Wednesday 28 April 2010

Ginger Liu Exhibits in LA - Framed Stories


New Puppy Gallery & drkrm/gallery
presents

FRAMED STORIES

Photographs


New Puppy Gallery in collaboration with drkrm/gallery present “Framed Stories” an exhibition of photographs featuring works by both local and international artists including Ginger Liu (Los Angeles), Stéphane Houari (Paris), Donald Schwartz (Los Angeles), Rafael Serrano (Los Angeles), Håkan Sjöström (Stockholm), Lauren Jack (San Francisco) + Jessica Yurasek (Los Angeles), Erik Boker (Los Angeles), Evi T'Bolt (Los Angeles), Hector Santizo (Los Angeles), Cerraeh Dutchess Laykin (Los Angeles)

“Framed Stories” opens with a special preview on May 1st . An opening reception follows on Saturday, May 8th. The show runs through May 30th.

New Puppy LA was founded in late 2007 to function as a creative space to reach out, share, explore and teach. To work with and promote community support to explore and develop creative healthy outlets for youth and families.

New Puppy LA is located at 2808 Elm St. in Cypress Park
Los Angeles CA 90065 Close to the 5, the 2, and the 110 freeways.

New Puppy Gallery
2808 Elm St.
Los Angeles CA 90065
323-439-3355
www.newpuppyla.com

New Puppy Gallery & drkrm/gallery presents
FRAMED STORIES
Photographs
May 1st –May 30th, 2010
Preview May 1st 8-10 pm
Opening Reception Saturday May 8th 7-midnight

Photography by Ginger Liu from the series "You're Practically A Man"

Thursday 15 April 2010

People of Today at the NPG: Sukey Parnell


A picture of Dame Joan Bakewell by Sukey Parnell has just been bought by the National Portrait Gallery for the national archive. The portrait was originally commissioned by Saga magazine and was featured on the front cover in March 2009. The print is currently on exhibition in the People of Today Gallery on the ground floor, alongside Sukey's other recent acquisition to the collection, a portrait of comedian Bill Bailey, which was Photograph of the Month in January 2010. Dame Joan Bakewell is 'delighted' by the news.

Sukey's personal work has been a two-time finalist in the Photographic Portrait Prize at the National Portrait Gallery in 2006 and 2007 with images from her personal project on female midlife, Women of an Uncertain Age. The first volume has recently been published on Blurb.com. Sukey says that she now wishes to extend the project across different cultures and continents. 'I'm in the process of developing an idea for an ambitious gallery show that looks at old age and "femininity". Watch this space!'

Sukey has recently donated prints to the Guardian photography auction in aid of Samoa and for a second time to the annual gala charity auction in New York in aid of InMotion. 'It's fantastic that my work can be used in this way to raise money and awareness around domestic violence. I was so surprised when they asked me last year. I'd heard of everyone else in their catalogue but me! How great, not only to help, but to see my name alongside Diane Arbus, Martin Parr and Annie Leibovitz! I had no idea when they first got in contact just how big it is! It shows that images can still make a difference.'

Sukey is currently combining writing and practical work in her academic studies. She received a studentship to study for a PhD in September last year to carry forward her research into 'the representation of age and "femininity" in the photographic portrait'. 'I didn't realise when I launched into the PhD just how big or all consuming it would be. Or that I would experience such a huge culture shock! But I think I'm finding my feet now and it's starting to become a very productive arena to engage with and challenge ideas.'

Sukey was a guest speaker in the Ageing Matters series at the Wellcome Collection in February, chaired by Claudia Hammond and has just presented papers on her research and photographic work at Exeter, Boston and Thames Valley Universities. Sukey is just putting the finishing touches to her new website which features two blogs, a news blog and a project blog. 'I really want to open up a conversation about how we see age and beauty. Please get involved.

We need to support each other and our projects. Get people talking about images, how and why the affect us and our lives. Our community is changing and we need to be talking about that. What and how we see our world.' Visit Sukey's blog at sukeyparnell.com/project.

Daniel Moncur-Sime saves fashion Shoot


Daniel Moncur-Sime saves fashion cover photoshoot for Viva magazine

Sunday 18th March, 7.30pm, mother's day - a call comes in from the editor of Viva magazine, Rebecca Legon. "Can you save a Fusion cover and editorial photoshoot tomorrow ?".

At Tropical World, Leeds, a whole creative team had been booked by Viva magazine for the fashion cover shoot of their premier issue of their re-branded look.

But the photographer from London pulled out at the very last minute,this meant the makeup artist who was traveling with the photographer also canceled!

'Dan can you take over?' My answer was indeed, a resounding yes! A re-jig of Monday's office work freed up the Monday and so I hit the long road for a 4 hour drive to Leeds. And to top it off I found a replacement makeup artist too!

Arriving in the morning at Tropical World Leeds I met Rebecca and found the creative team in full swing, all the models being made up by Adam Bryant the hair stylist and Laurra Cotterall the makeup artist. Having a quick creative meeting and general wreckie of the various scenes, we quickly decided on the best way to get the most dramatic imagery.

An incredible location, Tropical World was a walk through maze of different exotic indoor landscapes in a giant biosphere. From jungle to desert, waterfalls and rock walls the models, Katie, Marina and Luke, settled into the scenes and brought the clothes and accessories to life! Together with the striking makeup they brought a strong presence and we created series of eye-catching and incredible imagery.

It turned out wonderfully well, a whole set of story-telling photography - fashion in the jungle! Rebecca was thrilled that the day had worked out so smoothly, even if we did have to twist the park ranger's arm to allow us to stay past our allowed time!

All that remained was the 4 hour drive back to the studio, the upload of the images for selection of the photos to be edited for the editorial feature story. And by the end of the week, the photos Viva wanted to use had be fully edited and at the end of the week were on the editor's desk. Great job done!

To top it off this was a bonus photoshoot for me with Viva; I am booked with by them to do a separate shoot for inclusion in the same issue. So now, it's a double whammy two features of fantastic fashion story.

This next shoot is set for 19th April, in the wilderness of Chorlton-cum-Hardy's parklands! More on that fresh exciting creative shoot later!

The Viva rebranded premier issue is out at the beginning of May, in time for summer.

Daniel Moncur-Sime’s photography can be seen at www.danielmoncursime.com and at the London Photographic Association website. He can be contact on 07890 530 130 and email dan@danielmoncursime.com

Tuesday 13 April 2010

Sebastian Rich - To Kill A Sniper!


MARINE

“ I could start a brand new life with all this Sebastian “ a Marine who asked to remain anonymous quipped as he and his platoon grappled with the heavy cheap plastic shopping bags containing 17. 5 million dollars worth of the world’s purest opium.

“You could win my f*****g heart and mind any day” with just one bag or even half. The same Marine said with a smile.

This was day three of “Operation Moshtarak “ translated from the Dari meaning “Together” to take the sprawling town of Marjah in Helmand Province Afghanistan. The Taliban’s very heart of banking and commerce.
The millions of dollars worth of opium we found was just one of many stashes tucked away in the kiosks and ramshackle shops that made up Marjahs central bazaar. Other units would go on to find much more. But in the meantime our platoon of Alpha 1/6 company doggedly took the haul back to forward operating base to be turned over to the Afghan equivalent of the D.E.A. The cynical amongst us would say that one might as well just put the opium back on the streets and by pass the middlemen.

A snipers high velocity round whizzed and fluttered just inches above our heads and the platoons collective ear lobes instinctively touched shoulders.
“F*****g motherf***** when is somebody going to turn that piece of s**t into pink f*****g mist “

This was the Taliban’s mopus operandi. They were never able to confront the might of the USMC head on in an old fashion battle, as they knew all to well that they would be wiped out in an instant. So they resorted in hit and run tactics. A sniper would harass for a an hour or so while other insurgents would use the opportunity to bring a few men closer to the Marines firing RPG’s (Rocket propelled grenades)
But today we had a sniper “ who could shoot” as our Gunny would say. This sniper had killed a young Marine just the day before with a single round straight thru the centre of his head. I had filmed the young Marine being taken off the battlefield by corpsman and was well aware of the danger from this particular individual. Normally we never took much notice of the so-called snipers as they were crap shots and just sprayed their Kalashnikovs vaguely in our direction just to let us know they had not gone away. But this guy was a different matter all together and to be taken seriously.

I watched as the Marines poured huge amounts of firepower down on our sniper. First an air strike was called in. Two Cobra attack helicopters firing a total of four hellfire missiles at 68.000 dollars each and hundreds of rounds of 20mm shells from its M197 three barreled Gatling guns ripped into the snipers coordinates. But just a few minutes later he was up and running again mocking us with his gunfire. Another air strike. Two fixed wing aircraft with a five hundred pound J damn bomb costing 70.000 dollars apiece literally vaporized the earth and buildings that were the snipers reported position. Unbelievably shots once again came from the dust and mayhem. He somehow defied all logic and survived this unbelievable onslaught.

Our “Gunny” had had enough of this “bullshit” and put together a squad armed with a Javelin missile to end this guy’s run of ridiculous luck and temerity.

“You wanna come and kill a bad guy Mr. TV Newsman”

Fifteen Marines and I ran into open ground with suppressing fire for the missile operator just a couple of hundred meters from our sniper’s position. Two bullets smacked into the ground between myself and the “gunny” We quickly exchanged a rather odd glance at each other. I noticed all the while that the “Gunny was still sipping from his coffee flask as cool as you like. “In your own time “ roared “gunny” at the young corporal with 80.000 dollars worth of javelin missile perched on his shoulder. Bullets from another direction were cutting into the ground to the right hand side of us. More insurgents had joined the fray. With a huge dust erupting whoosh of flame the Javelin missile roared away from its slightly startled operator. The missile armed and deadly accurate slammed into the snipers position in a ball of angry flame spitting earth and assorted debris high into the air. Finally silence, well at least from that direction.

We all ran into the relative safety of a nearby compound firing as we went. Gunny counted us all into the compound and poured praise on the missile operator and the rest of the Marines. I pushed my camera into his face to be met with. “Mr. Newsman get that thing out of my face I don’t look good on Thursdays “ !! I was a little bemused, as it was Tuesday! As the days rolled on I was to learn that every day was not a Thursday even if it WAS Thursday. I had never come across this way of being told to get my camera out of someone’s face like this before. After over thirty years in this crazy business I appreciated the originality.

Every one grinned an adrenaline infused smile at each other and one by one we sunk to the dirty earthen floor of the compound gulping huge amounts of water. A mission successfully carried out and no casualties. The cost of killing one Taliban sniper (excluding an unknown amount of bullets) $492.000 dollars before tax.

Photography: Sebastian Rich
U.S. Marine in - Operation Moshtarak,Marjah, Afghanistan.

Saturday 10 April 2010

2010 Wannabee Gallery Fine Art Prize


Kevin O'Connor of the LPA has been invited to join a high profile international jury by the prestigious Waanabee Gallery in Milan.

The Vito Montemurro foundation for young contemporary art, in cooperation with the Wannabee Gallery presents the 2010 Wannabee Prize at the annual International Art Contest.

Kevin say's "I am delighted to have been asked to join such a high profile judging panel.The inclusion of photography and video in this mixed media fine art competition is very healthy. I believe that the more photography is seen in art galleries / shows alongside painting and sculpture the faster photography will be accepted as a fine art collectable by the general public".... more

For applications and further information contact,

press@kinagency.com
Phone: (001) 310.925.7013

World Cup Football - Photographers Wanted


World Cup Football 2010
"A Photographic Celebration of Multicultural London Inspired by Football"

LPA member Philip J. Bigg needs a team of photographers to shoot images during the World Cup this summer and exhibit their work in a West London gallery... more

This is a great opportunity to collaborate in a project that should get a lot of PR!!!!

Wednesday 7 April 2010

LPA Let's Face It 6 - Portraiture Competition Winners

LET’S FACE IT 6
The Picture-Perfect Portraiture Exhibition at the 2010 LPA Awards

A throng of admirers of commercial and fine-art photography celebrated some world class portraiture at the ‘Let’s Face It 6’ exhibition by the London Photographic Association on 31st March.

They packed the Assembly Rooms gallery space in Soho, London’s quintessential media-and-entertainment district, to honour winners of the 2010 LPA Awards at the sixth edition of the annual competition.

• THE WINNERS

The winners of the series category are:

Peter Adams - UK Gold series winner - interview
Eric White - USA Silver series winner - interview
Abel Ruiz de León Trespando - Spain Bronze series winner - interview

The winners of the single category are:



Nina Contini Melis - Spain Gold single image winner - interview

Nino Gehrig - UK Silver single image winner - interview

Zak Waters - UK Bronze single image winner - interview



Also commended were the excellent portraits by another 14 entrants. And the LPA would also like to highlight the participation of another 14 finalists.

• WHERE TO SEE LET’S FACE IT 6

Portraits by the winners and commended photographers were on display at the Assembly Rooms exhibition on 31st March. At the same event, attendees were also treated to the complete series submitted by the winners and the commended contestants via a slide show on a large screen.

The exhibition at the Assembly Rooms continues until 29th May.

An online gallery of the winners, the commended and the finalists’ portraits, plus exclusive interviews with the Gold, Silver and Bronze victors, can be accessed on the LPA website. Click here.

• YOUR OWN PERSONAL COPY OF THE EXHIBITION

A premium-quality catalogue featuring the complete entries submitted by the winners, the commended entrants and the finalists was kindly sponsored by Blurb, the international online book publisher. Each exhibiting photographer and the award’s judges will receive a free copy.

You can also purchase your own, for the non-profit price of £29.95 each, directly from Blurb’s website.

• LPA FOUNDER KEVIN O’CONNOR COMMENTS

“The LPA's raison d’être is to assist photographers to market themselves by gaining awareness in a very crowded marketplace. And running regular competitions is a great way of doing this,” says Kevin O’Connor, the LPA’s founder and the exhibition’s curator.

“The competitions give us the opportunity to show off the winners and their works through our numerous outlets: online galleries, published interviews, exhibition displays, and published catalogues.

“We then network this information through our social-networking platforms (including Facebook and Twitter) so that most of the planet will get to know our photographers’ output; it doesn’t get much cooler than this.”

• GUESTS AT THE LPA AWARDS

The full-house exhibition on 31 March was attended by a host of LPA members and supporters, including established photographers, new talent, photographers’ agents, image buyers from the BBC, The Times newspaper and stock-photography giant Corbis, and journalists.

Moreover, an interactive element was added as a TV-production crew followed LPA member Richard Bradbury, who was being filmed for a programme about his very special book project to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital called The Children Of London 2010.

• HOP HOUSE’S IN-DEMAND DESIGN


The LPA would like to thank Laura Goode and Hop House Design + Advertising for the catalogue’s exceptional design.

It is so exceptional, the only two proof copies brought to the Assembly Rooms exhibition rather inconveniently disappeared.

We would like to emphasise to anyone who has seen them that they were there for display-only purposes.

• LET’S FACE IT 7

Call for entry for the Let’s Face It 7 exhibition and 2011 awards kicks off in September. More details to follow shortly.