Book Project : Fanime Con

My first stop on my tour is Fanime Con in San Jose last weekend. Fanime started in 1994 and is the 9th largest anime convention in America. Over 15,000 people stream through the San Jose Convention Center and bought $5 million to the local community.

First thing I noticed was the majority of people coming to my table had already knew about my project. When asked how they found out I was there the answers range from I follow you on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace to I saw your video on YouTube. I did sold a few books to folks who were completely unaware of my project.

PIX CLICKS - ASMP/LA "Copyright w/Jeff Sedlik"

Check out our Flickr for more photos or our Twitter.

Todd Selby book signing (6/8)

Many if you probably already know of The Selby, heck even my non-photography friends have forward me the links to this photographer who started the site in 2008 documenting the homes of prominent indie musicians, artists, designers and actors to see what their creative space is like. A hardcover book called "The Selby is in Your Place" with unreleased photos was release this year and looks like Mr Todd Selby will be popping up at CobraSnake's new store Pawn Shop opening at Hollywood Highland on Tuesday. Shepard Fairey will be DJing and there'll be live performance from Beardo at 8 pm.

The whole thing goes down Tuesday June 8, 2010 from 6-9 pm over on the 4th floor. Expected packed crowds :)

Document: Iranian-Americans in Los Angeles (6/6)

From October 2009 through January 2010, four documentary photographers—Farhad Parsa, Arash Saedinia, Parisa Taghizadeh, and Ramin Talaie—focused their lenses on second-generation Iranian-Americans of Los Angeles, the world’s largest population of expatriate Iranians. Document: Iranian-Americans in Los Angeles—on view at the Fowler Museum from June 6–Aug. 22, 2010—offers a selection of images by each of these photographers which consider the everyday lives of their subjects. The exhibition also addresses the processes of documentation and how they relate to the photographers’ understandings of their own hyphenated Iranian identities.

The photographs capture the varied lives and interests of LA’s Iranian-American community—from toddlers at play to an acupuncturist in the office of her Los Feliz practice, from a young man break dancing to a young woman at prayer. There are also a few recognizable figures such as public intellectual Reza Aslan and comedian Maz Jobrani.

This Sunday at Fowler Museum at UCLA is the opening day of "Document: Iranian Americans in Los Angeles" . Here's the breakdown of the schedule :

12–2 pm: Panel 1: On 'Document': Visual Anthropology, the Iranian-American diaspora, and Ethnicity in Los Angeles

Moderator: Susan Slyomovics (UCLA) Roxanne Varzi (UC Irvine) - "The Visual Document: Photographing Iran at Home and Abroad", Roger Waldinger (UCLA) - "America's New Second Generation: Experiences and Implications"Zohreh Sullivan (U. of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne) - "Portrait, Landscape, and Narrative" and Amy Malek (UCLA) - "The Process of Documentation: The Making of 'Document: Iranian-Americans in L.A.'"

2:20–3:50 pm: Panel 2: Artists Roundtable
Moderator: Amy Malek (UCLA)
Farhad Parsa, Arash Saedinia, Parisa Taghizadeh, Ramin Talaie

4–5:30 pm: Exhibition Opening Reception
Celebrate the opening of Document with a reception in the Goldenberg Galleria and Fowler courtyard, including a gallery tour with Malek.


Sunday June 6, 2010 Noon to 5:30 pm

Fowler Museum at UCLA
308 Charles E. Young Drive North
Los Angeles CA 90095

Public Art Party: Beverly Hills (6/5)

What: Public Art Party

When: Saturday, June 5, 12–6pm

Where: Beverly Gardens Park, The Paley Center for Media, Gagosian, Beverly Hills Public Library, TASCHEN, Porta Via, Sprinkles and along Cañon Drive. Pick up a map that will serve as your guide to the day at any of these featured locations or download a printer-friendly version here.

Engage: Follow Public Art Alert on twitter: Twitter.com/PublicArtAlert

ForYourArt presents Public Art Party, a day-long celebration of art featuring special events, food, dance and music performances, artist and curator-lead tours, hands on activities for kids and teens, and special prizes. Throughout the day ForYourArt, The Beverly Hills Fine Art Commission and James Cohan Gallery welcome Roxy Paine’s Erratic, the newest addition to the public art collection in Beverly Hills.

12 - 6 pm Timothy Greenfield-Sanders will have his "The Black List" exhibition at The Paley Center for Media

12–4pm Beverly Hills Municipal Gallery at City Hall opens for viewing Photos and Phantasy a selections from the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation

2pm Conversations on Creativity photography panel, featuring Zale Richard Rubins and Linda Kunik

3–5pm Book signing with Jim Heimann, author of Los Angeles: Portrait of a City at TASCHEN

See the entire schedule here

Tom Johnson "Lakewood" (6/11)

In the late 1940’s and early 50’s many veterans and their families were looking for a new start. Lakewood, a new development in the southeast corner of Los Angeles County offered them that beginning. The founders of Lakewood designated their suburb “Tomorrow’s City Today,” because it was both modern and unique in its conception. Lakewood offered an utopia for the post war middle class: affordable housing, new schools and parks, good jobs in the aerospace-defense industry and placed in the city’s center a new commercial concept, the shopping mall.

Then the nineties came and suburban paradise began to fade. The aerospace-defense industry abandoned California, and what made tomorrow’s city today had become yesterday. Yet Lakewood adapted to the new economic climate and endured, and today it remains a safe and desirable city for its middle class residents to raise their families. Lakewood’s new motto, “Times Change Values Don’t,” accurately demonstrates that the hopes and dreams of Lakewood’s citizens today are not that different from those of the folks who came to Lakewood during its genesis.

I was raised in Lakewood, and like any kid from the 60’s I discovered my suburb walking and riding my bike to school, the parks, and friends. Now, I revisit those same streets and places to behold what Lakewood has become. Gone are the old neighbors, the demographic is much less white, and most of the mid-twentieth century modernist façades have been altered; however, the similarities to what I can recall are greater than the differences and still on every street mixed with and often hidden amongst the new I manage to find souvenirs of the Lakewood I once knew.

Tom Johnson "Lakewood"

June 11 - July 3, 2010

Friday June 11 opening reception 6-10 pm

Phantom Galleries LA
81 S. Pine St
Long Beach, CA90802

Just got off the phone with Tom, event has been postponed and he hopes to have it in late July. Will update when I get word.

Help Alex ride AIDS/Lifecycle 9

Hi friends and family. I'm ready to ride this Sunday.

From June 6th - 12th, 2010 I will participate in AIDS/Lifecycle, a fully supported, 7-day bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to advance the shared interest to end the pandemic and human suffering caused by AIDS. AIDS/LifeCycle is co-produced by the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

I am asking you to donate what you can to help me raise the $3,000 necessary to ride. A penny, a nickel, a dollar per mile? Any amount you contribute is amazing.


Thank you,

Alex de la Hidalga

Smashbox Studio's own Alex de la Hidalga will be riding next week for this cause and if you can help in any way, I'm sure he'll appreciate it ! More info here. Go Alex, go !

Alex's Facebook event page

Events this Saturday

Here's a quick list of events this Sat.

+ ASMP/LA "Copyright Workshop with Jeff Sedlik" @ Writer's Boot Camp in Bergamot Station. Free to members and non-members. 10 am to Noon.

+ Public Art Party @ Beverly Hills Noon to 6pm.

+ Culver City Art Walk Noon to 8 pm

+ Yvonne Venegas "Maria Elvia de Hank Series" @ Shoshana Wayne Gallery in Bergamot Station 1 - 5:30 pm

+ Monika Rittershaus "L.A. Ring in Photographs" opening reception @ Ruth Bachofner Gallery in Santa Monica. 6-8 pm

+ Fredrik Broden vs. Photography opening reception @ Clark | Oshin Gallery at Icon in Miracle Mile 6-9 pm

NEW YORK CITY—Dennis Hopper at an exhibition, 2007.
© Chien-Chi Chang / Magnum Photos

MOCA's press release for "Dennis Hopper : Double Standard" July 11-Sept 26 @ MOCA Griffin Contemporary

The Photography of Bruce Kalberg / Bruce Caen (6/3)

(Click to enlarge)

From 1979-1984 Bruce Kalberg photographed virtually every band and personality against the backdrop of the first rush of Punk Rock in Los Angeles and Hollywood. As publisher and chief creative force behind NO MAGAZINE (NOMAG) Bruce photographed both the music and art scene nightly in his studio in Echo Park creating a portrait of fashion and underground culture like no one else. This was the real culture made up of outsiders, losers, immigrants, Punk Rockers from generation one (‘76-’82) living in Hollywood thirty years ago, more crudely wrought lives outside of the sparkle and spotlights than the Entertainment Industry would have you imagine. The obverse of the coin of the world presented nightly on shows such as Entertainment Tonight, this was the heart of Hollywood.

An artist and photographer, Bruce Kalberg studied fine art in London at the Croydon College of Art (1970-1974) and in Los Angeles at Otis Art Institute (1976-1978). He created NOMAG as an extension of his art studies.

Freshjive presents the Bruce Kalberg / Bruce Caen photography exhibit at Reserve.

Thursday June 3rd, 7:00-11:00 PM

Reserve
420 North Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Cecil Stoughton - JFK & Monroe

Cecil Stoughton, the White House staff photographer was the only photographer at a private party after Marilyn Monroe's infamous birthday song and managed to photograph an image of John F Kennedy with Marilyn Monroe. When the Secret Service came to confiscate his film, they missed one - the one in the film dryer.

Stoughton kept it a secret for decades. Filmmaker Keya Morgan acquired the negative before Stoughton's death in 2008 for Morgan's upcoming documentary “Marilyn Monroe: Murder on Fifth Helena Drive".

In an National Geographic interview, Stoughton was asked about his interaction with President Kennedy

I worked in the West Wing. I had an office with a desk and chair right underneath the Oval Office.

When the President needed a picture his secretary, Mrs. Lincoln, would push a button that rang in my office—that meant that President Kennedy is standing in the middle of the office waiting for you. I would rush up the stairs into the Oval Office with my superwide Hasselblad camera and take a couple of shots.

He would tolerate two clicks, and after two frames that was it—it was a nice working arrangement, and I didn't overstay my welcome. He was the opposite of President Johnson—I could never take enough pictures to please him.

Ten 30x30 prints were made and signed by Stoughton and goes to sale yesterday at Art & Artifact Gallery. Checking the gallery website, looks like it'll be on exhibit until June 20th.




Art & Artifact Gallery
410 N. La Cienega
Los Angeles, Ca. 90048e

How to Get Work from Ad Agencies (6/10)

Many changes have taken place in the ad industry with many more to come. Slashed budgets, more competition, fewer jobs. And now video! ... what's a photographer to do?

Join Debra Weiss and guests for an information packed evening with two Art Buyers, a Creative Director and an Agent and hear directly from the sources on what is needed to make it as an advertising photographer. Gain insight into what it takes to get their attention, how they choose the photographers they work with and how to build lasting beneficial relationships. You'll hear their honest and frank perspectives on how you can succeed in this rapidly shifting and increasingly impersonal business.

A broad range of topics will be discussed that will help you gain confidence in navigating your way through the challenges ahead. This seminar is a must for photographers looking to increase their chance of getting work from ad agencies.

Moderated by Debra Weiss

With:
+ Andrea Kaye, VP, Art Production Manager, McCann Worldwide, New York
+ Jigisha Bouverat, Director of Art Production, TBWA /Chiat Day, Los Angeles
+ Tito Melega, Multi-Award Winning Creative Director (3rd Generation 2010 Prius)
+ Tricia Burlingham, Tricia Burlingham Artist Representative Inc.

Note : early registration ends June 7th. The cost is $65/$75 at the door, $45 / $55 at door (APA, ASMP, ASPP, EP, PPA, NPPA). Students are only $25 with accredited schools only - current ID)

To register, please contact register@debraweiss.com


June 10th, 2010 7 pm - 10 pm

High Profile Productions
5896 Smiley Drive
Culver City, CA 90232

ASMP/LA Registration Workshop (6/5)

This Saturday, Jeff Sedlik will be giving a free two hour workshop on registering your images with the copyright office. This event is open to ASMP members as well as non-members. This takes place at Bergamot Station at Writer's Boot Camp from 10 am to noon. Register here. More info here.

Yvonne Venegas "Maria Elvia de Hank Series" (6/5)

In her series on Maria Elvia de Hank, photographer Yvonne Venegas offers a view into the life, family, and environment surrounding the wife of eccentric millionaire and former Tijuana Mayor Jorge Hank Rohn. †Venegas focuses on Mexican privilege and gender, exploring how her subject---the wife of one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in Mexico---submits, with a perfectionist touch, social and aesthetic ideals portrayed through a scrim of light and dust in Northern Mexico.

June 5th - August 28th

Shoshana Wayne Gallery
Bergamot Station
2525 Michigan Ave., B1
Santa Monica, CA 90404

Monika Rittershaus "L.A. Ring in Photographs" (6/5)

As part of the Ring Festival LA going on currently, theater photographer Monika Rittershaus will have her images exhibited at Ruth Bachofner Gallery with an opening reception this Sat June 6th 6-8 pm. Director and production designer Archim Freyer will also give a talk at the reception.

Monika Rittershaus' photographs reveal images of stillness, depicting instances of a movement as great moments. This stllness makes the singing audible; those moments make the breath of the theater palpable. That is the distinctive quality that constitutes her visual art. - Archim Freyer

June 5 - July 17, 2010

Opening reception + talk : June 5th 6-8 pm

Ruth Bachofner Gallery
2525 Michigan Ave., G2
Santa Monica, CA 90404

Book Project : The Release Party

Up to the last moment of the party I was using social media as much as possible to get the word out there as well as using postcard promo cards. So here's a quick run-down on how I got the word out.

First of all, I had 5,000 promo cards produced. I made sure to target comic book stores/anime stores/Japanese pop culture stores. Luckily Free Comic Book Day happened less than a week from when I got my cards so using Google, I figured which local comic book stores in the LA area had events plan and spend half a day putting out cards. I also heard of an event out in Rancho Cucamonga, CA where thousands of people show up for free hot dogs, signings with comic book artists/writers. Made sense to advertise there. Through a cosplayer, I was able to talk to the store owner about having my cards at their event. On that day, over 2,200 people stood in line for 45 minutes to get in. Close to 1,000 of my cards were picked up.

Hi Styley !

Hi Styley! is the work of the Swedish born and Los Angeles based photographer EvaLotta. This is a collection of fashion from in and around Los Angeles. All pictures are candid street shots and not preplanned. I have always been a huge fan of the street fashion blogs and publications from around the world and am excited to join the ranks in helping to document the ever elusive LA street fashion scene.

"The number of successful people working as freelance photographers in America today, is less than the number of guys playing in the NBA." - Kenneth Jarecke (via APE)

And in the comments I find this from a reader : "I'll be honest - I work professionally but I need to supplement my income by doing other things."

How true. You don't know how many photographers I've assisted over the years who have other jobs to make ends meet. Seriously.

Taken out of context the quote above does seem ridiculous but read the link.

Phillip Toledano "Days With My Father"

I briefly mention Phillip Toledano's Days with My Father last November and just found out it is now available as a 8x6 book.

Here's a few of my favorite images....





Interesting note that for each book Phillip releases, there is a stand-alone website. Before Days with My Father is Phonesex. Also there's never a link to his own photography site on those book sites although at his photography site there's galleries of the books.

Winners of Times' Editorial Awards

Barbara Davidson for Feature Photography with her story of "Bennett Freeze" in Arizona.




Wally Skalij won for his image from Station Fire for News Photography. Wally had also placed 2nd Place, Environmental Picture Story at 2009's NPPA "Best of Photojournalism" competition.



Promise and Peril in South L.A for Multimedia. A series of four stories focusing on South Central. Photographer : Michael Robinson Chavez. A full list of credits as well as other awards here.