If you want to understand the photography of Joel Sternfeld, you have to first understand this: his work has always been about color. I don’t mean ‘color’ in an abstract, purely compositional sort of way; I mean ‘color’ as informed by science and theory. If … Keep readingJoel Sternfeld
When looking at Stephen Shore’s photographs for the first time, I suspect the reaction of most people (and I include myself in this group) would be some variation of WTF? For a lot of folks, that’s also the second and third reaction, and for many … Keep readingStephen Shore
In 1919, Amanullah Khan of Afghanistan led a coalition of tribes in revolt against the British, who’d ruled his nation since 1839. After the British agreed to withdraw their forces, Amanullah ordered the construction of a Victory Arch in Kabul Province to commemorate Afghanistan’s newly-won … Keep readingSimon Norfolk
Tina Barney has been lurking around the edge of my consciousness for a couple of years. I was aware of her work in the vaguest sort of way; I knew she was a woman from the privileged classes who shot large format portraits of other … Keep readingTina Barney
Portuguese photographer Edgar Martins takes photographs of anonymous places that hold no particular meaning to the viewer. Airport runways, vacant beaches, highway road barriers—locations and sites with which we’re all familiar, but which are largely barren of any personal connection. He then emphasizes the absence … Keep readingEdgar Martins
It’s a strange thing to do, when you think about it–using a large format camera to shoot relatively formal portraits of casual strangers in nondescript settings. Yet that’s what Rineke Dijkstra has done for the last decade and a half. And she does it so … Keep readingRineke Dijkstra
We all have them. Irrational beliefs, odd compulsions, unwelcome and intrusive thoughts, strange anxieties, illogical fears. Even the most emotionally healthy of us experience these things. They are ubiquitous and pervade almost every aspect of our lives. As improbable as it sounds, Sarah Hobbs photographs … Keep readingSarah Hobbs
I’m not an aficionado of landscape photography. I suppose that’s not entirely true. I like to look at landscape photography. I find it visually appealing, but for me the appeal rarely expands beyond the eye. Part of that, I suspect, is because modern visual media … Keep readingOlaf Otto Becker
I was prepared to like Gregory Crewdson before I ever saw his work. Why? Because I read an article in which he described his photographs as “images without narratives.” I’ve always been of the opinion that a single photograph cannot tell a story; it can … Keep readingGregory Crewdson
I can’t recall when I first stumbled across Abelardo Morell’s photography. What I do recall, though, is the deliciously disorienting feeling I had when I saw the work. Morell was born in Havana, Cuba in 1948. His family fled the island in 1962. I’ve no … Keep readingAbelardo Morell