Phillip Bloom's "Dubai"

Dubai as seen by Phillip Bloom using a Canon 7D, two 5D MkII, and one Panasonic GF1. My favorite shot is 2:20 in.

Oh, Snap ! A Photography/T-shirt Project

Hmm...this reminds me of Threadless . So Oh, Snap! has a Flickr group pool where every season they handpick selected images and print them. By the way, check out their photo blog.

Oh, Snap ! is based in the Pacific Northwest in Portland, OR

Fujiroids from Ed Templeton Show

Ed Templeton

Mark 'The Cobrasnake' Hunter

David Burtka & Neil Patrick Harris
I couldn't make it out to the Ed Templeton show "The Seconds Pass" exhibition over at Roberts and Tilton Gallery in Culver City but luckily my friend Reserve Result was down taking photos with his Fuji instant camera and was kind to send some photos over.

You may not recognized the name but you might recognized the cover of one of his photography books...



The Golden Age of Neglect (2002)

His first solo exhibition took place in 1994 at Aaron Rose's Alleged Gallery in New York. In 1995 he took up photography in earnest. His first book of photographs, Teenage Smokers, 1999, from Alleged Press, won the $50,000 first prize in the 2000 "Search for Art" in Milan. In 2002 his second book of photographs, The Golden Age of Neglect, was published by Drago in conjunction with an exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. More recently, his work was featured in the bestselling Beautiful Losers, published by Iconoclast. Templeton currently lives and works in Huntington Beach, California, and continues to exhibit, run Toy Machine and skate professionally.

His exhibition runs till April 3, 2010.

UPDATE : Ed's posted up some photos from last night's event over on his site.

ROBERTS & TILTON
5801 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, California 90232.

Behind the Scene of David Drebin's "All My Children" Shoot

Behind the scenes of David Drebin "All My Children" shoot for Los Angeles magazine. The issue is currently on newsstands.

Andreas Gursky (3/4)

Space is very important for me but in a more abstract way. Maybe to try to understand not just that we are living in a certain building or in a certain location, but to become aware that we are living on a planet that is going at enormous speed through the universe. I read a picture not for what's really going on there, I read it more for what is going on in our world generally. --Andreas Gursky

Gursky will premiere some new large scale work as well as exhibit some selects from his career. The documentary Andreas Gursky: Long Shot Close Up (2009) will be screened continuously in for the duration of the exhibition. The Gagosian Gallery was recently expanded, designed by Richard Meier & Partners. Some shots of the space are already online here and here.


March 4th - May 1, 2010

Opening Reception March 4th 6-8 pm

Gagosian Gallery
456 North Camden Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210-4507
(310) 271-9400

APA Focus (3/3) @ San Diego

Found this on the APA-San Diego site and thought it was a fun idea and why doesn't LA do this ? It is an informal monthly meeting called "APA Focus" set in a social setting (translation to me : bars !). It is a chance for photographers to kick loose and just have a chance to meet each other.

According to the page, topics of discussion will be determined by the group. Topics may include: Marketing new and different work / Focusing your vision & establishing your brand / Attracting more clients / Designing marketing tools for your target market / Estimating and negotiating .

By the way, it is open to APA and non-members so all can come !

Wednesday March 3, 2010 6:30-8 pm

En Fuego Cantina & Grill
1342 Camino del Mar
Del Mar, CA 92014

Lomography Posts Photos From LA Grand Opening

Lomo posted up photos from their grand opening last Thursday over here. Around 144 images - I didn't realized there was cake ! Must have left before that. I did find myself in one of the photos - it is faint but yup, me.

LGS LA
7998 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323-301-1414)
shopla@lomography.com

Open Monday – Saturday 10:30am – 9:00pm, Sunday 11:00am – 7:00pm

IRIS Nights Presents An Evening with Marla Rutherford and Jessica Mendoza (3/4)

This IRIS Nights presentation offers a conversation between Olympic champion Jessica Mendoza and photographer Marla Rutherford, an artist who has captured Mendoza's winning spirit.

Marla Rutherford has worked in both the fine art and commercial worlds. Her prints have been displayed in galleries around the world, including Arles, Paris, Milan, Beijing, Lausanne, New York, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. Her photography is currently part of the traveling museum exhibition "Regeneration: 50 Photographers of Tomorrow." Rutherford was also one of twelve photographers shown in the Discovery Award exhibition hall of the Rencontres d'Arles photo festival in France curated by Christian LaCroix.

Rutherford shoots for Entertainment Weekly, ESPN The Magazine, Los Angeles magazine, TIME, People, the advertising agency Fletcher Martin and USA Network, among others.

Jessica Mendoza has been a member of the U.S. Women's National Softball Team since 2001, and is one of the top hitters in the world. As a key member of U.S. Olympic softball team, Mendoza won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, and silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. In 2007, the U.S. team went undefeated, taking home its sixth consecutive Pan American gold medal and capturing the World Cup championship.

Mendoza was recently elected President of the Women's Sports Foundation, an organization that inspires young girls to compete in sports and encourages fair play among both boys and girls. With many charitable interests, she enjoys conducting clinics for children and shaping the future of the sport.

The event is free and tickets become available today (Thursday 2/25) at 9:30 am by clicking here

Annenberg Space for Photography
2000 Ave of the Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067-4700

The Loft at Liz's presents "Month of Music" (2/27)

The Loft at Liz's is a unique gallery space above Liz’s Antique Hardware over on 453 S. La Brea Avenue. I'm sure many of y'all have seen it on La Brea, near 6th St. It's just a few blocks down from PIX (we are over on 211 S. La Brea). This Saturday is the opening reception for their "Month of Music" combing live music with art. Reminds me a bit of Art Bar that ran in LA in the early 00s - anyone remember that ? This Saturday it is the music of No’a Winter Lazerus and live painting by Luis Cannizzaro as well as photos by Joanna Garland. This event is free. Check their site for list of upcoming performances.

Saturday Feb 27, 2010 7-10 pm

The Loft at Liz's
453 South La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 939-4403 ext. 6

Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman screening @ Art Center (2/28)

This Sunday over at Art Center, OneCommunity along with Pasadena Councilman Chris Holden invites the public to a free screening of Visual Acoustics : The Modernism of Julius Shulman as well as a panel discussion afterwards addressing Does Architecture Create Great Communities or Do Communities Create Great Architecture? featuring architectural historian Barbara Lamprecht and fine artist Michael Stern.

You may ask yourself how acoustics could be described as visual (or vice versa), and the person to answer would be the legendary late, great architecture photographer, Julius Shulman. Luckily for us, his legacy is brought to light in tonight's screening of Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman, which illustrates how aesthetics, especially by way of architecture, resonate in a way that goes beyond "seeing." Narrated by Dustin Hoffman, the film shows how Schulman's documentation of the buildings that we build up, and sometimes tear down, is as much of an art form as the structures themselves. As explained by the master himself, "architecture affects everybody," whether or not we chose to notice it. - Tanja Laden

This screens at Art Center at 4 pm. RSVP required. Email onecommunitythinktank@gmail.com or call 626.683.0947

PRS back in Hollywood

A few years ago, PRS, a photography equipment rental house moved westward over to Exposition next to 5th & Sunset Studios. A&I took over their old space on Highland Ave.

Yesterday I heard they now have a branch office over at Richard Photo Lab's new location on 979 N. La Brea.

So Richard Photo Lab + PRS = Still Love Film. Here's how they described it :

Still Love Film- the brain child of RPL and PRS!

PRS, or Photographic Rental Services has been in business for over 30 years, providing equipment rentals and expendables to photographers everywhere from LA to New York. Richard Photo Lab has teamed up with PRS to not only offer clients the great option of renting camera equipment but to hopefully expand the population of film photographers. We still have a soft spot for film!

We’ve created this site to educate new and existing clients about this new in-house service. Email prs@richardphotolab.com for any questions you have on a specific camera or rental item you require for your shoot. Also don’t forget to check our blog while you’re here!

Besides cameras I believe they also can provide grip rentals. I was over at RPL yesterday and noticed high-rollers and c-stands there. So for PRS clients, rejoice !

Richard Photo Lab
979 N La Brea
Hollywood, CA 90038
(323) 939-8893

Dave LaBelle on Storytelling

"The one thing you have to understand about Dave is he's not a conventional teacher," said Rick Loomis, one of LaBelle's Western Kentucky University students from the 1990s. As a Photojournalist-In-Residence at Western, Dave LaBelle often tried different ways to teach his students about storytelling and building relationships with each other and the people they photographed.

Great video talking about story telling within the medium. Francis Gardler posted up more videos of Dave LaBelle on his Vimeo page.

Hammer Lectures : Zwelethu Mthethwa (3/4)

Next Thursday March 4th @ 7 pm, Hammer Lectures will welcome Zwelethu Mthethwa to Los Angeles.

Since Apartheid’s fall in 1994, South African photography has exploded from the grip of censorship onto the world stage. A key figure in this movement is Zwelethu Mthethwa, whose portraits powerfully frame black South Africans as dignified and defiant individuals, even under the duress of social and economic hardship. Photographing in urban and rural industrial landscapes, Mthethwa documents a range of aspects in South Africa, from domestic life and the environment to landscape and labor issues. Mthethwa’s work challenges the conventions of bothWestern documentary work and African commercial studio photography, marking a transition away from the visually exotic and diseased—or “Afro-pessimism,” as curator Okwui Enwezor has described it—and employing a fresh approach marked by color and collaboration. Zwelethu Mthethwa, the artist’s long awaited first comprehensive monograph provides an overview of his work to date, and features the stunning portraits that have brought him international acclaim.

The lectures are free though tickets are required and becomes available one hour before the start time. His book Zwelethu Mthethwa will be released on March 31st but you can purchase copies at the end of the lecture when he'll be doing signings.

If you happen to be in New York, he'll be speaking at Aperture on March 2nd @ 6:30 pm. Free.


Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024


LINK

Calumet LA Looking For Rental Manager

RT @calumetphoto Our Hollywood store is looking for a Rental Manager : http://bit.ly/aF79DZ

Found on Twitter this morning.....I know there's a lot of y'all out there looking for work. They're looking for 3-5 years experience in the retail biz. All details on their link.

Fresh Fair 2010 Accepting Submissions !

(video from 2009 Fresh Fair)

Yup, the juried photo fair Fresh Fair will be back again here in Los Angeles in April 23-25 over at Pier 59 West in Santa Monica. Want to submit ? You got till March 19th midnight (PST). There's two categories :

Fresh Look

This is the portfolio review portion of the Fair and runs Fri & Sat (April 23-24). You get a meeting with 6 reviewers for 20 minutes each. The cost to $50 to submit and another $250 if accepted. Here's a list of partial reviewers :

Susan Baraz | Lucie Awards
Robert Berman | Robert Berman Gallery
Jigisha Bouverat | TBWA\Chiat\Day
Jonathan Brown | Lead Apron
Shelley de Soto | De Soto Gallery
Laurie Frank | Frank Pictures Gallery
Joshua Glazer | URB
Nicole Lloyd | Deutsch
Andrea Mariash | David&Goliath
Lisa Matthews | Team-One USA
Lesley Meyer | Annenberg Space for Photography
Nan Oshin | Clark/Oshin Gallery
Kathy Pyon | Los Angeles Times
Carolyn Rauch | Wired Magazine
Cindy Rowe | Saatchi & Saatchi, LA
Pamela L. Schoenberg | DNJ Gallery
John Sharpe | Sharpe + Associates
Ann Song | Modern Luxury
Susan Spiritus | Susan Spiritus Gallery
Kristine Wilson | Ogilvy & Mather Los Angeles
Bryan Yedinak | Modernbook Gallery

More info on Fresh Look here

Fresh Take

In this one, you submit your portfolio ($100) and if selected, you'll get a booth to exhibit your work (note : there's a $1350 participation fee)

Fresh Take showcases the personal and meaningful work of photographers, most of whom are without gallery representation or for whom representation is of a mostly commercial context. Fresh Take offers the general public, galleries and collectors an innovative and engaging format in which to access, purchase, and engage with the work alongside its creator. The exhibiting photographers are handpicked by a professional jury of influential members of the photographic arts community and run the gamut from the highly visionary and adept to the dedicated and undeniably talented novice.

More info on Fresh Look here

Fresh Fair opens to the public on April 23-25, 2010

Ed Templeton "The Seconds Pass" (2/26)

In America the automobile is omnipresent, and in Southern California cars are life-blood. You are always in a car here. I came to driving late, not getting my license until I was 18. Before that I had my girlfriend, Deanna to chauffeur me around. As a young skateboarder I used cars to explore every last tendril of road I could find in search of skate spots and experienced much of my adolescent sex-life and adventures inside of a car. I like when I hear someone on the television call a busy street a major artery, like the roads are veins bringing life to the far reaches, with most of humanity lurking within reach of that life-giving connectivity. The tips of your toes are Fairbanks, the capillaries the Dalton Highway. For the preceding 22 years I have been a passenger all over the world, shooting pictures through the glass at those ephemeral winks, those trifles and curios that one races past, never enough time to stop.

And what better social study is there than driving and looking? It’s like taking a core sample from the social fabric, each layer exposing a new understanding of truth. My drive to Los Angeles takes me through streets lined with strip malls anchored with liquor stores and bail bond sellers, Colt 45 billboard sails, and 99-cent stores with brighter-than-daylight fluorescent lighting. Five minutes later I am passing high-end hipster sneaker shops and women in short dresses flittering about with a payload of shopping bags. A group of bearded Jewish men huddle on a corner in black suits and hats. You can look through the window right next to you at a person immersed in the enclosed world of their car, and secretly watch them live, rock out to music, talk on the phone, put on make-up or sit at a red light with thoughts elsewhere. The way people act depending on their various trips as they walk down the sidewalk or wait at a bench. The continuous remorseless traffic - each car bound for some purpose, going somewhere for some reason, all day long 24 hours a day in every city of the world. The section of street you happen to be on, the block, the intersection is a microcosm for all of humanity. All of this just rolls out perpetually in front you as you roll by.

February 26th - April 3rd, 2010

Opening reception - February 26th 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Roberts & Tilton
5801 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232

California Lawyers for the Arts presents

Got an email and here's a list of art friendly workshop held over in Santa Monica in the next few weeks hosted by the California Lawyers for the Arts


ESTABLISHING AN ARTS NONPROFIT: Incorporation to 501(c)(3) Status and Beyond
February 24, 2010, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
With Adrienne N. Newsom, Esq.

DESCRIPTION: Learn what it takes to start your own nonprofit focused on the arts. Topics covered: articles of incorporation; Form 1023 application for 501c3 tax exempt status; running the nonprofit including practical tips and pitfalls to avoid; applying for funding from individuals, foundations and corporate sponsors.

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PROMOTING YOUR ART THROUGH NEW MEDIA, with Richard Tucci
MARCH 3, 7-8:30 PM

Join us for this exciting workshop which will include a general overview of the internet landscape and techniques to boost your internet presence. The second half of the workshop will focus on optimizing content, and identifying subject matter and storytelling techniques to attract viewers and become a video sensation.

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RELAX WITH TAX
Saturday, March 6, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
With Abe Carnow

A half-day seminar on the essentials of income tax for individual artists of all disciplines and small arts businesses. Topics include record keeping, form 1040, Schedule C, and self-employment schedule, deductions, hobby losses, home offices, and more. Seminar fee includes the tax workbook The Art of Deduction at no additional charge.
THIS SEMINAR ONLY IS: $25.00 - same day registration add $5.

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ADMISSION: General Admission: $20 each seminar or all 4 for the discounted price of $60! Members of CLA, ASMP, Santa Monica Residents and Co-sponsors: $10 each seminar or all 4 for the discounted price of $30! Senior Citizens & Students: $5 each seminar or all 4 for only $15!

REGISTRATION: Call CLA at (310) 998-5590, or email us (please include your contact info and specify the workshop date(s)) at: clasocaled@aol.com

CALL 310-998-5590 or email clasocaled@aol.com to register.

Ken Edwards Center
1527 4th St.
Santa Monica. CA 90401

Photography: Impact of a Medium group exhibition (2/27)

The show will feature film, digital and manipulated photographic images from SoCal photographers. The opening reception will feature a live music from Jessie Deluxe.

Laura Bellamy
Jan Brueckner
John F Chase
Mark Coggins
Mia DelCasino
Yasmin Etemadi
Edward Ewell
Kelly Fitzgerald
Jonathan Fleming
JR Fleming
Susan Hefferman
Peter Honig
Fae Horowitz
Kyle Johnson
Janos K Lanyi
Linnea Lenkus
Paul Levitt
William Livingston
Katrina McElroy
Mike McKinnon
Rosanne Nitti
Jeff Rau
Diane Reeves
Michael Rich
Sergio Salgado
John A. Stewart
Neil Sharum
Nanaka Tomorari
Dennis Wootan
Pamela York

February 20, 2010 - March 24, 2010

Artist Reception: Saturday, February 27, 2010 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

2nd City Council Art Gallery
435 Alamitos Ave.
Long Beach CA 90802
(562) 901-0997

Alexx Henry "Living Art and the Future of Motion in Photography " (2/23)

EDIT : The seminar has been cancelled.

Samy's Camera + Pier 59 West presents Alexx Henry "Living Art and the Future of Motion in Photography "

With demos if the new RED MX Epic chip, Canon DSLR Cameras, specialty lighting, and more... Photographers are under enormous pressure to offer motion to clients, but in the rush to provide motion, little is discussed about the type of content that will both serve the needs of the clients, and work with the strengths of the photographers.

Alexx discusses a new medium called "Living Art" which draws upon the strengths and disciplines of traditional photographers while exploring what motion has to offer.

Alexx will define the unique character of Living Art, how it is distinct from other mediums, and what makes it a viable commercial and visual art form. He'll also touch on future technologies such as tablets, e-readers, and digital signage that will be key in how we ingest media and the potential that Living Art will have based on these technologies.

After the lecture, Alexx will demo lighting that he uses for his motion work and the new RED MX sensor found in the soon to be released RED Epic camera.

Alexx Henry was one of the first photographers to shoot moving motion posters with the RED™ Digital Cinema Camera. He is a commercial, celebrity and entertainment photographer in Los Angeles, widely considered to be on the forefront of hybrid motion photography. As an early adopter of digital SLRs and the RED™ digital camera, his innovative work with movie motion posters and motion magazine covers has been lauded as groundbreaking and influential.

Doors open at 7:00pm for a light reception
7:30pm - We introduce Alexx Henry
9:15-10:00pm - Meet and greet
Lecture Fee: $20 - Tickets Available at the Door

If you are ASMP member, you get 50% off but you'll need to email Niki Mustaine (nmustain@samys.com).

For registration, go here.


Tuesday Feb 23, 2010

Pier 59 Studios West
2415 Michigan Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90404

Photography for Social Change "Silent Auction and Exhibition Opening" (2/20)

Actor and photographer Aaron Eckhart will join Julia Dean, founder of the Julia Dean Photo Workshops, for an exhibit and silent auction of more than 100 iconic images taken by leading photographers from around the world, at the Stephen Cohen Gallery in Los Angeles on February 20, 2010.

The auction will feature images from such nationally and internationally known photographers as Alex Webb, Art Streiber, Brian Lanker, David Hume Kennerly, Don Barletti, Douglas Kirkland, Gerd Ludwig, Greg Gorman, Mary Ellen Mark, Nevada Wier, Phil Borges, Robert Farber, Ron Haviv and Sam Abell.

The auction will benefit Project 5: Photography for Social Change, which supports talented photojournalists and builds documentary photography through grants, exhibits and publications.

Project 5's silent auctions will raise money for a five-year series of photo documentary projects on five pressing social issues: child labor, educational access, health care, immigration, economic globalization. The February 2010 auction will raise funds to complete Dean's current collaborative project, Child Labor and the Global Village.

"Photographers look through their lenses at society and the environment, but they also see through their hearts," says Dean, the Los Angeles documentary photographer who founded Project 5. "As the economy takes a toll on the traditional patrons of documentary photography, such as newspapers and magazines, new support is needed. We must not lose a generation of important stories."

Photographs will be available for pre-viewing on Friday and Saturday (February 19 & 20) prior to the auction. The $50 entrance ticket will be counted toward the price of a photograph.

Tickets can be purchased in advance. Call 310-392-0909 or write to julia@photo4change.org.


February 20, 2010, 7 - 10:00 P.M. Valet parking will be available.

Stephen Cohen Gallery
7358 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036

More info here

Happy Birthday 20th Photoshop !

Yup, twenty years later ! There's a video over on Adobe where the creators of Photoshop - Thomas Knoll, John Knoll, Steve Guttman, and Russell Brown come together to discuss the evolution of Photoshop. Hear stories of the many names such as Image Pro, Display, PhotoLab and Imaginator.


I also found an interview with John Knoll done by Robert Scoble about a month back. I definitely remember working on the Apple IIe and IIcs....and my first computer was an Apple IIgs where the memory was 256 KB ! My first photo image software was Deluxe Photo. I believe I got into Photoshop while in college - at that time is was Photoshop 5.5.



Congrats Photoshop ! Just one more year and you can drink :)

The East Side of Los Angeles

The East Side of Los Angeles on a Sunny Day from clark vogeler on Vimeo.

Yes, I know technically this isn't East LA but just enjoy the video :)

Richard Photo Lab New Location

Wow, I am so far behind on this one. I usually try to keep up with what's going on here in the LA photo scene but stuff gets through. So y'all remember Imagexperts right ? They used to be on La Brea & Hollywood before moving down the street to 6630 W. Sunset Blvd. (Funny story : our sales manager back in the early 00's - Angela Torres, remember her ? She used to work at Imagexperts before moving over to PIX).

Well, now Imagexperts has merged with Richard Photo that used to be on 7161 Beverly Blvd right next to New Beverly Cinema. I used to drop off my black/white films to be process there. When I used to work as a runner for WireImage - I would pick up rolls of film from Oscar parties, drive down to the lab and drop them off where they would be working around the clock printing images for syndication. This was 2000. Now today with digital, no need to hire a runner to get films to labs anymore. Anyways, Richard's Photo moved in with Paris Photo (remember them that used to be on La Cienega ?) over at the old Chrome N R space ( ? I can't really recall their name if that is right or not ) on Melrose.

So looks like RIchard Photo Lab and Imagexperts have joined forces and moved to their new location over at 979 N La Brea where SuperColor Lab used to be. And last night they threw their open house - unfortunately I didn't find this out until 9 pm and by then I had already gone to the Lomo opening and the A&I Hollywood opening.

In any case, if you're around La Brea, go check out their new space - west side of the street up near Santa Monica Blvd on La Brea - pretty much up the street from PIX.

Sn anyone remember the old Fleshtone Lab over on Beverly ?

VIA

4by6.com - Satin Business Cards 20% off

Okay, got an email from 4by6.com that they are offering 20% off their satin business cards. I only bring these guys up because I've used them for the past 5 years for my own personal business card and promo cards. Once there was a special at Modern Postcards so I had a few printed there but I usually go back to 4by6.com. Satin gives you this nice texture - smooth to the touch. You can order a sample kit free of charge so you can check them out. They're located up in the Bay Area.

If you see me around at openings or whatnot, ask me and I'll show you my card.

The promo code is satbc20 and ends April 1, 2010

PIX CLICKS : Grand Opening @ Lomography Gallery Store

New HMAb Feature: The Whole Nine Yards

Oh, I just how to laugh when I was reading Heather Morton Art Buyer blog's new feature called "The Whole Nine Yards" where they talk about the support staff - i.e producers, MUAs, stylists, etc. To kick off the new feature, their first topic : assistants ! Yes, this relates again to assisting - I can't help it, I worked as an assistant for so many years.

So here's a quote of a quote from the "The Whole Nine Yards"

“Pay the assistant in a timely manner. Most of us give you 30 days but why wait allllll 30 days? Please don’t make me pester you for 200 bucks. It makes me feel like a douche and it makes you look like one. On that note, the worst thing you can say is “ohhhhh the client hasn’t paid me yet.” I don’t care if you’re waiting for the client to pay you - it’s not my problem. Do you tell Headshots or the caterer that you’ll pay them once the client pays you? On most shoots lunch is more expensive than me, and while lunch was very delicious and everyone loved the Niçoise salad, it didn’t carry all the gear, do all the dishes, or fix the wifi. The Niçoise salad, while wonderful and full of hard-boiled eggs, definitely did not take you aside and quietly tell you that the client’s name is Tim NOT Ted.

Oh, yes, I've stood in those shoes for so many times. I do have to give props to some photographers here in LA who pay at the end of the day - you know who you are and I definitely appreciated it when I was hustling for gigs. Other photographers...well, I won't name names but one who works here in Los Angeles just didn't pay - I heard a make up artist or stylists had tried taking him to small claims court. I managed to get my money but it was like pulling teeth. That was back in 2006 I think. Oh, there's another time I got nothing from a New York fashion photographer. He still owes me $500 bucks and this is from 2002. Overall in my assisting career I usually don't have much problems.

Oh, for photographers, when you want to hire an assistant - one of the best places to go and ask (besides your fellow photographer friends) is your local camera rental house - here in LA, it is either PIX or Samy's or Calumet and talk to their rental dept. They see who comes and goes and they know the assistants. They can recommend someone. Also, ask your past assistants - assistants talk to each other and they can easily recommend someone whom they work for and feel confident in their abilities. A number of my gigs came from other assistants I work with.

Same thing for photographers who travel to different cities - find your local camera rental place. If not, check your local ASMP/APA organization.

I, for one am pretty much out of that assisting game now. I still assist but only for clients I've known for years. It is probably for the better - I have several projects I'm working on. There's a new generation of assistants out there and the world has changed. In the old days, I used to load 4x5 holders, and pull Polaroids but those are a thing of the past now.



Just for kicks, here's a photo of my bag of Polaroids I've collected from the many many gigs I worked on over the years.

So anyone got assisting stories they wanna share ?

Helmut by June (2007)

So every since I was a kid, I love rummaging through used stores - bookstores, music stores, Goodwill stores, all sorts of store. In Hollywood the other day while digging through an Out of the Closet store I found one of those "For Your Emmy Consideration" DVDs for a buck - this one happen to be Helmut by June, a HBO documentary shown on Cinemax back in 2007.

At one point, he gestures to his 35mm camera and tells us the viewer "everything is automatic - all i have to do is push the button....it is all in there " He points to his head. For light, his assistant points a flashlight. Love it ! Photography is not about having a Canon 5D MK II or Profoto packs (though I love both) - it is simply a tool to translate what is already in the photographer's mind. Watching the documentary you see Helmut in action and in a way, he's directing a movie in stills. In a way very inspiring for me

The footage are pretty much all from his wife June's video camera shot in the early 90s. The documentary is currently unavailable - I couldn't find a sign of it on Amazon but someone posted the entire documentary on YouTube. Here's the first part. I imagine y'all are smart enough to find the rest. ^^

IRIS Nights Presents An Evening With Mikki Willis and Laila Ali (2/25)

photo : Mikki Willis

Free tickets available tomorrow (Thursday 2/18) at 9:30 am. Click here

Thursday, February 25, 6:30-8:00pm

Annenberg Space for Photography
2000 Ave of the Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067-4700

"Welcome Stranger" Group Photo Show (2/19)

Featuring work by
Andrew Ti
Cody Cloud
Leigh Davis
Nathan Fitch

Sounds by
Eric Byers on electronic cello
Rosten Woo mixing good disco
DJ Chowtime spinning Cumbia and Dancehall stuff

Opening Reception Feb 19, 2010 7 pm - midnight

R & R
929 East 2nd St. Suite 106
Los Angeles CA 90012

Daido Moriyama: Stray Dog of Tokyo

Through Moriyama's eye, even the most mundane subjects — in this case, a stray dog, a car tire, a cast-off high heel — become otherworldly, sculptural, and even slightly menacing. Stray Dog of Tokyo, Kenjiro Fujii's intimate documentary on Moriyama, follows the still-curious master, as he prowls the streets of Shinjuku snapping away, giving us a rare glimpse of one of the most lauded and mysterious figures in contemporary Japanese photography at work. – Matt Sussman

Daido Moriyama has been a major force in artistic photography since the late 60’s, but his true persona has been hidden behind a veil of mystery since he has refused any major media appearances – until now. This new documentary follows the charismatic Moriyama as he takes his first digital photos and displays his trademark photographic technique of taking quick snapshots without looking in the viewfinder. Often shot in black and white, out of focus and dramatically cropped or tilted, the themes of Moriyama’s images have been said to convey a sense of the disordered human condition and the conflicting realities of modern urban life.

Just released on DVD.

Amazon

Richard Miller "Over the Long Run" (2/27)

Richard Miller: Over the Long Run
Vintage Carbro Prints, The Hollywood Freeway and L.A. in B/W

Richard Miller, a pioneer in photographic methods, often used the cabro printing process, a technically detailed and challenging method of production, in his amazing photography, which includes early pictures of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. In contrast, he used black and white film to document the building of the Hollywood freeway, photographs he made just for himself that are published for the first time in his new book, Freeway.


February 27 - April 3, 2010

Reception: February 27, 2010 4-6 PM

Craig Krull Gallery
Bergamot Station
2525 Michigan Avenue, Building B-3
Santa Monica, California 90404
Tel: (310) 828-6410

Audio Interview (Take a listen ! He's got a some great stories to tell)

Ruby Ray "First Wave Punk Photography" (2/19)

Photographer, artist, and journalist Ruby Ray entered the shock wave that was the punk rock underground in 1977. Ruby became a member of seminal San Francisco punk culture magazine, Search & Destroy, documenting and fostering the emergent scene. When Ruby criss-crossed continents on a trip to London and Egypt, S&D’s in-your-face music and culture inflammation went global. Ruby ran London-based Rough Trade Records’ San Francisco store, and sheltered their traveling bands from England. In 1980, she co-founded with v.vale the more deeply focused alter-culture publication RE/Search magazine. During this first San Francisco era, the RE/Search studio on Romolo Street in San Francisco’s North Beach became an international locus of cross-pollination, one of those places where artists feel the freedom and compulsion to redefine themselves and their genres.

February 19th - February 28th

Opening reception - February 19th 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM

La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027

Claude Debussy + NASA = __________

Fill in the blank !

Lith Printing Workshop with Francesca di Leo (3/7)

LITH PRINTING WORKSHOP
Instructor: Francesca di Leo
Dates/Times: MARCH 7th, 14th, 21th, & 28th 2010 Sundays 11am-3:00pm (14hrs total)
Workshop Fee: $225 + $160 lab fee
Enrollment Limit: 10

Lith printing is a process that uses a lithographic two part developer in a very dilute solution to obtain color and texture from a black and white paper. Different papers have different qualities in Lith printing, ranging in color from warm sepias to salmon and even olive tones. Other papers have very little color shift, achieving beautiful textures instead, giving the print a texturally graphic quality.

In this four week workshop, students will explore the world of Lith printing and a whole new way to express themselves artistically. Attendees will learn how to “expose for the highlights and develop for the shadows”, which is the basic principle in Lith printing. All students who attend this class should have a basic knowledge of traditional black in white printing.

What is provided:
40 sheet sampler pack of papers
Chemistry

What students should bring:
Notebook/pencil
A wide variety of both color and b&w negatives
Negative cleaning brush and/or anti-stat cloth
Blotter book
Apron and a hand towel

For those who want to purchase more paper to use in this class, here are some paper choices that are currently available at Freestyle and their general qualities:

Fomatone papers: salmon to olive tones with some texture
Arista Edu Ultra papers: subtle pinkish to flesh tones with very graphic texture
Varycon papers: pale pinkish grey tones with minimal texture
Emaks papers: rich chocolate brown tones with a fair amount of texture
Slavich Unibrom papers: little if any color shift with very graphic texture

A non-refundable deposit of $100 is required in order to reserve a space in the workshop. The balance and lab fee is due on the first class session.

Please Send Deposit to this address:
Freestyle Photo
Attn: Francesca di Leo
5124 Sunset Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90027

EMAIL: me@francescadileo.com


Classes to be held at Translight Photography Center @ The Brewery just north of Downtown LA

Cindy & LaChapelle on Ovation TV

Tomorrow on Ovation TV will be broadcasting Nobody's Here But Me (1994) at 10 am and 2 pm PST.

New York based artist, Cindy Sherman, is famous for her photographs of women in which she is not only the photographer, but also the subject. She has contributed her own footage to the programme by recording her studio and herself at work with her Hi-8 video camera. It reveals a range of unexpected sources from visceral horror to medical catalogues and exploitation movies, and explores her real interests and enthusiasms. She shows an intuitive and often humorous approach to her work, and reflects on the themes of her work since the late 1970s. She talks about her pivotal series known as the `Sex Pictures' in which she addresses the theme of sexuality in the light of AIDS and the arts censorship debate in the United States.

But wait ! There's more ! Operators are standing by and if you watch Cindy Sherman's Nobody's Here But Me at 10 am and 2 pm, you will also get at no cost, David LaChapelle: Portrait of a Photographer airing at 11 am and 3 pm !




175 on Time Warner cable / 274 on DirecTV / 157 for DishTV.

BTW : Ovation TV HD launch July 2010.

MOLAA "Changing the Focus: Latin American Photography (1990-2005)"

Curated and organized by MOLAA, Changing the Focus: Latin American Photography (1990-2005) is the first survey exhibition to be presented in the Los Angeles area of Latin American photography and photo-based art generated between 1990 and 2005. Organized around four themes of investigation—Subliminal Structures, Embodied Identities, Staged Irony and The Individual & Social Violence—the exhibition explores the artist’s personally-charged response to local and global issues grounded in the contemporary Latin American experience. Over 75 works created by 35 artists from the four regions of Latin America (Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean) range from traditional photography, to manipulated digital photography, installations, light-boxes and photo-based art. The broad experimentation of the art forms play with the viewers imagination and challenge stereotypical norms.


Selected artists include: Alexander Apóstol, Alexandre Arrechea, Jaime Ávila, Aziz+Cucher, Mario Cravo Neto, Milagros de la Torre, Juan Manuel Echavarría, Daniela Edburg, Carlos Garaicoa, Nelson Garrido, Luis González Palma, Alfredo Jaar, Jonathan Harker, Natalia Iguiñez, Marcos López, Teresa Margolles, Luis Molina Pantin, Ronald Morán, Vik Muniz, Oscar Muñoz, Gabriel Orozco, Rubén Ortiz Torres, Tatiana Parcero, Marta María Pérez Bravo, Manuel Piña, Liliana Porter, Rosangela Renno, Miguel Río Branco, Daniela Rosell, Graciela Sacco, Melanie Smith, Gerardo Suter, Víctor Vázquez, among others


FYI : There's a Target Free Sundays @ MOLAA on Feb 28th and there'll be a docent tour of the photo exhibition from 2-3 pm



Feb 13, 2010 - May 2, 2010

Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA)
628 Alamitos Ave
Long Beach, CA, 90802
562-437-1689

Photo : Timothy Archibald

Lomography Gallery Store coming to LA ! Part 2

February 18th, 2010 is the big date! That’s when the first Lomography Gallery Store and official Lomography Embassy will open its doors on the West Coast! To mark the event and usher in the new era of Lomography in Los Angeles, we are planning an epic celebration with an ocean of drinks, live Mariachi music, tacos and tamales, and even dancing girls! The festivities will begin at 7:00pm, and run until we are out of drinks! Space on the guestlist is limited, so to ensure you can join the party, send an RSVP to shopla@lomography.com now!

Just got more info from them. Looks like in addition to the grand opening party they have some classes taught by some of their Lomography Gallery folks from New York.

February 19th, 2010 – 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Introduction to Lomography: Admission Free!
Come and find out what the hell Lomography is as we trace the history of the Lomography Society back to its roots, and then update you on all that is going on in the vast Lomographic universe!

February 20th, 2010 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Meet the The Lomo LC-A+: $10 admission (students $7) includes a loaner camera and a free roll of film. Bring your own LC-A+ for free admission!
Come find out about Lomography’s jewel and core camera, the Lomo Compact Automat! This workshop will explore the camera’s Soviet roots up until its recent 25th birthday. Learn tips and tricks and go for a shooting expedition through West Hollywood!

February 23rd, 2010 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Analogue Love 101: $10 admission (students $7) includes a loaner camera and a free roll of film.
Get the full analogue picture with this mega-workshop that covers every trick, technique, and tip in our arsenal. After this workshop, you’ll be a master at your craft, and an analogue-addict for life!

February 25th, 2010 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Diana Dialogues: $10 admission ($7) includes a loaner camera and a free roll of film. Bring your own Diana for free admission!
The Diana F+ has sparked an analogue revolution around the world, and in this workshop you’ll find out why! Get tips, tricks, techniques, and a full history lesson and tutorial on the camera everyone is talking about! Then join us for a shooting expedition through our new neighbourhood!

More on the classes here.

Lomography Gallery Store LA
7998 Santa Monica Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90049

Zoe Wiseman "Fiat Lux" (2/18)

Zoe Wiseman has focused on the fine art nude for 15 years, first as an artists model after years of commercial work, then as a photographer. She has run the websites ARTnudes Network and Community Zoe since 1997, both of which focus on fine art nude photography. Wiseman's work has been published in several books, magazines, newspapers and movie scores both nationally and internationally. Her fine art prints are collected worldwide. Wiseman's work was all shot utilizing film, 120, 35mm and Polaroid.

Fiat Lux is a brief look at a decade of work. 30 prints from thousands of images. The book Fiat Lux will be printed by A&I and will be signed by Zoe and many of the models in the photographs at the Opening Reception. A portion of proceeds benefit Weingart Center Association

Feb. 18 - Apr. 9, 2010

Opening Reception, February 18, 7pm - 10pm

A&I Hollywood
933 N Highland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038

INFO

Tim Mantoani "Behind the Photographs : Archiving Photographic Legends" (2/23)

One of the pleasure I had at MOPLA 2009 was having a chance to see San Diego photographer Tim Mantoani's "Behind the Photographs" series. The idea was so simple. Photograph photographers with their most well-known work. Each man or woman is photographed using am Polaroid 20x24 camera - an amazing camera if you get a chance to see it in person. About a decade ago, there was a 20x24 demo here at PIX and I was lucky enough to get a Polaroid made - which I prompt gave to my parents for Christmas and now hangs in their home in Texas. Anyways, Tim has photographed over 100 photographers for his project so far and you can get a chance to hear him at the Clickers and Flickers dinner lecture series on Feb 23.

Clickers and Flickers has been around for over 20 years and hosts these monthly dinner lectures. C&F members: $49 at least (5) days in advance. $55 less than 5 days prior to the event. Non members: $59 at least (5) days in advance. $65 at the door, only if space is available. For more info contact : 626.794.7447 or DawnHope@ClickersAndFlickers.com


Tuesday Feb 23, 2010 6:30 - 10 pm

The Castaway
1250 Harvard Road
Burbank, CA 91501