Another Week Full of Events

There's lots to see and do this week, so let's get right to it!

Tonight, Tuesday November 1:

Joni Sternbach will be talking about Surfland
Center for Alternative Photography
36 E. 30th St.
7:00-8:30pm
To register for this free lecture email info@capworkshops.org or call 917-288-0343


EN FOCO presents an evening of Art + Cocktails
The home of Sidney Baumgarten & Terry Paladini Baumgarten
Battery Park City
6:00-10:00pm
Food is courtesy of John's of 12th Street.
Tickets start at $75
You can find out more, and buy tickets here

Wednesday November 2:

Manjari Sharma introduces the newest works of Darshan
SVA Lecture Series
136 W. 21st Rm. 418F
7:00pm
Free and open to the public


Caren Alpert's "terra cibus" Magnified food photos (top: fortune cookie; bottom: sprinkles)
James Beard Foundation
167 W. 12th St.
6:30-8:30pm
RSVP:caren@carenalpertfineart.com


Gilles Larainne: IDOLS & House of Louda
Steven Kasher
521 W. 23rd
6:00-8:00pm

Thursday November 3:

Lori Waselchuk's amazing "Grace Before Dying" traveling exhibit will be showing at
Umbrage Gallery
111Front St. #208
Dumbo
6:00pm

Terri Gold "Into the Mists of Time in Guizhou, China"
Keyes Art Consulting
551 W. 21st 4th fl.
6:00=8:00pm

Karen Knorr: "India Song"

Danziger Gallery
527 W. 23rd
6:00-8:00pm


Mark Yankus "Call It Sleep"
Clamp Art
531 W. 25th ground floor
6:00-8:00pm

Max De Esteban "Proposition One"
Klompching
111Front St. #206
DUMBO
6:00pm


Simen Johan "Until the Kingdom Comes"
Yossi Milo
525 W. 25th St.
6:00-8:00pm

Muhammar Loves Condi

My favorite photo story of the week is about Muhammar Gaddafi (or Muammar el-Qaddafi) and Condoleeza Rice. It seems Gaddafi has what can only be termed a heavy crush on Condi, as shown by a photo album found by rebels when they overtook his compound in Tripoli.

Rebels leafed through the album Wednesday after finding it as they rummaged through Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound.

And while the State Department termed it, “deeply bizarre” and “deeply creepy, ” I think it’s deeply funny. Why Gaddafi fell in love with the neo-conservative Rice is for psychiatrists to determine. There has been no comment from Rice, but you have to wonder if she feels just a little bit flattered.

As Gadaffi himself said in 2007, "I support my darling black African woman," he said. "I admire and am very proud of the way she leans back and gives orders to the Arab leaders. ... Leezza, Leezza, Leezza. ... I love her very much. I admire her, and I'm proud of her, because she's a black woman of African origin."

For me it becomes not necessarily the photos of the uprising in Libya that is most memorable, but a simple photo album kept by someone with an attack of grade school puppy-love.

Check out photos taken of the rebels leafing through the album here

Tonight In Photoland

There's lots happening tonight, Thursday, so let me run down some standout events. Time to get your photo strut on!

Jill Greenberg has two bodies of work, "Glass Ceiling" & "Horses" opening at Clampart 521 – 531 West 25th Street, Ground Floor NYC from 6pm - 8pm.

Consider purchasing a ticket here to support NYC Salt, and help raise money to continue this program of helping high school students through photography. There will be fantastic food, music, wine and a chance to buy the student's work. At NEO Studios, 628 Broadway at W. Houston 4th floor from 7pm - 11pm. Tickets are $50 at the door, and tax-deductible.


Exhibition opening and Japan Benefit Print Auction at Calumet 22 W. 22nd Street 5pm - 8pm. Here's a chance to see some wonderful work and contribute money towards Japan's earthquake relief.


The SVA MFA Thesis show opens tonight at their Visual Arts Gallery 601 W. 26th St. 15th fl.

Flash Forward comes to Boston

If you're in Boston or somewhere nearby, come to the Flash Forward festival today through Sunday. I'm on my way there today, traveling by train with Kristina Feliciano, the blogger of Stockland Martel's fabulous photo blog

We're on a Friday afternoon panel, Cut through the Noise: Smart Marketing Strategies for Photographers moderated by Alison Zavos of Feature Shoot.

I plan to be blogging from there, so stay tuned.

Some Thoughts on Recent Events

I had planned on writing more about Photolucida (and I will at a later date), but the deaths of Tim Hetherington & Chris Hondros in Libya threw me for a loop. Words are inadequate to express my feelings. There is no perspective to be had in their deaths. It is final and it is brutal. If you didn’t know them, know their work.

And now the death of Osama Bin Laden takes our attention in another direction. Should the president release a death photo or not? For me it doesn’t matter. I am not a fan of death porn. As a photo editor for many years I saw a lot of terrible images and I do not need to see more.

It seems to me that those who call for the photos to be released are people who won’t believe things even when faced with the truth. How else can you explain the Birthers? When Obama finally released his birth certificate they claimed it had been Photoshopped. What’s the say that wouldn’t be the case with the death photo of Bin Laden?

I am not someone who simply believes everything the government tells me, far from it. But I am willing to accept this. I don’t need more. And to be honest, in this day and age I’m not convinced the photo won’t show up somewhere at some time in the future. The fact that the mission to get Bin Laden stayed completely unknown until announced is amazing. Nothing seems to stay hidden for long anymore.

Since the deaths of Tim & Chris I have been thinking a lot about those who go to conflict zones to make their careers. I will be writing about that soon, as I worry that the danger and lack of protection is worse than ever, and I question the wisdom of it. But that will wait for a later date as well. So many things have pushed me away from my initial intent on writing here at Stellazine that I am re-evaluating what I write about and how frequently I do it.

Photolucida 2011

After 5 days and over 50 portfolios looked at, I leave Portland and Photolucida with laryngitis from all that talking. I had a wonderful time, saw some spectacular work and hung out with great people. I want to write a more in-depth review for next week, but I thought I'd just go over some of the highlights.

It was a real treat getting to see actual prints from Jamey Stillings of his Hoover Dam project. I've been in love with this project since I first saw it online. Add to that the amazing B&W soldier portraits Louie Palu showed me and that was enough to make me happy to be there.

I also got to meet several photographers in person--people I've hired in the past, or had spoken to before, including Jeffrey Sauger, who showed me a great B&W project about Black farmers.


I was very moved by Nancy LeVine's project about senior dogs as a way to explore America and it's aging population. "It's my version of The Americans," said Nancy. This is such a fully realized project, beautifully shot in both color and B&W. All I could say was wow.


David Pace brought his project documenting the end of the week dance parties in Burkina Faso--shot only with a strobe. I loved this! It's a slice-of-life that we rarely get to see from Africa., and it's joyous, colorful, fun, and of Burkina Faso, a country we hear nothing about in our media.

The teenager portraits by Rania Matar show us girls in their bedrooms, and allow us to see into these young women in such a fully developed way it's almost like a sociological study. The young women allow us to know them through their poses and by showing us the environments they have created. Mixing western and eastern portraits, we see the true nature of globalization through the similarities in objects and imagery these young women choose as their own.


Gordon Stettinius' hilarious project, "Mangini Studio Series" where he photographs himself as different characters (including perfect hair and wardrobe styling) is wonderfully inventive. He embodies everyone from a cookie-cutter politician to a psycho killer. Such a cool project, and a sense of humor I almost never see in photography: smart, sophisticated, and making a point.


I plan on writing more about Photolucida next week talking more about the experience in greater detail, and some of my impressions, so stay tuned.

Dirk Anschutz: Upstream

Dirk Anschutz shoots a lot of things, but what strikes me the most are the faces of the people he photographs. From The Sultans to this project, you see people being uncompromising in allowing us to know them when we look into their faces. There is no self-consciousness.

Dirk's obvious compassion and interest in his subjects really shines through. When I saw this project I was curious to know how Dirk approached his subjects and how the project came about. The strong collaboration between photographer and subject is evident and made me want to know more, so I asked Dirk how it was for both him and his subjects.

Tell us a little bit about your background as a photographer

Well, I’ve worked for magazines and ad agencies, and produced stock. I shoot sports, landscapes and conceptual images, but what got me into photography and what I still love the most in this field are good portraits. They just never get old for me.

What about this upcoming exhibition?

The show is called “Upstream” and is a portrait series of young people with a range of developmental and cognitive disabilities.

How did you get interested in photographing these people?

Sometime late in 2009 my girlfriend’s sister, Julie Guidry, called me up and asked me if I was interested in applying for a grant to shoot an image library for her non-profit, Upstream Arts.
Upstream Arts is a Minneapolis based non-profit whose mission is “to enhance the lives of adults and youth with disabilities by fostering creative communication and social independence through the power of arts education”. The classes are taught by working artists, including painters, sculptors, actors, and dancers, who help their young clients explore different ways of expressing themselves. A pretty big deal for the participants, as it turns out.

Well, we didn’t get the grant, but filing the application started a thought process about how to portray people with disabilities. Most of the images we found out there were of sporty triumphs or happy-happy family moments, but almost nothing showed the complex human beings behind the disabilities. There was definitely a need for straight-on portraiture. The more we talked about the project, the more interested I became, and eventually we decided to go ahead with the shoot, grant money be damned.
In the summer of 2010 the misses and I packed up the car with a bunch of gear and made a little road trip to the twin cities.

Was it difficult to get what you wanted from the
portraits? Were they willing to do what you asked?

Over all, the shoot was intense but fairly easy. Most of the models were really into being photographed, except for the first person we shot, Caleb, who happens to be the stepson of Julie Guidry. His shoot was a bit difficult. He was not in a great mood and we had to be very patient with him. But we showed him the whole camera set-up, how the lights worked, how the pics showed up on the computer screen and so on, and whenever we did that he gave us about 45 seconds in front of the camera. Of course he is now on the postcard for the exhibition and on the cover of the Magcloud Magazine we made from this project.

The entire shoot happened in one afternoon at the Jewish Community Center in St. Paul. We photographed 17 people and there was a pretty constant hustle-bustle. A lot of the communication was non-verbal and many creative decisions were based on gut feelings and intuition. Most of the participants were very excited but managed only about ten minutes in front of the camera before they were exhausted.
I didn’t really give many directions but tried to create room for the models to show themselves.

There is such a lack of self-consciousness with these portraits, tell us about that

Yeah, I thought that was very interesting. When you photograph small children you sometimes get that lack of self-consciousness, but children are usually kind of boring (sorry parents) because they haven’t lived yet, they haven’t had many experiences. Once people have lived a little they become much more guarded.

What I like about these images is that you can see an incredible openness but these folks are not children, they’re young adults and they had (and have) to overcome many obstacles in their daily lives. They had to figure out many things on their own for their unique circumstances and had to face many challenges that I can’t even imagine. They’ve lived and experienced a lot already and I think it shows in their faces.

What have you learned (if anything) from this project?

Well, it not easy to put into words, but I have to admit that the first contact with a person with a disability is kind of uncomfortable. When Caleb first walked on the set I definitely felt a bit insecure and not quite sure what was expected of me. What helped though was that when we planned the shoot we decided to treat it like any other production. And so I treated Caleb like I would any other person in front of my camera. I talked to him, I explained what I was doing and why and I gave him room to collaborate with me while letting him know where he had to be and what he had to do for the picture to work. Surprisingly within a minute my nervousness was gone and stayed gone for all the other models, too.


Sometimes, when other people look at the Upstream photos, I recognize that same nervousness and discomfort that I originally experienced. But once we talk about the shoot, people seem to become more comfortable with the images.

On a larger scale, I think it would be good for our society to create more interactions between people with and without disabilities and to encourage a dialogue. Hopefully this project is a small building block in this process.

How do the people you photographed feel about their portraits?

From what I heard so far, pretty good. But I have not been in direct contact with them since the shoot, so it’ll be interesting to see most of them at the show and find out first hand what they think about the images.


Anything else you want to say about this?

There is a tremendous amount of work being done by non profits, schools, volunteers, and by parents, relatives, and caretakers, who all collaborate to provide these young men and women with safe AND interesting lives. It’s a great cause to volunteer in and/or donate money to.

When is the exhibition and where?
The show is at
Intermedia Arts
2822 Lyndale Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612.871.4444

April 5th through April 18th, 2011
Monday-Friday 10AM to 6PM and Saturdays 12PM to 5PM
There will be a closing reception and Upstream Arts Benefit on Monday, April 18th, 6:30-8:30 PM

Why Does Lynsey Addario Have to Justify Her Work?

When Lynsey Addario and three others (Tyler Hicks, Anthony Shadid and Stephen Farrell) were released by the Libyan government, we all breathed a sigh of relief. An accomplished photographer who was honored with a MacArthur Genius Grant, Lynsey Addario is among the premier photojournalists working today. Yet after The New York Times ran an account of the release, several people commented by asking what a woman was doing in a war zone to begin with. I went back to look at the comments from their account, but most of the negative comments have been removed--why is that?.

There was this comment, however: "After the Lara Logan assault in Egypt, I consider it an act of utmost stupidity for any woman journalist to go into any war, combat zone. fighting strips people of much humanity and you should know that. And in an already sexually abusive towards woman region what was Lynsey doing there?? why didn't the 3 male reporters object for her own safety!
And why did NYT allow her to go on this mission!
The men, I dont care about ... thats what they do. The woman, in this region, with this much abuse potential.. someone should be sued !!!"

Coupled with esteemed photograher Harry Benson's recent screed about Lara Logan (who was molested by a crowd during her coverage of the uprising in Egypt): "The last place for a young, attractive woman to be is in the middle of an extremely dangerous situation surrounded by an angry mob. Not only does it put her in harm’s way, but it compromises her co-workers as well, since they have to try to protect her as best they can – sometimes an impossible task."

He continues, "I am all for women doing whatever job that men do. Honestly, many times I find the women I work with to be smarter than the men. But shame on the editors at CBS who assigned a beautiful woman to cover a very dangerous situation. Their lack of judgment should have been tempered with a little common sense. Their decision about whom to send to cover the uprising and political unrest should not have been made for fear of being politically incorrect."

Suddenly I feel like I'm back in the 1950's. Why the constant mention of "beautiful," and what the fuck is he talking about?

As Lynsey herself said: "To me, that’s grossly offensive. This is my life, and I make my own decisions. If a woman wants to be a war photographer, she should. It’s important. Women offer a different perspective. We have access to women on a different level than men have, just as male photographers have a different relationship with the men they’re covering.In the Muslim world, most of my male colleagues can’t enter private homes. They can’t hang out with very conservative Muslim families. I have always been able to. It’s not easy to get the right to photograph in a house, but at least I have one foot in the door. I’ve always found it a great advantage, being a woman."

It is insulting to Lynsey and all the other amazing photojournalists (including Caroline Cole, Carol Guzy, Stephanie Sinclair, Susan Meiselas, Nina Berman, Sara Terry, Mary F. Calvert and many others) who risk their lives, who make great sacrifices and who face danger to say they should not do what they believe in because they are women.

I do not need to recount the amazing bravery and accomplishments of women throughout history--or do I?. This is 2011: take your patriarchal, condescending, asshole ideas and throw them away. Women make choices and they live with them--same as men. We should thank those who are braver than ourselves for the incredible risks they sometimes have to take to show the world to us. Where would we be without them?

Life-Support Japan Raises $20,000 (so far)

It seems, these days, that we are being reminded all the time how small and insignificant we are when facing powers bigger and stronger than us, whether they are politicians or elemental forces of the Earth. It can be hard to find something positive to hold on to, and I think we all search for a way to connect to each other when things seem grim.

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan was stunning in its devastation and is still unfolding in ways that approach apocalyptic. The images coming from this disaster have been stunning and almost otherworldly. Yet at some point I think the desire to help overcomes any other emotion and galvanizes us to action.

In that vein, the Life-Support Japan print sale is amazing for the speed it was set up and the incredible outpouring of both sales and contributions. To date more than $20,000 has been raised, and there is a backlog of hundreds of photographs to be offered. Aline Smithson and Christa Dix have done an extraordinary job of mobilizing and organizing this relief effort, and I am so glad to be a part of a community that takes action like this.

I urge all of you to find it in your heart to buy a print (or several). The money raised will go to Habitat for Humanity and Direct Relief International, for help with medical supplies.

Build A Better Online Portfolio

If you weren't able to attend, or want to listen again, here's the webinar I did with PhotoShelter.

It was tons of fun. Let me know what you think.

Let's Get Our Films to Verge

I want to pass along this email I just got from Robert Hooman, and ask everyone to pass it along.

"Hello friends! I've been asked by the Verge International Art Fair to curate a video screening/motion gallery for the art fair this year in NYC. It'll be held in DUMBO March 3-6.

I'm looking at video submissions for the next couple weeks and I would very much like to see your work, or if you've seen and know an artist/filmmaker who may have material for me, please direct them to me. This will be quite an undertaking and I'll be needing all the help I can get to pull together a stellar show!!

Here are my submission criteria:

-I'm seeking work that'll challenge the viewer's visual language and understanding, present a unique narrative and have interesting style and/or technique.
-FINAL SUBMISSION DATE: FEB 21, 2011
-All work must be produced in the last three years
-No restrictions on language or country
-I'll be looking at original pieces from all formats. including but not limited to: Live action, animation, documentary, mixed media, video installations, video art (even slide shows that blow me away).
-Maximum length should be between 4-5 minutes and not a frame longer than that.
-NO trailers, excerpts, cut-downs, multi-segements or REELS will be considered. All work must be self contained and hold up as an individual piece of artwork/story/video (or whatever you want to call it). If you need to re-edit to fit your piece in the 5min limit, that is okay.
-If the screening requires special equipment or additional gear, artist will have to provide the equipment. We will provide security for your equipment (whether its inside or outside)
-Please be ready to submit a final high-res version digital format, if the piece is accepted. So even if I review the work on YouTube, I will need a full resolution and full size version.
-I'm still working out terms and conditions with the organizers
-We are still looking at delivery/screening methods.

Please send a LINK (AND ONLY A LINK) to VIDEO@RobertHooman.com. If you cannot upload or link your work, please contact me directly and we'll figure something out. PLEASE DO NOT ATTACH VIDEO FILES TO THE EMAILS. All emails with attachments will be deleted without consideration.

I'm looking forward to your submission."

A Final Word on PhotoPlus Expo

Last week was the photo circus that is PhotoPlus Expo here in New York with high points (the Sony party) and low points (the naked women at the PDN party) and lots in between. I went to the Lucie Awards for the first time to support my friend Jason Florio who was chosen People Photographer of the Year and up for the International Photographer of the Year award. He wuz robbed.

Maybe it's a California thing that I can't relate to, but for me it was a ridiculous exercise in fluff, and not a part of the photo community here at all.

Then it was three days straight at the Javits Center and I'm sure everyone has read our blog posts from there. I want to thank Andrea Fischman, Sari Goodfriend, Helen Jones and Jason Florio for all their work. But honestly people, PhotoPlus Expo has really become an event for the amateur photographer--the Prosumer photographer. There were definitely some great seminars, and things to learn, but those seminars offering ways to be successful seemed to fall far from the mark. The panelists were without energy and offered no information except that old standby of working for free. I think we're all tired of that by now.

Just because someone is an expert doesn't mean they're a good speaker. There was a real lack of excitement and energy wherever I went. And why weren't there more up and coming stars talking and holding seminars? There is a real need for fresh, new blood--not the same old same old.

It was really telling to me that I didn't see very many people I know at the Javits. I'm sure it's because of money, and that's another reason I would suggest big changes to this annual event. It needs to be rethought and revamped for the way things are NOW. Or else, there will be something for the prosumer, and nothing for the professional photographer.

Will I blog again next year? I don't know. I came away a bit disheartened, glad to get back into what's going on here--going to openings, being on a panel, etc. I'm interested in contributing to the photography community and I'm always interested in finding ways that I can help. It's time again to get back to the problems of making a living. Last week didn't really help anyone with that.

Live From PhotoPlus Expo Part 1

Good morning from the cavernous Javits Center where I hope to not have to rely on coffee to keep me going. Just left the "How To Get Work In Advertising" workshop, where David and Claudia Monaco, (Monaco Reps), Michelle Chant (Wieden & Kennedy), Glen Wexler (photographer) and Debra Weiss (moderator) filled the panel and talked about the general sense of the business. What started with no mics later ran into the typical sidetracking and soft talking so that I wasn't able to get my fuzzy brain focused. They did make some clear and important points that I hope Jason Florio will elaborate on later today.

1: Your website is a tool, nothing more. So don't spend so much time and money that the imagery becomes surperfluous to its purpose--to promote your work. Clear and simple seemed to be the preference of all. So don't over design, add music, text, etc. As Claudia Monaco said: Your soul is in your imagery."

2: What makes the website and iPad great, according to Glen Wexler, is that it gives you the flexibility to show several bodies of work. That's something your portfolio cannot do.

3:Don't send large posters as promo work. people have small offices and no where to hang them up. Postcards, small books to keep probably work better for the majority of art buyers.

4: If you don't have a personal style you won't be hired. And show you can produce something and work with clients.

5: The still aesthetic translates into motion, not vice versa, so if you have a feeling for video, do it! If not, put a team together.

So keep you eyes peeled here all day and through Saturday for more and more opinions, news, attitude and surprises from PhotoPlus Expo!

PhotoPlus Expo starts Thursday!

I just want to remind everyone (remember to tell all your friends) that I will be blogging the 3-day event (and after-parties) with my cohorts Andrea Fischman, Sari Goodfriend, Jason Florio and last but certainly not least, Helen Jones. Keep watch and read as we cover everything from seminars to equipment reviews to interview, etc.

You can also read additional posts at the ASMPNY blog, Sharpen .

You won't get better coverage anywhere else!

Oh yeah, if you see us, stop and say hello.

Tonight in New York

Group show TASCHEN is an exhibition of 18 photographers. Curated by Jon Feinstein and amani olu, “this exhibition follows Humble’s vision of fusing and collapsing photographic genres. Documentary becomes conceptual, portraits are "conceptual" or “process oriented;” and the notion of photojournalistic truth is neither entirely refuted, nor taken for granted.
Among these artists, Brian Shumway and Sophia Wallace’s images similarly converge traditional elements of fashion photography with explorations of race, gender sexuality...”

RSVP is required for the opening this Thursday, September 30th at 6pm. RSVP to rsvp@hafny.org
TASCHEN Store New York
107 Greene Street

Newsweek Sells for $1--What's Next?

I’m not one given to bouts of nostalgia, but when I heard Newsweek had been sold for $1 (and more than $50 million in liabilities) to billionaire Sidney Harman, it made me think back to when I worked there, and how I really came into my own as a photo editor.

I began freelancing at Newsweek in 1990, recommended by Karen Mullarkey, who knew me from a freelance stint I did at Sports Illustrated when she was the DOP. This was the first time I was really on my own as a photo editor, and I found myself the freelance cover photo editor. As the cover photo editor at Newsweek you had to handle the domestic cover and three overseas editions. Strangely enough the overseas editions were easier because Newsweek had staff and contributing photographers around the world, and you also had agencies to rely upon. This was the first time I felt over my head in a job, but the staff was so helpful and friendly I soon got the rhythm and had a great time.

I came back as a freelancer in 1991, working on special issues, including "When Worlds Collide," the centennial anniversary of Christopher Columbus' voyage, done in collaboration with the Smithsonian. I was given total free rein to research this anyway and anywhere I wished. I donned white gloves to look at ancient manuscripts, dug into library and university collections, and photographed pre-Columbian artifacts. It was an amazing project, and a multi-award winning one as well.

One of my biggest shoots at that time was for a cover story, "The Science of Sports" (why does a curveball curve, etc.). I hired Mark Seliger to shoot the cover and five inside images, and we chose Bo Jackson, then one of the biggest name in sports, and two sports at that (football and baseball). After weeks of negotiation, discussions of props, prop building and art direction, I flew out to Kansas City (where Jackson was) with Mark and a crew of four or five (can’t really remember) and waited for the prop truck to arrive at our rented studio. We worked all night to set up each shot, slept 2 or 3 hours and then waited for Bo Jackson to show.


Of course he arrived late, wasn’t in a very cooperative mood, and when he walked off the set, both Mark and I had to firmly insist he continue (it was pretty amazing to go up to a huge, muscled football player and demand he get back on set and basically shut the fuck up—I was exhilarated!). I don't think these two shots have ever been seen before.

The shoot ended up being great, the most expensive I had done, and yet it never ran. Why? Well that same day, a dictator named Sadaam Hussein invaded a little country called Kuwait. Little did we know what would happen next. Thank you Mark for being such a dream to work with.


In 1992 I was hired on staff by Guy Cooper, and worked on the Back-Of-The-Book section (BOB in magazine parlance) which covered everything from fashion to science to law to food to education and beyond. About half of each years covers were in my section, and one of the best issues I worked on was “A Week In the Death of America” about murder around the country. I hired Eugene Richards to ride around the city with a police band radio waiting for a murder scene he could shoot. I also hired photographers around the country like Bryce Lankard in New Orleans, Jeff Lowe, Stephen Shames, Jeff Mermelstein, Anthony Barboza. We photographed a gun show, a victim rights group, a minor incarcerated for murder and more.

This was one of the most amazing projects I’ve ever worked on, and as you can imagine, the logistics were intense. In fact, we didn’t even have a cover image until the very last moment. That kept me biting my nails up until deadline. But the project won multiple awards, and still remains one of the best things I’ve ever done.

I was able to hire anyone I wanted, shoot anyway I wanted, and do anything I wanted—total control and total creative license. What a dream for a photo editor! As a result I really was able to stretch out and learn how important picking the right photographer for the right assignment was. I learned how to art direct and visualize stories for a magazine format, and worked with the best editor ever, Aric Press, who trusted me to give him fantastic images for our section’s stories. I worked with a wonderful photographer, Jeff Lowe, who was an amazing creative problem solver. Jeff could reimagine a mundane subject into a beautifully compelling image.


I did some of the first photo illustrations Newsweek had ever used; I shot stories with Holgas, in sepia, with big sets, and with great photographers. Newsmagazines used to be an amazing proving ground for photo editors where the craft of photo editing was learned, and the best were able to contribute new visual ways of story telling to the audience. That’s what Newsweek was for me.



But newsweeklies have been way too slow to change with the times, and fell victim to the belief that photographs didn’t compel people to buy and read the magazines--people were more interested in the writing. Well, since by the time the magazine is on the stands people already know nearly all there is to know about a particular story, unless there is something offered that your audience cannot get elsewhere, they will pass you up. Great photographs are the unique added value to offer an audience. Great photographs can tell a story without words, and can impart new information, deep emotion and subcontext that is frequently missed in the text due to mediocre editorial.

Now would be the time for Newsweek to step back into the limelight as a visual storytelling publication—whether on the Web, on iPad or in paper form. You cannot get a jump on the news, but you can go so much deeper into stories around the world through the use of photography. And there are so many amazing stories being told by photographers that you don’t have to go far to find them. You just have to give them a platform.

Here’s hoping the new owner is smart enough to reinvent the magazine, break new ground and set it apart by the use of great photographic storytelling.

RESTREPO Theatrical Release

Photographer Tim Hetherington, and journalist Sebastian Junger's award-winningt documentary, RESTREPO is making it's theatrical debut Friday, June 25 at the Angelika Theater.

RESTREPO follows the men of Battle Company, 2nd of the 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team during their deployment in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost, “Restrepo,” named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military.

This is an entirely experiential film: the cameras never leave the valley; there are no interviews with generals or diplomats. The only goal is to make viewers feel as if they have just been through a 94-minute deployment. This is war, full stop. The conclusions are up to you.

Watch the trailer here

Tell The Story of The Gulf Catastrophe

When the oil rig exploded in the Gulf on April 20, did anyone realize what a catastrophe had happened? Along with the loss of 11 workers on the rig, the final effect on the environment can’t even be measured as yet. I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later with America’s lust for oil. Add to that the barely policed and regulated industry full of government workers watching porn at work, doing coke, and getting it on with the people they were supposed to be monitoring, and there you have it, the inevitable disaster. Does it sound like the “financial meltdown” to you? Yeah, me too.

Like most of you I have alternated between unmitigated rage and overwhelming sadness at the scope of this debacle. I read stories in the MSM and try to wrap my brain around what is happening while I wait for the photographs that will bring it all into deeper focus for me. That hasn’t happened yet.

With BP and their private police force, the US government controlling access to the effort to cap the plume, access to beaches and clean-up workers, I’m wondering: Who is telling the full story? Read more about the controlling of the press here

This week I looked at more than 300 photos online—both pro and amateur and felt there were several stories missing. Relying on the mainstream media to tell the story is to listen to both a 2-minute story bite and a cacophony of cable voices muddying the information. Otherwise it’s a newspaper headline with a decreasing column inch attention span.

This will be the loss of an extraordinary eco-system and a way of life people have lived for generations. Yet there is a certain controlled, passive reaction to it all—so it ends up sounding like every other story. The only true outrage I’ve heard has been James Carville, the rest of the press has had their typical, passive response.

What happened to the stories of the men who died in the explosion? Where are the stories about the economic dependency of towns all along the Gulf who live an almost surreal double life—working on these under regulated rigs, and hoping to continue fishing? Why haven’t I been seeing stories about people working to rehabilitate injured wildlife? Where are the photos of dead wildlife? Where are the stories about the people who live off the water and now face devastation?

This is a human story and I’m just not seeing enough of it. I know getting there and getting access isn’t easy, but I’m hoping more people try, so that this can be documented and the story kept alive when the media has moved on to the next big-rating horrorshow.

There are photographers already in the area shooting and I’m looking to hear from anyone who is down there covering this horror. Should there be a coordinated call to action—trying to gather dozens of photographers to show up and shoot? David Bram of Fraction magazine and I are talking about this. We’re thinking of creating a central site/blog for photos and information.

Oil has hit the beaches of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida and it’s come ashore in Alabama. Anyone with a camera is encouraged and urged to shoot, to tell the story so it can’t be completely controlled by the controllers.

What do you think?

All photographs courtesy of Andy Levin. A Day at What Was the Beach: Grand Isle, May 25th 2010

California here I come!

I'm in California to speak at the Apple Store in San Francisco on Tuesday, March 16 at 7pm. Details here. Come one, come all, and be sure and stop by and say hello if you're in the neighborhood.
I'll also be available for consultations in the Bay Area until March 22. If you're interested, email me for an appointment.

The Cove Wins An Oscar!

Congratulations to Louie Psihoyos on winning the Oscar for The Cove! If you still haven't seen it, rent it right now. This is an incredible example of storytelling, and a photographer evolving from still to moving image.
And let me add this Fuck the Academy for cueing the music and not letting Louie speak. What a travesty!