After almost eleven years and over 5,800 posts the machinery behind this blog appears to have reached its limits. All the existing content consists of static files, so those are all fine and accessible. However, creating new posts has become increasingly problematic, at the time of this writing I cannot update “Extended.” I had plans for a new version of this site for a while, now these plans are being implemented. A lot of work has gone into that this week, and I hope that a new site will be up and running very soon.
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Unfortunately, my website is currently suffering from some severe technical problems. I don’t know when they will be resolved. Please keep an eye on my Twitter feed for updates. Update (9 April 2013): The situation is unchanged. I’ll try to post new content, but that may or may not work.
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Those sad about the demise of Polaroid have the option to either pay quite a bit of money for Impossible film (with, often, very mixed results), or there are Fuji’s Instax cameras. I’ve long been using Fuji’s system - it works great, and it’s a lot of fun. Things just got a whole lot better. A little while ago, Fuji got in touch with me, asking me whether I wanted to be one of the ten people world-wide to test their new tintype film (lest you think that’s one of the perks of blogging, it isn’t, at least not for me; this was a first). At first, I thought it was a joke, but it was very much real. Fuji’s only condition was absolute secrecy until the date of the announcement. InstaType - that’s the name of the new film - comes very close to looking like a tintype, and from what I can tell the chemistry behind it must be at least similar to the original process. The film pack is much heavier - each photo sits on a thin metal sheet. As you can imagine, the process is a bit iffy: Once the photo is ejected from the camera, the photo still flexes. The image develops more quickly than the regular Instax ones, and at the end, the photo itself gets rather stiff. Just like in the case of the regular Instax films, there is a thin plastic sheet over the photograph - neatly preventing the emulsion to get scratched. The new film is now on sale, and there’s a discount for readers of this site (code “INSTACON” - limited to two packs per buyer). So if you want the film (trust me, if you have one of these cameras, you really do), head right over to the product page.
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Wishing everybody a very Happy New Year 2013!
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As I mentioned earlier, I have been very actively involved in the Hartford Art School International Limited-Residency Photography MFA Program. A large part of the attraction for me is the fact that photobooks play such an integral part of the program itself. To graduate, students not only have to present their photographs in an exhibition, they also have to produce a book (hence the tables in the above photographs: That’s where the books were displayed). The first published book to emerge from the program is J Carrier’s Elementary Calculus (J did the book during the first year, and he actually graduated with a second, different book!).
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I’m excited to announce the Conscientious Portfolio Competition 2012, the fourth of its kind. As before, the winner(s) will have their work featured here on this website, in the form of an extended conversation/interview. Two guest judges, Robert Lyons (director of the Hartford Art School Limited-Residency Photography MFA Program) and Michel Mallard (one of the masterminds behind the International Photography Festival in Hyères), are joining me to pick the winner(s) - and there’s a twist. Find all the details below. I will introduce Robert and Michel in more detail in a separate post.
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Since its inception in the summer of 2010, I have been very actively involved in the Hartford Art School International Limited-Residency Photography MFA Program (previously an adjunct, I’ve just become a full-time faculty member). The program is centered on the idea of having short and extremely intense sessions at various places (Hartford, New York City, San Francisco, Berlin - in spring, summer, and fall), during which students and faculty (plus additional guests) meet up in person for classes and critiques. When not in session, students live and work at home (wherever that might be), interacting with their advisors and peers over the web. (more)
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Ten years ago, I started to compile this website. I suppose I could write a little bit about the past ten years, or a little bit about the next ten years (quo vado?), but I am not very interested in those options. I want to say this, though (and that’s about all I’m going to say about this website): I’m very happy about what this site has turned into. I never had any plan other than creating a site where one could conveniently find a large collection of (mostly) contemporary photography. That I’ve done, and I’ve added other content, in the form of writing and interviews. (more)
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To whom it may concern: Earlier this year, the Cultural Council of The Netherlands advised the Dutch Government to cut financial support to Noorderlicht after 2012. I am writing this letter to you, the members of the Council, to strongly urge you to reverse your previous decision and to continue funding Noorderlicht. Noorderlicht has been an important member of the photographic community for many years, a community that extends beyond regional or national borders. While I can only speak for myself, I sense strong support for Noorderlicht in the community. It is for this reason that I decided to express my own support in this public form, using the very medium that I have been using for the past decade. Over the past years, Noorderlicht has contributed many important projects to our photographic community, including the Noorderlicht Photofestival or the various publications, some of which I am happy to own - and use when teaching students. Add to these exhibitions such as, for example, the recent “Cruel and Unusual,” a group exhibition curated by fellow photography bloggers Pete Brook and Hester Keijser. Noorderlicht was instrumental in turning what originally was a project centered on the United States into a global statement about incarceration and its effects. In addition, Noorderlicht has also been instrumental in building the Netherlands’ status as one of the strongholds of the international photographic community. Cutting the financial support for Noorderlicht will not only be extremely detrimental for the organization, forcing it to close, it will also undercut Dutch photography as a whole. It is for these reasons that I strongly urge you to continue providing financial support to Noorderlicht. Sincerely, Jörg Colberg
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Aaron Schuman just published a new issue of Seesaw Magazine - as always very much worth the visit!
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I didn’t see this one coming: A press person of World Press Photo emailed me to inform me that the organization is going to rename itself: “We had a look at the list of photos of the year, and we realized that 40 out of 54 winning photos were taken by American or European photographers. Clearly, our name should reflect this reality. So we decided to invite the public to suggest a new name for our organization.” Head right over to suggest a new name by using this link.
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Here’s a great story I found in the local paper (!): A photo student at Hampshire College, Helena Morrison, bought a copy of House of Coates and showed it to her grandfather, whose name is, you guessed it, Lester B. Morrison (in case you’re curious, the B stands for Bernard). Mr Morrison is 77 years old and lives in Agawam, MA (just a few miles south from here). Apparently, he was not very pleased with what he saw: “First of all, those are not my pictures. I take better pictures than that. And I’m not a broken man. I don’t even know what that means. I’m a very happy man. I have a lovely wife, two daughters, and four grandchildren. I don’t understand any of this. This is art?” Find the full story from the Daily Hampshire Gazette here.
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In an attempt to make the archives slightly more usable, I added a new category: Photobooks. So you can now easily access all the photobook related posts there.
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If you participated in my reader survey (which is now closed) let me first thank you for taking the time! I’m incredibly happy so many people participated. For those who didn’t have the time, the survey essentially was all about content. I started this website ten years ago, and I was curious about both what readers thought about existing content (specifically what they are interested in) and about possible future content (ditto). I’ve always believed that this website’s focus should be on providing content. Content (as opposed to mere PR, say) is what I am personally interested in, and the results of the survey indicate that there is indeed a larger interest in that. A first, direct consequence of the survey has already made an appearance: My first meditation on a photograph is a result of large numbers of people noting that they would like to see articles like that. There will definitely be more of those types of articles. There will also be more interviews. (more)
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As you saw earlier here, I’m currently conducting a reader survey to find out how to improve this website. I want to thank everybody who has already taken the survey! Your time and feedback is much appreciated! If you haven’t taken the survey, yet - maybe you have a few moments?
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I’m always very interested in improving this website. In order to do so, I just created a little survey. The survey has five questions, so it won’t take much of your time. It’s also anonymous, and you don’t need to sign up for anything. If you want to give me the chance to contact you about your input, you can leave your name and email address at the bottom of the survey. Your input is much appreciated! Find the survey here. The survey is open until 31 Jan, 2012.
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Everybody knows there’s Google Street View, but who knows there also is Bing Streetside? I usually don’t spend much time with such stuff, but last night I thought I should check out the Bing version (anticipating the occasional art project). (more)
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If you want to apply for the Hyères 2012 Photography Festival now is the time. The deadline is 15 November, 2011. It’s a fantastic opportunity for photographers - if you end up as one of the ten finalists you’re in for a total treat.
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I could be wrong about this but I think the internet and especially social media have come with an increased amount of self reflexiveness. I suppose if we were so inclined we could call this “navel gazing.” But clearly, there appears to be a lot of writing about social media themselves (just like debates about photography have increasingly moved towards talking about the business of photography - to the point where you can have a workshop about the business of photography without any photographers as presenters). The backlash seems inevitable: People pointing out that life without the internet and/or social media is entirely worthwhile. (more)
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No electricity at home, no internet. At least the cell-phone service is back, but this blog won’t get updated until we get power back. Hopefully, it won’t be too long.
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Copies of Monalisen der Vorstädte (“Mona Lisas of the Suburbs” - the book has text both in German and English), a project by Ute and Werner Mahler, have arrived in the US and can now be ordered! To order, go to the Meier & Müller store. For details about the work, see my interview with the artists.
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I was supposed to get back from a trip to Montreal last night, but Air Canada first cancelled my flight last night, and now the plane is broken, with delay piling upon delay. Regular posting here will resume tomorrow.
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The first Conscientious spin-off book, Conversations with Photographers, Vol. 1, is selling steadily. If you haven’t ordered a copy for yourself now might be a good time to do so!
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Being able to do extended conversations with photographers has always been one of the best parts of producing Conscientious. Some of these conversations are now coming to a bookshelf near (or even next to) you: The first volume of Conversations With Photographers is now available. The book contains conversations from this site plus exclusive follow-up interviews that are only going to be available in print (a total of five interviews). This first volume contains conversations with Brian Ulrich, Hellen van Meene, and Christopher Anderson. Find all the details and information on how to order the book here.
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The deadline for this year’s Conscientious Portfolio Competition is approaching: 21 August 2011. If you haven’t submitted work but are planning to do so now is the time!
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Yet again, the Conscientious Portfolio Competition features an expanded jury. Joining me to find the winner(s) are Caroline von Courten (Foam Magazine) and Michael Mazzeo (Michael Mazzeo Gallery). I’m very grateful that both Caroline and Michael agreed to do “jury duty” this year, and I would like to use the opportunity to introduce them in more detail below. (more)
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I’m excited to announce the Conscientious Portfolio Competition 2011, the third of its kind. As before, the winner(s) will have their work featured here on this website, in the form of an extended conversation/interview. Two guest judges, Caroline von Courten (Foam Magazine) and Michael Mazzeo (Michael Mazzeo Gallery), are joining me to pick the winner(s) - and there’s a twist. Find all the details below. I will introduce Caroline and Michael in more detail in a separate post. (more)
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Nowness invited me to produce a little feature inspired by the Deutsche Börse Prize, so I came up with a look at conceptual photography (with overlaps with all kinds of other types of photography).
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The other day, the New York Times announced its model to charge frequent readers of their website (prices here). As could be expected, the move caused a lot of chatter. I’m with Rob who called this The End of Free, writing “I believe this marks the end of an era where everyone scrambled to make something free and marveled at all the people who used it. Increasingly I’ve found myself looking at all the free options and then going for the higher quality paid option. That doesn’t mean that free will no longer exist, just that products you use heavily or want more quality/reliability out of will be paid.” (my emphasis) One of the Times’ own writers makes a very compelling case for the principle itself here.
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If you want to support relief efforts for Japan and buy a piece of art at the same time, you can do so by picking up one of the photos available at Wall Space Gallery’s life support japan. The prints are $50 each (editions of ten), and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Direct Relief and Habitat for Humanity Japan. The image above, by Emily Shur, is one of the photographs for sale.
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I revamped my online portfolio reviews and added a couple additional services, project reviews and consultations. Here’s what these are: A portfolio review is, well, what you’d imagine it is. A project review is a series of meet-ups, designed for photographers who are working on a project and want feedback on a project in progress. The number of meet-ups and overall structure will be arranged to accommodate the photographer’s needs. A consultation is designed for photographers who have general questions about their website, social networking, how to approach galleries, how to design a photobook or publish a photobook, etc. Everything will be done via Skype, so there are no travel costs (meet-ups in person can be arranged, too). Portfolio reviews are US$60 or US$100 for 30 minutes or an hour, respectively. I’ll set up a separate website with more details over the next few days. In the meantime, email me (review at jmcolberg.com) for more information.
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You’ve probably noticed that many of the book reviews contains links to the books’ Amazon.com pages. There is a very simple reason for that. If you decide to buy a book having read its review, Amazon.com will pay me a small percentage of its price as a referral fee. In a nutshell, if you decide to buy a book via Amazon.com coming from one of the reviews here you are not only treating yourself to something, you also indirectly support this blog and all the work that goes into it.
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Wishing everybody Happy Holidays and a truly wonderful and happy New Year 2011!
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“João Silva, 44, a South African photographer on contract with The New York Times, stepped on a mine while accompanying American soldiers patrolling an area near the town of Arghandab in southern Afghanistan on October 23rd, 2010. Despite immediate help from medics, both his legs were lost below the knees.” Friends of his set up a website (which is the source of the quote) where you can either donate money or buy one of his prints, to support Silva’s recovery efforts.
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My work on this blog has in part been made possible by the advertizers. I want to take this opportunity to thank them for their support of this blog! The International Limited-Residency MFA Program at the Hartford Art School offers the possibility to work on an MFA without the need to take a break from life for two or three years. Applications for the next year are now being accepted, with a deadline of mid-January 2011. (full disclosure: I’m a faculty member/thesis adviser in the program) Edition One Books produces top quality books, maintaining “the highest quality standards in the short-run book production industry through precise control of each manufacturing step,” using “a complete in-house production system geared towards the high-end photography and art book market.”
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I know I’m somewhat shameless today, but here’s another workshop announcement: “[OR]EDU, an innovative online educational initiative originated in Russia and launched by Objective Reality Foundation in 2008, is now offering its workshops internationally. In the fall of 2010 [OR]EDU opened its free online workshops in photography and multimedia to applicants worldwide. [OR]EDU project aims at supporting contemporary narratives, and engaging both professional authors and the audience in navigating the wide range of social issues through visual storytelling.” (more)
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Regular readers of this blog will be aware of the Photography Festival in Hyeres, France. Registration for the 2011 edition is now open!
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The Griffin Museum awarded this year’s Rising Star award to David Bram of Fraction Magazine fame. Congratulations, David!
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For those thinking about submitting work to the Conscientious Portfolio Competition 2010, the deadline is approaching: It’s 13 August 2010, 11:59pm ET.
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This year’s Conscientious Portfolio Competition features an expanded jury. Joining me to find the winner(s) are Elisabeth Biondi (New Yorker magazine) and Susanna Brown (Victoria and Albert Museum). I’m very grateful that both Elisabeth and Susanna agreed to do “jury duty” this year, and I would like to use the opportunity to introduce them in more detail below. (more)
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I’m excited to announce the Conscientious Portfolio Competition 2010, the second of its kind (after a great start last year). As before, the winner(s) will have their work featured here on this website, in the form of an extended conversation/interview. This year, two guest judges, Elisabeth Biondi (New Yorker magazine) and Susanna Brown (Victoria and Albert Museum), are joining me to pick the winner(s) - and there’s a twist. Find all the details below. In a separate post, I will introduce Elisabeth and Susanna. (more)
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For Down These Mean Streets Will Steacy and Michael Mazzeo Gallery produced a tabloid-style newspaper with images, journal entries, maps, and notes. The first ten people to email me (subject line “Me Me Me!”) will receive a copy for free. Update: OK, the free copies are gone…
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Richard Renaldi’s Touching Strangers is one of the most extraordinary portraiture projects I’ve seen in recent years, and if you’re wondering why you can see it on view in New York, at Hermès gallery, from April 9 through May 28, 2010. A little while ago, I did an interview with Richard about the series, which you can find here.
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I’m still busy in Houston, but this is too interesting not to post it: Researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institut (that’s the same people who invented the mp3 algorithm) finally managed to visualize the web, that is create a visual representation of the data moving on the web at some point in time (the scientists used 4 November 2008). Unfortunately, I haven’t found an English language version of the article, yet, but here is the image they produced. Prof. Dr. Furzelbaum, the leader of the team that published the work in Germany’s computer science technology quarterly Der Computer und Du, is quoted as saying that he is “disappointed, yet not surprised” that the image looks just like a white noise spectrum. Well, I suppose all the naysayers were correct after all. If you want to look at the original article, here it is.
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Next week, I’ll be at Fotofest, doing portfolio reviews. Posting here might slow down a tiny little bit.
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I’m still learning how to work with the newly designed site. The work flow has change a little bit, and there are lots of additional options: It’s a bit like driving a fancy car after taking the bus for a long time.
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I just got an email from someone complaining how the images on this blog got so small. In fact, the images on the individual pages are now actually larger - but to see/read them you need to click on the individual posts on the front page. The images are only smaller on the front page, which serves as the portal to all the contents.
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I mentioned earlier that the re-design of this website would have been impossible without Tim Gasperak, so I want to use this opportunity to introduce you to Tim and his work. (more)
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Unless you’re reading this blog through its RSS feed, you probably noticed that the website looks very different now. I want to talk about what is different and why, so that you can get the most out of this blog. The first thing to note is that while shorter posts are displayed in their entirety on the main page, longer posts aren’t. You access longer posts by clicking on their titles. From now on, I’ll indicate that there is more to read by using (more)
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There is going to be a redesigned, new version of this blog website coming online, with the switch coming up this weekend (Saturday/Sunday). Of course, you’ll see what’s new and changed once it’s up. But if you visit this site on Saturday and/or Sunday, service might be disrupted. Hopefully, it won’t be, but if it is, just come back later. I’ll introduce all the various changes, plus the mastermind behind the new design, once the new site is up. Well, you’re seeing this, so this is it: The redesigned Conscientious. More details, incl. an introduction of the design mastermind, over the next few days.
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