Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Foto Care Favorites
Posted on November 7, 2011

The Artist as Art
The Gallery at Hallmark is pleased to announce the opening of “The Artist as Art”, a stunning series of intimate portraits by photographer Ellen Denuto. A successful commercial photographer based in New York and New Jersey, Ms. Denuto is also an accomplished fine art photographer. Her series includes images of artists such as poet Allen Ginsberg and photographer/musician/writer Gordon Parks.

Denuto has been working on the series for a number of years, inspired by the creativity of the artists, photographers, writers, musicians and actors in front of her lens. She asks the question, “Why do artists create?” As an artist herself, she says the answer is always the same: “Because I must.” Her intent is to capture this truth in her portraits.

Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Foto Care Interviews
Posted on November 2, 2011

Foto Care is pleased to present an exclusive interview with entertainment photographer Charlie Gross.  Based in New York City, Mr. Gross is well known in the music industry, having worked for labels such as Universal, Interscope, Geffen, Sony, Matador, Eremite, Downtown and Naive; and for his outstanding work as the exclusive personal photographer for Beck, touring worldwide and resulting in a minor opus of editorial publications, publicity, album art and books.

Charlie began his career in photography with an internship at the Annie Leibovitz Studio after studying Comparative Literature at Columbia University. He also holds a graduate degree in psychology.

  In addition to the work done in the entertainment field he as also shot for Rolling Stone, V, Interview, Spin, Elle, People, Jane, Seventeen, The New York Times Magazine, Wall Street Journal and CMJ; and for commercial clients including Earl Jeans, Grove Press, Shore Fire Media, Scrollmotion, World Science Festival and Songs Publishing.

Tell us about yourself and how you got into this field?

I have always been drawn to both the visual and the academic. I found my identity as a photographer as early as high school but got into the field professionally in the late 1990s. I was interning at Annie Leibovitz’s studio and had on opportunity to take some pictures of Beck.  He liked what I had done and a bit later, I was offered to be a tour photographer for him.  The same week I was offered a spot in an Anthropology PhD program, but I took the Beck job, and it turned out to be a starting point for working in the music industry and in doing personal fine art work that has a psychological and cultural basis to it.

ELLIOT SMITH

What has been your favorite assignment to date?

There have been many great shoots, but my work with Beck over a period of years had a special quality by the nature of the fact that it was a long-term artistic collaboration with a subject who is extremely well-versed in visual and cultural references.  I would most describe my work as environmental portraiture, and working in such a diversity of locations really solidified my style and provided my first publications. I also love the elements of chance and spontaneity that come with shooting on location — it ends up feeling like an interaction not just with the subject but with the environment itself in often unpredictable ways.  The challenge of creating a strong, often formal-feeling portrait in a reportage context is extremely exciting to me.

BECK

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

I am inspired by music, film and psychology.  I love old photos and old magazines and the nostalgia that is embedded in the look of even the most banal of old pictures. In my most recent work shooting album art and press for Meshell Ndegeocello, I was wanting to do something that felt loosely like Christopher Doyle’s work in Wong Kar Wai’s movies.  It’s very tapped territory, but I love how his work and lighting feels incredibly real and surreal at the same time — how characters just appear in their lives as if in a dream. I like to document the irony, humor, beauty and absurdism of subjects captured by their surroundings in ways they may not even be aware of.  And separately, I always admire photographers who shoot so much that it feels like they must have captured the beauty of their every waking moment – like Araki.

How has your work changed in the last few years?

I actually took a break from shooting too much professionally for a bit and went to graduate school for psychology. In the last couple of years though, I have been shooting actively again, and while it may be a unique path, it has led to me having a stronger, more mature vision of where I want to go in terms of professional photography. I have come to see much less of a division between professional and personal work, and I believe this makes both stronger.  Technically, like almost everyone else, I have transitioned to shooting less film and more digital, which I resent for being so good and so fun.  I have become more concerned with manipulating light as opposed to making the most out of available light.

Where is your work heading next? Where do you see yourself in the future?

I see shooting more psychologically and culturally focused portrait and reportage projects and have a few ideas percolating that make sense in terms of my photography and psychology background.  I also see expanding my work as an environmental portraitist in a greater a variety of contexts and applications whether commercial, editorial or fine art.  Music is a first love, but I would love to shoot more writers, beekeepers and manicurists.

JIM CARROL

What equipment are you currently using to produce your work?

Digitally, I shoot with a NIkon D-700 with mostly prime, fast lenses, some old and some new depending on the application. I shoot Leica for film and Fuji 6×9 for medium format and occasionally Mamiya RZ.  I love low light, so Nikon’s high ISO performance and Leica/Fuji rangefinders and fast lenses are a natural.  When not using or diffusing the sun or ambient artificial light, I use both strobe and constant source light — usually Profoto or a K5600 Joker Bug respectively.

What equipment would you most like to own but don’t yet have?

I covet the Leica M9, so I could put my beloved Leica lenses to more frequent use. It’s not the most perfect or versatile camera, but it spits the world back as a beautiful film still.

To see more of Charlie Gross’ work check out his website: http://www.charliegrossphoto.com

Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Photography Event, Photography Workshops & Lectures
Posted on October 24, 2011

PhotoPlus Expo- Oct. 27-29th

PDN PhotoPlus Expo showcases the latest advances in photography. Attendees are able to explore hundreds of exhibits and attend a wide variety of photography and imaging seminars.  In addition to viewing the latest technologies it is a great opportunity to network with your fellow shutterbugs!

Jacob Javits Convention Center

Shoot NYC- Oct. 27th and 28th

SHOOT NYC is an exciting and informative forum featuring live shooting sets incorporating the latest photographic technology on the market today. In addition to a wide range of FREE professional photography seminars, industry leaders Hasselblad and Broncolor, will help you learn how to harness and integrate the market’s most advanced photographic tools and education into your business, improving both your photography and your bottom line.

The Terminal Building- 11th Ave and W 28th St

Leica Meetup- Oct. 27th and 28th

Leica Camera is hosting multiple events at Sun West Studios throughout PhotoPlus, including demos of their medium format digital SLR, the S2.  5-6 PM every night is “open shoot” time if you want to try it out!

Sun West Studios- 450 West 31st Street, 10th Floor

Manfrotto/gitzo trade-in day at Foto Care- Nov. 18-19th

Come trade in your old sticks and head for up to $100 towards a new system!

Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Foto Care Exhibits, Foto Care Favorites
Posted on October 18, 2011

Since the September 11, 2001 bombings of the World Trade Center, I have been documenting this horrific event.  I photographed the Twin Towers of Light the first time they were illuminated six months later, and I also shot a story on the efforts to rebuild the downtown area.  To commemorate the tenth anniversary, I wanted to focus on the positive.  This proved to be a daunting task.

I started by photographing the personal objects that were salvaged during the clean-up process from the rubble.  This was a very emotional experience for me, knowing that the items I was shooting belonged to the people who had perished.  i also had access to Hangar 17at Kennedy International Airport, where some of the large pieces of the Twin Towers were being stored.  Photographing what were once the two tallest buildings in the world, now reduced to fragments of metal was unverving.  I began to realize that documenting personal items and pieces of the Towers was not giving me the mood I wanted to achieve.  It was too somber, too devastating, too final.  My focus shifted to representing the living.

If these photos have a mission, it is this: to capture the images of the survivors, the people who escaped from the Towers and moved on with their lives.  A woman who now has two young children, a mother and daughter miraculously reunited, two brothers, now in high school, all survivors, each with a story to tell.

-Ira Block

Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Business and Marketing Tips
Posted on October 14, 2011

There are now more images on Flickr than people on the face of the Earth.  These images are mainly made in the last 10-15 years with the growth of digital cameras and exclude the billions of images made since Niepce made the first known photograph in the early 19th century.  The online music store iTunes now boasts over 19 million songs available for purchase.  With an overwhelming amount of media out there is it possible to have a unique idea in any art form?  If you have an original idea, should you copyright it and protect it from any unauthorized use/reuse?

The first photograph. Nicephore Niepce

Some musicians argue that by sampling another artist’s work and remixing it they are creating a new piece, that what they have made is transformative and therefore an entirely new work.  Greg Gillis, better known by his stage name Girl Talk, is a mashup/remix artist who works entirely with samples of other songs.  His work will overlay two, three, and sometimes four different elements from songs created by other artists.  Black Sabbath’s guitar riffs will play beneath Ludacris’ aggressive rapping, while on another track John Lennon’s Imagine is combined with Rich Boy and UGK.  In 2007 three men made a documentary called Good Copy/Bad Copy that discusses copyright law, piracy, and free culture, with a segment surrounding Gillis.  Within the documentary Gillis shows one of his album insets that has every artist he sampled listed.  “I feel like I did my own work but I absolutely owed them all a little credit because they are blatantly on the album, and I have a lot of respect for all their music.”  See the clip containing this quote from the documentary on youtube here.  You can see the full documentary here.

Girl Talk samples directly, while other instances of copying that have sparked debate over copyright have been less direct.  Justin Bieber’s new fragrance shares similarities with a Marc Jacobs bottle, Beyonce declares that she referenced a ballet named Rosas danst Rosas in the music video for her song Countdown, and Rihanna is being sued by photographer David La Chapelle over her S&M music video which, Chapelle claims, rips off a series of his images, a side-by-side representation can be seen on the Daily Mail’s website.  All of these instances bring up a debate that the supreme court has avoided ruling on, choosing instead to persuade out of court a settlements and other work-arounds.

Few images have become as prolific as the Hope poster of President Obama, created in 2008 by street artist Shepard Fairey.  As the image gained popularity two different photographers emerged who believed the poster to be a copy of their image.  After further analysis and an (eventual) admission from Fairey, it was discovered that the artist had used a photograph by an Associated Press photographer to create the Hope poster.  The legal battle that ensued was followed closely by the creative community because the case could have set a legal precedent for transformative and fair use art.  Unfortunately, whether or not Fairey was justified under copyright law to produce the graphic based on an AP photo was not determined, as the AP and Fairey settled out of court.

Copyright law in the U.S. strictly prohibits “actionable copying” of an image by being “substantially similar”, a statement that is both difficult to substantiate and is based on perception.  What is even more difficult to enforce is the concept of fair use and appropriation within art.  How many elements of an image have to be reproduced to be considered infringement?  Bob Dylan has come under fire in the past month for a series of paintings that reference the work of Bresson, Bruce Gilden, and others (side by side examples can be seen here and here).  Dylan is well known for his distaste for the media profiting off his image and there have been incidences at his concerts where security will wade into the first few rows and take point and shoots from fans who photographed him.  These cases have all brought up the same debate of appropriation versus infringement, referencing and influence versus plagiarism.

Some court cases have dismissed copyright infringement suits based on whether or not the infringing is “art”, a question that is as old as art itself.  One of the most famous examples, Marcel Duchamp ’s urinal signed with the pseudonym R Mutt, is on display in the Tate Modern.  Many argue that by re-purposing and intending the object to be viewed as something other than its original purpose, the artist has created a work of art.   While Duchamp’s Pissotiere is intended to question what art is, it brings up an interesting issue that has been prevalent in both a campaign for the presidency of the United States and now in a gallery showing of one of the most famous and prolific musicians in the world.

Are we impeding the flow of art and media with enforcing copyright laws or protecting the artists who rely on their work to live?

Helpful links on copyright

The American Society of Media Photographer’s FAQ on Copyright

The U.S. Government’s Copyright Laws FAQ

Digital Millenium Copyright Act Explained

Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Business and Marketing Tips
Posted on October 9, 2011

I just saw this interesting article in City Pages, the definitive source of information for news, music, movies, restaurants, reviews, and events in Minneapolis, written by Andrea Swensson, titled:  Foo Fighters photo waiver one of the severest in the industry: Here’s why we didn’t sign. Very interesting so we thought we’d share the post: Please share your thoughts on this….

From our perspective, there are two parts of this contract that are problematic. The first requires “approval of the photos,” a phrase we’ve seen crop up on more and more photo contracts recently. Basically, the management company is creating a situation where they can legally control which photos we are allowed to publish. This kind of phrasing sets a dangerous precedent for publications. If we’re allowing Dave Grohl’s management to pick and choose which photos they’d like to see of him in the press, what’s to stop them from thinking that, in the future, they could ask for control over the concert review itself?

Janet Jackson tried it recently, so it isn’t as crazy as it may sound. Luckily for journalists everywhere, Ms. Jackson’s contract was met with such opposition by outlets nationwide that she eventually abandoned it all together, but not before stirring up a new wave of debate over this ongoing issue.

The second sketchy part of the contract is becoming more and more common, and is more harmful to freelance entertainment photography as a profession: The management company wants to own all photos taken of their client from the moment the photographer’s shutter clicks. This goes far beyond the pale of what is usually asked in these contracts and strips the photographer of any ownership or rights in regards to their work. The contract even goes so far as to say that, if requested, the photographer must march down to the U.S. Copyright Offices and transfer ownership of the work over to the band. All for the ability to spend 10 minutes crammed into a photo pit in front of Dave Grohl.

While we have taken a stand against contracts like this — when we’ve encountered harsh ones, like at this summer’s Britney Spears show, we’ve flat-out refused to shoot the show — many publications are still either blissfully unaware of these problems or choosing to sign the contracts and look the other way. For the Foo Fighters show, a few of the publications pushed back and were allowed to sign less oppressive contracts instead. Unfortunately, after much negotiating we were told that we had to sign it as-is to receive a photo pass, so we declined.

All of which indicates that the tour management knows they are asking too much with these contracts. This kind of abusive contract language seems specifically aimed at photographers who make their living as freelancers or those still amateur enough that they will sign away all their rights for a chance take pictures of a famous musician.

But for those of us trying to get awesome shots of Dave Grohl and uphold our publication’s editorial integrity, it puts us in an awkward spot.

To get a better sense for this trend of abusive photo contracts in the music industry, we conducted an informal poll of some of our colleagues and peers. Click over to page 2 to read their thoughts and see the contract that led us to decline shooting last night’s Foo Fighters tour kick-off show.

“The only way to make these contracts stop is if everyone says no to them,” says Nate “Igor” Smith, a freelance photographer in NYC who contributes to the Village Voice. “More and more artists are going to come up with bullshit like this unless photographers and media sources stick together and say no.”

On the other side of the coin, a seasoned photographer in L.A. says that the issue isn’t quite so black and white. “I understand both sides of the conversation as I’ve had conversations with publicists regarding this topic, including Foo Fighters’ publicist,” says Timothy Norris, who contributes to L.A. Weekly. “My take on it has changed over the years and although it’s still frustrating to read a contract that claims ownership of any image that comes of the shoot I have to keep in mind that at bottom the photos are about news. Nowadays there are just too many ‘photographers’ doing the same thing as me in the same time frame (first three songs) to think I’ll make a quick buck on reselling an image to another outlet.”

Norris also had an anecdote about a situation involving the Foo Fighters that indicates that their management may not be as vicious as the terms of their contract suggest. “I have a friend that once photographed Foo Fighters (contract signed) for a blog and management saw the photos and liked them. They ended up compensating him very well to use an image for marketing purposes involved with Gibson Guitars,” he says.

A member of the Foo Fighters’ publicity team also reiterated that the band’s intent isn’t quite what it seems on paper. “The language might be severe but that really isn’t the intent. Its just to protect the Foo Fighters from having their image sold and licensed without their knowledge or control.”

If that’s the case, why make the contract so ferocious? And why be willing to negotiate the terms with one publication but not another? There are no easy answers here, and the conversation is ongoing.

As far as this paper is concerned, we will continue to support our photographers who decline to shoot major acts with terms this harsh, not only because we want to advocate for entertainment photography as a viable profession — like any field, the more a photographer is able to support themselves with their creative work, the more time they can devote to their craft, which makes for better photos — but also to attempt a defense against this industry-wide assault on editorial integrity. We’re just one small outlet in the grand scheme of things, but you have to start somewhere.

Many musicians have a tumultuous relationship with photographers and the media.  Most photographers are given 10-15 minutes or the first 3 songs at a show to make the photographs they need.  Some musicians, however, have a reputation of playing to photographers and controlling their image by giving them a few great images.  One of the more famous examples of showmanship would be the Rolling Stones who, for the first 10-15 minutes of a show, are seemingly playing for the photographers, creating great moments and helping their public image.  Check out the Foo Fighters photo waiver below.  If you have a story from a concert to share you can tweet to us @fotocare or leave a comment here.

FOO FIGHTERS PHOTO WAIVER

Update:  Bob Dylan, famous for his dealings with the media and for shutting out photographers from his shows, has been busted for painting copies of famous photographs.  The New York Times has the story, along with comparisons of his paintings and the original photographs.

Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Foto Care Exhibits, Foto Care Favorites, Photographers
Posted on October 5, 2011

Ira Block is an internationally renowned photojournalist, teacher, and workshop leader who has produced over 30 stories for the National Geographic Magazine and its affiliates N.G. Traveler and Adventure. He began his career as a newspaper photographer, earning numerous press club awards. As an expert in lighting, Ira is sought after for assignments ranging from shooting ancient artifacts in Greece to photographing dinosaur fossils in the Gobi desert and documenting Moche mummies in Peru. His momentous coffee table book, Saving America’s Treasures was a collaborative effort among the Clinton White House, National Geographic Society, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Ira’s unique vision and outstanding lighting skills have made him the “go to photographer” for complex assignments.  His show, Faces of Hope, opens at Foto Care Rentals October 19th, from 6:30-8:30 pm.  Please RSVP to rsvp@fotocare.com.

©Ira Block

1. Tell us about yourself and how you got into photography?

I started taking photos when I was a high school student in Brooklyn. My father helped me build a darkroom in our basement and I loved developing film and making prints. At the University of Wisconsin I didn’t have my own darkroom so I joined the student newspaper. I covered a lot of U. W’s  sporting events and got to know the local newspaper photographers.  They liked my work and when a position opened up for a part time photographer at the Wisconsin State Journal, I was offered the job.  I couldn’t believe my good fortune – I was finally going to get paid to take pictures! After working at the paper for a week I realized how little I really knew about photography and darkroom work. The next couple of years was like an apprenticeship for me.

2. What was your break out job that helped launch your career?

I covered the Democratic National Convention in Chicago for UPI in 1968 while I was still a student at Wisconsin and got some national recognition.  When I returned to New York I started freelancing and eventually hooked up with the National Geographic Magazine. In 1978 I went to the North Pole by dog sled with a Japanese explorer. This was my first cover story for the magazine.  I was only 29 years old and became a regular contributor to the magazine.

3. What has been your favorite assignment(s) to date?

It’s difficult to pick one assignment. Every time I head off somewhere it’s an adventure filled with possibilities. I did a story a number of years ago on the history of the condiment olive oil. I travelled to Northern California, Greece, Italy and Spain, met some really great people and had the opportunity to eat fantastic food.  So it ranks high on my list.

4. Where do you draw your inspiration from?

I draw inspiration from the people and places I photograph. Whether it’s an exotic culture, an uninhabited landscape, animals in the wild, a teeming city or ancient objects, photography has given me the incredible opportunity to roam through society as a respectful voyeur.  I am inspired each time I look through a view finder or at an LCD screen.

5. What do you do to market you services?

I’ve been published so often in the National Geographic that at this point in my career my stories are their own marketing tool. I do have a rep at the National Geographic assignment division who helps me obtain some of my commercial work. Also, over the years I’ve done a lot of corporate photography which has grown through word of mouth.

6. Do you use Social Media as part of your marketing mix? Do you think it is effective?

I do use social media as part of my marketing, though it’s a softer type of marketing. I am maintain a facebook fan page, I tweet and write a blog. I believe social media is an effective, low cost way to keep one’s visibility very high.

7. How has your work changed in the last few years?

I try to be less controlling and restrictive in my work. In the past I spent too much time compulsing about making everything perfect. Now I try to be looser with my shooting style which works well in the current marketplace.

8. Where is your work heading next? Where do you see yourself in the future?

I’m looking for projects that are less involved with the individual images and concentrate more on the entire body of work. I think this will fit in to the electronic use of photos very well.

9. What equipment are you currently using to produce your work?

I use a variety of equipment these days. I’ve been using Canon cameras for many years and have been very happy with the results. For a lot of my portrait work I use a Mamyia 645 with a digital back. The 16 bit color really is great for skin tones. For fun and looser photography I’ve been having a great time shooting with the Panasonic Lumix,  mirrorless  four thirds system.

10. What equipment would you most like to own but don’t yet have?

Wow, there is so much I’d like to have to play around with but I am in business and have to stick with equipment that will have a return on my investment.

11. Do you work with Video? Have you stepped into the Hybrid Video market at all?

I’ve been doing some video work using the Canon’s and the Lumix cameras. I like shooting video but find that the post production is very time consuming and very important. I’m still trying to find a balance between my capabilities and when I need  an experienced editor.

12. When/ How did you first hear about Foto Care?

I’ve been going to Fotocare so long that my wife thinks I should have my own bed and kitchen there.

13. What is it about Foto Care that brings your back?

The staff and their knowledge of all things photographic. And sometimes there’s free food!

Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Foto Care Rental, Product Reviews
Posted on October 3, 2011

Ever since we started carrying the Go Pro HD Heros at Foto Care two things have happened.  One, everyone has been sticking the mini sized 1080p cameras on everything, and two, we’ve realized that some of our co-workers are crazier than we thought.  From ripping through Manhattan traffic on a track bike to deep sea fishing for marlin off the coast of Jersey, we’ve been doing our best to wreck one of these things and have had no success.  We culled down some of our favorite Go Pro videos from around the internet to share with you.

Tricks

Experience Human Flight

Jeb Corliss and Roberta Mancino-wingsuits

Jamie Pierre, extreme skier

Tumbles

Skier takes a 300-400 ft fall

Go Pro survives 2.5 months underwater

Climber takes a big fall on lead

Timelapses

Panning Timelapse

Haboob dust storm in AZ

Tampa to Dulles in a minute

Animals POV

A boxer explores his yard

Seagull steals a GoPro