Pinholes

I came across these really lovely pinhole pictures by a photographer called Vicky Slater at http://www.vickyslater.com/ . Pinhole is such a hit and miss affair but somehow these images seem to handle all the inadequacies and turn them into benefits. Perhaps it's just a photographer working to the extent of their knowledge and making it as profound as they can.

Photograms

Adam Fuss

Susan Derges

We have had new students in this week doing workshops. With me they did simple photographic techniques in particular Photograms. Every time I do these with students I am reminded of how simple they are to do but also how beautiful they can look. The two images above are by fantastic practitioners, artists who are really pushing the boundaries of what it is possible to with photograms.

Mariah Robertson

I get a regular update from Art 21 http://www.pbs.org/art21/  and in this months update was a series of films called New York Close Up. Ten films that celebrate the work of up and coming New York artists. There is something of interest in them all but I was particularly drawn to Mariah Robertson's work, I suppose initially because it's photographic in nature, but the images she produces are really interesting photographic or otherwise. The thing that stuck me about the film was how it made the darkroom seem like an alien place; having worked in darkrooms all my life it seemed odd that someone should don suits and breathing equipment in order to process images. Perhaps we are all too used to pristine atmospheres that hold no danger or maybe we like the ceremony of dressing up in order to do something which increasingly is an odd thing to do..work in darkrooms. Anyway take a look at the film and make your own mind up. it's at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBhihQnt3P0

Mobile uploads

I'm a bit of a newcomer to using mobile phones as cameras, by nature I like the look and feel of something that is camera like; lenses buttons etc. However I changed my phone recently and have been taking images using it ever since. I've really enjoyed the immediacy of it, actually the other thing is how other people seem not to care about your picture taking, for some reason it seems more legitimate to use a mobile rather than another 'proper' camera. Perhaps people think it's not quite as serious and therefore nothing to worry about.
These are a few of my recent images from Glasgow.

Circus

I came across this picture by Loredana Nemes on the conscientious website http://jmcolberg.com/weblog/. It reminded me of how difficult it is to see good quality black and White photography on the the net; I'm sure it's there it's just more difficult to find.
I really like these pictures the black and white make them look like my childhood which is always in black and white and circus always felt like these images look. You can find more of her work at,
http://www.loredananemes.de/homepagelore%20ordner/homepagelore/ENG-fotogalerie-btc.html

Simple idea

I picked up this image from Flak It's by a photographer called Chris Dorley Brown. The project is called corners and it is such a simple idea that I think lots of us would have rejected it; but the results show what a terrific idea it was. The images are very filmic, partly due to scale but also I think to manipulation. There seems to be a small amount of narrative in each one, enough to keep you interested. In this image I like the framing, how on the left you get Rio Sin, and Looking for Eric. You can see the whole set of images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdb1/sets/72157622774651791/ as well as other projects he's undertaken. Well worth a look.

Thomas Struth at the whitchapel

Thomas Struth has been around for some time; in photographic terms this generally means that you are long forgotten. Like other areas of art and design we are always looking for the next best thing. However longevity does mean that we get to see some great images that have been taken over a number of decades, the assessment of someones work can be far more valid in this context. If you get chance over the summer I would try and get to see this; in the mean time you can see more of Struths work, including his recent photograph of the Queen and Prince Phillip, by following this link.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2011/jul/03/thomas-struth-photography?intcmp=239#/?picture=376390579&index=10

Photographers Gallery

Despite the fact that the Photographers Gallery still remains closed they are trying hard to keep there place in our affections. The Image above by Ochi Reyes is one of  20 different recent graduates who have been chosen as part of the Fresh Faced and Wild Eyed online exhibition. Check out the other submissions at http://freshfacedwildeyed.photonet.org.uk/

Bizarre dance pictures

Yet another Guardian link http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2011/jul/11/freestyle-dancers-pictures#/?picture=376748153&index=1

It seems there are more odd thinks happening in the world than I thought.

iPhone in Afghanistan

I was sent this article by the Guardian about photographers using iPhones to take photographs of marines in Afghanistan. They are using a app called hipstamatic. It's interesting to see the change from Leica to iPhone in the matter of 55 years or so. To have the ability to photograph and sent so fluidly must make a difference to how we see war imagery; not to mention the aesthetic qualities of the images we see.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/06/afghanistan-war-iphone-images?&CMP=EMCARTEML6852

Interesting images

I've been watching this Blog http://flak-photo.my-expressions.com/index.html  for some time now it seems to add images on a daily basis there not all interesting but you do get to see quite a selection of images.  Like these from Yijun Liao, you can see more of her images at http://www.bloodypixy.com/ . It is interesting to see how photographers work in places that are alien to them.

FOTO8 Summer Show

The FOTO8 Summer Show is now available to see at http://www.foto8.com/new/ on the whole it's a great selection of images. Even if you don't like any of these this is a really good place to see a continuous selection of high quality images.

Parresque swimmers

We took our son to Bosworth water on Sunday for an open water swimming event. I took this photograph as all the swimmers were milling at the start of the race. Looking at it now I can see the strong Martin Parr influence, it did make me wonder what he would have done at this event.