Lewis Baltz and the New Topographics

Lewis Baltz and the New Topographics movement influenced the entire genre of American landscape photography. The focus of the movement shifted to man made landscapes that were stripped of any beauty in the traditional sense. Instead, the phrases "a problem of style", ".. deadpan humor and a casual disregard for the importance of the images" come to mind and more accurately portray the style. It's not just specifically Lewis Baltz's images that I find amazing, but rather that the exhibition "New Topographics: Photographs of a Man-Altered Landscape" curated by William Jenkins, had such a long lasting impact on the entire art world. The exhibition (which was at the Kodak house) included such big names as Robert Adams, Lewis Baltz, Stephen Shore, Bernd And Hilla Becher; it is pretty clear from the role list how deadpan worked its way into contemporary landscape photography.

~Mike H.

Photographer Lynn Saville

I was introduced to Lynn at a poetry reading here at Bucks back in 2005. Lynn's photography invites the viewer into this world of light and dark and in doing so, evokes a somewhat mysterious and at times, creepy feel... exp. Riverside Park Fog. When photographing she uses the available light at the scene exp. Ed's Barn. However, at times she has introduced her headlights into a photo...exp. Cummington, Mass. She has also worked at night using color ex. Number 39. I love the use of light in ex. Under Manhattan Bridge...the florescent light coming from the window gives off a dramatic green hue. I also love the photograph ex. The Pepsi Sign...it allows the viewer to examine the different light created by both incandescent and florescent lighting. Lynn also has two books published " Acquainted with the Night" and "Night Shift".

http://www.lynnsaville.com/

Bryan Graf

This is from Bryan Graf's Wildlife Analysis series. These images are chemical C-prints. This process oriented work is often hallucinogenic in quality that feel both comtemporary and historical. Combining negatives and elements of photograms while adjusting the enlarger's color pack Graf creates photographs the are singular and unique. Chad.

Chris McCaw (by Ilya Tetelman)

This artist's name is Chris McCaw. I chose to write about Chris for several reasons. Not only do I find his "Sunburn" Series impressive and inspiring, the occurrences and methods by which he got there are as unusual as at the work itself.

Sunburn is a set of images coming directly from the camera (which McCaw built himself) on which two magical phenomenon occured: 1. the path of the day's sun burned a hole in the photograph. 2. Because of the excessively long exposure times, Solarization has turned the original negative image into a positive.

Chris discovered these effects on a drunk long night exposure that was left open as a result of his inotoxication (if only all results of intoxication were that successful the next day!). Being open still at sunrise, the sun burned a hole through the solarized negative. Recognizing this gem for what it was, he began working to perfect a set of images. Only after three years (probably because of excessive drinking) he realized he should switch to Photo Paper instead of film, but he realized quickly that the paper needed to get the solarization was VINTAGE SILVER GELATIN PAPER.

Also aiding him in catching these mystical interactions between nature and machine, was his ability to build his own camera. He learned to build his own camera through necessity, when he was too poor to buy his own after finishing art school. Shown above, his current set of cameras, one sized at 30x40 and one at 8x10 (but with a massive lens), look like something funded by NASA. The 8x10 wheelchair camera has a 600mm F/3.5 lens that Chris "was told... came off a U2 spy plane."

For more information, I will trackback two websites:

A short interview blog post: http://is.gd/gUCl1

Chris's Artist Statement: http://is.gd/gUCnL

John Sexton

I will be attending a workshop with John Sexton in California next week, so I thought I would explore some of his photography on the blog before I leave. John Sexton was Ansel Adams' assistant from 1979 to when Ansel died in 1984. Due to this influence, Sexton is known for his spectacular printing techniques and use of the zone system. He works in large format and often photographs landscapes -- both natural landscapes and industrial and architectural landscapes. What really strikes me about his work is the technical expertise and the beauty of his prints. It's hard to share on a computer, but his prints look almost 3-D when you view them in real life -- they really pop! He has sharp detail in all his work, and always has detail even in the dark areas. The rich blacks and the sharp silvery highlights lend crispness and beauty to his work. He is also excellent at evoking a mood in his photographs. The way that he prints can give the photographs an ethereal quality, a feeling of isolation, or a sense of awe. Sexton finds many luminous subjects, whether man made or natural, but somehow there is always a connection or a reflection of the natural world even in those man made subjects. 

-Meg

Shelby Lee Adams

Shelby Lee Adams is known for his environmental portraiture of the appalachian hill people of Kentucky. Adams, who is originally from Kentucky, has been photographing the hill people for over 30 years. He has won numerous prestigious awards, fellowships and grants including a Guggenheim and multiple NEA grants.

His images are very objective, with people usually facing the photographer directly. They almost have traditional studio family portrait feel to them, except that there are wonderful details included in the images that would otherwise be stripped from a studio portrait setting. Many of his images are artificially lit in a way that is quite beautiful.

A 2002, Sundance Film Festival wining documentary film entitled, "The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams' Appalachia" was highly critical of what the director felt was Adams constructing images that perpetuate an inaccurate stereotype of poor appalachian people. Essentially, the film director, and other felt that, Adams is taking advantage of his subjects for his own personal gain. Personally, I find his images honest and respectful. I do not get the feeling that he is concocting scenes which exploit his subjects, like others have contended.

I am attending a workshop with Shelby Lee Adams this weekend in Philadelphia and will let everyone know how it goes on Monday.

Robin

Jeanloup Sieff

Jeanjoup Sieff. French, 1933-2000. Black and white almost exclusively. He brings a sensuous dimention to fashion photography, a somewhat similarity to the work by Philippe Halsman, but creating that 'what is the story behind the photograph' image which draws in the viewer.

Bill 11/8/10

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