NADAV KANDER: Obama's People - The Book

Barack Obama, 2009Book: Obama's People available hereCourtesy of Flowers, London/New York
The 44th President of the United States

Samantha Power Advisor, 2009
Photograph (c) Nadav Kander/Courtesy of Flowers, London/NY

Now Special Assistant to the President and Senior
Director for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights

Denis McDonough Senior Foreign Policy Aide, 2009
Photograph (c) Nadav Kander/Courtesy of Flowers, London/NY
Now Deputy National Security Advisor

Eugene Kang
Special Assistant to the President, 2009
Photograph (c) Nadav Kander/Courtesy of Flowers, London/NY

Hilary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State, 2009
Photograph (c) Nadav Kander/Courtesy of Flowers, London/NY
The 1st First Lady elected to the United States Senate,
currently the U.S. Secretary of State

Joseph R. Biden Jr. Vice President, 2009
Photograph (c) Nadav Kander/Courtesy of Flowers, London/NY
The 47th Vice President of the United StatesOBAMA'S PEOPLE | NADAV KANDER

"Early on in the process of making these 53 portraits, I made the fundamental decision not to impose my personal opinion. Instead, I wanted to create works of accurate representation." –Nadav Kander, Obama's People

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January 18 2009, a special edition of the New York Times Magazine published, Obama's People, portraits of the incoming administration of Barack Obama by Nadav Kander. This series was commissioned by Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, and Gerald Merzorati, editor of the New York Times. Photographic critic, Francis Hodgson wrote, "Nadav Kander has been a brilliant portraitist for years. He has published three series which I see as specific precursors to Obama's People. In all three, the plain background is there, each sitter posed like a medieval saint (or devil) in a niche on a cathedral wall."
Although all of Kander’s photographs are color, they are often compared to Richard Avedon’s black-and-white portraits of The Family, published in Rolling Stone Magazine in 1976 of the 'Power Elite' taken during the Reagan Administration. Having worked on the Avedon project in 1976, I don't see the similarity in their actual portraits, just in the editorial assignment itself. A beautifully created book of Kander's series, Obama's People, is now available through Flowers Gallery (here).

Upcoming News: An exhibition of Nadav Kander’s Prix Pictet award-winning photographic series, Yangtze —The Long River, will be at Flowers, New York October 19th - November 24th. Yangtze — The Long River is a body of work that captures the dramatic effects of a nation at the precipice of enormous industrial and economic change and considers the history and folklore of the waterway that runs through the blood of the people. More on this in October.

Obama's People
Flowers Gallery, London/New York

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I designed the cover and layouts for Richard Avedon's The Family, portraits of the 'Power Elite' during the Reagan Administration published in Rolling Stone Magazine. New Yorker writer/author Renata Adler sequenced the images with Avedon. More views here.

The Family, Rolling Stone Magazine 1976
Photographs of the 'Power Elite' during the Reagan Administration

The Family, Rolling Stone Magazine, 1976

The Family, Rolling Stone Magazine, 1976

Thanks to Jay Prynne for images of The Family
and APhotoEditor.com

JOHN DELANEY: Hoboken Passing

from the series Hoboken Passing
Photograph (c) John Delaney

from the series Hoboken Passing
Photograph (c) John Delaney

from the series Hoboken Passing
Photograph (c) John Delaney

from the series Hoboken Passing
Photograph (c) John Delaney

"My love of photography began when I discovered Irving Penn's Worlds in a Small Room. Penn's work, as well that of Bruce Davidson, sparked my creative imagination. I attended Rochester Institute of Technology where I was taught the science and history of photography. But my real education began at the Richard Avedon Studio. I started as his studio assistant then eventually became his master printer. For 15 years I observed his passion, intelligence and meticulous craftsmanship.

That relationship opened the door to working with my original heroes, Irving Penn and Bruce Davidson. Each of these masters informs and inspires my work. Mr. Penn for his wide range and love for the exquisite print; Davidson for the way he immerses himself in his subject, instilling trust; and Avedon with his intense preparation and skillful cajoling, getting behind the "masks" of his subjects." –John Delaney

Hoboken Passing
A Limited Edition Portfolio

Hoboken Passing

A Portfolio of eighteen pigment ink prints printed in a limited edition of twenty-five with two artist’s and two printer’s proofs. The prints were produced with archival pigment inks printed on Canson Plantine Fiber Rag.

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"Hoboken Passing explores the survivors of a neighborhood in transition. Through the eyes of the old establishment family business owners and workers, I aim to better understand what defines a neighborhoods identity or uniqueness.

With these portraits I aim to reflect and celebrate a community's distinct character. Hoboken, New Jersey charmed me when I first moved here in the winter of 2007. Sitting in the shadow of Manhattan, Hoboken is only a mile square and has a long and proud history. I grew particularly fond of the old Mom & Pop shops that I encountered. Many of these establishments have existed for generations and within their walls I found a quiet contemplation of a cherished history.

Hoboken’s older family businesses are succumbing to the changing economy and are closing their doors. They are inevitably being replaced by the ever ubiquitous national chain store.

As an portrait artist, my method of working consists of walking the streets, camera in hand, and visiting. Conversation and quiet observation are the foundation of my creative process. Respect and mutual trust between myself and the subject are vital for this series. It was important that the personality of the subject directed the sitting and that the subject and environment combined to tell the story together.

A recurring theme of my photography is the effort to record what is vanishing from our collective memory - a way of living, a tradition, or trade. I try to capture the fleeting present so that we can honor that which is deeply rooted in our past." –John Delaney

John Delaney lives and works in New York City. He received his Masters in Digital Photography from the School of Visual Arts in 2012. He was the recipient of the Discovery of the Year at the 2008 Lucie/IPA Awards and is a 2012 Critical Mass 100 Finalist.

JOHN DELANEY PHOTOGRAPHY

MAGDALENA SOLÉ: Mississippi Delta Workshop

June Rhodes at the Hot Spot, Jonestown
from New Delta Rising (University of Mississippi Press)
Photograph (c) Magdalena Solé/All Rights Reserved

Amber Thomas at Messenger's Pool Hall, Clarksdale
from New Delta Rising (University of Mississippi Press)
Photograph (c) Magdalena Solé/All Rights Reserved

Dog Waking Up, Coahoma
from New Delta Rising (University of Mississippi Press)
Photograph (c) Magdalena Solé/All Rights Reserved

Wall Street Journal 2.11.2012

“Ms. Solé’s lushly colorful and formally striking images are restless. The people of Clarksdale are lively and in motion, con-trasting sharply with their crumbling surroundings. The colors Ms. Solé finds everywhere in Clarksdale—the bright green walls of the Wangz and Thangz restaurant, the deep blue backgrounds of Messenger’s Pool Hall, the red spotlight on the stage at Red’s Lounge—are visual metaphors for the culture and history that remain vivid even beneath the cracking surface. Like Clarksdale’s soundtrack, they electrify. “

A Master Class for Photographers
With Magdalena Solé
October 17 - 24 / Mississippi Delta
Seven Chimneys Farm in Stovall, MS

"Workshop Description: For amateurs and professionals alike, Magdalena Solé's Workshop begins with reviews of each photographer’s work. We will explore a series of topics: including the process of photographing spontaneously and intuitively; how to photograph in cultures other than one’s own; how to edit photographs so they reveal a story. It is a Workshop that will emphasize the development of a unique, personal way of seeing and the development of an intuitive way of editing your photographs. We will also discuss with participants how to take their work to the next level. Participants should be prepared to bring twenty prints to class. The workshop will be held at beautiful Seven Chimneys Farm in Stovall, MS." About The Workshop Here

About Magdalena Solé Here
Preview: New Delta Rising at Photo-eye Books

IMAGE 12: Professional Winners Gallery

Professional Category | First Place

Photograph (c) Cathrin Schulz

Cathrin Schulz

Professional Category | Second Place
Judges Choice: Selected by Jody Quon, NY Magazine
Photograph (c) Anthony Wood

Anthony Wood

Professional Category | Third Place
Photograph (c) Hye-Ryoung Min

Hye-Ryoung Min

Professional Category | Honorable Mention
Judges Choice: Selected by Holly Stuart Hughes, PDN
Photograph (c) Bernie DeChant

Bernie DeChant

ASMPNY IMAGE 12
VIEW ALL OF THE GALLERY OF WINNERS HERE

MARIA TERESA FISCHER: IMAGE 12 Photo Competition (Student) First + Second Place

Student Category | First Place
Photograph (c) Maria Teresa Fischer

Student Category | Second Place
Photograph (c) Maria Teresa Fischer

Student Category | Judges Choice Selected by

Holly Stuart Hughes, PDN and Hosanna Marshall, Saatchi & Saatchi
Photograph (c) Maria Teresa Fischer

Student Category | Honorable Mention
Photograph (c) Maria Teresa Fischer

In the IMAGE 12 Photography Competition, Student Category, Maria Teresa Fischer was awarded both First and Second Place Prizes, and selected as Judges Choice by both Holly Stuart Hughes, Editor, Photo District News and PDNonline, and Hosanna Marshall, Art Buyer/Creative Producer, Saatchi & Saatchi NY.

"My mother’s mother died in a very unexpected way...My mother kept some of her belongings and through them memories were passed on and stories told. In this series of domestic landscapes, I explore people’s personal space and memories, focusing on objects as containers full of meaning."

Fischer, born and raised in Chile, received her Masters of Professional Studies in Digital Photography from The School of Visual Arts. She currently works as a freelance photographer in NYC. Preview Fischer's Book, And The Space Around

ASMPNY IMAGE 12 2012
VIEW ALL THE GALLERY OF WINNERS HERE

MariaTeresaFischer.com

CHRISTOPHER BORROK: ASMPNY IMAGE 12 Judges Choice Selected by Jody Quon

Sons Head | Student Category, Honorable Mention
Photograph (c) Christopher Borrok

Christopher Borrok's image Sons Head, from his current project Glimpse, was awarded Honorable Mention and selected by Jody Quon, Photography Director at New York Magazine, as Judges Choice in ASMP-NY's IMAGE 12 Competition.

Borrok is a "fine artist and photographer living in Brooklyn NY. Born in NYC, raised in Florida, Borrok was trained as an Architect at the University of Florida. In 2012 he received his Masters of Professional Studies in Digital Photography from The School of Visual Arts, where he received The Paula Rhodes Memorial Award, highest honors, in recognition of exceptional work amongst Masterʼs candidates. His career started in the early 90ʼs as sculptor amongst the thriving art community and social scene of the Lower East side and Williamsburg."

ASMPNY IMAGE 12 2012
VIEW THE GALLERY OF WINNERS HERE

borrok.com

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Glimpse. Desire for a presence.
Photographs by Christopher Borrok
First edition, 2012

preview and purchase

Glimpse. Desire for a presence.
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Glimpse is a meditation on the fragmentary nature of presence and the collision between external reality and the internal space of memory, daydreams, and the subconscious. The mundane, rote engagement, daily landscapes and moments of seemingly little import provide a vacancy and spaciousness allowing for psychological drifts into a presence of greater resonance. This body of work illuminates and in turn embraces these interstitial moments that make up the majority of ones life.

Glimpse considers how to describe this obfuscated reality. The images serve as keepsakes of a desire for presence within the poignant normalcy of life's in-betweens. Glimpse will be on exhibition in “un/common skin” curated by Michael Foley in Fall of 2012 at the SVA Gallery in New York City.

borrok.com

All Photographs (c) Christopher Borrok

SEAN PERRY: IMAGE 12 My Judges Choice

from the series fotopolis | Professional Category, Judges Choice
Photograph (c) Sean Perry

Sean Perry's image, from his project fotopolis, was chosen by Elizabeth Avedon, Independent Curator and writer for Le Journal de la Photographie, as Judges Choice in ASMP-NY's IMAGE 12 Competition.

IMAGE 12 2012
VIEW THE GALLERY OF WINNERS HERE

seanperry.com