Back in October that photographer friend of mine I recently posted about, Christian Macauley, and I spent a day getting inspired. First he met up with me at the PDN Int'l PhotoPlus Conference and Expo at the Jacob Javits Center. It's a sort of capitalistic-anxiety-inducing-soul-sucking-goodie-coveting-"shit-I'm-poor"-yet-thoroughly-exciting event where you get to look, touch, test, and learn about the latest photo, video, printing, and software tools, as well as marketing services newly available to image makers. Armed with my floor map and exhibitor list - off I went for my industry education and the free goodies! I'd hoped to sit in on a seminar or two but the whole thing got a bit overwhelming after a while, so off we went.
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| Composite Source: YellowKorner |
Christian took me walking through SoHo and we stopped in this pop up gallery set up by YellowKorner, a British company specifically aimed at making photographic prints more accessible to buyers of lesser means than trust fund babies. Pop up galleries are the coolest concepts I think - they are to visual artists what low cost old warehouse spaces and self-publishing programs are to musicians...in a way: prime spaces (on short n' free or barter loans, or leases) to exhibit work in a gallery setting, sans the politics and prohibitive costs or commission fees for the artists.
Anyway - there were some great prints on display, but one image/artist, Kourtney Roy, held me spellbound and sent me rushing to the nearest bench, to jot down my reactions in my little journal that I carry with me at all times. Since photography is typically prohibited in exhibition spaces - I needed to write something to remind me of this work and what I felt upon seeing it. I am thoroughly moved by artists who can produce a simple image that induces complex emotions or projections from the viewer. I felt her image accomplished this perfectly - or at least, it did so for me... and the fact that it was a self portrait killed me all the more.
Heart reaching into the 'guess' of an event
- prior - now - or about to happen,
The hanging pause of the story of two...
Who falls, who catches, who fails, who saves?
Deal, Dare, or Damage?
Is there Death, Ownership, or Love?
Another stop along the way was a thing of wonder, a prime example of reasons to LOVE LOVE LOVE New York: The Levi's/Leica Workshop.
Located where the Deitch Project used to be, :(, Levi's®, along with sponsorship by Leica, opened up a temporary space for photographers to utilize an incredible wealth of equipment PLUS studio space...FOR FREE!!!
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| photo & logo composite: http://workshops.levi.com |
The list of cameras included the Nikon D series, the Canon EOS-D series, and of course a range of film and digital Leicas - including the $30,000 monster body Leica Camera AG S2 and fitted with the Summarit-S 1:2.5/70 mm lens. Other vintage/film cams on hand were the Hasselblad 500 series and the Mamiya RZ67 Pro II. There was an open white studio space, plus a cheesy basement set - both of which you could use with your choice of Profoto monolights, modifiers, and power packs; make up stations for M.U. artists and models; MAC G5 work stations with 30" screens for post-production work; and printing stations for fine art prints, etc. It was QuiTe incredible. All you had to do was sign up in time, book the space, and the camera you wanted to use, and voila! No deposits even (while in house)! The insurance on this friggin deal must have been INSANE! You could even sign out cameras to shoot on location - for a mere $100 refundable deposit for 24 hours!
Wha-HUH????!!!!!
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| photo source: Camera Monster |
I thank my lucky panties that I got to squeeze in two sessions before it got too crazy in there. I opted to shoot with the Leica S2 which I couldn't believe was available both times. And you know - I couldn't take myself too seriously with it all. I decided, rather than to use this opportunity for work, to just have fun; so I called up some friends to 'shoot the shit' - hahaha. No major planning, no stress, just show up to the studio where all was on hand PLUS the Bentley of cameras in my hand (that creates images with pixels the size of a fucking fist ), and here's the silliness we got up to: some friendly portraits, fashion fun with an African feather headdress (JuJu hat), and a music bubble session Las Vegas 70s style - heeeheee. Gotta love New York! Thank you Christian!!! And thanks Michael, LaLa, Justin, Yolanda, Manny and Kevin!! It's all coming back to me now - I CAN'T BELIEVE I shot with that thing! :D
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| Michael Gilbert, founder of Language of Opposites |
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That's why we can never get Justin on the phone - that rotary thing doesn't have call waiting does it!!!!!! Seriously though - you're so wicked it's embarassing. I'm going to stop taking pictures and just draw what I see with crayon instead.
ReplyDeleteHow much is that S2?
You're insane - if you put the camera down the world would be at a loss. You have such a natural instinct and eye for this that I've always admired.
ReplyDeleteAs for price - US$30,000 (+) or (-) depending on the glass you get for it.