Photography | Mary Ellen Mark

ALL PHOTOS MARY ELLEN MARK

To see her body of work and to read her biography (one doesn’t have to go far but the “trusty” Wikipedia), is quite something for a female – Mary is no shy flower, do not get any ideas just because she is nicely spoken when interviewed or when lecturing. I don’t think she is aggressive, though. A person who says, “I just think it’s important to be direct and honest with people about why you’re photographing them and what you’re doing. After all, you’re taking some of their soul.” respects their subject and will get the image that is honest and compassionate. That is Mary Ellen Mark – no matter if she photographed demonstrations, movie sets and stars, the down and out, the streets, circus people, prostitutes, saintly missionaries, you name it. Her photos like their people. I like her photos.

Photography | Josef Koudelka

Josef Koudelka comes to me as a triptych: a photographic window into lives of Gypsies in Slovakia and Romania, a photographic document of the crushing invasion of Prague by the military forces of the Warsaw Pact, scion of the legendary Magnum agency. See a selection of his work at Josef Koudelka: Nationality Doubtful – I wish I was timelier and posted this when the exhibitions were still on (either at the Art Institute of Chicago or Getty Center in Los Angeles), but exhibitions have a time limit, Koudelka’s photographs don’t, no matter where you see them. Although photography pins a moment in place by its very nature, in the eye and hands of a master the results live forever to show us what we were not witnessing, and to inspire with the craft.

JOSEPH KOUDELKA “GITANS” AND “INVASION 68 PRAGUE” via MAGNUM PHOTOS

Interesting Couple | Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin

You might be at least familiar with the commercial work of this Dutch duo, the one for fashion houses – like the ad campaign for Miu Miu where each photo is stamped with INEZ & VINOODH {city where it was done, date of when}; alternatively, it seems luxury magazines like them shooting covers and related editorials. Nice job if you can … carry it off. These two have a specific style in or feel about their work, commercial or not – just browse some. I find it crisp. Crisp enough that the fact retrospectives of their work are being held already kind of odd. But it has been 25 years plus. Like I said, nice job.

Baby, it’s really really cold outside!

First official day of winter / Solstice : December 21st. 

December 23rd : -17 degrees C / 1.4 degrees F 

Today : -26 degrees C / -14.8 degrees F

PHOTO ©MAK

Movies | Zabriskie Point finale

What a lame plot, if that’s what that was. Dialog – not much better. But. Exquisite cinematography. About one hour forty-six minutes into it, also, a piece that morphs with the soundtrack so well that I would pay to stage it at any contemporary space worth its existence. This is Michelangelo Antonioni’s “Zabriskie Point” | Cinematography Alfino Contini | Music Pink Floyd “Come In Number 51, Your Time is Up” where it matters ~1:53

Interesting Couple | Grace Coddington & Peter Lindbergh

She is a creative director at American Vogue with an eye and styling skills to rival, if not surpass, many. He is a prominent photographer of iconic proportions, cinematographic suaveness and black-and-white cool. For all we know, they were or are not romantically involved. They work together. Often. On the pages of Vogue. Together they create stories – with fashion and their models still prominently there (these are fashion editorials after all), but somehow animated and engrossing within the two-dimensions of a photo. That’s talent. Maybe they are a romantic couple of sorts. Partners in crime, so to speak. May they remain together. Frequently.

OBSESSION | SOURCE: VOGUE VIA DUST JACKET

BRIEF ENCOUNTER | SOURCE: VOGUE VIA DUST JACKET

STARDUST | SOURCE: VOGUE VIA FASHION GONE ROGUE

Art | Can I have a woof-woof, meow, grr or any such sound? Animal photography

Tim Flach has a resume that includes work for National Geographic, The New York Times Magazine, The Sunday Times, Stern Magazine, Gore Tex and Hermès.

At Home | Soiree in the Green Salon

Thái Công Quách is a fashion photographer
and a stylist based in Hamburg.

Stylish interiors are also his thing.

Art | Fly with William Eggleston

Will was born on July 27, 1939, and acquired his first camera at 18. The Eggleston Trust has a detailed biography that includes early details such as year he bought his first Leica, had his ‘decisive’ moment and experimented with color. Meanwhile, let’s enjoy an in-flight drink courtesy of Will.

Art | VISUALEYES Photographers Special Request: Helena Christensen & Marino Parisotto

VISUALEYES is an artist agency founded in 2007 that represents more than just photographers. To stick with snap happy, Helena and Marino have a star next to their names (“Special Request”), so let’s see. Helena Christensen is well known from her hugely successful modeling days in the 1990s; in 1997 she co-founded NYLON magazine and in 1999 went on to freelance photography; in 2003, she had her first exhibition in London. Marino Parisotto studied economics, but fashion photography pulled at him and within ten years he seduced also other photographers and photo critics who praise him highly.

Fashion | Red dress in the wind by Mario Sierra

Mario Sierra via Sarah Klassen’s Haute Design

Fashion | Audrey Hepburn sixties style

This one goes with Alexa Chung sixties style.

Red dress, iconic photographer (Richard Avedon) and an icon immaculately dressed.

Check. Check. Check.

Read more at Harper’s Bazaar.

Movies | “Reg, let’s have some noise, can we?”

And off goes the blues circa late 1960s (The Yardbirds?). This is after some great jazz backing the opening credits, courtesy of Herbie Hancock. “That’s good. That’s good. Hold that.” Probably by now the most classic line one can utter when photographing a model. Face close ups; hands close to the face; expression; hair, hair; give it to me. Dominant (or is it exacting?) and successful hipster photographer, lording over his roost and its minions, that of course includes those doll-like models and want-to-be models. He floats through his hipster arty crowd, which searches for some sublime visions, makes art, dismisses it, holds on to it. These arty boys are self-absorbed brats in a ‘candy store’, although they also search for and would rather transmit something ‘real’, but such is the ‘conundrum’ of genius amidst the perks of popularity – looking at but being cushioned from the uglier reality. Will it all explode? “Get off”? After how many pull backs? The trademark of tension. This is “Blow-Up”, a 1966-movie by legendary Michaelangelo Antonioni. Every still perfectly composed, as it should be, especially if the main character is an über fashion photographer. It has also been Antonioni’s thing to demand – that visual perfection. The movie is all about the ambiance – the cinematography that is not so much about capturing a rapid story arc, but about transmitting a feeling of being a fly on a wall or one of foreboding. Recommended viewing for visually and mood inspired. Recommended.

Interesting Couple | Annie Leibovitz & Susan Sontag

From “Women Leibovitz Annie, Sontag Susan”  via Anna – Lou “Annie” Leibovitz Fans on Flicker

This is a tricky one, since one part of the couple is a really famous portrait photographer, so she is always behind the lens. The other was a powerhouse of intellectual writing, hence more likely to be in front of the lens. Plus, Susan once said that she “grew up in a time when the modus operandi was the ‘open secret’” so frequent showing off with Annie for social photographs was not likely or maybe encouraged. Then I found a copy of a photo of them together! Annie’s photos are iconic; Susan has written hell of a book “On Photography” and forever changed my view on what it means to photograph, how predatory of a task it can be.

Fashion | Alexa Chung sixties style

Red dress. Check.

Photo by fantabulous Ellen von Unwerth. Check.

‘It’ Girl. Alexa Chung this time. Check.

Daily Mail

Movies | “Glass of whiskey with an irresistible young actor”

One of the benefits, although ever so dubious ones, of being sick and in need of bed rest is a possibility of mini-home-bound-I-am-stuck-here-and-need-to-relieve-the-boredom-but-I-am-out-of-steam marathons. In my case it was movies. One set of selections was inspired by a photo of Ezra Miller taken by Garance Doré at the Martinez Hotel during the Cannes Film Festival 2012. It is a nice photo, non?

“Another Happy Day”: Some families comprise of individuals that are dysfunctional, self-absorbed, neurotic, argumentative, cynical, sensitive, mixed up, angry, and whatever else you want to add here, who are more than willing to dish it out or spread around the “goodness”. Cringe worthy viewing, if you are not into that sort of drama either at home or otherwise, “Another Happy Day” is a wreck I kept on watching mostly because, well, these people do not exist on celluloid only. I know a few…

“Beware the Gonzo”: High school misfit, outcast, and nerd revolt for the 2000s. Kind of cute and idealistic with a twist and some lessons to boot.

“Every Day”: Adults are sorting themselves out more clumsily than the kids.

I can see why IMDb rated them all below 7/10 and critics at Rotten Tomatoes were not more gracious (45% and below), but – remember – quality had a different meaning for me in this instance. We’ll see what becomes of him.

Art | If you happen to be in Paris Nov. 9-11, 2012 attend A Shaded View on Fashion Film 5

Diane Pernet is a gentle force. A cult figure, she blogs at A Shaded View on Fashion (ASVOF), is the founder and director of the titular festival – ASVOFF, and generally keeps busy in the fashion world. Born in Washington DC, this one-time New York designer nowadays lives in Paris. Good for her.

Related: Art | Fashion Film: Ruth Hogben for Gareth Pugh, 2011

Art| Selfridges Presents the Film Project – Fashion Designers Get Their Art On

Art | The ‘Who’ and ‘What’ behind A Shaded View on Fashion Film (ASVOFF)

Art | Go David LaChapelle Go!

Crazy photography. Crazy good. Crazy wacky. Plastic fantastic. Out there. This is David LaChapelle back in gallery (until March 2012 – sorry, am a bit late). Love it or not so much, it is arresting stuff.

Beauty | Photo retouching

Why oh why does this get done?

Art | Fashion Film: Ruth Hogben for Gareth Pugh, 2011

“With a collection inspired by religious iconography and Florentine opulence, Gareth Pugh made his Italian fashion debut at Pitti Immagine #79, showcasing his clothes via a unique fashion film, created with Ruth Hogben.”

See also: Blackberry Visionaries Gareth Pugh

Related: Fashion | Gareth Pugh’s Fantasy Land