Memory Cards

Memory cards have dropped in price. If you don't need the absolute fastest card in your camera -- and for most shooting, you don't -- then prices are down to record lows. Very reliable, fast cards are now inexpensive.

Last I looked, for $30 you can get a:

SanDisk 2 GB Extreme III CompactFlash Card

Not that long ago, those were going for about $200.

Or for $25 you can get a:

SanDisk 2 GB Extreme III SD Memory Card

Irving Penn

On Sunday, we went to Close Encounters: Irving Penn, Portraits of Artists and Writers. Excellent show, but an expensive admission ticket if you're just going for the exhibition. (So plan to take in the rest of the museum, especially the space redesigned by Renzo Piano.)

"Close Encounters showcases a group of sixty-seven portraits of notable subjects by Irving Penn (b. 1917), acquired by The Morgan Library & Museum in 2007. The exhibition demonstrates Penn's incredible achievement as a portraitist, and photography's vital role among the twentieth-century arts."

The show ends April 13th.

Using Manual Mode with a DSLR

I've been asked a few times recently about using manual mode on a digital SLR camera. "Turn the big knob on top of the camera to M," I say, "point the camera at your subject and press the shutter halfway down. You'll see in your viewfinder if the camera thinks you are underexposing or overexposing -- there's a little indicator that will let you know."

Sometimes that's enough, but usually the next question is about what settings to start with -- as in what aperture and shutter speed to use.

Well, a while back I wrote about using the The Sunny F16 Rule. It turns out those same ideas will help you estimate exposure for shooting outside during the day. Try this:

1. Set your ISO to 400.

2. When using the "Sunny F16 Rule" you set your shutter speed to match your ISO: so set it to 1/400th of second.

3. Look at the shadows the sun is casting. If it is clear and bright, you'll probably see hard shadows, but as it gets more overcast the shadows will get softer or disappear. So:

a. if you see hard shadows, set your aperture to f/16
b. if you see soft shadows, set your aperture to f/11
c. if you see no shadows, set your aperture to f/8
d. if the light level seems even lower, set your aperture to f/5.6

That's all. Set your camera to M. Set your ISO to 400. Look at the shadows and set your aperture. Point your camera at your subject, press the shutter halfway down. Your camera may have a little triangle, or a light or another indicator that lets you know if it thinks you are over or under on your exposure. Adjust if you agree, or go with your guess. Take the shot.

Look on your viewscreen, and see if you've got it right -- and then act superior to anyone using automatic modes.

Macro and Portrait Lenses

Often I'm asked about macro lenses. These are lenses that let you fill the frame (at a 1:1 ratio) when photographing small things like jewelry or insects.

Since I'm not actually a huge fan of pictures of jewelry or insects, in any combination, I always recommend that folks buy a macro lens that also works as a portrait lens. Fortunately, there are several that combine the sharpness and optical quality needed for close-up photography with a focal length that works for photographing people. (On a digital SLR, a focal length of between 70mm to 90mm is very flattering to the human face.)

I received a gift certificate over the holiday, so I looked in my camera bag and then took my own advice, ordering this lens:

Tamron SP Autofocus 90mm f/2.8 DI 1:1 Macro Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony DSLR Cameras

It's also available in Nikon mount and Canon mount of course.

When it eventually arrives, I'll post a few pictures and a brief review.

Photography in the News

Apparently, in a time of war and recession, the real problem our culture faces is ... photography.

Tripod sparked Sheridan panic

"A tripod likely was mistaken for a "long gun," police said today after ending a lockdown of Sheridan College's Oakville campus and adjoining student residence."

Paparazzi Crackdown Over Britney Chaos

"Councilman Dennis Zine has asked the city's attorney to draw up laws to protect targeted celebrities, as well as pedestrians and drivers, who may be put in danger by a 'swarm' of photographers and cameramen."

Inside, Looking Out, Midtown

This is the 301st post on this blog. I'm rethinking it a bit, so don't be surprised if a there's a redesign soon.

Of course, it's fair to say that Photography itself needs a bit of a redesign. If you stare at something long enough, ideas should begin to form on what it's for and what it might do.

No One Specified Whether It Was On Fire

The other day I had a call from a photographer who wanted a link to see some of my photography. "My husband googled you," she said, "and we saw your picture of a giraffe."

I gave her a workable link, but after the phone call I realized that I have never, ever photographed a giraffe. (It has never occurred to me that I should.)

So I hit google with every combination of search terms I could imagine, hoping to find the photograph. No such luck, at least not yet.

They Had a Good Run

Polaroid Technology Fades Out

"The artsy, instantly gratifying Polaroid images, reeking of processing chemicals, have finally been done in by endless Flickr Web pages full of digital images, flawlessly produced by cameras that do not require film, emulsion or anything bigger than a shirt pocket to carry them around."

End of the Week

Well. I would call that a very mixed week. I should be back to daily posts very soon.

Above: a snapshot from the 4 train, looking toward Manhattan from the Bronx.

Missing Why

If you want to be an anarchist, you're going to need time-management skills, and you are going to need to plan ahead. Don't run out of time or paint in the middle of your defiant act. You really need to stay on task.

Rambling

One reason for Saturday night's visit to the Metropolitan was to see: Lee Friedlander: A Ramble in Olmsted Parks. I'm a big fan of Friedlander, but I left wondering if anyone would have any interest if these were by a relatively unknown photographer. I found little spark in them, and felt none of the usual Friedlander aura.

Metropolitan

Above: a snapshot from Saturday night at the Met.

But Seriously

This week -- if enough people sign up -- I'll be teaching my Seriously Fun Photography course at Hunter College Continuing Education.

I change the content and structure each time, trying to learn from each past class experience, and to tailor it to the students who attend. Here's the general blurb:

"Build on the basics and master the skills and ideas advanced photographers use in a fun, low-pressure class. Open to anyone able to shoot a photo and import it into a computer (and welcoming advanced students as well), in this class we'll use the digital camera as a fast way to learn the essentials of photography. We'll learn-by-doing, exploring professional techniques while creating a portfolio project (on any topic of your choice) to show your advanced skills. If you've always been interested in photography, but have put off becoming great at it, this is your chance.

FRI 5:30:PM - 7:30:PM
Location: 71 E 94th St. CS
02/08 - 03/14 Sessions: 6
Course Status: Open, Seats Available
Tuition: $225"

Shocked, Shocked I Say

I speak with a lot of photographers by phone. I don't know anything but their names, usually, but that's fine: they have questions about photography, I have answers. Or at least a different take on the questions.

Recently I had a call and was in a discussion about lenses when I realized that the photographer was trying to get a start as a paparazzo. He'd been showing up and joining a pack of photographers who were, he said, chasing Lindsay Lohan. He described two high-speed chases around Southern California, and -- while I'm sure he was a nice guy -- when the call ended I wasn't exactly reassured.

So I find this an interesting article:

Paparazzo quits over hounding of Britney

"The paps are completely out of control," Mr Stern, 43, said. "It's not unusual to have 20 or 30 cars pursuing her at any one time. It's become acceptable to drive at 80mph down the wrong side of the street into oncoming traffic. I was horrified at what goes on. It's so aggressive, there are fights and crashes and slashed tyres. I felt I needed to say something."

Back to the Bronx

I've returned to teach another class at Bronx Community College, and I'm really enjoying it. The first half of the course is Adobe Photoshop, so that's great fun. Later, we move on to Adobe After Effects, which should also be a good time.

Above: a detail at Burnside Station photographed this morning.

Five Minutes Later

It's a tradition, I guess: all advertisements in New York must be defaced. Not all that creative an effort though, this time. I was expecting more.

Unwerth Repeating

Here's that Ellen von Unwerth advertising photograph I wrote about. Gold lamé no matter which direction you look.

What DSLR is Good Enough?

Here's the question I always get: "I want a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera. I'm not ready for a professional model, don't want to spend too much, but don't want to buy something and then grow out of it in a six months. What should I buy?"

Well, there were new announcements by Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax and Sony this week -- so the real bargains are the models that have been out a little while. They're great cameras, and are now bargain priced.... Take a look:

Nikon D40

Nikon D40x

Canon Digital Rebel XT

Canon Digital Rebel XTi

Pentax K100D

Olympus Evolt E510

You can't really go wrong with any of these. I'll have more on the new cameras that are coming out, but I tend to advise people -- go for the less-expensive camera body, then take the savings and in put it into another good lens.

We're Unwerthy

Ellen von Unwerth is one of those photographers who is able to hit an art director's fantasies so dead-on that the photographs don't need to be good. They look as if someone handed a model a camera during a break at a fashion shoot, and she had a fun time with it. And that's what they are, and they work.

Google her name, take in a little sample of her photographs and you'll realize: she's everywhere. And has been, for a long long time. Generally, though, that doesn't mean every advertisement in the subway. It does now. For about a week or so, waiting at my usual stops has meant staring at the new Equinox ads. Adweek explains:

Equinox Gets Racy in Push From Fallon

"In one, a group of nuns in a candlelit room are rooted to the spot by a nude male model they are sketching. In another, a male model, wearing only skintight gold lamé underpants, is bent over into the shape of a table. On his stomach rests a platter of fruit that a group of women dressed as if they were going to a masquerade pick at."

That's right: the one in the subway is the one with the gold lamé undies.

AIPAD 2008

From the Department of Planning Way in the Heck Ahead: The AIPAD (Association of International Photography Art Dealers) Photography Show New York will run from Thursday, April 10 though Sunday, April 13, 2008 at the Park Avenue Armory at 67th Street in New York City.

Is there any way you can double check that? Yep, you could click right here.

Sambadende Brazil Tour

Dana Bartle has been blogging her documentary trip to Brazil at Sambadende Brazil Tour 2008. I'm a little late to the party, but better late than never.

Robert Capa Negatives Found

Robert Capa's negatives from the Spanish Civil War have turned up, according to an article in tomorrow's New York Times.

The Capa Cache

"The discovery has sent shock waves through the photography world, not least because it is hoped that the negatives could settle once and for all a question that has dogged Capa’s legacy: whether what may be his most famous picture — and one of the most famous war photographs of all time — was staged. Known as “The Falling Soldier,” it shows a Spanish Republican militiaman reeling backward at what appears to be the instant a bullet strikes his chest or head on a hillside near Córdoba in 1936."

Frugal Hawaii Posted

The new Frugal Traveler episode is finally edited and posted.

Over on my other blog there's a little about the process and a link to the video.

Frugal Traveler, Hawaii

Editing this episode of Frugal Traveler: Hawaii was a strangely textbook process. I don't mean mechanical by any means. Not at all. Rather, it went through very specific phases, progressing from an impossibly long first draft, through an intractable second version, eventually reaching that moment I still don't quite understand: when the piece becomes watchable.

Here's what I mean: the first assembly was 45 minutes long. (The final piece is exactly 7 minutes long.) Once this was done, I cut away at the material, but found I couldn't make a coherent version with my normal way of working.

Then, after a lot of struggle, I found that this particular piece wanted to be edited backwards: work on the ending, then the material before that, and continue back to the beginning. Seems strange after the fact, but that's what worked....

An Upper East Side Koan

Someone's having a little trouble with the food groups.

If only there was someone I could check this with or someone I could call to find out for certain.

Photography in the News

Has the new year brought any news stories about photographers? Yes, unfortunately it has.

Winehouse Backhands Manners Into A Photographer

"Psychopath songstress Amy Winehouse was her own version of a Good Samaritan this morning, attacking a photographer for bumping into an innocent bystander and not apologizing."

Coldplay's Chris Martin pounces on photo

"After the photographer snaps a couple shots, Martin jumps on the man, pushes him to the ground and tries to make off with his camera, all while yelling, 'Have some respect!'"

Bruce kicks photographer, takes oath

"Later, Bruce said he became frustrated as photographers from The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News were crouched at his feet as he bowed his head in prayer. He asked them not to take his picture and kicked the Rocky photographer, Javier Manzano, in the knee when he did."

Bjork accused of shirt-ripping paparazzi attack

"Icelandic singer Bjork has been accused of attacking a paparazzi photographer after arriving in New Zealand for a concert."

Less violence please, folks. Of course, there's also:

Four paparazzi arrested after chasing Britney Spears

"Four photographers were arrested for reckless driving after a late night car chase of pop star Britney Spears on the outskirts of Los Angeles, police said on Thursday."

Britney Spears To Sue Photographer Over Leaked Family Portraits

"Britney Spears is reportedly planning to sue photographer Dani Brubaker, after private family portraits taken by the snapper were sold to a U.S. magazine."

Dogs of The East 80s

On 80th Street, a group of dog walkers approached me, with maybe 25 large dogs. I noticed, as they came closer, each dog in turn would glance to the side, then edge away, tail down.

When I got to where they had been looking, I saw this guy. Perfectly still, perfectly calm. He wasn't bothered by packs of dogs going past, and he wasn't concerned when someone wanted to take his portrait.

As I Was Saying

As you may have noticed, I've been away from the blog for a while. I'm not sure what to say about that just yet, so I'll just continue on as usual, for whatever that's worth. Since my last post, I traveled to California and back twice, but only made a few photographs. There is some news, however, of events in the upcoming weeks.

First: I'll be showing three photographs in a group show at the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation for Arts and Crafts. The show is scheduled February 10 - March 23, 2008, in Alta Loma, California. More on that soon.

Also: It's official. My short documentary film Blind Faith: A Film About Seeing will be screening at Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. It's an "official selection." Excellent.

Blind Faith at Big Sky

It's official. Our film Blind Faith: A Film About Seeing will be screening at Big Sky Documentary Film Festival.

We're an "official selection." Excellent.

The New Frugal Traveler Video

This time, it's set in a city I have actually visited. Here is the new episode of the Frugal Traveler: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Frugal Traveler, Santa Fe

It's been a tough week. Things move forward, though, when possible. Here is a new episode of the Frugal Traveler series: Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Blowup Reaches Middle-Age

Yesterday marked the 41st anniversary of the release of the film Blowup. I watched it again last year -- for a paper I had to write -- and I'm tempted to give it another look. (Amazon.com now has it via their download store -- for your instant gratification. That's the blatantly commercial link below.)

The strange thing, I find, is that it's a movie that doesn't match the popular conception or the popular memory of it at all. On paper, it's about a David Bailey-styled photographer in swinging London, a murder mystery, and the uncertainty of perception. And, as parodied in "Austin Powers," there's a bit of fashion photography flair...

There's a deeper game built in, though, one that still plays well today. And that's what I think is worth returning to.

The Diane Arbus Archive

The news? Well, there's this press release from yesterday:

Metropolitan Museum Acquires Diane Arbus Archive

"(New York, December 18, 2007)—The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced today that it has acquired the complete archive of Diane Arbus (1923-1971), the legendary American photographer known for her revelatory portraits of couples, children, nudists, carnival performers, and eccentrics. The Estate of Diane Arbus has selected the Museum to be the permanent repository of the artist's negatives, papers, correspondence, and library. The Museum will collaborate with the Estate to preserve Arbus's legacy and to ensure that her work will continue to be seen in the context of responsible scholarship and in a manner that honors the subjects of the photographs and the intentions of the artist.

"The Estate's gifts and promised gifts to the Museum include hundreds of early and unique photographs by Arbus, negatives and contact prints of 7,500 rolls of film, glassine print sleeves annotated by the artist, as well as her photography collection, library, and personal papers including appointment books, notebooks, correspondence, writings, and ephemera. The entire collection - which will be preserved, fully catalogued, and eventually made available for research to scholars, artists, and the general public – will be known as The Diane Arbus Archive."

The Real Future of Photography

Many words have been spilled on that Newsweek article claiming there's a crisis in photography. In the end, there's nothing to worry about. Photography will go on. It just won't be humans behind the cameras.

'Wonderful Shot' Dog or Cat Camera for Pet Paparazzi

"Ever wonder what your pet gets up to when he or she's out & about, patrolling the neighborhood? Wonder no more - thanks to Japanese toy and gadget maker Takara Tomy, you now have a photographic record of their adventures in the wide wild world!

"The tough, light camera attaches to your pet's collar and weighs just 38 grams (under an ounce & a half), and it's no toy. The 3.5 megapixel camera has an 8 MB internal memory that allows up to 90 photos to be taken. Li'l Furball's first photo album'll be full in no time flat! The battery is rechargable and the adjustable timer can be set to snap a pic at 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 30 or 60 minute intervals."

Do not miss the picture in this article. Follow that link, now.

Also, Rename the Show "Hair Dance"

Sure, I've said bad things about The Shot. Criticism is easy, though. The real question is: what would actually work in a reality-television show about photographers? What would be less painful to watch? Well, here are three ideas:

1. Stop with the repetition. Each episode is essentially the same, and people win and lose on the same exact concerns. Change things significantly from week to week. Photography is a broad and diverse art form, and even if the show is strictly "fashion photography" you can find the underlying skills and make challenges based on those.  


2. Don't assume we won't understand the technical. A little bit of discussion of the technical side of photography, handled well, could really be interesting. Those knobs on the camera -- they do something, right?


3. Stop just saying a photo is good or bad. Tell us how it works, and why you like it or hate it. Just giving a thumbs-up or down is boring -- why does this photo work, and not that one?

What would that be like? Well, for one assignment, set the expensive cameras aside, and get out of the studio. Drop off photographer and model on a grimy block with a disposable camera, a roll of aluminum foil and a cardboard box. For the next, emphasize shooting consistency by choosing at random which shot will be shown. For the next, show five great possibilities for the shot at hand -- and disallow all of them and penalize anything at all similar.

Northern Exposure

In the film Idiocracy it's revealed that the favorite film of the year 2505 will be a continous, 90-minute-long shot of a man's buttocks -- sort of a dumbed down version of Andy Warhol's 1965 film Taylor Mead's Ass.

Now Canadian television has taken the first steps toward that epic, and billed the adventure as an homage to photographer Spencer Tunick.

Nude St. John's waterfront TV shoot attracts 50

"Walsh intends to organize more naked film shoots across Canada. She said her next stop is Calgary, where she expects temperatures will be even lower than they were in St. John's. Other stops include Vancouver, Iqaluit and Toronto."

Photography in the News

Any stories on photography in the recent news? Well, there's a good look at the Magnum photo agency, a glance at the growing maternity photography industry, and when Britney Spears isn't running over photographers, she's complaining about them.

The world according to Magnum

"Born in 1947, Magnum was founded by four very different photographers, Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger and David Seymour. However, they shared a common desire to create a new agency, owned and operated by photographers: its purpose, to document world events and issues and show the photograph to be as powerful a method of journalism as the word. It would also provide an invaluable historical archive."

Growing Demand To Bare The Belly

"It's been almost 17 years since Demi Moore posed nude for Vanity Fair in 1991. Britney Spears reawakened the image when she posed for Harper's Bazaar in 2006. Those visions clearly resonated with many women. When Francesca Mannarino-Werz saw the Demi Moore pictorial, she was struck by its beauty. She had her photos taken by Reyes six weeks before she gave birth to her son Mason, now eight months."

Spears hits out at photographers

"Yesterday, a friend of the pop princess said poor health and "anxiety" caused by seeing photographers outside her house had resulted in Spears cancelling a deposition in the court case where she is seeking to regain equal custody of her two sons."

Beauty Knows No Pain

I asked Elliott Erwitt where I could see the documentaries he had made, and he said that Beauty Knows No Pain could be found at "National Something or Other."

And it looks like he is correct. And also that the piece can be viewed online. Excellent.

The Vaguest Good News in an Unspecified Number of Days

Good news yesterday, arriving all at once.

I'll have to be vague about the details until there are "official announcements," however ... so it's time for Blind Item Gossip Blogging!

What East-Coast photoblogger will show three photographs in a Southern California exhibition in 2008? Sources say it's the same cynical Manhattan-based documentarian whose short film will be showing at a Documentary Film Festival in February -- in a state that rhymes with "Fontana."

Wait -- is it Michael Moore?

Elliott Erwitt

I'll post about what he said and how he said it sometime very soon. For now: meet Mr. Elliott Erwitt.

On the Way to Elliott Erwitt

I mean physically on the way, not stylistically. Above: on 14th Street, earlier tonight.

The Last of Santa

For now, a moratorium on Santa. One last note: he does know how to party.

Elliott Erwitt Will Be at Strand Tonight

Tonight, I'm hoping to stop by the Elliott Erwitt booksigning at Strand Books. If you can't make it, you should consider adding his last two books: Personal Best and Unseen to your photography bookshelf.

And Sometimes Nice

Above: near Tompkins Square Park.

Naughty by Nature

Santa's Nicomachean world view may seem overly simplistic -- I think there are shades of Naughty and Nice -- but it does make sense in light of his career choice. He's got to be all about efficiency. He has one big yearly task, and limited time.

There's a Sociology Thesis In It

I noticed less of an Elf presence at this year's SantaCon. The number of male Elves was way down, at least. I'm not sure if that's a significant indicator of a social trend or not.

Be Glad the Elves Didn't Get There First

If you come to SantaCon to photograph, you probably should be dressed as Santa. It's a participatory event.

Above: a group of Santas decorate a photographer.

Tompkins Square Again

If you think about it, Santa's the original Jet Setter.

Takes most of the year off, then flies around the globe for his world promotional tour, just so you don't forget him. Hires a really good publicist, and before long it's "Saint" Nick, and 87% of the public perceive him as "jolly."

SantaCon 2007 New York

Above: SantaCon 2007 makes its way towards Times Square.

The Shot: Do They Mean Penicillin?

Yes, I watched Sunday's episode of "The Shot." What do you mean, "Lame, lame, lame?"

Are you saying that just because they plan to give money and fame to photographers who can't operate studio lights, crop properly, or work with other human beings? You're awfully strict. Next you'll want them to know about lenses and composition and exposure.

Clearly, you need some Vaseline.

One More from Grand Central

I tried to persuade a few Santas that they should visit the Campbell Apartment, but they headed into the dining concourse instead.

SantaCon at Grand Central Terminal

Above: A few hundred Santas and a few hundred tourists at Grand Central Terminal.

On the Street in Manhattan

There are a lot of cameras at SantaCon. You see people asking others to pose, and that's fine.

I think, however, it is in the unposed moment that you learn about human behaviour.

Tompkins Square Park

The thing people forget about Santa is that -- basically -- it's a noble gig. Make a lot of stuff, give it away. Not necessarily financially sustainable, but noble.

The Long Arm of the Law

Above: Santas and the NYPD.

Santa Takes the Six

When the attendees at SantaCon move from one site to another -- after the "Santa's on the move!" call begins -- usually there are just a few people who know the next location and the best way to get there, and most of the group follows along.

Our next destination was Astor place, a stop I've been to many times. I hadn't heard that, though, only the "Santa Takes the Six!" chant that went through the crowd. Most of the Santas waiting for the 6 train tried to dissuade those jumping on the 4 or 5 -- thinking they were making a mistake -- so confusion reigned.

Above: the 4 train going past our group of Santas, waiting for the 6.

SantaCon 2007

Ah, SantaCon. The one time of year when stockbrokers and ex-theater majors can put on a red suit, or tights and a wig, drink a lot, and attempt to pick up other stockbrokers and ex-theater majors.

Okay, maybe not the only time, but certainly one of the times.

Dogs of The Upper East Side

Dog walkers, as far as I can see, group dogs by size when given a choice. I suppose that has to do with keeping the pace even when walking, and keeping order within the pack. At least, that's my guess. Above photograph from about 1 p.m. today.

Santaphobia

Should you fear Santa? Yes. Here's photographic evidence.

The Red Menace

Tonight, probably around 11 p.m., the starting location for SantaCON will be announced. You can bet I'll be checking it twice.

Above: SantaCON 2005.

Inside Looking Out

As far as I know, the window washers never make it to the 24th floor.

Outside Looking In

Above: a snapshot from 3rd Avenue.

Photography in the News

Any news stories about photography in the major newspapers? You bet.

New York City sued for harassing photographers

"The lawsuit was filed against the city and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly on behalf of Arun Wiita, 26, a Columbia University graduate student of Indian descent who said he was handcuffed and detained after a police officer spotted him snapping pictures near a Manhattan subway station in July."

Work With Me, Baby

"FASHION is a stepchild, in photography no less than in other areas of the culture. The reach of the imagery it produces influences everything from trash television to presidential campaigns. Yet the slick work cranked out by the fashion machine is rarely taken seriously."

Saturdays in Red

On Saturday, I will be at NYC SantaCON 2007. It's been great fun in past years. If you are going, drop me a comment.

Happens in other cities as well.

Fake, Real, Fake, Whatever

I don't care if it's fake -- again, all photographs are fake -- I just want to know if it's good art.

Chinese Moon Photo Not Fake, But Not Pristine

"It's odd that moon images are so often questioned. We can do so many other things that stagger the imagination; why are people reluctant to believe that we can't go to the Moon? I find it also particularly interesting that many people are apparently willing to believe something so improbable (faking a moon mission? That's serious business, way harder than faking a memoir or a resume)."

The Same Hand

Is this by the same person who did this? Notice the handwriting. And the exclamation point....

Face, Meet Palm

It's FacePalm time! That's right: toss the palm of your hand over your face, and repeat after me: Not This Crap Again.

Is Photography Dead?

"Art and truth used to be fast friends. Until the beginning of modernism, the most admired quality in Western art was mimesis—objects in painting and sculpture closely resembling things in real life. William Henry Fox Talbot, who produced the first photographic prints from a negative in 1839, immediately saw the mimetic new medium as an art form. Talbot wanted only to be able to "draw" more accurately than by hand. In fact, he called his first book of reproduced photographs "The Pencil of Nature." For at least a century thereafter, any photograph with a claim to being art had in its DNA at least a few chromosomes from Talbot's "The Open Door" (1844), a picture of a tree-branch broom leaning just-so-esthetically against a dark doorway."

I've said again and again that thinking that a flat, black and white rectangular representation of a fraction of a second is a "true" thing -- when we know the world to be three-dimensional, in color, and continuous -- is a pointless way to relate to photographs.

Yet in this week's Newsweek Magazine, here's this essay.... It's real achievement: misunderstanding both the history of art AND the history of photography. Usually, at best one can be completely wrong about one or the other. At least in the same essay.

Trends in Photography

The hot trend in photography? The anonymous blog.

Now, I happen to think anonymity turns people into the worst version of themselves -- visit any Web forum if you want to discover that for yourself -- but I do understand the impulse to blog freely, with the minimum of consequences.

And I'm all for any site that talks about photography or visual culture. So take a glance at:

Bitter Photographer
A Photo Editor
A Visual Society

Still, the test for me is always: What Would Elliott Erwitt Do? I'm pretty sure he'd put his name in his profile.

Maysles in the Gossip Pages?

Yes. Because he hangs with Fall Out Boy.

Burnside Avenue Station

My experience of The Bronx is a strange one: I arrive on the 4 train, walk a few blocks on West Burnside, and teach my class at Bronx Community College.

I'm vaguely aware of facts about the area: it's the poorest urban county, the U.S. census says the population is 51% Latino (primarly Puerto Rican and Dominican), and there is a strong connection to Africa. I hinted at that last fact in my post on Lucky Dube, and it has become a visual fascination for me: there are traces, but they blend in and become muted.

Wikipedia says:

"West Africa is the most frequent region of origin for immigrants to the Bronx. U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service data shows that in 1996, about two-thirds of those Ghanaians arriving in the United States, and nearly three-fourths of those naturalized, live in The Bronx. Many have clustered in Bronx communities, including Morris Heights, Highbridge, and Tremont."

Morris Heights is the area just below Bronx Community College.

Above: Burnside Avenue Station on Monday morning, looking toward Manhattan.

Near Burnside Avenue

Shock at SA reggae star shooting

"Correspondents say the killing of the 43-year-old singer has shocked South Africans who are already accustomed to one of the highest murder rates in the world. Music producer TK of TS records and a friend of Dube's told the BBC the killing was tragically ironic."

There have been stories lately noting that New York's murder rate has dropped to a new low. If there's one place where a murder in South Africa will enter the New York mind, however, it's The Bronx.

Above: photographed just off Burnside on Monday.

Fall, Winter, Fall, Whatever

Yesterday's dusting of snow was gone by this morning, leaving a clear, beautiful and cold day. Now, at nightfall, the cold winds have started. According to the weather report, the "feels like" will dip to 18 degrees Fahrenheit overnight, staying cold tomorrow morning.

Above: Carl Schurz Park on Sunday.

Photography Advice from "The Shot"

I've mentioned that I have been happily suffering through VH1's "The Shot." Well, now they've posted photo tips.

In case a food fight breaks out, and then the nude models show up.

Harsh, Yet Well Written

Ah, Yorkville. Home to some of the best private schools in the world. Sometimes the message may be harsh, but the penmanship fantastic.

No little heart dotting the "i" and no "o" filled in by a smiley face?

That is Not What "White Balance" Means

This is the strangest photography-related story I've run across in a while. I've tried to understand the thinking behind it, and the process of how it might have happened, and I'm left puzzled.

Pupils forced to pose for school photo according to skin colour

"A school apologised today after telling tearful children to line up for a photograph by the colour of their skin. Parents condemned the decision by Sandhurst Junior School in Lewisham, south London, to arrange the children from the lightest skinned to the darkest. One parent claimed the intention had been to make life easier for the photographer - so he did not have to keep rearranging his reflector screens."

Finally: Frederick Wiseman Films on DVD

Finally, you can buy the films of Fred Wiseman on DVD.

To go along with your DVDs, grab and read Five Films by Frederick Wiseman: Titicut Follies, High School, Welfare, High School II, Public Housing.

Dogs of Yorkville

I stumbled onto this noble pack of snow pugs on 89th Street. If they find you stranded in a drift, they revive you by peeing on you.

The one in the background? He's about to revive that bike tire.