Photographer to Follow: Matt Black

ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT MATT BLACK

So, from time to time I like to write about other photographers that I find inspiring, interesting or just plain good. I don't know Matt Black, never met him, but can tell a lot about him simply by looking at his images. I've know about him for years, first heard his name, saw an image, at least ten years ago.

If I remember correctly, it was an image from Bolivia, a llama sacrifice.

This is, to me, what great photography is about. It's about images that last over time, perhaps gaining more power, more significance as they reappear in your mind, sometimes for unknown reasons.

Matt's images have a complicated simplicity, at least in my opinion, which can be deceiving in terms of how difficult it is to make these kind of images. The complicated aspect is the layering. The simplicity is how they read to the viewer, and not just photo people, but the rest of the world, the unknown viewer, the "average" viewer. Sometimes we get lost in what other photographers or editors will think, but the person buying the magazine, buying the book, signing on to the web gallery is the real treasure, and often times they carry no visual baggage. They either respond or they don't.

I also love the fact that Matt is a small town guy. I was too for much of my life, and can respect what it takes, means to live in a small place. I think where he lives, and where he comes from is front and center in these images. He makes the places that our coastal dwellers joke about come alive with life, passion, tension, etc,

Take a look at his site, his work and see. I don't know about you, but I now want to see Fresno. Never have before. Now I do.

Again, this is where good images can take us. This is when good images force us to reconsider our beliefs.

If you read his site, his bio, you can see that others have taken notice, lots of notice, as evidenced by his healthy list of prizes, grants, etc. But, I still consider him a quiet entity within the photo world. Perhaps he wouldn't agree with me about that, but it's just how I see him, and most importantly how I don't hear him.

I also like the fact his website is very clear and simple and shows one kind of work, his work. His work has a a style to it, a recognizable style, and in the modern, photo-world, this is sometimes difficult to find.

I look at these pictures, these stories and wonder what he is working on now. Where is he? What will we see from him next?

You can see his work at his website www.mattblack.com

Collecting

If I had a lot of money I would collect art and photography on a grand scale. I would collect what I liked, regardless of name, value, etc. And, I would find a way to show what I collected.

I don't have the fortune required, or the space, but I still collect, just on a smaller scale than I would like.

Recently I bought two pieces from New Mexico based photographer Karen Kuehn. I had not met Karen, but knew within minutes of meeting her, just how much photography was a part of her being. There are plenty of people who learn photography, but then there are others who were born photographers, and I think Karen falls into this category.

Looking through beautiful boxes of vintage prints, the most difficult thing was making a choice on the images. Karen is prolific, and her subject matter tremendously varied. I kept finding images and saying to myself, "Okay, this is the one," only to look further and find something else.

I settled on two images, one a split-tone, silver image of Cher, for my wife, and the second a cibachrome image of Sally Mann and her kids. Upon seeing the Sally Mann image I had to look away because I knew I would really want to have that piece. Sally Mann is one of my all time favorite photographers, and someone who I think has influenced huge numbers of photographers over many generations. She too is varied and prolific.....a pattern developing here???

There is something truly satisfying in buying another photographers work. I find looking at, and collecting the work of others far more enjoyable than looking at my own work or framing my own images. I think it is perhaps because we can appreciate what it took, what it really took to make the pictures, to make the prints and make the commitment.

I feel that the print is a small piece of the photographer, a small piece of the people in the image, and they now live with us. I think prints can speak to us in a way. Their depth, what they represent, a reminder to us of what once was, for just an instant, and what will never be again. With time they only get stronger.

These prints are now at the framer. We have walked our tiny house discussing where they should live, what other images they will be happy next to, and how they will effect the mood of a room or light source. Now we wait for them to come home.

For those of you who don't know Karen Kuehn, take a look at the link below.

http://www.karenkuehn.com/

Elf Boy and the Massive Guns

Okay, some recent snaps of the nephew, one of them, and the unveiling of his new tattoo, wink, wink.

I gave him the nickname "Elf Boy" this holiday season because he came up with this odd little dance and hand clapping move that was really strange, but also fascinating. He looked like a demented elf, hence the name.

I had to badger him to do these images, of course, because his nine-year-old schedule is so packed with critical things like football throwing, video games and doing the elf dance.

I shot a grand total of twelve images this time, but hey, you get what you get.

The Little Things

When I was very young, and living in Indiana, our cousins from Michigan would come to visit from time to time.

One year, my cousin Tom came wearing a red and white polka-dot hat.

This was no normal hat, far from it. Not only was it covered in polka dots, it was bright red and was made in the tradition of the train conductor, so the hat was really tall in the front.

This cap was hideous, but we thought it was the greatest thing any of us had ever seen. We all wanted that hat, fought over that hat, screamed and carried on until we had those hats. My poor parents.

I'm not sure where these things came from, but we all had them, at least that is the way I remember it. It was the early 1970's, in Indiana, which explains a lot. I also had bell bottom jeans with the skyline of a city bleached into them, complete with rhinestones for stars, homemade by my mother, just to give you a sense of place. Dad owned a swamp.

Fast forward to today.

So when I made these pictures, and I saw the t-shirt, "Make Toys Not Bombs," a part of me said, "Ahhh, that is something that 50 years from now, these girls are going to look back on and laugh.

The shirt, unlike our rural Indiana polka dot hats, is not hideous, it's actually really cool, but it is a small piece of life that will be frozen in time, as long as the negative or print lives, and can be tied to a specific time and place, and chapter in their lives.

I love details like this. They are the residue of who we are, who we were and who we will be.

I like images that are personal, and when you see something like this, it shows personality, individuality, and again, it is one step beyond the standard portrait. The pictures say, "This is us, right now, right this second," and that is all we can ask for.

I'm not after the standard picture. I'm not there to cover the bases. I'm there for the 1-2 picture edit. Total.

I'm hoping that I can continue to photograph these two, so that I can build an archive of their lives. I know that next year, or the year after, there will be another red, polka dot hat in their life, and I want to see it, record it.

The Gamer

I have an older brother and sister. My brother, six years older, was always better, faster, stronger, etc, as to be expected. Sis wasn't much on the sport scene, but she cheated me at Monopoly, cards, and anything she could, so she proved her mettle in ways other than sport.

My point is I know what it is like to have older siblings.

This little package of dynamite also has an older sibling, but she is a GAMER! This girl can play and has some wicked skills not to mention some attitude. I think having an older sibling really pushes her, and it shows in her ability to play soccer and the other sports she enjoys.

I think she scored five or six goals in ONE game.

We have made some sport pictures in the past, over the years actually, but I like some of these recent pictures of her, which are more subdued. Quiet moments.

Through the Ages

One of the great things about my job is watching the kids I photograph grow up. I just did this shoot a few days ago, but yesterday I had to retrieve a file from an older drive and notice another shoot I did with this girl and her younger sister, perhaps the first shoot we ever did.

They were TINY!

It was fantastic to see those old images and to see just how different they are now.

When I show up these days I just begin shooting. Me being there is old hat and the girls just do what they normally do. It is a luxury to get this kind of access and this kind of comfort when shooting portraits.

I will post the little one next!

Ideal

At some point in my life I will only shoot black and white. No matter the results, black and white is always my favorite. Color, in great light, the right ingredients, is great, but I'll choose the black and white from the same scene, every time.

It's not better, just different, and for some reason, it is what I prefer to look at.

I also like grain, the more the better. Real grain, not noise. Noise just doesn't do it for me. Grain gives texture and depth.

This is the Z man, someone I've been photographing for some time now, and he is fun to work with. He reminds me of my brother, serious, but then given the chance will give me a look that leaves us both laughing.

Los Perros

I might have posted these babies a long time ago, but I'm too lazy to go back and check. But, was just cleaning up old drives and such and thought I would give them another run.

Just a day at the park. I don't even own a dog.

Wives

So this post is for DH up NoCal way.

I wrote about dad's, and mom's and kids, and everyone else, just about, but not about wives. I've only "got" one, so I can only write from my limited experience, which is par for the course.

My "current" wife, is sitting right next to me, but has no idea I'm writing this, which is fun.

Cell phone glued to her ear, doing her daily routine, which is nearly all-encompassing, she is, as she is now, almost always by my side. Or vice versa, depending on how you look at it.

In short, I owe much of what I have, and much of who I am, in many important ways, to her.

Photography is NOT an easy business, especially when it is so much a part of who I am, and that can be difficult for anyone in close proximity to deal with. I get moody, possessed, deranged, inconsistent and selfish, and like Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump, she often finds herself at the top of the crow's nest, facing down the storm.

I don't think I could be doing what I'm doing without her. And I know for certain it would not be as fun, nor would my life be as fulfilling as it is.

As for photographs of her, I have many. In fact I have entire books, archives of her, which I continue to add to. In fact I just stopped writing and took a photo.

I've got Polaroids, of many sizes and shapes, 4x5 negatives, 6x9, 6x7, 6x6, 645, 35, panoramic, Holga, Lomo and even many strips of photo-booth images. I might have more images of her than anyone else, or anything else.

The images I have included here are a trip we made to Paris in November of last year. I was in Paris to work on a different project, but while I was there I made a second, secret project, of her, while she was following me around the city.

This secret project, "Le Bruit Des Pas," or "Footsteps" is about her. There is actually an 8x10 hardcover book in my office from this shoot.

As you can see, many of the images she knows I'm making, but many others she did not. So, the entire thing was given to her, as a surprise.

Brendan Bannon/MSF/Africa

So I have this friend Brendan, a photographer, who lives in Nairobi. Brendan has been over there for a while, years in fact, and has been doing much work for the NGO world based out of this East Africa region. Kenya, Somalia, etc, BB has traveled many roads and many miles in pursuit of the image, or images that will transcend the expected, images that will force us to ignore our "fatigue" of such places and events and take notice.

In case you were wondering, this isn't easy. Not by any stretch.

First, you have to get there, which in today's world perhaps isn't THAT difficult, at least when it comes to the major cities. But that is where the veiled simplicity ends.

Then you have to REALLY get there.

Planes, trains, automobiles, and then on foot.

Many of the places he works are remote, requiring access through small bush plane, then small transport. Time is limited, people are suffering, consequences are dire.

These situations separate the people with purpose from the tourist.

Brendan has to get in, under difficult circumstances and make pictures. Pictures, not snapshots, not "content" but pictures that convey that life sharing vein of being human.

We all have have this vein, perhaps lose it from time to time, but at the heart of this work is a very, very simple idea, there are certain people who are suffering, and there are certain people who can help.

Brendan's photos are that line in the sand that confront us, when we take the time to notice. It's easy to think of the world as "us" and "them," meaning anyone outside our specific, daily circle, but we really are one place, one people, regardless of categories of convenience.

But there is something else about his work, and him, that I like. Is it his full and bushy beard? Nope? His fondness for running shoes? No. His passion for lugging around a panoramic camera through the mountains of Sicily? No, not that either.

What I like is that he lets his work speak for itself. BB is a thoughtful guy, and is very much an unassuming individual. He doesn't brag about his work, hype himself up, but instead just produces pictures, and stories, and in the end, just gets things done.

He doesn't seem to be concerned about photo-contests or feathers in his cap, although he has a few.

He just makes pictures, makes reports, files stories, podcasts, etc, and lets the work confront those who view it.

In other words, I'm sure he owns a scarf, but he probably doesn't wear it everyday.

There are a lot of photographers out trying to do NGO work, a good thing, but being the jaded individual I am, I always wonder about real motivations, but with Brendan I never do.

All you have to do is look and listen and you'll know why.



Western Kenya Displaced People MSF


The Story of Monica Juma



Treatment Programs Western Kenya

MSF

Reza/Sebastian Junger Speaking in Santa Fe

If anyone is going to be in the Santa Fe area in early December, this event is happening and would be a great thing to attend. Reza, the photographer, and Sebastian Junger, the author of "The Perfect Storm" as well as many other books and editorial pieces.

"Hey, how old are you?"

When you photograph kids it helps to have as many tricks up your sleeve as possible, especially when they are small, and especially on days, for whatever reason, they might be trying to eat your pants.

This might sound odd, but it's not. Kids are not fully wired yet, there are still loose power lines flapping around there and there, short circuits, which is what makes them so great. Kids are silly. Kids are unpredictable. I think life would be a lot more fun if adults had to get rewired every ten years.

On this particular shoot, when he wasn't trying to attack my clothes, this little guy was on the move. He was trucking around, running, throwing his football, chasing ducks, chasing his sister, jumping, squatting, twirling, laughing, and practicing just about every other fast movement know to the human race.

It was hard to make pictures. The light was good, the location was good, so I had to trick him. Easiest trick in the book.

"Hey, how old are you?"

He froze.

The great internal wheel began to turn and you could just see his mind racing. "I know this one," he thought.

Then suddenly his mind retraced its steps and equated age with fingers and the great show began.

Just look at the concentration!! "How old AM I?" he thought. Three? Four? What is this thumb doing here? Does that count?

I just shot, waited, shot, waited and shot again. It as over in a minute, sealed in time.

And by the looks of it, he was pretty darn happy with himself.

"Hey, do you shoot families?"

I get this question a lot, especially this time of year when the idea of the holiday card suddenly looms.

The answer is yes and no.

I do shoot families, but I'm not a "white shirts and jeans on the beach" person. Nothing wrong with that shot, and there are PLENTY of folks who go that route, clearly evidenced by the multitude of houses where I see this style of image prominently displayed.

This shot is tradition around these parts, so I get it, but as a photographer when I see that shot it just leaves me a little flat. It's predictable. I've seen it, and I've seen it many, many times.

I think "white shirts and jeans" is sometimes the shot that people think they are supposed to do, but perhaps not what they WANT to do. But, any excuse to go to the beach is a good one, so whatever, just next time go for a zebra shirt or a mesh tank top. Or how about the entire family with those fake arrow through the head gags? Mix it up people!

These two images are from two recent family shoots, and I just heard something very interesting. I just spoke to one of the folks in these pictures who happens to have one of these images on their wall at home. Someone asked them today, after seeing the image hanging there, "was that a magazine shoot?"

Ahhhhhh. NOW we are getting somewhere. Not that a magazine shoot is the be all end all, in fact, in today's world, most of the time, magazine shoots are less than sensational, but the IDEA is what interests me.

They also mentioned that it reminded them of pictures of the Kennedy family. Aahhhhhhhh, again, now we are getting somewhere.

As you know if you read this blog, I recently posted about Bill Eppridge and his monumentally powerful reportage of Robert Kennedy and his family, from his political race right up until the minute of his death. So when I heard this...I was pleased to say the least. THAT is what I'm going for.(No, I'm not BE, his work is unique.)

Yes, the family is there, and so am I, but I'm not really there. Know what I mean?

I want real. Plain and simple. I don't always get it, and sometimes I don't even try to get it, depending on what people want, but for me, it is always the ingredient that produces the best image.

And, these pictures are simple. These pictures are straight. A little dodge, a little burn, but VERY little. No need to even sharpen.

Quality of light, framing, layering, etc, that is all I'm going after, but it ain't easy people.

You might look at these images and feel flat, which is fine, to each their own, but for me they are a success.

Not all shoots are a success, something I learned to live with a long time ago. Do documentary work a few years and you realize reality places it's giant foot on your neck from time to time and you leave a shoot with less than nothing.

It's okay. This is how we learn. Don't fight it, it looks bad, and you can't make up for it with layer masks, retouching or soul-glo filters.

Just wait and do it over again.

Afghan Dreams

I'm in awe of photojournalists.

Those people that put everything on the line to make pictures. The life of a photojournalist is rife with risk, and in many cases, there is little in return other than the actual images and the privilege of being a witness to history.

Tony O'Brien is a photojournalist and has been for several decades. Until recently I had never met Tony, but had heard about him, and seen his work for a long, long while. The mutual friend thing, you know how it is, "Hey, do you know so and so?" "No, but I keep hearing about him," kinda thing.

Well, I finally got to meet him, and luckily for me, I was also able to attend a lecture he presented as well as a gallery opening featuring his work

This lecture and opening revolved around a recent project dealing with Afghanistan.

Now even mention Afghanistan and my palms begin to sweat, not just because this country is an active war zone, but also because I have had an interest in this region and land for quite some time. But, I've never been. Mostly because I'm a total chicken.

Not only has Tony been to Afghanistan, he has been going since 1986, which you history buffs will realize was during the time of the Soviet occupation.

Imagine disguising yourself as a freedom fighter and sneaking across the border into Afghanistan, hiking for miles and miles across some of the most foreboding landscape on Earth, trying to make pictures and praying to any and all gods that you are not spotted by a Soviet chopper or MIG fighter.

Now you know why my hands are sweating.

It takes a certain type of person to do this, flat out, and Tony is one of those people.

I think what carries someone during a mission like this is simply an inner quest they absolutely believe in. They need to see, to record, and nothing will stop them. You can cover different kinds of wars, ones that you can return to a hotel each night, but when you are exposed as this, working perhaps hundreds of miles behind the lines, without support and completely self-reliant, I believe your passion goes beyond being known as a photographer, or winning some prize.

Your there because there is no other place you could be.

Oh, and on a side note, things did not always go as planned for O'Brien. At some point in time, during his travels there, he "got on the wrong bus" as he put it and ended up getting arrested.

This was no simple detainment, and things went from bad to worse, with an eventual outcome of Tony spending six weeks in an Afghan prison. Now I don't know about you, but the word prison conjures up some nasty visuals in my mind, and I'm talking the "nice" kind of prison with TV, three meals a day, and a nice orange jumpsuit.

I can't even imagine what the Afghan's consider prison. Really, I don't know, don't want to know, but the visuals I'm fabricating are not good.

I recently had a small brush with the "authorities" in Mexico, and thought for about one hellish minuted that I was going to see the inside of a cage, inside a van, and then a Mexican prison, and if I HAD seen these things I'm not sure how quickly I would have returned to old Mexico.

Not only did Tony return to Afghanistan, he returned again and again. Remember, internal quest, driven, passion, etc,


His recent lecture and gallery opening were regarding a recent project titled, "Afghan Dreams" which is, of all things, a children's book. The book is a compilation of work that focuses on the children of Afghanistan and their dreams for today and tomorrow.

Imagine what many of these kids have been through, and what they continue to endure. The past saw caravans of Soviet troops and today these children see caravans of American and NATO troops. Many of them have never known a life void of war. When you consider this, the idea of dreams will perhaps take on a different angle.

Tony explained that many of the kids wished and dreamed for things like education and a house. The basics. There were no wishes for Xbox 360 or a Ferrari with a quadraphonic Blaupunkt. Life in Afghanistan is about survival, and these kids just want a chance at a normal life.

The lecture, held at the College of Santa Fe, was standing room only, packed, with several people who stood in the entrance of the building, unable to see the presentation, but still able to hear what he had to say.

Tony's daughter read passages from the book, which she did with great enthusiasm, which was a nice way to present this material.

Oh, on another side note, Tony had not shot color in fifteen years, and had NEVER shot digital. So imagine going to Afghanistan, not sure what is going to happen, and trying to learn digital on the fly! I had to laugh at that one. Somehow he did it.

Several nights later, Verve Gallery of Photography, held an opening for Tony, which was part of a three artist exhibition.

If you get a chance, take a peak at this book.

Afghan Dreams


Verve Gallery.


So after this past week, I'm more than ever in awe of photographers like Tony who do things like this.
I think those of you who read this who are photographers will know what I'm talking about. An iron will is not easy to forge. There are so many reasons NOT to go, but to the benefit of all of us, he went. And if I had to guess, he will continue to go. Again and again.

Fine, Don't Smile

Photographs of kids tend to come with a certain history, a certain expectation.

Happy, smiling, joyous, active, etc, and typically, a shoot will produce this type of image, but these images are just one small piece of the photo pie.

For me, often times, the in between images are my favorite, when I allow the person I'm photographing to drift away somewhat, or quit pretending, acting, posing, etc. The quiet moments reveal just as much as those explosive moments.

Like the non-smiling images. In my book, go ahead, don't smile. When someone stops smiling their feelings seem to concentrate in their eyes, as everything else fades away.

I've photographed this little guy many times, and I have a great range of images that reflect who he is. These are some new pictures, and I believe they reflect his maturation. There is a lot going on in that brain, and I think these pictures shown this.