Notes from the Rust Belt

July 17, 2014 Tom Sebastiano

When photographer Markus Lehr moved to Berlin from southern Germany in 1982 he brought with him memories of his father's keen interest in photography. Remembering as a child his fathers Voigtländer Bessamatic together with its impressive collection of lenses and filters that he used to carry around in his old leather bag. Later as a teenager, Markus was allowed into the darkroom of his father's camera club and a whole new and exciting world was revealed. The baton was passed and although Markus shot regularly from then on, it was not until three years ago whilst trying out night photography that a true and meaningful fascination with photography emerged.

Since then his photography has evolved, now specialising in urban images that reflect an unseen human presence and relationship with the city’s often forgotten and unused places. The topography and elements of his work by being ubiquitous and commonplace tell stories without necessarily setting them in a time and place. One of Markus’ most recent works ‘Notes from the Rust Belt’ features long exposure night work of the Ruhr’s industrial areas in western Germany, this project exemplifies his current work and gives us a chance to explore further his photographic thinking and influence.

• Markus your focus is very much on topographic landscapes, human involvement is ever-present but only implied, can you tell me a bit about your interest in this area and how it may have evolved from your photographic beginnings? I guess what I’m interested in is how you came to develop this style.

I guess in the beginning it was quite logical that there were no people in my shots. I needed to concentrate, so I intentionally selected calm places to explore the long exposures I was interested in. After a while I noticed the power of this "peoplelessness" and I began to realise that even without any humans within the frame the scenes were still talking about us and the relationship we have with our environment. I began to focus on that further. Another source of inspiration was my love for arthouse movies. Especially Antonioni's Desserto Rosso and "Blow up" influenced me tremendously. This brings me directly to your next question.

• You seem to have a fascination with stillness and the dark, the majority of your work is photographed at night can you tell me why you chose to work during these hours?

There is a scene in Antonioni's "Blow up" where the main character is situated outside an empty tennis court. We hear the sound of a ball being played but we see nothing than the empty field. Everything happens in the head of the main character. I think I would be happy if my images could achieve an effect like that. So much for the stillness. About the night: The simple answer is that I can concentrate and focus easier in the quiet places where I am shooting mostly. I guess it has a lot to do with wanting to control the result. The cinematic approach may also play a role.

• I notice that colour plays a key roll in your compositions, what is your feeling about colour and it’s roll in your work and have you every worked in mono?

I love colour, the many fine tones and feelings you can express with colours. I would miss those possibilities if I would restrict myself to black and white. Colours are also playing a big role in creating the atmosphere and feeling of a scene. For me it is more a whole thing, it adds the real life which is in between black and white. I don't mean the shouting colours, the more I explore this path the more I prefer the dimmed ones. Very close to grey or white or black but with a little tone. Maybe this is a continuation of my search for the quiet places. I did work in black and white earlier on and I was sometimes tempted to do night shots in black and white but then again, whenever It tried it I didn't find the results satisfying.

• Your latest series Notes from the Rust Belt is associated with the post industrial decay and economic loss in many Northeastern states of the US. Is this a term used in Gemany?

The term isn't used in Germany but as the Ruhr area faced a very similar fate compared to those states in the US, I thought it would be a good idea to set the tone for the series with this title.

• You are from Berlin, what is your association with the Ruhr in the far west. Notes from the Rust Belt with it’s big sky and expansive landscapes is set apart from some of the more intimate images of small huts, vehicles in your other work. Is this a conscientious thing or just a consequence of the locations?

As a young boy I was fascinated by stories about spacecrafts and friendly aliens coming to visit us. The Ruhr area is full of old industry of the last two centuries. Unlike Berlin you find a lot of those places relatively intact. Going there meant a bit visiting my childhood dreams. Now I am not that boy anymore and a lot of those childhood dreams didn't materialise and so while I was there the images I captured oscillated between that fantasies of the young boy and the melancholy of the grown-up person. The places are empty now. Nobody works there any longer. "Everybody moved to the new world" like I titled one of my images. I don't see this as a loss only. It is a new beginning as well and you can feel it there a lot. I hope I succeeded saving that sense of wonders a bit.

• How long did it take to complete the series?

I was preparing the trip, finding out about the locations for a month roughly. The shooting time was four days and nights. And then it took me another month and a half to select and process the images.

• Can you tell me about your plans for your next project?

I hope I will have the time to do a series about my home region, Franconia, later this year. This would be kind of a complimentary project to 'Notes from the Rust Belt'. It would be a rural area vs. a highly industrialised one and an area I have known since childhood vs. a place I have never been to before. I am planning to focus on the detached countryside aspect, the small villages and the earthy and dark green tones vs. the concrete and steel and iron tones of the Ruhr area. I have a few other ideas in mind like a series about workplaces. I occasionally shot images with this theme in mind already but never really focused on it. It is exciting going out and coming home with a bag full of images to explore. Sometimes the idea for a new series materialises while I am working on an image. So who knows what's around the next corner.

For me, every time I see one of Markus' images there is a beautiful stillness and contemplation in his compositions. Knowing more about his thoughts and how they are made only adds to their fascination. If you want to see more of Markus Lehr’s work you can follow his photostream f1dot8 on Flickr, or catch up with his latest news on his own website

Maman, lève un peu plus la tête, regarde le plafond...

June 4, 2014 Tom Sebastiano

© All Rights Reserved | Dominique Conil 2014

“Mummy tilt your head back and look at the ceiling”.

An instruction from Dominique's seven-year-old daughter Lili as she took charge of her mum's Bronica SQ.

"I set the speed and aperture, Lili focused and framed"

Dominique proudly told me.

The resulting image is both revealing and enchanting. A special portrait with it’s low down angle and requested pose, this picture sums up the magic of a child’s eye-view and was a chance for the tables to turn, allowing Lili to be the photographer and not the subject for once. If you want to see some of Dominique’s own beautiful analogue work, visit her website www.dominiqueconil.fr

The Re-enactors

May 23, 2014 Tom Sebastiano

Last spring, my friend, Tony Britton, agreed to lend me his daughter’s camera without even telling her! She was away travelling and he had just spent a fortune getting it new light seals and having it serviced. We justified it as a way to test it for her return. Some weeks later, when I reluctantly returned the camera; Tony proudly showed me Amelia’s photography over coffee. Her work was excellent, original and really appealed to my photographic taste. I was particularly struck by her series, The Re-enactors. And so, a year later, I found a way to share this superb collection and to confess, in person, to having borrowed Amelia’s camera; it turned out she knew all along.

• Amelia, tell me a bit about you?

I'm an ex-student of Middlesex University where I graduated in Photography with a First Class. I'm currently setting up a studio-based business called Fresh Shoot Studios! I have a cat with 3 legs and cake is staple in my diet.

• I know that ‘The Re-enactors’ was a part of your university work, can you tell me more about the assignment and its part in your degree?

"The Re-enactors' took my life for the best part of a year. It was my final year assignment and was most of my degree. It was hard, wonderful, and cold.

• How did you come up with the idea for the series, were you inspired by something you had seen or someone you knew?

I had recently completed a similar documentary project on Amateur Dramatic Societies, and this felt like a natural step. It's another side to dramatics only a lot more ammunition! The guys (and girls) that take part are fully committed to giving a great performance! I knew a couple of people that took part in it from when I worked at the Palace Theatre, and once you know one person, that whole world opens up!

• Did you have a clear vision of what ‘The Re-enactors’ was going to be about and how you were going to tell the story or did it grow slowly out of each shot?

Honestly, no! I did a few shoots with re-enactors in the field but I found the most interesting shots during tea break! The madness of seeing a World War II soldier talking on his mobile phone was just wonderful to watch. In the end the project came off the field and into their homes and real lives. It's in their own homes that these photographs really show them as 'The Re-enactors'.

• The series comprises of two portraits of each re-enactor, one internal and one external. Why and what did these settings mean to you?

I think both of these settings just show the context of the project. Because ultimately these aren't soldiers, they are modern men. I think it's important not to recreate images of the past but to create new images.

• Can you tell me a bit about how you approached a potential re-enactor and what was their reaction to your request?

The re-enactors were very open and willing to have their photographs taken! They loved doing it, and often their entire family was involved so it was really easy to get people involved. Husbands and wives, room mates, mothers and sons, in some way everybody in the project had a connection.

• You said that your tutor warned you of the possibility that the images could be seen as ‘mocking’ their subjects, how did you feel about this statement and did it have an affect on how you approached the project?

I was actually quite taken aback by it. It wasn't until after the main shoots that this was put to me. I'd never even thought of it as mocking. I think the images reflect that, all the poses in the photographs are quite strong, and I think they are almost images of power. I think if I'd photographed them getting dressed, or in a more documentary way that definitely could have been evident - especially as I've never taken part in re-enactment; not that I wasn't invited too!

• How did the re-enactors react to the finished project as a series and do you have any interesting or funny anecdotes?

The re-enactors are the most warm hearted group of people I've ever met. They are so willing to help you get what you need out of the shoot. As far as I'm aware they are all very happy with the images, they all have copies of the images.

There was one time, the first time I met the incredible 'Texas Dave'. We met outside Hounslow West Tube station for a coffee/initial meet and greet! He turned up in full re-enactor wear. I thought he had done this just for me, I later came to realise this was his way of life. He lived and breathed Texas and its cowboys. So we met very briefly and then he offered to show me his entire collection located at his home in Twickenham. I had a gut feeling that this was a man I could trust, so I got into his car and we made our way to Twickenham. It was only half way there that he mentioned that I could see his knife collection. Panic ensued.

However there was absolutely nothing to worry about as what I came across in that high rise flat was something I couldn't have even imagined. Wall to wall (literally, even the floor) covered in Texas memorabilia. It was an extensive collection, and I knew that I needed to take his portraits among his possessions. Texas Dave's images are ultimately my favourites, such a kind and gentle man. Unfortunately Texas Dave died at the end of last year, from Parkinson's, and so I have dedicated this project to him.

• How important is a series or project as opposed to a single image to you and why?

I think a series of images is just so much more powerful. Photography is completely subjective; but in my opinion having a more rounded, comprehensive look at what you are photographing is so much more interesting. There is also a tendency in photography to take things out of context, and so having a series gives people that context. Which for me, is important.

• Can you tell me a bit about your next project?

I love working with groups of people. I've always had a fascination with people who keep and race ferrets! One day I hope to make a series of portraits based on ferret keepers. At the moment my main focus is getting my own business started and then when that starts to run itself, I'll think about picking up my camera again.

• Finally, a bit of technical information, what camera did you use and how did you produce the final images?

My camera is the Mamiya 6. It's a square medium format camera. It's a beautiful film camera to use. I started on film with a Bronica 6x4.5, however, I found the body to be too clunky for me. The Mamiya is a much more flexible camera. I used Fuji 400 film for the most part to give me as much flexibility with my technical decisions! The final images were produced using a high res scan, manipulated very slightly digitally and printed at a professional print lab. People depend too much on the abilities of Photoshop. It has many positives, but if your image is rubbish, Photoshop can't help you.

• Why did you choose to use film rather than a digital camera?

I use film because (in truth) it makes me a better photographer. The fact that I have 12 shots per film, which is costing more and more to develop really makes you think about what you are taking. You think more about your compositions, ISO, ƒ stops and of course the light.

Amelia's business Fresh Shoot Studios is based at Wraysbury, Middlesex. You can contact her via email at info@freshshootstudios.co.uk

“Vedi Napoli e poi Muori”

May 1, 2014 Tom Sebastiano

When German writer Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe visited Naples in 1786, he was reported to say “See Naples and Die” implying that everyone should experience the beauty of the city before they died. Over the past three years, I have been enjoying my weekly fix of life in this bustling Italian port city. Photographer Robbie McIntosh captures its people, corners and stories almost like a photographic diary. Robbie’s images are engaging, humorous, emotional and curious, undoubtedly his work manages to reflect the city’s character and characters. Like the classic street photographers of the past surely these photos will only become more valuable as time passes; reflecting a historical view of society, fashion, politics, people and time in Italy’s third largest city. For a better insight, I asked Robbie some questions about the city he lives in and his photography.

• So how does a Scott end up living and working in Naples?

Half of my family is Italian, the other half is Scottish. So I suppose I'm a funny cross.

• How did you come to photography?

When I was a child, people around me used these wonderful, magical dark boxes called cameras. One of my favourite pictures of my childhood depicts me while I'm standing near an old Renault 4. So I believe that my passion (or maybe obsession) for photography and cars clicked back in those days. A wee bit too freudian, uh?

• Photographically what inspires you?

That's maybe your hardest question. I'd like to quote one of my favourite photographers, Garry Winogrand, who said "I photograph to find out what something will look like photographed."

• A lot of your work is like a daily digest of Naples and it's inhabitants, do you set out to cover different areas of the city or do you just photograph as you go about your own daily business?

I photograph mostly on weekends and I live downtown. So I just get out and shoot.

• Naples is one of Europe's most vibrant city's there seams to be a story on each street, are you ever stuck for inspiration in this environment?

Oh yeah. Most of the time I'm afraid to shoot the same stuff over and over again. Sometimes lack of inspiration is around the corner.

• Can you tell me a bit about how you approached a days photography and what in general is the reaction to your 'in your face' style street photography?

I'm a very shy guy. My approach to street photography, on the other hand, is very direct and explicit. I guess is an unconscious way to come to terms with my shyness. The reactions are very different, they depend on the level of empathy I establish with the subjects. Some get nervous, some get confused, some get amused, some get pissed off, some just do not even notice me. However, it rarely lasts more than 1/125 of a second!

• When you arrive in a street or place what is the first thing that attracts your attention, what do you look for?

Good light and the way people interact with other people and the environment. Then I try to be as invisible as possible. Just like a ghost wearing wayfarers.

• You use a verity of cameras and film and I noticed there is a difference in style between your 35mm images and medium format pictures can you tell me a bit about this?

35mm is fast, instinctive, emotional. Medium format is rational, meditative, logical. Just like the difference between the left and right part of the brain.

• Are you a people person, how do you engage with the people you take photos of?

Most of the time I don't ask for permission (usually I do it when I'm shooting medium format). Usually my interaction with people is very quick... I shoot, then I'm gone. I never run, I just walk my way.

• Naples has an infamous reputation and some of its districts are notorious no go areas, have you ever been tempted to photograph these places?

I've been shooting in some "no go areas". The funny thing is that the most dangerous situation I went through occurred in the winter of 2013, in a seaside location called Licola. It was very early in the morning, and I shot some mobsters during an illegal horse training on the shoreline.

• Have you ever taken a camera in to the San Paolo Stadium on a Sunday afternoon?

No never, I'm not a big football fan. However, some football fanatics deserve to be shot!

• If you weren't photographing Naples and it's people what other city would you like to cover and why?

The Big Apple, it's a no-brainer. A gold mine for characters. Sooner or later I'll end up shooting in Coney Island.

• Finally, why do you chose to use film as opposed to digital?

Film looks better than digital. I can touch it and even smell it! You can push it, pull it, without getting betrayed. Film cameras are much more appealing than the crappy plastic digital cameras. They even sound better, think about the "fla-flaaap" of the mighty Swedish Hasselblad, or the soft and gentle Leica whisper.

If like me, you are inspired by Robbie’s great photographs you can follow life in Naples on his Flickr photostream here.

Disused Spaces

March 31, 2014 Tom Sebastiano

An Interview with Andy Feltham

Andy Feltham's distinct style of photography is a marriage of art and exploration. Through his eye for composition, simplicity and light, recently disused spaces, vital (and so often overlooked) infrastructure and neglected corners are bought to beautiful light. By day Andy works in the healthcare sector but often by night, he stalks the undistinguished corners of the central English town of Northampton where he has lived since 2005.

• Andy how did you find your passion for photography?

I've always had an artistic leaning, but it wasn't until my wife bought me an enthusiast compact (Panasonic LX5) as a wedding present that I had found my outlet... I was hooked.

• Who has inspired your photographic style?

Initially, I was drawn to the classic street photographers for inspiration: Bresson & the Magnum Collective, Winogrand etc. Their faultless appreciation of composition & content gave me a great grounding and I still regularly pour over my Magnum books. My favourite photographer however is Edgar Martins. I find his stark landscapes and pioneering use of light to be quite breathtaking.

• How has your work evolved over time?

After a period of getting to grips with composition, I was convinced that street photography was the path I should wander, however I never reached anything approaching a comfort zone when pointing a camera at strangers. My photographic style really crystallised after a trip to New York in April '13. It's hard to say what happened other than something clicked within me in terms of how I previsualised a shot. I also realised about that time that my strengths lay in photographing the inanimate.

• Space, light and composition all play an important roll in your work, when you are evaluating a shot what is the first thing you focus on?

The best advice my mate Mark (MrHeaver on Flickr) gave me was that it's all about "light". It's the quality of the light that first draws me in to a shot. Everything else is secondary to that.

• What is the most important element of your current work?

The vast majority of my current work is part of a series called 'Incidental View'. This is primarily a wide-eyed view of the everyday structures and objects that surround us. I aim to blend a sense of wonderment with a niggling disquiet that hopefully creeps into each image. I guess to answer your question truthfully and simply, the most important element is what would normally be considered a boring subject matter; a wall, a doorway, a plastic bag...

• Are you a planner or opportunist?

A bit of both, but mainly opportunist. My modus operandi tends to be to sling the camera round my neck, pop some headphones on and go for a walk, often for miles... You never know what you'll see!

• Tell me about your next project?

I still feel there is more to be done with Incidental View, and my Urban Exploration project 'Lost Cause'. However I am toying with several ideas at the moment including bringing a portable light to an otherwise dark area and also a series of images where the source of light is the subject but it's implied; it's never seen. For either of these I'll need a really strong image to give me the impetus to carry them through.

• Tell me about your fantasy project?

It would probably be having an 'access all areas' pass in a country where time has stood still. There's a series of images on Redbird Editions by Maxime Delvaux taken in North Korea. I find them utterly captivating. My chosen region would probably be one of the Eastern Bloc countries.

• What is your favourite lens?

When I had my Fuji X-Pro1 it was the XF14mm (21mm equivalent in 35mm terms), now with my Nikon Df it's the 20mm 2.8D. I love the way the ultrawide lenses amplify angles to bring a sense of drama to an image. Pretty much all my fine art work is shot with the 20mm, and I consider it part of my photographic signature.

• What role does post processing play in your work?

In an ideal world, I wouldn't need to post process at all other than a slight dodge and burn here and there. I would prefer not to have to use PP, but the truth is that on some images I do quite a bit to get the desired results. As a rule of thumb I only ever remove distracting elements to give greater clout to the subject matter. I very rarely 'add' anything to a photograph. The impact of the final image is paramount for me however, so I'll do what it takes to get it looking how I want.

• Have you ever been caught sneaking around in a building that you shouldn't be in?

Ha ha, too many times! The security guards have, so far, been largely curteous. On one occasion a site manager called the police but they would't even come because we didn't (and wouldn't!) break in. It all turned out OK and the guy ended up offering us a cuppa...

You can see more of Andy's excellent work on his web site Andy Feltham Photography. Prints of his latest project 'Incidental View' are available from Redbird Editions.

2014 Sony World Photography Award

March 26, 2014 Tom Sebastiano

commended in people category of the open class

This email made my day...

Dear Tom,
We are delighted to announce that your image has been commended in the top 50 images in the People Category in the Open Competition of the 2014 Sony World Photography Awards. Your work has been selected from 139,554 images entered from 166 countries. This is an incredible achievement.

Your name will be announced to press and on our website on 4th February and the winners of each category will be announced on 18th March. All the UK shortlisted and finalist images will go on show at Somerset House, London, from 1-18 May as part of the 2014 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition.

The allure of natural light

March 19, 2014 Tom Sebastiano

In a world of photography which is huge and varied, with subjects and stories everywhere from suburban streets to war-torn photojournalism, almost nothing is off limits. The many photographic verities, techniques and styles will always make for an exciting art form for both creators and viewers alike. For me, portraiture is the one genre that I keep coming back to, both as a photographer and viewer. In portraiture, I find uniqueness and emotion, more than any other style. Unique, because every person is different and each can express that difference in so many ways; emotion, because nothing communicates more than our own bodies, faces and eyes.

There are many ways to execute a beautiful portrait, but I think chief amongst them is natural light. Apart from being free, by minimising additional artificial lighting technologies, it allows for a more straightforward shoot. Being able to see the light through the viewfinder allows more time to think about what’s important: composition, expression and pose. I think this casual and lightweight method is less intimidating and can create beautifully simple yet powerful images.

A striking exponent of this method is Aleksandra Patova, her beautiful portraits express everything that is best about using natural light. Aleksandra’s use of natural light has created, for me, a collection of images which are almost a signature and her understanding of shadow and dappled light to add dimension to her work is both enriching and enchanting. It quite simply elevates her portraits above so much of what I see and like.

You can see more of Aleksandra’s excellent work, here on her Flickr photosteam Alex-Malex.

The Happy Accident

March 7, 2014 Tom Sebastiano

More often than not, a mistake is just that... a mistake. It wasn't what was intended and as such, can be disappointing or frustrating. A worst case scenario is the passing moment that's just not repeatable; best case is you learn something from it. That's unless what you find is the elusive happy accident. The unintentional fault, error or miscalculation turned into an unexpected stroke of luck.

As rare as this is, most photographers have in some way experienced this good fortune. Some time ago, I wound on a film past 38 frames and snapped it out of the can in the back of the camera. Believing I had safely retrieved it in my darkened bathroom, half the frames were, in fact, fogged. Amongst the negatives was this image, my very own 'happy accident'. I don't know what happened, but I was pleased with the result. It's an image that I could never reproduce and a reminder never to force the winding lever on a camera. When I first saw Ode to the Imperfection by my friend Nico Westlicht, I was struck by its striking composition and graphic arrangement, but the truth was a little more complicated:

‘You are in an evocative place with your camera, the tripod, the light meter, your wonderful muse posing for you, ready to shoot. The afternoon light is perfect, and you decide to finally use that expensive Fuji Provia roll you bought some time ago. Basically, I had all the ingredients for a perfect photo-shooting. But what happens, then? Well, what happens is under your eyes: either I was not able to fully turn the wind lever, or the camera is not that reliable. I still have to investigate the cause of the superimposing pictures, but you can easily imagine how the huge expectations crashed badly this morning. Well, film photography can be frustrating at times, but I still find it much more exciting than digital photography. Still, I swear to myself that every time I will shoot a nice picture I will look back at this one as a lesson for the future, to remind myself how easy it is to fail even though you don't expect to’.

Fuji Provia 400X | Pentacon Six TL © All Rights Reserved | Nico Westlicht 2014 — Fuji Provia 400X | Pentacon Six TL **© All Rights Reserved | Nico Westlicht 2014**

I still simply love the central image; arresting the viewer to look at the picture as a whole, the fabulous colours and the graphic light and dark lines. It became for me one of the best triptychs I had seen in ages; a true happy accident if I ever saw one and as I said to Nico at the time 'You may have been disappointed but I can assure you I'm not'. You can see more of Nico's great photos on his website nicowestlicht.com

What's in a name?

February 28, 2014 Tom Sebastiano

What's in a name? I had often been tempted by the idea that a photo should just speak for itself; that the artist need not influence the viewer with anything other than the image. No explanation is necessary 'make what you will of what you see'. Some people even believe that a good photograph does not need written guidance. I reckon that's missing the point; of course, a photo does not need a title but when it has one, one that compliments it, an audience can derive understanding, benefit, insight, curiosity, enjoyment and sometimes even puzzlement. A title, like a name, makes sharing easier, telling others about a photo in conversation by referring to its title rather than 'the one with the man walking on the wet pavement' or 'that one with the girl standing in the snow wearing a red scarf'.

I love this photo by Ellen Goodman of St. Louis, Missouri. A little girl looking into the distance, it's cute domesticity meets artistic storytelling at its best. But with its title 'Gunslinger Stance during Hopscotch Delay' everything comes together completely. Her hands become important elements, she looks like she means business and you wouldn't mess with her. In short, a memorable image becomes unforgettable and a perfect example of what's in a name.

© All Rights Reserved | Ellen Goodman 2014

You can see more of Ellen's excellent photography on her Flickr photostream Analog Girl in a Digital World