She's Not An Effing Saint You Know.........

I'm getting sick to the back teeth hearing about Jade fuckin Goody. Before you start telling me I'm mean, that link goes through to one of the UK's main newspapers and she get's all them column inches oh and heres the proud BBC give me a fucking break!

Now for anyone outside Blighty Jade Goody is a moron who appeared on Big Brother, I know that even if you are reading this in Kuala Lumpa you've heard of BB because it's the only thing that the UK's managed to export worldwide of late, makes me damn proud... So this stupid Essex (Essex, gobby like Mancs but without the class) pleb goes on BB and wins coz she's fick and we love a fick bird with big tits in England, and then she makes a perfume and goes back on to celebrity BB, but boo she's racist (youtube have removed video) to another contestant and we hate her then she get's cancer and we love her, and more British soldier's die perhaps their parents could get a magazine deal on the funeral? but she's got the big C don't be awful. Yeah? well ya dance with the fucking Devil............

"An English Mans Home Is His Castle"

Image copyright Mark Page

Tamir Sher

Images copyright Tamir Sher

I love Tamir Sher's work because of the variety and the humour. And because I get a feeling that he makes it out of a sheer joy for creating images. I shared an online show with him here and was honoured to do so.........

Read an interview here

Hey Hey Have A Shot for $60

Jen Bekman is calling for submissions for the first round of 2009 Hey Hot Shot! Now this competition does get a lot of coverage, but $60 entry fee? come on Jen ain't no one told you times are hard? Fuck knows how they justify that. No doubt "admin" will be the excuse but knowing how many submissions they'll end up getting x $60 "Nice little earner" as our Del Boy would say.

In fairness to these NY wideboys the style of photography that they represent is pretty wide compared to the current narrow derth that gets peddled stateside, so fair play for that. I guess after this post I may as well save my 60 bucks..............

It's always Nice,

Yep, It's always nice when someone has something nice to say about you. And Duckrabbit were very complimentary about my photograph which I have imaginatively called "Dalmatian" actually I called it "Dalmation" because my spellings crap. Yes I know they also called me a "Gobshite" but I took it as a compliment.

New Books (to me)

New photo books today on account that yesterday was my birthday. First up Tod Papageorge's "Passing Through Eden" a book that for me is a continuation of the tradition of NY street photography, it needed to be, in order to continue the story........ Kindly bought for me by "our kid" John. John, Mark can you see where mother was going?

Second up and staying with classic American Photography Robert Frank's "The Americans" which of course needs no introduction but does need to be in any collection of photography books........

Mancunia

Images copyright Mark Page

I swear to God,

That if you type mcfc honours into Google it asks "Did you Mean MUFC honours"!

Asian Pictorialism

Image Long Chin-San

While I was doing a bit of research for "36 Views of The Beetham Tower After Hokusai" which is a project I started last spring and am just getting ready to carry on with, I came across what has been called "Asian Pictorialism". The above image is by Long Chin-San. the old master who lived to the ripe old age of 104!

Image Don Hong-oai

A student of his, Don Hong-Oai is much better represented on the web and by galleries such as Photo-Eye. He uses the composite techniques learnt from Chin-San to great affect. I love these images. I'm not sure about "meaning" I know that for me though they work on an aesthetic level. And so I'm pinching this aesthetic for my "36 Views". Yes I know that Hokusai was Japanese and the above two photographers are Chinese, but look at this picture below,
This is by Japanese photographer Suizan Kurokawa, whose work as you can see fits nicely into Asian Pictorialism. And I'm sure you can see how the above photographs relate to this wood block print by Hokusai.

Image Hokusai

And so for my series, it made sense to replicate, and continue in this style. Of course my series is a bit tongue in cheek, satirical I'm using The Beetham Tower as a motif instead of Mount Fuji, the new skyscraper has become Manchester's post prominent landmark and has started to appear on postcards and tourist paraphernalia.

Image Mark Page

I've still got a bit of a way to go until all 36 views are "in the bag" I shot the first set spring/early summer last year and am waiting until the same time this year to continue. I want the light and also spring foliage. These pictures are very different to anything I've done before, but I love having fun with photography and using different techniques. Well you got to have a laugh haven't you?

What????

Fuck me if you produced stuff like this in the UK you'd be up before a judge on some kind of incitement charge before you could put your ink pen down! found via Reciprocity Failure full article on Huffington Post

Kevin J Miyazaki

Image copyright Kevin J Miyazaki

Kevin J Miyazaki is 42. Which is how old I will be next Monday, that's Monday 23rd. Anyway never mind me and my impending birthday and the fact that I want photography books and some signed prints would be nice. It's Kevin's series "Camp Home" I want to draw your attention to not my BIRTHDAY.

Mark Steinmetz

Image copyright Mark Steinmetz

Found the work of Mark Steinmetz over on Conscientious . Joerg says that some of the work is "outstanding" which I whole heatedly agree with. He also says "As much as I wish it was in colour" Which makes me want to know why? None of the work as far as I can tell is about colour so why use it? I think it would do nothing for the work at all. In fact there are a few images on the site that are in colour, are they better, stronger, is anything gained? What is this obsession (not necessarily yours JC, just in general) with colour for colour's sake?

There's a great quote here by Tod Papageorge

"I’m more interested in photographers than photographs. In other words, I respond more to a photographer’s total oeuvre, and what it demonstrates about his mind and creative understanding, than I do to particular pictures. By this standard, it’s difficult for me to call any color photographer in the history of the medium great, although I admire, for example, the early work of Bill Eggleston and Philip-Lorca DiCorcia. I want to forget the color when I look at a photograph, rather than being made unpleasantly aware of how it pulls at me for attention by being saturated or too full of contrast or jarring in its combination of hues.

It’s the operatic form of photography, you could say; in other words, more often than not, there’s an uneasy tension between its virtually unavoidable pictorial seizures and the poetic intimacy that I love about photography. But, just as many of the greatest works in music are operas (Mozart!), so are there many great color photographs. That success, however, is not built into the practice: the color photographer, like any artist, has to work against almost impossible odds to achieve something that’s finally persuasive, and, in my judgment, there are few such color photographers who’ve managed to do that through a life’s body of work."

Quote found on Foto8

Sailor Jerry

Couldn't really do posts about tattoo's without mentioning Sailor Jerry.

Photographing Tattoo's con'td

Following on from yesterday, Mark Massey was kind enough to send me a link to some of his pictures Perhaps Mark the start of a series?

Photographing Tattoo's

Image Carl De Keyzer/Magnum

So the last post has got me asking myself (and you) has any one photographer ever made a substantial body of work about tattoos? There's these over at Magnum. Or shite like this but is there one piece of work of significance out there. I don't know of one. Let me know if you can think of any and I'll post it here.

Ex Inked.

Tattoos are a bit like marmite, you either love them or hate them, think that they are Art or a sad and pathetic attempt to make yourself interesting. I have them, I'll let you decide which category I fall into. However soon YOU could have one that will be without doubt be Art with a big A.

Those crazy Manchester people at UHC have come up with this in part to mark the 200th anniversary of old Charles Darwin's birth. They create some tattoo designs around animals that are now extinct, then as part of the exhibition a tattooist inks you up and hey presto! Art & interestingness in one bloody, very stingy and permanent instant!

Mark Cohen

Image copyright Mark Cohen

I've gone and done it again. Because I love the work of a photographer soooo much and because this blog has been up and running for nearly two years I'm sure that I must have featured them here before. And I have'nt. I can't believe I've not featured Mark Cohen before!

He's one of those photographers whose so cool that they have no website, so here's a film. Problem is it's got a commentary in German, which of course is no problem if you are indeed German. Good interview over on Colin Pantall's blog.

My mate Stan getting a few thing off his chest Here:

Keeping Up A Proud Tradition.

I'm glad that students still do things like this. At a time when the British seem so apathetic about so many things and only seem to be motivated by interest rates, this kind of thing gives me hope. Well done! Blogger's ATTENTION! spread the word................

What Manchester Did For The Victorians.

Image copyright BBC
"The Victorians" last night BBC1, written and presented by Jeremy Paxman was a great bit of telly. It also showed the importance of Manchester to that period in history. Made me feel proper proud! God I'm welling up just thinking about it. If you missed it catch it HERE.

It featured one of my favourite painting's "WORK" which of course can be seen HERE.

Happy Valentines Day!

Why I first Fell In Love With Photography.

Sometimes I forget why I fell in love with photography. I can get carried away with "new photography", "gallery photography" clever talking and concepts. But it was Don MCullin, Salgado and photojournalists of that ilk that first turned me on to photography. Some commentators argue that photojournalism needs to find new ways in which to connect to a increasingly cynical audience, well that's where Duckrabbit come in. They are striking a wonderful balance between traditional photojournalism and digital presentations. This is done powerfully with INNOCENCE: Sri Lanka's Former Child Soldiers.

And as if that's not enough, earlier today Duckrabbit announced that one of there regular contributing photographer's Chiba Yasuyoshi has been awarded 1st prize in the World Press Photo Award for single image for this stunning photo.

Has The B Gone Bang?

I was going to write a bit yesterday about the "B of the Bang" and the fact that it's to be dismantled, but my Internet connection went down and well, I missed the boat on it as a story, but I will say this.

It was, along with other projects that began with the new century a symbol of the regeneration of Manchester and our renaissance as a city. I just hope that the fact that it's spikes keep falling off are not some kind of rusty great omen.........

Shadi Ghadirian.

Images copyright Shadi Ghadirian

A study of the role and place in society of Iranian women by Shadi Ghadirian. You can catch her at AEROPLASTICS gallery, which by the way is a great name for a gallery, February 13th to April 4th 2009
Opening Preview: Thursday February 12th 2009 6-9pm
AEROPLASTICS contemporary Jerome Jacobs 32 rue Blanche 1060 BrusselsBelgium T (32) 2 537 22 02F (32) 2 537 15 49contact@aeroplastics.netwww.aeroplastics.netOpening hours: Tues-Fri 11 am -6 pm, Sat 2-6 pm or by appointment

Dalton Rooney

Image copyright Dalton Rooney

Some strong images from Dalton Rooney.

I would have liked a bit more info on his website regarding the images./thoughts. Strong and interesting work though.............

Credit Crunch? wa wa wa wa,waaa I'm Lovin It!

Missed You.........

I feel I've neglected you lot, you Manchester photography regulars a bit. I've had my head turned by a new flame the bit of a tart that is EXPIRATION NOTICE It's been a bigger success than I think either myself or Stan could have imagined.

I've had to behave all grown up as well. Dealing with such a high standard of submissions, jeez we've had some good one's it's been humbling.

But I have had to bite my tongue a bit, and you know me, decorum has never been my strong point.

It was the comments we've received already or at least some of them. Like for instance this one is it all men? Do you know what I mean? You go to all this effort to put this together and you still get moaning fucks. Come on, do we really honestly think that women photographers still have to rely on positive discrimination to get by? Here you go just one.

I would have liked to rant at this person who did by the way submit, and just didn't make it, not because she was a women what did she want us to do let her through because of her gender? That's fucking sexist. Here ya go love, your pictures are OK but we'll let you through coz we need a female photographer so every one's happy.

I tell you what love, we will no doubt have several female photographers, we'll get submissions and the work will be tip top it'll get posted and then we may notice the name/gender/race/disability/sexual orientation/age.

Age, oh yeah that was the point.

Published!

EXPIRATION NOTICE is now live! And it's a good feeling. Me and Stan have been planning this since before Christmas. I don't think, when we started that we realised how much hard work it would be! Anyway this is Volume1. We had such a brilliant response from photographers that we hope to make this an ongoing monthly exercises.

This edition features work by Alan George, David Wolf, George Georgiou and from right here in the North-West John Darwell. Please show your support by firstly visiting and then by spreading the word.

from the series "MANCUNIA"

Images copyright Mark Page

It Must Be Competition Season.........

Image by the last winner Geert Goiris

Launching the 7th Vevey International Photo Awards

The Vevey International Photo Awards is a competition of photographic projects with a first prize of 30,000 CHF (approx. 20,000 Euros). It is organized by the Fondation Vevey, ville d'images as part of the festival Images'. The purpose of the competition is to promote outstanding personal work that is original and unconventional. There are, therefore, no limitations as to the choice of subject matter or genre.

Participation in the competition is open to professional artists or photographers, and to students. Its aim is to support talented creators, without any limit of age, by enabling them to carry out a personal project. The prize winner's project will be completed and exhibited at the next festival Images' in Vevey, in September 2010.

The juryA jury composed of key figures in the field of the visual arts will select projects and choose prize winners on the basis of the quality of the ideas reflected in the form and content of the work submitted.

First PrizeA first prize of 30,000 CHF (approx. 20,000 Euros) is awarded to a project that will be completed and exhibited at the next edition of the festival Images'.

The Belgian artist Geert Goiris received this award at the 6th Vevey International Photo Awards competition for his project Whiteout at the South Pole.Registration and DeadlinesCandidates should register online at http://www.images.ch/.Projects must be submitted by April 30th 2009 at the latest.Images'Grand prix international de photographie de VeveyRue du Clos 12- CP 4431800 Vevey - SuisseT. +41 (21) 922 48 54

Capture Manchester.

Capture Manchester Launched!
Redeye's major competition with £5000 in prizes!

Redeye The Photography Network is delighted to announce the launch of Capture Manchester, a brand new competition sponsored by law firm DLA Piper with £5000 in prizes. There are ten prizes of £500 on offer for the best new images of Manchester (UK).
The winners will be produced as postcards and larger prints, and all of the entries (providing they are legal and decent) will be exhibited at postcard size at CUBE Gallery in Manchester alongside the judges? choice of the first nine of the winning entries. There will also be the opportunity to vote for the People's Choice at the gallery for one final prize.
Winning entries will be reproduced as postcards that will be available throughout the city and beyond. Each winning image will be produced as a larger print as well as a postcard, so the image must work at both small and large scale. Images can be photographs, illustrations, design or reproduced artwork.
The deadline for entries is 13th February 2009 and there is a limit of one image per person.
For full details of how to enter, visit www.capturemanchester.com
This competition is a partnership between Redeye, Cube Gallery, Marketing Manchester and sponsored by the law firm DLA Piper.

Redeye is also running a short programme of talks and masterclasses by top photographers in Manchester from Jan to Feb 2009 including: Jem Southam (6th & 7th Feb) and curator Shirley Read (date TBC).
More details to follow soon.
Enquiries
For more information on Capture Manchester, contact Redeye director Paul Herrmann on 07836 553 223 or paul@redeye.org.uk. For full details of all Redeye?s activities see our website www.redeye.org.uk

New Cliches of Photography #6

Murals in the landscape.

Giacomo Brunelli

All Images copyright Giacomo Brunelli

Animals is a new book by Giacomo Brunelli published by Dewi Lewis. I've said before here that I love photography of animals.

Alison Nordstrom, Curator of Photography at George Eastman House, writes,

'Giacomo Brunelli has been looking hard at animals. His focus is not on the framed and caged exotica of zoos but on the ordinary animals that remain with us to some extent: horses, dogs, cats, chickens, pigeons. He shows us a fox, looking sharply at the camera and poised to flee, and there are numerous birds, a snake and several toads, but this wildness is small and fragile, living in the familiar liminal space where manmade and natural meet and overlap. His animals inhabit farmyards, cobbled streets and the facades of stone buildings. There are no tigers here.Brunelli's animals are often composed only of suggestive fragments. His spare black and white images are attuned to the nuances of a moving mane, a silhouetted whisker, a highlighted, almost illuminated wing. He favours the profile and the counterintuitive angle, setting dark unobservable features against dark undiscernable backgrounds. A dead mouse, on its back, paws in air beside an oversized flower against a stark and distant mountain is no more or less frozen in time than is the growling dog, eyes alight and teeth forever bared; both are icons of states we fear but cannot know. These pictures are timeless and uncanny, powerful in their ordinariness, and emotionally much bigger than their simple subjects'

She sums it up better than me, (even if she has made spelling mistakes!) but these pictures do move me. Perhaps they stir memories of tales of animals from my childhood, whatever it is I love these images. It's my birthday later this month and if anyone is wondering what to get me...........

Christoph Bangert Update.

Nice little review and update of Christoph Bangert's exhibition at Artland gallery, and his time in Manchester. Over on ysr3.com

In Atget's Shoes.

The above images are by Atget & Christopher Rauschenberg respectivly. Between 1997 and 1998
Rauschenberg set out to retrace Atget's steps and rephotograph many of the same views, he made over 500 of these images An audio interview can be heard here courtesy of Lens Culture. I like most photographers also love Atget, and was looking for things about him on the Internet when I came across this project below.

These images are by Atget and the University of South Florida Art Dept Paris Summer School, which again aimed to rephotograph Atget's Paris. This project was started in 1987 and some of it can be seen here.

Get A Grip!

Ok so London's got it bad but around here come on! I was supposed to have a blood test this morning but the nurse did'nt come into work. The excuse snow.

Dear Nurse take a look at the above video from New York then get a fucking grip..................

Andrew Bush.

Image copyright Andrew Bush

Working mainly, though not exclusively with Typology, and doing so for many years. It all adds up to plenty of interesting projects over at www.andrewbush.net