Kyle Frere: a photo

"A Metal Facehole"
by Kyle Frere

more advice

a great thing my sister sent me from the guy who does these great newspaper blackout poems.

Austin Kleon

a neat little article for Young Creatives

Tips for us young creatives.  A Photo Editor picked some favorites.  Good advice!

Thanks to Sandra R. for passing this along!

photo by Keith Carter

featured artist and guest blogger Polly Chandler!

photo by Jonathon Edwards

I'll try *real* hard not to gush.  Polly Chandler is amongst my favorite artists, and never ceases to stun me with her brilliant photographs.

She was kind enough to write a few words about her experience in the photographic world.  I so love her:

"I received my Masters in Communication & Media Arts, Specializing in Fine Art Photography at SIU in 2004. But once I graduated it was up to me to continue learning and practicing, which I do on a daily basis: by looking at other photographers' work, sketching ideas and actually shooting, even if it's just with my point & shoot. It's all going to keep the creative mind 'fit'."

"I've worked many jobs that are photo-related, including photo-labs, weddings, editorial and as a Staff Photographer for the Texas House of Representatives for 4 years. I'm currently teaching photography at the Art Institute of Austin. But primarily I am a “fine art photographer”.

I mostly use a Large Format 4x5 Toyo 45CX camera although I often shoot medium format film with my Mamiya RB67 and, yes, I also shoot digitally with my Canon 5D. Believe it or not, I've been using my iphone to shoot little things I see. Film is my first love and I will use it until it's obsolete."

 "I think you should know the technology, the 'craft', the history and 'the rules'. Once you know all of these things, then you can make your own artistic decisions ('break' the rules). Also, shoot, shoot, shoot. And then shoot some more!

Always be practicing and making photographs, it's how you'll get better and continue to grow as a photographer."

"If photography is your passion, and you are in love with it, then doing it will be something like feeding a craving. A natural high. My suggestion is to listen to that passion and continue to ask yourself how you can improve as a photographer. Also, as I said earlier; shoot, shoot, and shoot some more! Practice, feedback from your peers, instructors and mentors is what will help you "grow" and just don't ever stop pushing yourself."

--Polly 

check out more of her work at pollychandler.com!

from hannah:

Hello there, my name is Hannah Russell, and I am a young, recently graduated, very unemployed photographer.

Speaking of rolling balls...

For the Paducah, KY photo contest, I'm trying to decide which photos to submit. It would be easy to just say "all of them" but I'm looking for critical, constructive feedback. Which one of these photographs is the strongest? second strongest? third?

'Bridget in Cairo' - 4x5, b/w film

'Gettin' Down on Jr. Lightfoot's Farm' - 120, b/w film

'Boys in Front of Record Store. Carbondale, IL' - 4x5 transparency

'Sandbar off of the Mississippi. Near Rt. 3, IL' - 120, color film

'Shotgun House in Mounds, IL' - 4x5, b/w film

'The Challenger' - 4x5, b/w film

Thank you very much for looking! Everyone who is interested should submit to Paducah!

--hannah

check out more of Hannah's work!

Paducah Photo 2011 Deadline!

Thanks to Hannah for reminding us that tomorrow at midnight is the last day for early bird submissions for Paducah Photo 2011!  May 1st for late submissions.  Don't blow this off!  There's $2000 in prizes!  

Jurored by Karen Irvine, curator at the MoCP at Columbia College, Chicago.

'stop working' - matteo armellini (1st place, 2010)

Check out winners from last year.

-b 

getting the ball rolling

Little Grassy - Bridget Ryan

a beginning

hello friends!

For those of us recent graduates and young people trying to start a career in the arts, we quickly realize that in this slumping economy it's a bit more challenging than we may have bargained for to get our work and ourselves out there.  

I'm beginning YPC to bring young photographers together to share ideas, stories, and work with one another.  One of the most important resources we have is one another, and this is a forum to make that happen.  

So follow!  Invite your friends!  Submit images, stories - anything - to youngphotographerscollective@gmail.com and I'll post it on the blog. 

-b