Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Announcements
Posted on December 23, 2010

Looking for a very special gift for your Clients, a photography enthusiast, or Collector? We put together a collection of Limited Edition Photography Books that are great gift ideas for someone passionate about the art.

Ralph Gibson, Nude / Collector’s Edition – $700
Delicate, mysterious, sensual… and ultimately, unknowable

Collector’s Edition limited to 1,200 numbered copies, each signed by the artist. Also available in two exclusive Art Editions, each limited to 100 copies, including one of two signed photographic prints.

A decade after his first TASCHEN book, Deus ex machina, master photographer Ralph Gibson returns with an exquisite collection of nudes, combining the best of his recent work with an in-depth interview by Eric Fischl. Strikingly graphic, meticulously composed, and loaded with subtle provocations, Gibson’s mysterious, dreamlike images pay homage to greats such as Man Ray and Edward Weston, while continually pursuing new frontiers.

Kenro Izu, Bhutan (Deluxe Edition) – $1500

Kenro Izu has spent much of his career traveling the world, seeking the sacred and spiritual in landscapes and the people who inhabit them, and attempting to capture the moments in which he senses these qualities are revealed. The photographs in Bhutan: The Sacred Within reflect Izu’s exploration of a country that he visited repeatedly over a period of six years (2002-2007) and in which he found “a wealth of spiritual value.” The people of Bhutan are heirs to an unbroken tradition of Buddhist government and religion. The kingdom is known for its measurement of national success, not in terms of the Gross National Product but rather in the Gross National Happiness of its people, a concept based on the Buddhist idea that happiness is an individual and inner pursuit. The Bhutanese government sees it as its responsibility to create the right environment for its citizens to seek happiness. Combining an artist’s vision with exquisite sensitivity to the historical craft of photography, Izu creates work that brings us closer to a country on the brink of modernity that seeks to maintain traditions.

William Claxton. Jazzlife. The Collector’s Edition – $1500

In 1960, photographer William Claxton and noted German musicologist Joachim Berendt traveled the United States hot on the trail of jazz music. The result of their collaboration was an amazing collection of photographs and recordings of legendary artists as well as unknown street musicians. The book Jazzlife, the original fruit of their labors, has become a collector`s item that is highly treasured among jazz and photography fans.

The Jazzlife Collector’s Edition

• Limited to 1,000 individually signed and numbered copies
• Every copy comes with four signed and numbered, 50 x 60 cm (19.6 x 23.6 in.) ultrachrome prints
• Book and prints packaged in a cloth-covered box

Dennis Hopper: Photographs 1961 – 1967 – $1500

The Collector’s Edition is limited to 1,500 numbered copies, each signed by the photographer.

“I was doing something that I thought could have some impact someday. In many ways, it’s really these photographs that kept me going creatively.” —Dennis Hopper

During the 1960s, Dennis Hopper carried a camera everywhere—on film sets and locations, at parties, in diners, bars and galleries, driving on freeways and walking on political marches. He photographed movie idols, pop stars, writers, artists, girlfriends, and complete strangers. Along the way he captured some of the most intriguing moments of his generation with a keen and intuitive eye. A reluctant icon at the epicenter of that decade’s cultural upheaval, Hopper documented the likes of Tina Turner in the studio, Andy Warhol at his first West Coast show, Paul Newman on set, and Martin Luther King during the Civil Rights March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

Frans Lanting: Eye to Eye - Artist’s Edition – $500

Limited gilt-edged edition of 1,500 copies worldwide in decorative slipcase, including a signed cibachrome print (25,5 x 30,5 cm / 10 x 12 inches).

“As a chronicler of natural history today, Frans Lanting is a singular extraordinary talent. He has the mind of a scientist, the heart of a hunter, and the eyes of a poet.”  – National Geographic, Washington

Eye to Eye, the first personal portfolio by master photographer Frans Lanting, presents an extraordinary collection of animal images by an award-winning photographer and naturalist who “has set the standards for a whole generation of wildlife photographers,” according to the BBC.

More than 140 photographs, made over a period of twenty years, reveal the unique personal aesthetic Frans Lanting brings to wildlife photography, as well as the startling new perspective on animals his images provoke.

This book’s exquisite images are accompanied by personal stories and observations from a lifetime of working with wild animals around the world, ranging from orangutans in the rain forest of Borneo to emperor penguins in Antarctica.

GOAT. Champ’s Edition – $15,000
GOAT – GREATEST OF ALL TIME
Limited to 1,000 individually numbered copies, each one signed by Muhammad Ali and Jeff Koons

Muhammad Ali is one of the most remarkable personalities of our time and the greatest sportsman ever to walk the earth. To honor this living legend, TASCHEN has created a work that is epic in scale and as unique and vibrant as the man himself. A worthy tribute to his life should reflect the scale of his achievements, and GOAT – GREATEST OF ALL TIME is fully up to that task.

Peter Beard, Collector’s Edition, 965 Elephants- $18,000
Limited to 250 individually numbered copies, each signed by Peter Beard

The most poignant are the ones of decomposing elephants where, over time, as they disintegrate, the bones form magnificent sculpture—sculpture which is not just abstract form but has all the memory traces of life, despair and futility. — Francis Bacon on Peter Beard`s photographs

Photographer, collector, diarist, and writer of books Peter Beard has fashioned his life into a work of art; the illustrated diaries he kept from a young age evolved into a serious career as an artist and earned him a central position in the international art world. He was painted by Francis Bacon, painted on by Salvador Dalí, and made diaries with Andy Warhol; he toured with Truman Capote and the Rolling Stones, created books with Jacqueline Onassis and Mick Jagger—all of whom are brought to life, literally and figuratively, in his work. As a fashion photographer, he took Vogue stars like Veruschka to Africa and brought new ones—most notably Iman—back to the U.S. with him.

Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Announcements
Posted on December 21, 2010

It’s that time of the year again and holiday gift giving is just around the corner. Here are a few gift ideas for the photo enthusiasts in your life. Happy Shopping!

Flickr Pro Account – $24.95 for 1 year

Offer an upgrade to your photo friend or family member. With Flickr Pro, you get ad free browsing and sharing (yeah!), unlimited photo and video uploads and storage, unlimited bandwidth,  stats on your account, permanent archiving, free photo book and more!

Adobe Lightroom 3 Full Version: $99 – $299

Image makers will adore Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 3. Software that helps you bring out the best in your photographs, whether you’re perfecting one image, searching for ten, processing hundreds, or organizing thousands. Create incredible images that move your audience. Experiment fearlessly with state-of-the-art nondestructive editing tools. Easily manage all your images. And showcase your work in elegant print layouts, slide shows, and web galleries, as well as on popular photo-sharing sites. All from within one fast, intuitive application.

Photography Books by Mary Ellen Mark

A great holiday gift to add to your collection of outstanding art books. MARY ELLEN MARK has achieved worldwide visibility through her numerous books, exhibitions and editorial magazine work.  She has published sixteen books including Passport, Ward 81, Falkland Road, Mother Teresa’s Mission of Charity in Calcutta, The Photo Essay: Photographers at work, Streetwise, Mary Ellen Mark: 25 Years, Indian Circus, Portraits, a Cry for Help, Mary Ellen Mark: American Odyssey, Mary Ellen Mark 55, Photo Poche: Mary Ellen Mark, Twins, Exposure, Extraordinary Child, and Seen Behind the Scene.

FotoCare Gift Card

Some people are just too difficult to buy for so why not gift wrap the FotoCare Gift Card and let them shop for their perfect holiday gadget or accessory.

Wacom Intuos Tablet

And now….the perfect gift for photo editing with increased precision and decreased wrist strain/fatigue. Intuos4 redefines the Intuos pen tablet experience, thanks to a new design and new features inspired by members of our professional creative community.  Both the tablet shape and surface have been completely re-engineered to enable ergonomic, consistent strokes, even over long periods of time.  Available in four different wide-formate sizes and a wireless mode, you can pick the perfect one to fit your specific working style and workflow needs

Jay Maisel Photography Workshop

The Jay Maisel Workshop is a unique photography experience. Participants should expect five solid days (from 9:00am-10:00pm) of shooting, discussing, eating, and breathing photography with Jay at his home – the historic 35,000 square foot former Germania bank building and the surrounding New York City neighborhoods of Manhattan’s lower east side. All meals are included and enrollment is limited to (10) people on a first come, first serve basis. The cost is $5,000.00. If you have any questions, please contact Jamie Smith, Workshop Producer, by email (workshop@jaymaisel.com), or by phone: (917) 647-5390.

Marshall HDMI Monitor
The V-LCD50-HDMI 5″ monitor is packed with features found in more expensive models. This compact LED-backlit confidence monitor offers amazing picture performance and excellent viewing angles for users simply looking for a portable, yet versatile monitoring solution. The V-LCD50-HDMI offers standard features including a wide variety of formats and markers, 4 user-configurable front panel function buttons, RGB Check Field / Field Detect, RGB gain and bias control. Major features include Marshall’s industry leading FALSE COLOR and PEAKING Filters, along with Image Flip, Freeze Frame, and HDMI Auto Color Space and Ratio detect.

Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Photography Books, Photography Students
Posted on December 19, 2010

Photography Students are jazzed about their new passion in life. Absorbing everything there is about style, technique, photographers past and present, and of course, being able to start their photographic collection of tools, gadgets, and necessities. Here is a list of items under $100 that will truly please your photographer in the making.

Fisheye, Macro, and Wide Angle Camera Phone Lenses- $40

Fish-eye and macro/wide-angle lenses for phone pics with a punch. Our high-clarity glass cell phone lenses are like pro lenses for your camera-phone, giving you crisp and clear shots every time.

These two small yet powerful and finely constructed lenses, one fisheye and one combo wide-angle/macro, attach to your cell phone transforming your standard flat phone photos into wide and up-close wonders. They work with any camera phone and attaching them is easy breezy! A detachable magnetic ring sticks to your cell, providing a sturdy, shake-free hold between the lens and your phone. Go with the combo wide-angle/macro lens for capturing sweet crowd shots at concerts or that awesome ally-way mural. When the same lens is set as a macro, you can really get in there to shoot a super-close-up detail! Meanwhile, the fisheye creates fun-tastic curved edges with its 180 degree angle whilst making everyone look like they live in a plastic bubble!

Fisheye No. 2 Camera - $75.00
From MOMA comes this fun little camera that is sure to get creative juices flowing.
With its 170-degree wide-angle view and fisheye barrel, this camera now has a bulb setting for long exposures, a switch for multiple exposures on the same frame and a built-in flash. Made of plastic with a glass lens. Uses 35mm film.  Recommended for ages 12 and up.

Seat Car Camera Belts - $20

What better way to tote your precious camera cargo than with a retired lifesaving device? These handmade camera straps come straight from the benches of wreck yard automobiles!

It’s time you gave your camera the haltering strength it deserves, and the super funky style it’s been silently hoping for. Be the first person on your block to start wearing a seat belt around your neck! Trust us, this is a good thing.

FotoCare Student Rewards Program – stop by the Store and Enroll

As a student of photography you possess an insatiable desire to learn all there is about the history of the art, the story behind the masters of the craft, and the names and work of the top images makers of today. It goes without saying that a vital part of every great photographer is the equipment they choose to work with combined with their unique shooting style and perfected techniques.  At FotoCare, we are committed to helping photographers learn and grow at every level. There are always new innovations waiting to be demonstrated and new techniques waiting to be shared. Simply visit FotoCare and enroll in our Student Rewards Program to begin taking advantage of what we hope will become a lifetime of benefits. As our industry continues to evolve, we will do everything we can to help you evolve as well.

Women by Annie Liebovitz and Susan Sontag

Each of the extraordinary portraits made by photographer Annie Leibovitz for her book Women stands on its own. Leibovitz, who in her years working for Rolling Stone, Vogue, and Vanity Fair magazines has photographed hundreds of celebrities, turns her lens on a wide range of ordinary and extraordinary female subjects: coal miners, socialites, first ladies, artists, domestic-violence victims, an astronaut, a surgeon, a maid. What she creates is a reflection of contemporary American womanhood that mirrors both women’s accomplishments and the challenges they still face individually and as a group. Leibovitz demonstrates her own range as a photographer in this body of work, shooting in the studio and natural settings and working in both black-and-white and color film. She depicts model Jerry Hall wearing a little black dress, a fur coat, and high heels, staring frankly at the viewer from a velvet chair in a plush red parlor while her naked infant son nurses from her exposed right breast. Schoolteacher Lamis Srour’s eyes–the only part of her face visible behind her heavy black veil–illuminate a dark black-and-white portrait. Leibovitz frames actress Elizabeth Taylor and her dog Sugar by their shocks of snow-white hair. There are many more wonderful and unexpected images here, over 200 in all. The delight in discovering them awaits readers. –Jordana Moskowitz

Looking at Photographs (PB) – $39.95
100 Pictures from the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. By John Szarkowski. First published in 1973, Looking At Photographs is a standard in the literature of photography. This 1999 reissue, printed from new plates, insures its continuing presence. Looking at Photographs is a treasury of benchmark photographs selected from the Museum’s collection, with commentaries which make it also an introduction to the aesthetics and the historical development of photography. Among the masters represented are Cameron, O’Sullivan, Stieglitz, Steichen, Strand, Walker Evans, Cartier-Bresson, Ansel Adams, Minor White, and Robert Frank. 100 duotone photographs.

STD-35mm Pinhole Camera Kit - $25

Make a Pinhole Camera. The STD-35 is the pinhole camera with an innovative light tight clamshell design. The STD- 35 is designed to be easy to build, use, and durable enough for lasting use. The kit comes with super tough 1mm thick black paperboard parts for the camera body and plastic spools to advance and rewind the film. It assembles in 1 to 2 hours without cutting or glue. Step by step illustrated English language instructions.

Spy Lens – $29.95

Let’s face it–when you first start out you might be too shy to approach your subjects up close. Or, you might enjoy shooting people when they are not aware of it, making them less self conscious. Well, here’s the lens for you. The Super Spy Lens: Point your camera one way and shoot the other with this right angle lens attachment. This lens will allow you to shoot directly to the right or left of where your camera appears to be pointing, so naturally people will think you are shooting somewhere else. This lens can be a valuable asset when shooting still pictures at the beach, pool, and other public places. This lens provides bright, crisp, distortion free images. It is sized to accommodate all viewing distances from near wide-angle to full zoom. Be sure to buy the right lens for your camera, they are specifically made for Nikon, Cannon, Sony, etc.

Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Business and Marketing Tips
Posted on November 13, 2010

We just saw this article in Photo District News and wanted to share this valuable information when getting ready to bid on an Ad Assignment.

10 Questions to Ask Before You Bid on an Ad Assignment

As reps, art buyers and producers note in our feature story, “Making the Most of Pre-Production Calls and Meetings,” listening carefully during the creative call with a campaign art director and during pre-estimate calls with the agency’s art buyer is essential to successful bidding for a job.

The first call, known as the creative call, is a chance for the art director to explain the layout and the purpose of the campaign. Photographers often ask their producers to be on the creative call, but just as “a fly on the wall,” says producer Emily Vickers of Mason Vickers. After hearing what the art director wants, the photographer or producer can follow up with questions  –about scheduling, logistics, number of shots, budget limitations and more—for the ad agency’s art buyer. During this follow up, known as the pre-estimate call, it’s important to get the detailed information needed to complete a realistic estimate. It’s also the time to figure out whether the budget is realistic for the job specifications.

Before you get on a call with a creative or art producer, it’s useful to prepare a list of all the questions you need to ask.  While every shoot is different, the reps and producers we talked to said there are certain questions that they have to ask in order to get the details they need to prepare a bid. Asking the right questions, they said, also helps them decide when they should just walk away from a job with a budgets that’s too small or a schedule that’s too tight to do the job right.

1. “What’s your vision?” Alternatively: “What are you trying to achieve with the creative?”  This is the time a photographer has to listen. As Liz Miller-Gershfeld, senior art producer at Energy BBDO notes, during this conversation, creatives will offer “clues” about the clients’ priorities and what the agency wants in the ad.  Producer Vickers notes that she usually asks few questions at this point.  “As this call may be the photographer’s one (and only) chance to make a personal impression on the art director, he or she usually avoids getting bogged down in specifics, especially if they involve costs.”

2. “How literal is your layout?” Freelance producer Berns Rothchild says she always asks that question to explore flexibility about things like number of models, locations, etc.  Vickers typically asks if the client has already approved the layout or not. “Lately, the trend has been for agencies to get triple bids on their creative ideas in advance of their initial client presentation, so they can present the entire package of creative and potential costs at a single meeting. “ That’s handy for the account team, she says “but it costs the producer a lot of unnecessary time in research if the client rejects outright the creative ideas and sends the agency back to the drawing board.”

3.  “What’s the budget?” Alternatively, Vickers suggests asking, “Is there a pre-established budget?” She adds that art buyers don’t like to give a straight answer, “But if the art buyer does reveal a ball-park, it can be crucial to your photographer’s creative approach.” It can also reveal if the client wants champagne but has a budget for “Pabst Blue Ribbon and beer nuts,” says Vickers. She adds, “Photographers shouldn’t bend over backwards to accommodate a ridiculously low budget. In the long run, it does no one any good to get the job without enough money to produce it properly, so  the first round of estimates should be logical and realistic, with provisos and suggestions for trimming so the agency knows you are willing to work with them, up to a point.”

4 “What’s the usage?” Producer Steven Currie says after the logistical and casting questions, this is one of the most important questions to ask. The agency’s answer “helps the rep or photographer determine fees structure and the producer negotiate talent fees, which can be two of the largest line items in a budget.”

5. “How do you want to cast this?” Rothchild says she asks for specifics, like, “Skin tones / hair color / weight / economic background they are portraying.” Rep John Sharpe of Sharpe and Associates notes that the more specific the casting requirements, the more time a casting director will need to spend looking for talent. Rothchild also asks how the agency wants talent evaluated: “Hair up?  Smile?  Full body?  Left profile?”

6. “What kind of location do you want?” That means not only geographic location, but whether they want a mansion or a suburban ranch house. Rothchild says, “I usually do a file pull of available locations prior to the initial call so we have talking points during the call (“what do you like about this location?  What don’t you like?”)”

7. “When do you need delivery?” Here again, photographers should be prepared to walk away from a job they can’t fulfill. “All too often we’re presented with an unrealistic production schedule,” says Vickers. “Account teams are waiting longer and longer to push for decisions from their clients, leaving us to produce jobs within claustrophobic timelines at a break-neck pace to meet their media deadlines, which were established months ago. “

8. “Are there agency or client guidelines to follow?” Vickers always asks if the agency has a standard estimating form. She also asks, “Are there agency rules for travel reimbursement such as alcohol, laundry,and hotel incidentals?  [Are there] specific formats for billing and receipts?”

9.  “Who will provide general liability insurance for the job?” This includes providing certificates for locations, rental houses, or props. “ Many agencies provide insurance,” says Vickers. “If the photographer or producer indemnifies the job, they should bill for a percentage to cover their own rising premiums. “

10. “Is our photographer the creative choice?” That’s tricky to ask, but it’s important to feel out the art director or art buyer before you invest time in estimating and re-estimating a job. The fact is, ad agencies often ask three photographers to bid on a job at the request of a client, even though the ad agency art director already has a favorite photographer in mind. You want to know if you have a realistic chance of being considered for the job.  Vickers notes, “Even if they don’t tell you or prevaricate, you can get an idea of whether you’re the preferred simply by the amount of time and attention the art buyer will give you. “ Here’s another tip off, says Energy BBDO’s Miller-Gershfeld: “If it’s a job the agency cares about…but the art director can’t make the call, [that means] the photographer is not seriously being considered for the job.”

Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Photography Contests / Events
Posted on November 4, 2010

Your photos tell stories. Now is your moment to share them with the world.

One Life is an international open call for photography that delves into the lives of the global community. We are a world of a infinite stories and unique perspectives. Photography is our way to capture the moments as we experience them. The One Life Photography Competition is your opportunity to share your vision with the world. Artists Wanted and PDN have partnered to bring photographers together to share images illustrating their lives, loves and passions. The world is changing, but the power of images is constant. We believe that photography connects the world and tells stories in ways that no other medium can match. This is your opportunity to share your vision and story with the world.

Photography allows us to transcend barriers and demonstrate that, with all our differences,
we are one community, one world, One Life.

How it Works
All participants will be included in the One Life Photography Project. The first of an annual series, the One Life Photography Project will publish photos from all participating photographers as a public online gallery (launching New Year’s Day 2011) and also in the form of a hardbound archival book submitted to the Library of Congress. This is your opportunity to immortalize your story, sharing them with future generations for years to come.

Click Here to Learn How to Submit your Work: Submission Deadline November 15th, 2010

The Awards
What will you do with $25,000? Where will you go with two around the world tickets, a brand new camera and a case full of cash? The One Life Photography Competition is an international search for photography, and your chance at a life changing award.

Everyone who participates will receive a professional online portfolio (for a sample click here), a package of exclusive discounts and freebies from our sponsors.

Posted by Elizabeth Stacy | Posted in Photography Workshops & Lectures
Posted on October 13, 2010

Join Mary Ellen Mark during Halloween weekend for shooting, sharing and learning.  All details about the workshop and registration are below.

This workshop is a combination of lecture, shooting, portfolio review and critique.  Class size is limited to 15 students.  Mary Ellen will review students’ portfolios and offer guidance on ongoing projects.  She will discuss the basics of how her library is organized and other aspects of photography as a business.  She will also give a slide lecture and show some films that she has produced with her husband, Martin Bell.  Students will go out independently on Sunday to shoot at the Village Halloween Parade or other events around the city.  After the class, students will be able to send contact sheets from their Halloween shooting to Mary Ellen, which she will edit with comments and return to you.

This class is for experienced photographers.  Attendees should bring their portfolio to the class for review (prints, no slides).  Students should also come prepared to shoot on Sunday.

(Registration Extended)

Halloween Weekend Workshop
37 Greene Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10013

October 30th -October 31st
10:00AM – 6:00PM
RSVP

Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Foto Care Interviews
Posted on October 11, 2010

Foto Care is pleased to present an exclusive interview with photographer Thomas Holton about his father, documentary photographer, George Holton.

Tell us about your father, George Holton.

My father died in 1979. So much of what I know of his life and work I learned through my family.  I have all of his work cataloged (which took me forever) as well as documents which have all helped me discover my father many years later. He became interested in photography in high school and always wanted to be a photographer.  I have letters his mom wrote to several photo schools at the time expressing his interest in pursuing a career in photography; he seemed to have been drawn to travel and nature photography. He ultimately went to college (not art school) and volunteered for service during World War II for the American Field Service (AFS).

When did he begin his career as a professional photographer?

He was an ambulance driver during the war but more importantly, was one of a few “official” photographers for the AFS (along with a young Irving Penn).  He documented much of the war through his experiences and stayed with the AFS as a photographer after the war was over.  In this capacity, he traveled throughout Europe to photograph the recovery from the war.  After returning to the USA, he decided that he wanted to pursue a life and career in photography and set out to travel the world. By the time of his death in 1979, he had traveled to over 150 countries, sometimes being one of the first people to ever document various countries and cultures. My parents went to Antartica for their honeymoon!

What type of assignments did he shoot?

He remained fiercely independent and wanted to retain the freedom to shoot what he wanted on his own schedule. He did have a stock photo agency here in NYC where sales of past travels would help finance further travels. I was told that he was quite cheap and could stretch a dollar as long as possible. I think the quote his cousin gave me was: “Give george a dime and he’d still have it in his pocket a month later”. He was also emotionally and financially helped by his artist mother and step-father. I think he did what he had to do to keep traveling and making work. Live cheaply, sell some images here and there, do a magazine job from time to time, bum some money and then keep traveling! While he did work for National Geographic and Life Magazine, from what I learned from relatives, he wasn’t interested in staff positions or doing as much editorial work as possible. Again, he wanted his freedom.

Eventually he published two books (one on Easter Island and one on New Guinea) and made a name for himself in the travel photography world. I have a several magazine articles about him including an issue of “Nikon World” with his image on the cover, and an issue of “Popular Photography” from the late 1960’s.  Later in his life, he worked for “Linblad Travels” which was one of the pioneering travel agencies that specialized in exotic world travel (they still exist). I think they did a barter so that he could travel with them and shoot and in turn, they could use his images for their catalogs and promotional material. so through linblad, he went all over the world (this was mostly in the 1970’s). so basically from the outset of the war in 1942-ish until his death in 1979, he photographed all over the globe. While he never became famous, he did have some name recognition in the 1970’s in certain circles (Jeff Hirsch, owner of Foto Care remembers his work).

What I find remarkable about his work is the sheer quantity of places he went and the things he saw. Today we see images from all over the world in an instant and are used to living in an instantaneous visual culture. we can travel to New Guinea, India and China like it’s nothing, but when he made this work, he was a pioneer of travelphotography…especially in the 1950’s. Also when I look at his work I see a time that no longer exits, so in a way he captured global history like many of the masters of photography. I know this seems like a stretch but his work is really remarkable in its depth and quality of images. He really went everywhere capturing cultures and events that simply do not exist today.

We thank Thomas Holton for shining a light on the work of his dad, George Holton.  Click here to see the body of work, documentary photographer Thomas Holton is producing today. We hope you enjoyed learning more about these two incredibly talented photographers.

Posted by Foto Care | Posted in Featured Photo Blogs & Websites
Posted on September 27, 2010

EyeCurious, is a blog about photography and all things related, written by Marc Feustel an independent curator and writer based in Paris. . His background is in Japanese photography, but eyecurious travels to as many photographic territories as possible through exhibition and book reviews, photographer interviews, random thoughts and a few experiments.

Here are two sample blog posts:

Is the photo-album giving way to the mixtape?

recently attended a ‘conversation’ at the Foundation Henri Cartier-Bresson  in Paris on the impact of blogs on photographic criticism. A hugely disappointing evening on all counts, including an extended discussion of image rights and how many photos it’s OK to include in a single blog post, however one idea did emerge which piqued my interest. André Gunthert an academic specialized in ‘visual history’ and the founder of the online platform, Culture Visuelle, referred to the fact that academic research in the field of visual studies has been transformed by the availability and accessibility of images through the internet. Gunthert’s point, if I remember it correctly, was that disciplines like history of art had quite limited access to images before the internet due to the expense of image rights and the basic difficulty of getting your hands on a decent reproduction. Nowadays papers are presented supported by a healthy stack of images of all kinds for virtually no cost and this has changed the framework of analysis as it provides an essentially infinite comparative potential.

This struck me as an interesting evolution and got me wondering about the impact of websites and photo-blogs on the way that we consume photographic images. One parallel would be the increasing obsolescence of the album as a musical format. Although artists still produce music in this way for the most part, only a small percentage of listeners are likely to listen to an album from start to finish anymore. The album has essentially been replaced by the mixtape, where music is consumed according to a style, mood, or that little iTunes robot that Apple mistakenly decided to call Genius and its ADD-ridden cousin Shuffle.

Something similar has happened to photography when it comes to the online world. (Read More)

Carlo Van de Roer Capturing the Essence

One of the most worn clichés in the realm of photography is the notion that a photographic portrait can somehow “capture the essence” of its subject. This has always struck me as pretty problematic; the idea that there is a moment that can be captured on film that encapsulates some fundamental truth about us, about who we really are seems to be a little reductive… I have always liked to think there was more to me than that. I can understand a photographer’s search for an image in which the subject is as natural as possible, forgets the camera and maybe even themselves. However, this may not be any more revealing about the person being photographed than an image in which the subject is playing to the camera, showing another side of themselves in the process. (Read More)