who you respect, who will honor your input, and will champion the results.

MC: I agree with Emily. People have to get off this idea that Instagram is an app that magically gets you followers or work from just posting your pictures. You really have to find a way to be involved in the community, no matter how big or small.

EP: Finally, what is your best advice for photographers who want to get noticed on Instagram?

-Interview by Katelyn Peters 11

How Did You Meet?

EK: I want a caption to do two things: 1.

Help me fall deeper in love with an image. I’m all for a bit of storytelling and poetry to help build the personality of a photo. 2. I use Instagram primarily for work.

So I REALLY want captions to provide full credits for the work (styling, makeup, production, etc.).

MC: I have a bittersweet feeling about captions, because for me it’s great to see someone else’s explanation for their work. At the same time, I hate writing my own captions. I think that was part of the reason I gravitated towards photography: You can tell a story without having to say a word.

Emerging

Ava Williams

I hate answering the

As a result, they have to

question, “What’s it like to

separate from the other

The Twins

be a twin?” because I can’t

twin. In my experience,

answer it accurately. I’ve

this was done reluctantly.

been attached to my twin

We went to different

sister, Chloe, for 22 years.

colleges and were no longer

All children, including

together all the time. When

twins, go through a stage

I started to photograph

in adolescence where they

Chloe, I dove into my true

separate from their parents,

feelings of twinhood. I use

form their own opinions

photography to show the

and become their own

way our memories overlap

beings. Twins can find

and the bond that formed

each other as third parents.

before we were born.

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My pictures force people

what we feel when we are

who have never met us

together, to feel what it’s

to decipher between the

like to be hyper-analyzed

two of us. Mimicking

and to experience how

the identity struggle of

different life is when your

twins through art is what

closest companion looks

keeps this project going. I

exactly like you.

want the audience to feel

@adventureava

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Ava Williams / The Twins

What photographer, living or not, would you ask to get a drink?

William Klein

Spring ’19

Emerging

Xavier Goins

Xavier Goins / Built of Jade

Built of Jade I use photography as a tool for exploring the relationships I

of opportunity. Before being allowed to land on the West

develop with people and places I am interested in. For my

Coast, immigrants would undergo lengthy detentions at the

project “Built of Jade,” I asked the last of the living former

Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco Bay. The

detainees of the Angel Island Immigration Station to reflect

purpose of the station was to exclude people, rather than

on this experience. This historical event occurred between

include them, particularly those of non-European ethnicity

1910 and 1940 when millions of people crossed the Pacific

who were often then deported. By tracing these historical

Ocean towards America to escape poverty, oppression

narratives to the present day, my intention is to spark dialogue

and war in their native countries. Fleeing from China, Japan

about immigration histories and how they relate to modern

and Nazi-occupied Germany, they sought to reach a land

immigration concerns.

@xaviergoinsphotography

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What photographer, living or not, would you ask to get a drink?

David Alan Harvey

Emerging

Levi Mandel New Landscape My work is a study of the tension between nature and the man-made world. The objects I photograph are important on their own but exist only in relation to their surroundings. An abandoned, forgotten car strikes me as inherently beautiful, but what I’m truly interested in is who used to drive the car, and the mystery of where the owner is now and why he no longer drives it. What about the boarded-up Victorian home, which at one point housed a family, and now has been overgrown by ivy and surrounded by weeds? At one point, every object was new, but over time, it is inevitably forgotten or destroyed.

These objects inform the work I create.

What photographer, living or not, would you ask to get a drink?

Stephen Shore

Levi Mandel / New Landscape

not just the car but the yard in which it sits, the owner

@levimandel

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Spring ’19

Levi Mandel / New Landscape

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Emerging

Karolina Cwik

Karolina Cwik / National Good

National Good

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Spring ’19

attention to the way that mothers are valued by other mothers, fathers, friends, and even worse, the way they are valued (or not valued) by the government.

This evaluation ends up creating division between mothers. This series also explores how to raise an independent and sensitive man, and the for mothers, which has to The purpose of my

be constantly negotiated.

project “National Good”

In the three years since

is to address society’s

my son was born, I’ve

perception of mothers.

formed relationships with

There is a lack of trust

other women I’ve met

in the people that are

and taken pictures of

responsible for children.

them. These are primarily

Because I am a mother

staged photographs

myself, I wanted to draw

because I wanted to recreate a specific

What photographer, living or not, would you ask to get a drink?

Susan Lipper 19

situation or relationship that I observed before I photographed them.

@karo_cwik

Karolina Cwik / National Good

need for self-realization

Jordan Walczak / Recent Works

Emerging

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Spring ’19

Jordan Walczak Recent Works

otherworldly experience

and digital photography,

attitude and perspective,

in these scenes, so I spend

and I create images that

often using elements

time breaking down the

frequently include custom-

of humor as a vehicle.

quotidian in order to

built sets and scenography.

I find amusement in

elevate the irregular and

I enjoy playing with bold

incorporating objects that

create an innovative space.

color and light, producing

are not typically used in

work with graphic yet

editorial photography and

whimsical undertones.

introducing manipulated

My main objective is to

materials in an obscure

create photos with the

way. I strive to create an

What photographer, living or not, would you ask to get a drink?

Lars Tunbjörk

ability to convey a unique

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@jordan_walczak

Jordan Walczak / Recent Works

I operate with both analog

Charlotte Margot Bergan / Highlander Her

Emerging

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Charlotte Margot Bergan Highlander Her My childhood was filled with drawing, painting and sewing. I never compared what I created to other people and I never feared their judgment.

But a combination of my own coming-of-age journey, the influence of social media and changing life priorities caused me to become self-critical and distracted; I stopped creating. I think about the creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”

The less creativity you use, the less you have. If I couldn’t create something incredible, I’d wait until the right idea came to me.

I had to fill this creative gap, so I moved to Paris, bought a camera and rediscovered my curiosity, creativity and motivation. When I photograph editorials, I follow the structure of a series. This has allowed me to practice consistency, but also to indulge my love of fashion and texture.

I’m early in my photography journey, so I continue to challenge myself with different parameters, equipment and styles. There are no obvious messages in my images because I want the colors (or lack of color) and textures to be the principal focus. I want my images to convey pleasure and a simple, graceful aesthetic.

@charlottebergan

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Charlotte Margot Bergan / Highlander Her

inverse of Maya Angelou’s quote: “You can’t use up

What photographer, living or not, would you ask to get a drink?

Cecil Beaton

Spring ’19

Emerging

Crummy Gummy (Mauricio Morilla)

What photographer, living or not, would you ask to get a drink?

Bruce Gilden

Crummy Gummy / Salad Days

Salad Days

My current project “Salad Days” features young adults, living in Florida, who are discovering their identity through fashion and sexuality. I met most of my subjects at art shows and I felt compelled to draw attention to them because they have so much confidence at a young age.

I want the rest of the world to meet them too! My decision to walk up to a stranger that I find fascinating and strike up a conversation with then was what led me to photograph many of the people in this series. As a photographer, this technique has helped me immensely.

@crummygummy 24

Spring ’19

Crummy Gummy / Salad Days

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Emerging

Jacob Boll Disruptors Photography is the language of connection for me: a medium through which I can reach out, experiment, succeed, fail and grow. I’ve tried anything that’s crossed my path and none of it has been time wasted. I’ve shot weddings and promotional

in a studio, meticulously moving

shoots for local bands. I did

lights around an inch to the

some product photography,

left or right, and being with

advertising for colleges, and I’ve

a stranger for a few hours,

Jacob Boll / Disruptors

taught photography, too. All those

talking about their interests

experiences helped inform how

and inspirations. My work

I shoot now, how I think about

always boils down to a personal

lighting and how I collaborate with

connection: It’s a conversation

my subjects. It’s funny to me that,

with my subject and an attempt

after all this time, I’m back where

to extract the truth about who

I started, shooting portraits of

they are. All images express

musicians and artists. I’d forgotten

some emotional truth. My

how much I enjoy it; I love being

obsession with music has always run parallel to my interest in photography. I remember first seeing the Daniel Kramer series “Bob Dylan: A Year and A Day.” It wasn’t just Kramer’s stunning work that impacted me: It was also the magnetism of Dylan as

@jacobboll

an artist and storyteller. It was the first time I saw the veil being lifted from an icon, showing the emotional side of a person and not just a glossy god. That really resonated with me and it’s what I strive for in every image.

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Spring ’19

Jacob Boll / Disruptors

What photographer, living or not, would you ask to get a drink?

Autumn De Wilde 27

Jasmine De Silva / How to Build Your Human

Emerging

Jasmine De Silva

My photo series “How to Build Your Human”

How to Build Your Human

a level of perfection that doesn’t exist

focuses on exhaustive attempts to achieve through cosmetic reconstruction. The commitment to physically altering yourself is fascinating to me. For the shoot, I created 28

Spring ’19

a handmade set that depicts a surreal, retro-futuristic world. As the Barbie hands build the humans, there is a question of who operates the “control” in this world.

This series is the first time I truly felt I had communicated this concept in a visual way, through an aesthetic that was inspired by 1950s instructional videos of how to be the perfect housewife, videos of doll manufacturing and makeup tutorials on YouTube.

@jasmine_desilva Jasmine De Silva / How to Build Your Human

What photographer, living or not, would you ask to get a drink?

Alex Prager 29

Sami Drasin / Celebrity Portraits

Emerging

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Tim Walker

Sami Drasin Celebrity Portraits In my work, I focus on capturing the in-between moments and turning them into larger-than-life scenes. The second when someone doesn’t think their photo is being taken is where the life of the image resides. I am constantly looking for true emotions that the audience can connect with. To achieve this, I try to create an environment where my subject feels comfortable being themselves. I like to get to know the talent before the shoot by interacting with them throughout the day.

At some point, they forget I’m taking their picture, and when this happens they can really respond to me, let go of any selfconsciousness and trust me.

@samidrasin

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Sami Drasin / Celebrity Portraits

What photographer, living or not, would you ask to get a drink?

Spring ’19

Art Openings SOUTH Jackson Fine Art Carolyn Carr, Masao Yamamota & Fallen Fruit Collective 4/20/19 - 6/29/19 Atlanta, GA

E AST COAST Photography and florals have a rich history, with early artists depending on florals to communicate symbolism and convey beauty. Artists Yamamoto and Carr usher one of photography’s foundational subjects into the 21st century, and the Fallen Fruit Collective’s wallpapers and narrative photography are informed by their public projects, for which they always use indigenous fruit as either material or inspiration.

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Implicit Tensions: Mapplethorpe Now 1/25/19 - 1/5/20 New York, NY

Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College Chicago

Art Openings

WEST COAST

Birmingham, Alabama, 1963: Dawoud Bey/ Black Star 4/11/19 - 7/7/19 Chicago, IL

Annenberg Space for Photography Contact High: A Visual History of Hip Hop 4/26/19 - 8/18/19 Los Angeles, CA

In the 30 years since his death, Robert Mapplethorpe (1946–1989) has become a cultural icon. Implicit Tensions features highlights from the Guggenheim’s in-depth Mapplethorpe holdings, including early Polaroids, collages, mixed-media constructions, nudes, floral still-lifes, portraits and self-portraits. This exhibition will also address Mapplethorpe’s complex legacy in the field of contemporary art.

The exhibition Birmingham, Alabama, 1963: Dawoud Bey/Black Star responds to the September 15, 1963 bombing by white supremacists of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. The exhibition pairs Dawoud Bey’s The Birmingham Project (2012) with prints from the Black Star archive of photojournalism, providing a historical context for the bombing.

M MIDWEST Target and Friedman Galleries at the Walker Art Center

PHOTO © BARRON CLAIBORNE

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art snap+share: transmitting photographs from mail art to social networks 3/30/19 - 8/4/19 San Francisco, CA

The Body Electric 3/30/19 - 7/21/19 Minneapolis, MN

The exhibition snap+share gives visitors a new way to visualize and experience how photographs have become so ubiquitous in our daily lives. Spanning the history of mail art to social networks, the show presents a variety of artists working in various media, from framed paper-based art to immersive installations.

The Cleveland Museum of Art Gordon Parks: The New Tide, Early Work 1940–1950 3/23/19 - 6/9/19 Cleveland, OH

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In an age dominated by digital technology, The Body Electric explores themes of the real and virtual, the organic and artificial, moving from the physical world to the screen and back again. The exhibition presents work by artists who examine ways that photographic, televisual, and digital media change our perceptions of the human body and everyday life.

The pioneering African American photographer Gordon Parks considered his work during the 1940s and ’50s to be the benchmark of his 60-year career. This exhibition traces his rapid evolution from an accomplished, selftaught practitioner to an independent artistic and journalistic voice widely communicating a meaningful and coherent understanding of critical social and cultural issues.

REGISTRATION OPENS IN JUNE OCTOBER 24–26, 2019 JAVITS CONVENTION CENTER, NEW YORK CITY

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