This weekend the Camden International Film Festival presented midcoast Maine with the world’s finest non-fiction documentaries.

Although I was not able to see as many films as I would have liked, I did have the opportunity to see The Way We Get By, Full Battle Rattle, and Red Gold. All of the films were visually and emotionally compelling, but Red Gold hit home particularly hard.

Taking place in Bristol Bay, Alaska, aka the home of the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery, Red Gold focuses on how plans to construct the world’s largest mine, the Pebble Mine, threatens to forever negatively impact the fragile, 300 million dollar salmon industry and more importantly, the livelihoods of Alaskans and the future of Pacific Salmon as we know it.

If and when the mine is created, toxic mineral waste, also known as tailings, will be generated as copper and gold are mined from the earth. When this toxic waste ever enters the salmon watershed, the fish will immediately begin to die.

I say “when” and not “if” because there is no question that no matter how many precautions are set in place and environmental regulations established, the toxic waste will at one time or another enter this watershed and have an enormous, forever-negative impact on not only Bristol Bay, but also the world.

What can you do to stop the world’s largest open pit mine from being created and in turn protect the world’s salmon industry? Head over to Save Bristol Bay now.

The trailer for Red Gold:

The NYT Feature:

Kenneth Josephson. New York State, 1970 (http://www.artic.edu/aic)

Culled from the permanent collection, the images that comprised the Art Institute of Chicago’s recent photography exhibition (on view from June 14 to September 7, 2008), “A Mind at Play,” celebrated the photographic medium’s inherent subjective experience.  Thematically, the exhibition sought to separate photographs that act as records of what is in front of the camera in order to highlight those that contain moments more contingent, witty, serendipitous and inspired.  The exhibition showcased the work of more than fifty artists whose influence spans the history of the medium.  Selected by a team of curators and employees at the museum, “A Mind at Play” boasted a comprehensive display of photographs –  everything from an image by Nadar made in 1863 to an inkjet print by contemporary Chicago photographer Suzette Bross (Blue, White and Red with Wheel, 2007).  Certainly not lacking breadth, “A Mind at Play” showcased some of the medium’s most prominent – Duane Michals, Robert Frank, Kenneth Josephson and Joel Sternfeld – to name a few.

At a time when the discussion regarding the photographic medium and the role of digital technology is making weekly headlines, “A Mind at Play” seemed appropriately poised as a retrospective of  the non-digital era.  Although there were a handful of digital inclusions, the gallery walls were filled almost entirely with silver gelatin prints.  Understandably, this bias lends itself to a conversation about contemporary photographic philosophy.  In speaking to the photographer’s ability to manipulate viewer perception, a question arises about the tools photographers are using today versus those used in decades prior.  Particularly when considering contemporary photographers such as Andreas Gursky, Gregory Crewdson or Jill Greenberg (all embrace computer based post-production techniques in order to reconstruct and redefine photographic reality), how should the manipulation of viewer perception be defined?    Raising this question, “A Mind at Play” ignored that subjectivity, curiosity and experimentation are all inherent qualities of photography regardless of the argument between digital versus analog image making.

Positioned to parade highlights from the collection and attract viewers with the promise of tongue-in-cheek images, “A Mind at Play” hit the mark.  The gallery was overflowing with funny and intelligent images.  Entertainment aside, the Art Institute failed to acknowledge changes in contemporary photographic practice, leaving viewers stuck with a Modern vernacular.  Philosophically this omission, albeit justifiable, seemed negligent – ultimately leaving the viewer asking for more.

After graduating high school in June of 2006, I headed to Vermont to study biology at the University of Vermont. While at UVM, I found myself walking around campus with a profound interest in the world that surrounded in all directions. I was more interested in photographically smelling, feeling, and seeing the world than burying my head in a book. I spent 1 semester at UVM and then left to pursue these interests.

I was first introduced to the work of Harry Callahan by Kate Izor, good friend and Photography Program Manager at the Maine Media Workshops. Kate and I became companions through an intense, 11-week Photo II class at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Kate was my TA and I was her student.

A deep connection immediately began to emerge between the photographs Harry Callahan had made and how I viewed the world.

Since that day I have had a vested interest in Harry’s work and I often find myself searching for his photographs, books, quotes, interviews, and articles.

Tonight I stumbled across a New York Times interview regarding the photographs he made of his wife, Eleanor.

“I never refused when he wanted to take a picture,” said Eleanor Callahan, the 91-year-old widow of the photographer Harry Callahan. “I never complained, whatever I was doing. If he said: ‘Come quick, Eleanor — there’s a good light,’ I was right there.”

Read the rest of the interview here.

What other photographer’s have had photographic muses? I am curious. Post a comment.

I am pleased to announce that the Pause, to Begin trailer to be released on October 6th will feature the music of El Ten Eleven.

I was first introduced to El Ten Eleven’s music in the winter of 2006/2007 while at a friend’s house in Rockport Harbor, Maine. El Ten Eleven’s “My Only Swerving” was emanating from his upstairs speakers while we sat downstairs sipping Jameson and watching snow fall into the harbor.

From the El Ten Eleven Wikipedia:

El Ten Eleven formed in 2003 after bassist and composer Kristian Dunn and drummer Tim Fogarty had played experimental music together in an organic/electronic four-piece group.^[1] They released their first album, El Ten Eleven in 2004 on Fake Record Label, and through Bar/None Records on September 20, 2005. Stylistically, they have been described as atmospheric, putting a much more ethereal spin on the southwestern post-rock/Americana movement than bands like Calexico or The Court & Spark, though less electronic and more organic-sounding than Tortoise or most shoegazer bands.^{[citation needed]} Comparisons have also been drawn to Sigur Rós and The Mercury Program, and has, so far, remained a primarily instrumental act. Spin, which picked them for Band of the Day, September 29, 2005, describes their work as “experimental instrumental music that’s both highly skilled and deeply felt.”^[2] They continue to play live shows in their native Los Angeles, California home, and were a showcase artist at South By Southwest on March 17, 2006.^[3]

Ethan and I are co-teaching Intro. to Digital Photography at the Maine Media Workshops this week. Tomorrow morning we are making a presentation on moving beyond the printed image and will be speaking about multimedia. Three of the pieces we’ll present are:Matt and Melissa Eich’s “Love in the First Person”, produced by MediaStorm.Alec Soth’s “Niagara”, produced by Magnum in Motion.Olaf Otto Becker’s “Greenland”, produced by Daylight Magazine.

Pause, to Begin photographer Sonja Thomsen is showing two new works: hole 2008 (fall, winter, spring, summer) and petroleum 2008 from September 5 – October 18, 2008, at the David Weinberg Gallery in Chicago.

hole (spring) 2008 © Sonja Thomsen

Who Gets What: a political show

Artists: The Franks, David Opdyke, Michael Ratulowski, Lisa Solomon, Sonja Thomsen, Krista Wortendyke

Running: September 5 – October 18, 2008

David Weinberg Gallery

300 West Superior, Suite 203, Chicago, IL 60654.

holes 2008 installation view courtesy David Weinberg Gallery.

petroleum 2008 installation view courtesy David Weinberg Gallery.

Tom Dey and Coliena Rentmeester (a.k.a. Tom + Coliena) have produced a wonderful film titled “Autumn Album 5 Days in Prague” that highlights J.Crew’s 2008 fall clothing line.I find this short film interesting because of how well the locations, cinematography, and music work together.Prague is the location and includes numerous cafes, train stations, automobiles, vintage cameras, balloons, and of course, beautiful clothing. The cinematography is romantic, soft, and playful, and the music (Leona Naess‘ “Sunny Sunday”) is kind, loving, and youthful.Next week I will begin piecing together the Pause, to Begin trailer to be released on October 6th.Like Tom + Coliena did with their J.Crew film, Ethan and I are focused on specific tone and feeling for the Pause, to Begin trailer. We’ll be using footage for the trailer from our 10,000 mile road trip we made in May, 2008 to see the selected 15 photographers. Stay tuned.

Alan Winslow and Morrigan (Mo) McCarthy, two great friends of Pause, to Begin, are about to embark on a journey called Project Tandem that will take them bicycling across 10,000 miles of the American landscape over the course of 1 year.

Alan and Mo are not only traveling 10,000 miles to see the American landscape at 15 m.p.h., but more importantly to seek out, meet, interview, and publish unique stories about people in local communities doing eco-friendly things overlooked and unpublished by the mainstream media.

Both documentary photographers, Alan and Mo started Project Tandem because they “…believe that sharing the stories of everyday people stepping up to help the environment will bring awareness to the issue in a new way. You always hear stories in the news of people doing huge, amazing things for the planet, but we think that even the small actions need to be celebrated.”

What will undoubtedly be a nationally recognized endeavour, Project Tandem has already received sponsors from notable companies such as Smith Optics, PhotoShelter, Ortlieb, LaCie, B&H, Klean Kanteen, and Adventure Cycling Association.

But Project Tandem still needs your help.

Donate to Project Tandem.

Spread the word about Project Tandem.

Stay updated at the Project Tandem Blog.

I had the privilege of meeting Allison V. Smith a few weeks ago in Maine as our paths crossed at the Maine Media Workshops.

The amazing thing about meeting Allison was that as soon as I saw her work I realized that she had applied for Pause, to Begin. Take a look at her work, and you will realize just how difficult it was to select only 15 photographers for Pause, to Begin. I particularly enjoy her photographs from summers spent in Maine with her family.

You can find Allison’s frequently updated flickr here.
Her personal blog here.
You can also buy the wonderful book (Reflection of a Man: The Photographs of Stanley Marcus) of her grandfather’s photographs that she and her mother put together here. The book will remind you how great Kodachrome was.