Black and white or color?

High-quality black and white photograph actually is the apex of photography, you  must be very experienced photographer to achieve the best quality black and  white photograph. Ten years ago, among our family pictures there were  mostly just black and  white photographs, rarely there were some colored. In Soviet times, I even considered colored picture to some extent and luxury, although you could see the film for color photos in sale. I remember  when in 1999 for my birthday I received a present from  my grandfather-  the “Zenit”. I then began to shoot mostly trains and everything associated with the railroad, but even looking at them through many years, I did not say that they  got poor quality. The most important thing in photography is the very presence of colors as well as a photograph and its definition.

Black & white photography, for me, is one of the most interesting and inspiring aspects of this art form we call our hobby and passion. It’s raw and refined, natural and unusual, bold and subtle, mysterious and open, emotional and impassive, simple and complex, black and white and everything in between. The monochromatic image has been with photography since the beginning, but what began as the only way to capture images has turned into something much deeper.

An experienced black and  white photographer can see the world without any color. They’ve trained their mind to pick up contrast and tone while blocking the distraction of colors. This isn’t a skill that everyone  can pick up in a short amount of time; it’s something that comes naturally in time. I can’t say that I’m gifted enough to have monochrome vision, but I have been able to notice certain scenes and subjects that would lend themselves to black and white.

Recently I have been reading Lee Frost’s : Simple Art of Black and White Photography and I think it is excellent. I’ve read a large amount of black and white photography books, but this one is by far and away the best. It doesn't bury itself in arcane developers and complex techniques but shows, with examples, the beauty of black and white photography and how to produce best quality prints.
Lee Frost's amazing black and white images:

Source:
http://www.leefrost.co.uk/gallery.asp?category=Landscapes%20Black%20And%20White%20-%201
http://www.thespiderawards.com/gallery5/gallery.php?x=p&cid=44&g=w
Lee Frost's Simple Art of Black and White Photography: Easy Methods for making Fine Art Prints, 2004 edition from David and Charles.

Борис Михайлов:

Boris Mikhailov - world's most famous Ukrainian, though, rather  would say, a Soviet photographer - his entire adult life engaged in blaming the reality. Not that he does it deliberately - to ashamed of contemporaries and descendants of edification. No, Mikhailov shoots, as they say, without anger or passion. But even without disgust. He had  the courage to look at life in focus. I have absolutely indifferent attitude when I see Boris Mikhalov's works.Although would like to pay attention to what he does.Firstly when I saw his works I had a shock and even disgust: dozens of people and figures,sometimes their bodies are so little resemble to normal ones that seem to be artifacts of the anatomical theatre. But I think such work are eligible to be.There is a highly weighted conceptual approach, to show people below the normal life and not to overload the picture with the copyright "sense ". Its already seen so much. Before looking at pictures of homeless people already we represent is how it looks and in 99 percent. cases,that is something what we were expecting. Lack of morals in life, it is also a kind of morality. Emptiness is so perfectly fills the space as well as the meaning.
Source;
http://www.artmargins.com/index.php/2-articles/188-boris-mikhailov-a-new-metaphysician
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artists/boris_mikhailov.htm

Patrick Cariou vs Richard Prince and Gagosian

Photographer Patrick Cariou just won a major case against artist and rip off king, Richard Prince. For years Prince has taken photos from ads and sometimes has done nothing more than blow them up large and sell them for 6 figures, or more. His Marlboro Cowboy series was never challenged, because the photographers working on Marlboro ads sold their copyright to the Phillip Morris Company. Without owning the copyright, the photographers could never sue.
But this time Prince lifted 41 images from French photographer Patrick Cariou’s Yes, Rasta book published in 2000.  Cariou spent many years with the Rastas, gaining their trust, living with them, in order to make his photos. Prince simply had his interns buy the book.

 Cariou vs Prince: Left, a photo of a Rastafarian from Patrick Cariou's "Yes, Rasta" and, right, a painting from Prince's Canal Zone series

Cariou sued and Prince tried claiming and hiding behind a “fair-use” defense, meaning he was transforming the original works, as opposed to creating derivative images. This defense has been used many times by artists “appropriating” the work of others and them claiming it as their own. Photographers call this “ripping off” or “stealing” rather than “appropriating”.
Sad to hear that such cases occur quite often. This can happen with anyone. To maximally protect your work against stealing you should always put a copyright simbol or you can create your own logotipe. 
Also to protect yourself, register your work. This won’t prevent unauthorized usage, but it will give you more power in the event someone steals your work. In the good old days it was quite a laborious process. You were required to include copies of the work you wished to copyright along with all the paperwork. The process has become very simple: simply go to http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/, fill out the forms, and presto it’s done. Be sure to read the links on the registration page, as you may need to register the work in more than one category. This becomes legal government document once you register the work outlined in it, so follow the instructions. There are fees involved and may range according to what you are registering.In this environment it a very good idea to take the time to register your work. The incidences of infringement have increased as the access has. So if you want to protect yourself and your work, do it!
Source:
http://www.patrickcariou.com/rasbook.htmlhttp://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Patrick+Cariou+wins+copyright+case+against+Richard+Prince+and+Gagosian/23387
http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/copyright/p02_protecting_copyright

Deutsche Börse

Recently visited Deutsche Börse photography exhibition which is related to the experiences of refugee, immigrant and trafficked populations who travel from war torn, socially and economically devastated countries to make new lives in Europe.
This year, two US photographers, Roe Ethridge and Magnum's Jim Goldberg, are joined by German Thomas Demand and Israeli Elad Lassry to compete for the £30,000 cash prize. Each year, the award goes to a living photographer that has made "the most significant contribution, in exhibition or publication format, to the medium of photography in Europe" over the past 12 months.
Most impressive photograph made by Jim Goldberg

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. 2008. His radio is the sole possession that he took with him while escaping a rebel attack in his village. He now lives in a refugee camp with 60,000 other people where poverty, disease, and crime run rampant © Jim Goldberg / Magnum Photos.

Really liked all the works,especially Jim Goldberg's polaroid series.  To me he's a real master of conceptual photography.I was inspired to start my own new project. Bought  Deutsche Borse 2011 photo collection book + fresh pack of polaroid film.

 

Source:
http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/1929717/shortlist-released-deutsche-b-rse-photography-prize-2011
http://vimeo.com/22703135

My inspiration : Alexandr Rodchenko

Looking back, I think Rodchenko stuck in my memory for a few reasons - more obviously my interest in history and admiration for Soviet propaganda.  Another reason  is my nostalgic memories of my grandfather,who was interested in Rodchenko's work and kept various newspaper cuts and small collage posters in his personal album.

  

Rodchenko’s Early 20th Century design remains current as it still inspires a lot of the modern design. Franz Ferdinand’s You Could Have It So Much Better album and the Take Me Out single art work were both heavily influenced by Rodchenko. Saks Fifth Avenue ad campaign from spring 2009 is also drawing on the bold graphic design and propaganda spirit of Rochenko’s work. I reckon his bold lively style will never age. Who knows where we will we see it next.
riginally focused on painting and graphic design, when Rodchenko started photographing, it was opposed to a painterly aesthetic. Wishing to postpone recognition, he often shot his subjects from unusual angles. His photographs are said to eliminate unnecessary detail and emphasize a dynamic diagonal composition. This is exhibited in the picture to the left. I find the dynamic lines evident in his work very influential and will probably try to recreate these in my photography project. I particularly like his style of portraiture, here are some of his best known works.

One of my cut and paste collage pieces.  This one in particular is inspired by Alexander Rodchenko.

Reading:
http://www.copernicusfilms.com/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/3671028/Alexander-Rodchenko-A-man-who-took-life-lying-down.htmlhttp://danyanovikov.narod.ru/rofo/rodlogos.html

Emil Otto Hoppe:Society, Studio, Street

Recently visited E.O Hoppe portrait exhibition in National Portrait Gallery. It was really good but I think I preferred the Ida Kar one that was opposite. Both are well worth a look!
The exhibition runs utill 30 of May and if you're a student you will get a discount and pay £9 instead of £12.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.O._Hopp%C3%A9
http://www.npg.org.uk:8080/hoppe/exhibition.html

Never thought that I would write a blog..its getting exciting )))

The perception of the photograph

  Unusual vision and perception of the constantly changing world - a business card of people who watch the world and want to share their vision with others. It seems to me that such people are the real artists in the broadest sense. Artist - a state of mind which can not be just a spectator. The desire to improvise, in conjunction with the technical knowledge allows you to create works that live their own lives. These works give rise to emotions, forcing the viewer to get used to what he saw and to live through a story written by the photographic language.

Once Ansel Adams the creator of the zone system  said the following sentence: "There is nothing worse than a  sharp image with a fuzzy concept. " Thought that the author wants to convey is always paramount. And the techniques used and the laws of the image should only help to identify this point for the viewer. Photo may not exist for the sake of photography. It must awake the viewer, forcing him to empathize with the author, along with the heroes of the picture. It needs to be always kept in mind that knowledge of technical concepts and techniques - is only the first step on the road to good photography. And at the end of the path there must be the emotions  to be willing to develop the theme, the desire to see what's behind the scenes. So the first thing everyone need for photography is to see and feel.

Inspiration : hard to find

Perhaps for creative person there is nothing more important than the inspiration. The presence of inspiration - inspires, the lack of it - makes fall into a creative crisis and depression. Is it possible to make sure that the inspiration wont  leave? How to find ideas for creativity?

Each photographer has his own way of inspiration, his recipe for creativity. Here I show you the most common: 
1. View the work of other photographers, classic photographs. Inspection of the most popular photos at various photo websites. Analysis of the success of a photo, search for "raisin" and try to create similar effects.
2. Return to the creativity of great artists, poets, filmmakers, and architects. Photo creations on any of the greats.
3. Photo on a given topic, quotation, participation in thematic photo contests, flash mobs.
4. Nature walks, deep thinking,turning inward ( but not for long ) :)
And another tip, which I always keep in my mind: look around, feel the life and do not forget to keep your hand on a camera. Luck comes suddenly and you can miss good shots very easily.
And do not be discouraged if inspiration suddenly left you a while - it will come back. In the meantime, you can relax and sort out  your feelings, thoughts and ... dont forget to clean your room ))))).
Hope you all having  good Ester holidays ))

Paul Graham : "Photography is easy, photography is difficult".

Photo-eye description: "Paul Graham's first book, self-published in 1983, documents The Great North Road that runs the length of England 400 miles from London to Edinburgh. The route has been in use since Roman times and was once the busiest motorway in the country with an active roadside economy of shops, cafes, hotels. In the 1950s it was supplanted by the newly constructed M1 a speedier and smoother motorway for an England moving slickly into a modernity of effeciency and consumerism. Along the A1, the business and people were left to decline into grimy obscurity. Graham's subdued color photos are a mournful document of a grey nowhere land in a country moving too fast to stop for a cup of tea. Photographed with a large format camera 1981 to 1982"

British photographer Paul Graham  is  dealing with conceptual photography for  about 30 years, looking at the streets of the world stories about human relationships, emptiness, loneliness and quiet. You can view his best shots of his career hung in the form of a retrospective exhibition in one of the most influential galleries of London - Whitechapel Gallery.
"My principal sources were Chekhov’s short stories, and the critical essays around those. A lot of people have tried to understand why this writing works so well, since in the stories there’s not much happening. They’re dealing with the simple, everyday things—in one of them a woman is combing her hair for six pages, remembering that night at the theatre; in another a school teacher is coming home in a cart dreaming of meeting the landowner, who does ride past and they exchange a few pleasantries, but nothing more. But there’s something magical about how perfectly described they are, the transparency of what’s happening, without guff or show, simply described, with nothing proscribed."

 Paul Graham's Exhibition will run in Whitechapel Gallery from 20 April- 19 June so don't miss it )))

Reading :
http://www.americansuburbx.com/2009/07/theory-paul-graham-photography-is-easy.html
 http://photo-muse.blogspot.com/2007/09/paul-grahams-chekhov.html
http://www.paulgrahamarchive.com/a1.html#a
http://www.whitechapelgallery.org/exhibitions/paul-graham-photographs-1981-2006

Nan Goldin:" I photograph only those who I love"

Nan Goldin  is over fifty, is massive, tattered, untidy, or colored, or reddish, with a puffy face. She appears less and less on her own photographs, but its presence does not seem to have less. Goldin – is an epic photographer, her  saga makes it to the material, limited almost exclusively to its "extensive family": friends, lovers, drinking buddies, drug dealers, fellow travelers, which entered into her orbit in the 70's and gradually drop out of it due to AIDS , overdose, alcoholism, anorexia and other cult ills of this generation.
This family was much more real than her real family, which she lost at that moment when her 18-year-old sister committed suicide, while 11-year-old Nan has received a warning from the psychiatrist's that she will end the same. In the 14 years she has run away from home. She took her camera at 18. At 19 she understood that psychiatrist had made ​​a mistake and she is already one year older than her sister.  At 25 she moves from Boston, where she graduated from university in New York, where she will begin her still unfinished photo diary.

She is one of my favourite photographers.   

I love her style, her themes, her colors, her framing. The other day I was trying to find out what camera she uses to photograph, and thanks to this interview, which is pretty good, I found out.
http://www.thirteen.org/reelny/previous_seasons/reelnewyork2/i-goldin.html :: check this out

Nan Goldin - Clemens, Jens and Nicolas laughing at Le Pulp. Paris. 1999
72.00 xI 04.00 x 4.50 cm Matthew Marks Gallery

Nan Goldin - Valerie and Bruno in bed with blue blanket. Paris. 2001
72.00 xI 04.00 x 4.50 cm. Matthew Marks Gallery

Nan Goldin - C. Z and Max on the beach. Truro. MA. 1976. 104.00 x 72.00 x 4.50 cm Matthew Marks Gallery