Celebrity Voyeurism!

Click here for a link to more images.

ALLISON JACKSON

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

Powerful images dominate the world. Pictures of celebrities who have reached the status of icons or demons. They are news - whether they are the Royal Family, Madonna, Posh and Becks or Britney Spears. This news becomes intrigue; it becomes difficult to differentiate between what is real and what is fantasy, what is important and what is not.

These celebrities are the icons of this contemporary folk religion. The pictures we have of them correspond to the religious pictures of the past. We find ourselves believing that what these pictures portray, really is the whole 'truth' about the subject. For example, Marilyn Monroe is just a sex goddess; Britney Spears is white trash; Camilla is usually portrayed with a touch of the wicked old witch and so on.

The question is: How limited a picture do we receive of these icons? We suspect there is much more than we are told or read about. So our imaginations get to work to compensate for our lack of real information. Thus we are continually being seduced away from the 'truth' into a world which has no 'real' grounds of integrity and authenticity. At best, a photograph of a celebrity reproduces something authentic only at the very moment the shutter clicks. We have been teased and seduced into giving tiny fragments of 'reality' an absolute authenticity. Images are by nature titillating and 'of fantasy' , aiding this process. The photograph has become more real than the real.

This work is about simulation. Creating a clone or a copy of the 'real' on paper. It is not a fake, it takes the place of the 'real' for a moment, whilst looking at the image. The aim is to create likenesses of icons, where in the image, the simulations of icons, 'threatens the difference between 'true' and 'false, between 'real' and 'imaginary'. The 'real' subject becomes not necessary. The photographic image or the icon is more important and more seductive. It doesn't matter to the viewer if the portrayal is not the 'real' - as long as it looks like him or her - it creates a temporary confusion. This is the confusion the work searches to create. We think we are looking at something real, but we're not. They are false images of look-alikes of the real thing.

Nevertheless, the photograph is authentic one sense, Jane Smith and Jo Bloggs really exist as look-alikes within the image, but they portray a false picture of perception. The photographs reflect what really exists in the public imagination. They highlight the difference between what we see and what we imagine. This is bound up in our inherent greedy voyeurism and our need to believe.

ATLANTA: Thomas Neff Lecture

The photography program is hosting a lecture by Thomas Neff on February 7 at 4:30pm in the shooting studio (515C). Tom is going to be in Atlanta in conjunction with a book signing for his new book Holding Out and Hanging On at Barnes & Noble. He teaches photography a LSU. Check out his web site.

www.thomasneffphotographer.com

50% Student Discount on Broncolor Gear!

Sinar Bron is once again providing current students the opportunity to purchase equipment from one of industry’s leaders at a reduced price.

Broncolor is celebrating their 50 year anniversary this year, and they are offering a very aggressive educational program based on that of 50% off catalog pricing for students.

To be entitled to take advantage of this offering you must adhere to the following requirements:

1) Provide a copy of your current class schedule showing that you are enrolled in an educational curriculum with emphasis on photography along with a copy of your student ID.

-OR-

Have a letter written from the registrar’s office on school letterhead that states You are enrolled in a photographic curriculum for the upcoming or current School semester.

2) Request a written quote from Sinar Bron Imaging( call toll free: 800-456-0203 ) .

Covering the State of the Union Address

Here is post from Photography Business New & Forum that has a video discussing various challenges, positions, goals, and assignments around covering the State of the Union address event.

Check out the interview by John Harrington with Dennis Burnett, founding member of Contact Press Images, who uses a single lens reflex 4x5 camera.

Essays on Missed Photographic Opportunites

Should I or shouldn't I? Has your heart sunk over the the thought of a missed photograph? You are not alone. Will Steacy is running a blog called The Photographs Not Taken, which collects personal stories from photographers their lost opportunities of what they thought would have made an excellent photograph.

From Will Steacy:

I have asked each photographer to abandon the familiar tools needed to make a photograph, camera, lens, film, all digital equivalents, etc, and now make a "photograph" with another set of tools: the memories, experiences and poetry of the world that didn't go through the lens, the negative photographs, the anti-photographs, the photographs not taken with a camera but with the heart and mind.

library of congress flickrs

check out this site if interested in lots of color pix from the 40's... the Library of Congress has a lot of really nifty images from back in the day... And they decided to put them on Flickr for easy public access. The size of the downloads is (at the high end), about a 2.5 MB jpg, which isn't too bad for web-based stuff...

Georgia Historical Society Internship Opportunity

PHOTOGRAPHY/COMMUNICATIONS INTERN(01/22/2008)

The Organization
Chartered by the Georgia General Assembly in 1839, the Georgia Historical Society is a private, non-profit organization that serves as the historical society for the state of Georgia. GHS is the oldest cultural institution in Georgia and one of the oldest state historical societies in the nation. For nearly 170 years, GHS has fulfilled its mission to collect, preserve, and share Georgia’s history by presenting a variety of educational programs, authoring publications on Georgia and southern history, and by operating a library and archives at its statewide headquarters in Savannah.

Position Summary
GHS is looking for an intern with experience in photography to help implement a new photo management system in support of the organization’s marketing and communications goals. The intern will be responsible for the creation and implementation of a user-friendly image library system to include the resizing and organization of existing images on GHS’s networked files and the creation of an image inventory (in Microsoft Excel). Work includes resizing images, organizing images, sending images, etc.

Supervisory responsibilities: None

Experience/Skills Required:
Knowledge, skills and abilities: Successful candidate must be an organized self-starter with strong attention to detail. Flexible with excellent interpersonal and communications skills and a willingness to get the job done. Strong computer skills required, including knowledge of MS Office Suite and Adobe Photoshop Elements—working in a PC environment.

Education/Experience: This position is ideal for a university student. Those interested in exploring a career in public history and/or museum studies strongly encouraged to apply.
Experience: Previous work experience in an office environment a plus.

To Apply
Send cover letter and resume to:
Attn: Photography/Communications Intern
Georgia Historical Society
501 Whitaker Street
Savannah, GA 31401
Fax: (912)651-2831
Email: jobs@georgiahistory.com
No phone calls please.

Upcoming PhotoGroup Meetings

Feb. 6th, 5:00 pm, Room 105
Guest Speaker Greg Ceo is talking to the group about getting into Stock Photography.
Interested members will leave for the Professional Practices Symposium at the Student Center at 6:00 pm

Feb. 20th, 5:00 pm, Room 105
Guest Speaker Meryl Truett is talking to the group about publishing a book.

Book Making Workshop

The following events support SCAD-Savannah student entries into the Juried Artist Book Competition at SCAD-Atlanta (deadline of March 3), and are sponsored by the School of Design and the School of Fine Arts.

Visiting artist Carol Barton will present a slide lecture Artist’s Books, Structure with Content this Thursday, Jan. 31 at 7:30 PM at Alexander Hall Auditorium.

Barton will also conduct a workshop on Pop-up Structures for Movable Books for SCAD students on Friday, February 1, 1:30 – 4:00 PM CHANGE OF VENUE: WALLIN HALL ROOM 106 The workshop is open to all SCAD students (supply list below).


Workshop participants should bring the following supplies:
Bone folder
Glue stick
X-acto knife and blades
Self-healing cutting mat or other cutting surface
Scissors
Metal ruler
Pencil
Right angle triangle
Scotch tape
A few colored markers, pencils, or rubber stamps
1-3 or your favorite pop-up books (if you have them)

Siobhan Egan MFA Thesis Exhibition

Opening reception, Friday, February 1st, 6-8 pm
Alexander Hall Gallery
668 Indian Street

Former SCAD Photo Major, Molly Gottschalk and Phenom Photog, David Lachappele: A Love Story

Click HERE for a link to the Blackbook article.

Uncovered: Lost Capa Negatives from Spanish Civil War Era

Thousands of negatives of photographs taken by Robert Capa during the Spanish Civil War, long thought to be lost forever, have resurfaced. Photo by Tony Cenicola.

-

By Randy Kennedy, The New York Times

To the small group of photography experts aware of its existence, it was known simply as “the Mexican suitcase.” And in the pantheon of lost modern cultural treasures, it was surrounded by the same mythical aura as Hemingway’s early manuscripts, which vanished from a train station in 1922.

The suitcase—actually three flimsy cardboard valises—contained thousands of negatives of pictures that Robert Capa, one of the pioneers of modern war photography, took during the Spanish Civil War before he fled Europe for America in 1939, leaving behind the contents of his Paris darkroom.

Capa assumed that the work had been lost during the Nazi invasion, and he died in 1954 on assignment in Vietnam still thinking so. But in 1995 word began to spread that the negatives had somehow survived, after taking a journey worthy of a John le Carré novel . . .

New York Times
Source: The Online Photographer

Coming to Savannah: You Can't Get There From Here

Faculty show - Rebecca Nolan and Meryl Truett are bringing their Atlanta show to Savannah, You Can't Get There From Here. Check out the work in person at the opening this Friday, Feb. 1st. at TruSpace in Desoto Row.

It's Complicated: The American Teenager

Hey- I don't know how many of you out there remember Robin Bowman, but she visited SCAD a few years back and was a staple of the New York off-campus tours back when Steve B. was leading them... You might remember the view from her loft rooftop in Brooklyn across the river was pretty great. Well, if you remember her, then you will remember she was working on a book... And it's come out-after much excruciating book publishing type agony-... and it's getting some good reviews- most recently from the Boston Globe (see January 26)... Even if you don't recall/never met Robin you should check out the book, titled as above and available at your Barnes and Noble and Amazon.Com (published by Umbrage Editions). You can see a flash movie of samples from it at robinbowman.com. A picture or two from "It's Complicated" was made in Savannah... In fact, when she was here photographing a teenage drag queen, yours truly accompanied her to the (then infamous, since disappeared) Loading Dock club, a time that will stay in the mind...

Photography Internship Panel Discussion

Wednesday, January 30
5:00 pm
Bergen Studio 308

Six current students will discuss their internship experiences from the past year. Join the discussion and learn how you can secure an internship.

Panelists
Alison Behr, Savannah Morning News
Amber Parker, Jepson Center
Cheryl Masaitis, CN Gorman Museum, UC Davis
Kristen Densmore, Sante Fe Workshops +
Maria Troncoso, Rico Watson, Panama +
Morgan Eddington, Lois Greenfield, NY

Careers in the Magazine Industry Panel Discussion

Thursday, January 31
7:30 - 9:00 pm
Lucas Theater
32 Abercorn Street

Come hear from a panel of experts from a variety of positions within the magazine publishing industry. Learn what it takes to get your foot in the door and to be successful after you've landed the job.

Panelists include professionals from the following magazines:
Lucky
Atlanta Peach/Ocean Drive
Metropolis
Couture
Men Mode
W
Women's Wear Daily
The South Magazine
Savannah Magazine

Hallmark Presentation

A representative from the creative department of Hallmark, Inc. will be making a general presentation open to all students about what it's like to work at Hallmark, what current opportunities are available and exciting new projects and initiatives.

Monday, January 28

8:00pm to 9:00pm

Student Center

120 Montgomery Street, Savannah

Hallmark generally recruits from the following areas: Illustration, Graphic Design, Photography, Animation, Architecture, Interior Design, Fibers, Industrial Design, Interactive and Game Design and Sequential Art.

Please email careers@scad.edu with questions.

Wedding Photography Job Opportunity

Photographer needed for Charleston, SC wedding on June 7th from 2-4 pm.
Please contact Lisa at lisa@strangemans.com for more information.

Susan Smith "Invisible Ranks" at TruSpace

SCAD MFA candidate, Susan Smith will be exhibiting her work at TruSpace gallery. The opening reception will be held on Friday, January 25th from 7-10 pm. The gallery is located in the Starland District at 2423 DeSoto Ave. Call 238-2882 for more information.

Job Opportunity

PHOTO DEPT TRAFFIC COORDINATOR for MAJOR BOOK PUBLISHING HOUSE

Primary responsibilities include logging in all photography to the
database, transmitting photos to various departments and returning
all images to resources. Individual must be very organized, detail
oriented, sensitive to deadlines, good under pressure. Computer
literate with Word, Excel, Photoshop and File Maker Pro.

Professional phone manner and good communication skills as individual
will be speaking with photographers and agencies. This position
supports the director of the Photo Dept and individual must be able
to multi-task and take direction well. We are a creative and lively
department and an interest in photography is a plus!

Contact: Jacqueline @ 212-614-7781 or e-mail resume to
<mailto:jacqueline@workman.com>jacqueline@workman.com

Job Opportunity

NYU / Tisch School of the Arts, Department of Photography and Imaging
Department seeks an experienced Photo Lab Technician.

The photo lab technician will oversee the daily operation of digital
and wet lab facilities. S/he will instruct students and faculty in
operating photographic equipment and accessories including digital
and film cameras, lighting equipment, light meters, and digital
projectors. Other duties will include: assisting faculty with
requests for facilities and equipment; monitoring access to
facilities; maintaining inventories of chemistry and equipment, and
performing routine maintenance and basic repair of studio and
darkroom equipment. Responsibilities also include the installation
of a variety of two and three dimensional media in gallery space for
exhibitions and supervising student technical staff.
Interested applicants should be out
of school for a few years and have relevant experience.

CANDIDATES MUST APPLY ON-LINE. nyu.edu/hr, click on "job seekers" and
type in #6720BR.

Wendy Cooper Thesis Exhibition Opening

Opening reception Friday, February 1st at Alexander Hall.

Postmodernism Lecture Series Begins February 1st

Focusing on the book by Christopher Butler "Postmodernism – A Very Short Introduction,"
published by Oxford University Press, New York, in 2002 (ISBN 10: 0-19-280239-9), the symposium panelists will discuss the chapters of the book, an inclusive, coherent and comprehensive meditation upon the history and significance of postmodernism, and in an attempt to unravel the mysteries of the 'postmodern condition' the panelists will explore the key ideas of postmodernists, and their engagement with theory, literature, the visual arts, design, film, architecture, music, etc.

Sessions will be held at the Student Center, Admission free with ID

FOUR THEMATIC SESSION SCHEDULE:

• Friday, February 01, 2008, 3-5.30 PM
The Rise of Postmodernism and The New Ways of Seeing the World (pg. 1 – 43)
• February 08, 2008, 6-8 PM
Politics and Identity (pg. 44 – 61)
• February 15, 2008, 6-8 PM
The Culture of Postmodernism (pg. 62 – 109)
• February 22, 2008, 6-8 PM
The "Postmodern Condition" (pg. 110 – 128)

Camp Art Counselor Job Opportunity

Summer Art Counselor and Photograaphy Counselor

Reply to: family@medomakcamp.com
Date: 2008-01-09, 10:07AM

Medomak Camp of Washington, Maine is the nation’s premier summer camp for the entire family. Moms, dads and kids all join in on traditional camp activities like archery, arts & crafts, tennis, basketball, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, swimming, nature, and camp crafts.
Specifically we are looking for an Arts & Crafts Counselor that is creative and is interested in working with natural materials found at camp. Some past crafts include: terrariums, birch bark frames, twig muse houses, leaf prints, papermaking… We also are looking to hire a Photography Counselor that has experience in the dark room.
Sound interesting? If you are looking for a fun summer job, an intimate and personal work setting where you get to be an active participant in the camp community, and valuable experience instructing kids and adults in the special skills that you have, then Medomak Camp for Families might be the right place for you.
We are looking for motivated, outgoing, adventurous, team-players that understand the flexibility and enthusiasm needed for any camp community. We hire counselors to teach activities to our campers and to take active roles in all areas of camp life.
Family Camp is a little different from your typical residential summer camp.
At family camp, kids come with their parents, so there is no need for counselors to bunk with the campers. Counselors live with each other and therefore have a little extra space and privacy than most camps offer.
We encourage you to check out our website and get a feel for our camp. We also highly encourage you to explore as many camps as you can in order to find the right one for you. Being a camp counselor is an extremely rewarding job and something we encourage everyone to try at least once. You’ll be glad that you did.

Family camp is a great way to work outdoors, doing the things you love. Working with adults also provides you with great networking opportunities as our family campers are doctors, lawyers, bankers, advertisers, teachers etc… from across the country
Employment dates: June 13 – August 18
Salary is commensurate with experience. Room and board is included.
Medomak Camp is committed to hiring staff with proper experience and skills, and whose background documents their ability to safely accommodate adult and child campers. Our hiring policy is non-discriminatory based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or national origin.
Contact:
David Brunner
Toll-free 866-633-6625
family@medomakcamp.com
www.medomakcamp.com

• Location: Washington, ME
• Compensation: Salary is commensurate with experience. Room and board is included.
• Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
• Phone calls about this job are ok.
• Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

NYC Photography Assistant Needed

SCAD Alumnus, David Field, is looking for a full-time assistant. The job would entail office management, retouching, and assisting on shoots. Must be willing to relocate to NYC.

For more info, email David.
dfield@thephotofield.com

Looking for Internship Panelists

If you have completed an internship outside of Savannah, please contact Rebecca Nolan. She's organizing a panel discussion and is still looking for panelists. rnolan@scad.edu

Critic/Curator Lisa Kurzner - Alexander Hall, 1/17/07 (Thursday) 7:30PM

Highly recommended for those interested in what a curator does and some of the challenges they face when organizing a show. What does a curator do? How does one become a critic? If you have these questions, go to Alexander Hall this Thursday at 7:30 to find out.

From Craig Drennon:

The Painting Department's second visiting artist lecture of 2008 will be by Ms. Lisa Kurzner on Thursday, 1/17/08 at 7:30pm in Alexander Auditorium, with a lecture titled "Nothing Negative: 2 1/2 Decades in Art." Ms. Kurzner is a freelance critic and curator based in Atlanta, GA. She was a curatorial fellow at MoMA and a Lehman research fellow at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, both in New York City. Ms. Kurzner writes art criticism for the Atlanta Journal Constitution and Artpapers magazine, among others. Since arriving in Atlanta, Ms. Kurzner has curated exhibitions at the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Marcia Wood Gallery, and Solomon Projects. She also curated "Monique van Genderen: The Sensations of Mental Life" at the ACA Gallery at the Savannah College of Art and Design. (Art in America, April 2007)

PHOTO ALUMNI PANEL Next Monday!!!

PHOTO CAREERS EVENT ON 1/4 -- NOT TO BE MISSED!!

Monday, January 14

7:30pm to 9:00pm

Trustees Theater, 216 E. Broughton Street

Successful SCAD photography alumni will discuss how they started their careers and what keeps them at the top of their fields. Panelists include:

-- Adrian Coakley (B.F.A., 2007) -- Picture Editor at National Geographic

-- Amy Kalyn Sims (B.F.A., 2002) -- freelance editorial photographer

-- Mitch Soileau (B.F.A., 2001) -- production photographer and educator

Jenny Kuhla, chair of the photography department, and Greg Ceo, professor of photography, will moderate the discussion.

Sponsored by the office of career services and the SCAD photography department.

To receive information about career-related events, sign up for the Job Wire at www.scad.edu/jobmagnet!

36 Exposure Challenge (Shoot Some Film Before It's Gone)

Digateers new and old! Most of you may remember that challenge of filling that entire roll of film - all 36 frames. "What do I shoot?", "How will I fill this entire roll?", "How many of these do I need for next class?" But in the new age of nearing double digit flash cards, are we nearly as careful, making sure every frame counts? One website has offered a contest to challenge our practice of restraint.

From File Magazine:

These days, we love our digital cameras. They give us the freedom to explore photography as never before. We get instant feedback on our photographic experiments and find out what works and what doesn't; we can easily manipulate the results and correct our blunders; and to ensure we don't miss a shot, we shoot all the pictures our memory cards will hold. When we are done, we pack our hard drives with gigabytes of images and flood the web with our work.

But this ease of use and surfeit of images comes with a price. In the analog era, when we had to pay to see what we shot, we were more careful when we took photographs. This forced a discipline that is hard to imagine today. In the words of Stephen Shore, "[Today] there seems to be a greater freedom and lack of restraint...as one considers one's pictures less, one produces fewer truly considered pictures.

This is where our 36 Exposures Challenge -- brought to you by FILE and our friends at Coudal Partners and Flak Photo -- comes in. In it, we are asking you to use a film camera to explore Shore's concept of "conscious intentionality." Broadly speaking, we are challenging you to do two things: articulate a concept, project, or theme and then use a film camera to photograph the images to accompany it.

Phase One Training Sessions in Savannah

For those who have taken at least one Studio class and are not currently enrolled in an Advanced class, consider attending one of the following training sessions on use of the new Rollei/Phase One digital back camera systems.

Friday: 1.11.08 : 3pm : room 308
Friday: 1.18.08 : 3pm : room 308
Friday: 1.25.08 : 1pm : room 308

Exhibition Opportunities for Emerging Photographers

Humble Arts Foundation kicks off the New Year with two opportunities for emerging photographers. Details below.
Open Call for Emerging Women Photographers Under 31
"31 Under 31: Young Women in Art Photography"
On March 1, 2008, in honor of Women's History Month, Humble Arts Foundation, in collaboration with Ladies Lotto, will present "31 Under 31: Young Women in Art Photography," a month-long exhibition celebrating 31 of the most innovative young women in emerging art photography under the age of 31. The Exhibition is co-curated by Lumi Tan, Director of Zach Feuer Gallery in NYC, and Jon Feinstein, Curatorial Director of Humble Arts Foundation.
We are now accepting submissions from women photographers under the age of 31.

Submission deadline: Friday, January 25th, 2008
Submission guidelines: 5 – 10 jpegs, 550 pixels wide @ 72dpi, RGB, brief bio and artist statement
We will not consider images sent in a zipped file.
There is no submission fee.
Eligibility: Photographers must be female and born after March 1, 1977
Send submissions to: 31@hafny.org
Selected photographers will be notified by Friday, Feb 1st, 2008
Art must be received ready to hang by Monday, Feb 25th, 2008
Exhibition Dates: Saturday, March 1st, 2008 – Saturday, March 29th, 2008
Venue: 3rd Ward Brooklyn

Humble Arts Foundation is currently accepting proposals for its Spring 2008 Grant for Emerging Photographers

Humble Arts Foundation established the Grant for Emerging Photographers (GEP) in 2007 to support fine art photography projects in the U.S. and abroad.

How the GEP Works
Given twice annually, the GEP is a $1,000 grant award that recognizes the strongest new proposal in fine art photography as submitted to Humble Arts Foundation.

Deadline: 11:59 pm, Monday, March 3, 2008
Notification
Applicants will be notified via e-mail starting the first week of April as to the status of their proposal.
Applicant Eligibility
Applications will be accepted from photographers who are at least 18 years old and do not have gallery representation.
Project Eligibility
We will fund projects that are new or ongoing.
Applicants should submit no more than one (1) proposal requesting support for one (1) project.
Review Process
Humble Arts Foundation's senior curatorial staff will review projects for visual strength and clarity of proposal.
Submission Guidelines
You may submit up to five images. Each image must be:
Jpeg format, 72dpi, 550 pixels wide only
In addition, rename each photo with your first and last name (ex. john_doe1.jpg, john_doe2.jpg, etc). We will not consider applications with .zips files or links to your work/website.
Application Process
Your application is complete after you have completed the online application and submitted up to five images. We will not consider incomplete applications.
For questions, please send an e-mail to: grant@hafny.org or visit
http://humbleartsfoundation.org/gep/index.html.

Wedding Photography Job Opportunity

Looking for something “different” and better in wedding photos.
I’m looking for an enthusiastic and creative photographer who would like to make some money and work on their portfolio to photograph my May 17th wedding. You would have lots of creative license as long as you get the usual pictures as well. Location is Jekyll Island’s breathtaking Driftwood Beach (near Brunswick and Savannah, GA). You should have your own equipment and some sample photos. Please e-mail Alicia at aliciabc@uga.edu for details.