As I use this space to rant and rave about topics such as personal branding, the demise of journalism and other subjects on which I impart my delightfully refreshing spin, it occurs to me that maybe I don’t spend enough time focused on good ol’ fashioned photography. So I’m trying to balance the scales this week by playing curator and sharing a handful of things I think my fellow photographers might find worthwhile. I am sure to stray beyond the bounds of traditional photography content even with this, but hopefully you’ll find some joy there too. Onward!
Elliott Erwitt’s Hamptons Home For Sale
You know I love a good live/work space, so my interest was piqued this week when the late photographer Elliott Erwitt’s East Hampton home was listed for sale. Complete with a lovely pool and studio space and lots of natural light, all the while embracing a suburbanite’s dream lifestyle for just $3.5 million. I assume that the relatively modest asking price is simply a function of kitchens and baths in need of an update, because what else could it be? How much would you pay to inhabit a master photographer’s manse?
The Artist is Present
In another life, or maybe a parallel universe, I don’t take pictures for clients, I take pictures for myself. It seems to me that the biggest benefit of that lifestyle would be the opportunity to apply for and, hopefully on occasion win, a residency. The National Parks Arts Foundation offers just such opportunities to live and work for a month at a time in some of the most beautiful natural places in the United States. On Friday the organization opened up applications for July 2024 residencies at Hawaii’s Haleakalā National Park. I’m guessing such a special place garners lots of attention, but if you’ll have a bit of free time this summer and can get away, why not apply for it? If June is better for you, there’s still ten days left to apply for the June 2024 residency in the Sonoran Desert at Saguaro National Park. Both residencies would be perfect for the landscape and nature photographer in your life, so as long as you don’t mind a little competition, maybe pass this info along to your friends. Who wouldn’t love a month-long residency in one of the most beautiful places on Earth?
Print Is Dead
There is a great podcast dedicated to magazines and the people who make (made?) them great. It’s called Print Is Dead and in a recent episode they feature a photographer who was personally instrumental in cultivating my own personal love of magazines: Mark Seliger. Even those who aren’t especially versed in his work have probably encountered it on many magazine covers over the last four decades. I first took note of him back in the late 1980s when he began shooting for Rolling Stone, taking over for Annie Leibovitz as chief photographer there in 1992. I loved magazines initially because of the creative portraiture practiced by people like Annie and Mark at places like Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair, and consequently that cheeky aesthetic and playful sensibility still holds a special place in my heart. Listening to this interview with Mr. Seliger I was struck by how much working photographers have in common—whether they’ve got hundreds of high profile magazine covers to their name or not. Working photographers are sure to get a kick out of it, as I did.
Texas Photographer Wins Prestigious Journalism Award
A photojournalist in Texas has won the American Mosaic Journalism Prize. Austin-based photographer Tamir Kalifa won a $100,000 prize for his work documenting the aftermath of the 2022 elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Kalifa, 34, works to document “the resilience of people who are enduring tragedy.” Texas Monthly has a fantastic writeup about his heartbreaking work. The photographer is currently in Israel covering the Israel-Hamas war.
Nat Geo Photographer
On March 18th, National Geographic will debut a TV show about some of my favorite people: photographers. In this case, the show is actually a six-part miniseries. Photographer was produced and directed by some amazing photographers in their own right, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. They are the husband and wife duo behind the fantastic documentaries Free Solo and The Rescue.1 The trailer for Photographer dropped ten days ago and shows glimpses of some amazing talents including some personal favorites of mine—Dan Winters, Cristina Mittermeir and Paul Nicklen—as well as some photographers I’m especially excited to learn more about: Campbell Addy, Krystle Wright, Muhammed Muheisen, and Anand Varma. Look for the debut on the National Geographic channel March 18th, with streaming to follow the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.
Field of View
I have really been enjoying the
newsletter by. In particular, it was last week’s piece on The Hindenburg that inspired me to write about it here. Every couple weeks, Witty publishes a look at a prominent moment from history through the work of the photographers who covered it. Recent studies have included The Immaculate Reception and the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald. The piece on the Hindenburg disaster showcases what several different photographers were able to capture that fateful day in 1937, as well as obscure images and newsreel footage of the same. It’s a great example of something Mr. Witty is very adept at: reframing history courtesy of the photographers who were there, showcasing the differences between the moments that have become the decisive depiction of historic events and those that were oh so close. It’s always interesting and informative and I’m happy when I see those FOV emails in my inbox.
A Day in the Life of an NFL Photographer
One week post Super Bowl I will admit to being a bit lost on Sundays without football to warm the darkest corners of my cold dead heart. Admitting to NFL fandom in 2024 feels a bit like confessing a love of McDonald’s and Marlboros and other awful American things. What can I say, the heart wants what it wants. In honor of the end of football season, check out this day in the life video that follows Mike Nowak, chief photographer of the San Diego Chargers of Los Angeles.2 Since the late 1990s Mr. Nowak has been the Chargers’ chief photographer, and the video shows how he works on gameday. As best I can tell it mirrors the experiences I’ve heard from the handful of people I’ve known to work in professional sports media: it’s fun and interesting and a helluva lot of tedious work.
Justin Hawkins Rides Again
I complain a lot about YouTube’s impact on traditional media, but honestly it’s not YouTube’s fault. It’s just really good at what it does—providing platforms for talented, creative people to make really interesting things. My newest YouTube obsession is no different. It involves Justin Hawkins, divo-esque lead singer of the bombastic early aughts rock band The Darkness, who has for the last few years hosted his own video series called Justin Hawkins Rides Again in which he earnestly and thoughtfully dissects new headline-making songs. He is zero snark, as far as I can tell, and in fact uses good natured ribbing appropriately and thoughtful criticism the rest of the time, punctuating it all with genuine interest and excitement when he discovers something wonderful. It represents everything I love about YouTube, and better still it showcases an absolute expert level of understanding of music, songwriting and the business of both. I am a sucker for any expert showing off their skills, and Mr. Hawkins has it in spades. Check out this critique of a TikTok singer sensation I had never heard of, in which J.H. lays out in crystal clear terms what makes him so remarkable. Plus he’s charming as heck. A fantastic example of why YouTube is winning. Some of my favorite television shows aren’t on television at all.
I must seize this opportunity to point out my studio’s tiny connection to The Rescue. One interview for that film took place in our space back during the heart of the lockdown. You can find a shoutout to the Barlow studio and camera op in the credits.
Not to be confused with the St. Louis Rams of Los Angeles, which is an entirely different organization even though they share the same colors and play in the same stadium.
mannnnn that home!
Hey thanks!