Corey Malcolm Lajeunesse -- Bringing Art to Life

I met Corey Malcolm Lajeunesse in 2012 during the opening reception of the International Artists Community's group exhibition in Seoul called, "The Nude Collection."  We both had photographs exhibited at this event at Gallery Golmok in Itaewon, Seoul.  I liked his creativity and his artwork.  In fact, it was his photograph that was used as the cover image for the event publication.

© Corey Malcolm Lajeunesse

Corey is from Saskatchewan in Canada.  He has been an English teacher in South Korea for about eight years.  He is a man of commitment; when he says he will do something, he will do it.  I respect that in a person. 

He began pencil drawing when he was a child.  When he was about 10 years of age he obtained his first camera for the purpose of using a photo as a reference for his drawings.  Throughout his school years, he was responsible for the photographs placed in the junior high school and high school yearbooks.  He became more involved with photography as a young adult.  As it turned out, he was the designated photographer when meeting with friends.

After four years residing in South Korea, Corey made the commitment to improve his photographic skills.  He took a two-day photography workshop, and he took the lessons learned to heart.  He was especially touched by the "shooting in the studio."  Soon afterwards he purchased his own home-studio set; he has been using that home studio for some time now.  As his knowledge increased, his philosophy of art evolved.  In his own words:

"...I found that I was going from being a 'visual reproducer' to actually having original ideas, and I've been running with it."

Corey told me he laughed a bit when he read that I referred to him as a painter.  He doesn't think so, but I've seen some of his paintings.  But then he developed the idea of body painting and developing themed compositions with models who have been painted at the studio.  In my opinion, the results have been remarkable.  I was intrigued by his Spirit of Nature project.  This involved painting Kachina masks on models.  I especially liked his Super Hero theme. Corey will exhibit some of his Super Hero compositions in a group exhibition in July 2014 as part of the Rock, Scissors, Paper art exhibition that will be held at Gallery I located in Insadong in Seoul.  Read more about the exhibit on the event page over at Facebook here.

He is genuinely a modest man, Corey, to the point of being self deprecating about his skills.  I disagree, of course, especially in light of the fact that many artists and models collaborate with him on projects.  His process of creativity is not complicated.  In Corey's own words:

"I get an idea...and then ask myself, "How can I bring this idea to life?"  My reward is simply in seeing that I have taken something from inside my mind, and made it tangible for others to see, and draw their own conclusions."  

Corey hasn't a website at this time, but he tells me that he is putting one together.  I look forward to that time when his site is launched, because I believe many people will enjoy and appreciate his artistic vision.  However, some of his photography and paintings can be found on his art page at Facebook.  To see his Facebook page, visit Scorpio Studio.

Additionally, Corey also invites people to contact via his personal Facebook page that is found here.

 

John Steele -- The Man with Heart and Soul

I'm excited to begin 2014 by featuring the photographer John Steele.  He is from Virginia in the United States, and he currently resides in Seoul with his four year old Boston Terrier, Holly.  Holly happens to be his best model.  The man who cares for dogs is a good man.  He is a man who has heart and soul.

Best Assistant Ever
© John Steele

John Steele has that certain something that many other photographers lack.  

Sure, the others are technically competent when processing their photographs, and they serve up photographs that look...competent.  Yet, the competent images have all the enthusiasm and fervor of those fast food french fries that have been sitting too long under the lights at the franchise hamburger place.  And those same fries can be found in every fast food joint all around the globe regardless the brand preferred.

It is important to note that John is technically competent behind the camera and in the dry darkroom, but he brings something special to the table with his photographic work:  emotion.  

Temple with a View

© John Steele

An artist who believes in a subject, who relates to a subject, who is moved by the subject, can express emotions felt and seen.  In an image, there might be details, or there might not be.  It might portray hope, or it might not.  The emotions can be bright, or the emotions can be dark.  There can be warmth, or there can be a chilling coldness in the heart.  It is the connection an artist has with the subject that allows another viewer to experience the feelings also.  John Steele is not afraid to express his feelings and emotions for other people to see and feel. 

State of Bliss

© John Steele

John became interested in photography around 1999-2000.  Prior to departing for South Korea, he bought a Canon ELPH point and shoot camera.  It was just four years ago after a special friend gave him a Nikon D40 that he began to further explore and learn more about the art of photography.  He studies about light and composition every day, and he will review and analyze older images to learn how to improve the composition.

I made it a point to tell John that his photographs present many emotions that resonate well.  I will share how he responded to me by using his own words:

"Thank you for noticing that in my work, and I couldn’t agree more that emotion is a key aspect in art. This might sound funny but going for long walks without my camera and just observing what is going on has helped me a lot. Even before I was a photographer, I was into going for long walks, but I was in my own little world at that time. Since I have studied and practiced the art, I have become more aware of my surroundings. When I go for walks without my camera and I miss a moment, I don’t regret it. It helps me by being able to predict and be more prepared in future situations. In addition, when I am cameraless, I am constantly thinking about the technical side as well – what focal length would work here, what shutter speed, aperture, ISO would best work in this situation. From time to time we get photographer’s block, and for me it’s best to put the camera aside and observe."

After a shoot, John uploads the photographs into Lightroom.  His detailed workflow organization allows him to select those images that inspire him at that specific time.  Wisely, he then will leave the images in his collections only to revisit them at a later time, even months later, before processing them.  The time away allows him to look at the work differently, and by looking at the work at a different time he has been able "...to find some real diamonds in the rough..." 

After the Rain
© John Steele

Currently, John is a regular contributor to PIK (Photographers in Korea).  Elsewhere, recent publications include Yearning for Yangsuri, which was published in the November 2013 edition of Groove Magazine as well as Romantic Sunsets, which was published in the December 2013 edition of SEOUL Magazine. 

He recently participated in an exhibition and competition hosted by Trazy, located in Seoul, and he earned a second place award for his entry.

To see more of his photographic art, and to contact the artist, visit his sites listed below:

1)  To purchase prints, take a look at his SmugMug gallery:  John Steele Photo

2)  His website:  John Steele Photo

3)  For those who Facebook, take a look at his page that is usually updated daily:  John Steele Photo

Just a reminder:  all the images posted in this article about the photographer John Steele are © John Steele.

Grants for Photographers

I cut, parse, pare, discard, and eliminate...then I realized that after all is said and done, I continue to receive email newsletters from only two photography based organizations:  Alexia Foundation and Documentary Arts Asia.  Today I will speak about an opportunity for photographers to work their trade by possible by the Alexia Foundation.

The Alexia Foundation has announced a call for entries for its 2014 Professional and Student Grants program.  The Professional Grant award is $20,000USD, and those who are students can vie for a couple of outstanding awards.

For details about how to submit proposals for the grants, visit the Alexia Foundation call for entries page here.  A reader will note that these grants are for those who approach their craft with professionalism and dedication.

Good luck and have fun!

Summer Fun the Aline Smithson Way

Aline Smithson is an established and respected photographer, and her involvement in the profession of photography runs deep and sure.  One telling sign that a photographer is a professional is the willingness of that person to interact and to share with others who can benefit from the knowledge and expertise of the professional.  

Over at her blog, Lenscratch, Aline Smithson provides a great many opportunities to learn more about photography, and to enjoy photography.  One specific feature that is fun for her readers are the theme specific exhibitions she hosts at her blog.

Currently at Lenscratch, submissions for the Summer Fun Exhibition are being accepted.  Go on over to the Lenscratch Exhibition Opportunities page found here to learn more about how to submit to the exhibit.  There isn't a fee to get involved, yet it's important to read the details.  Have fun with it!

 

Sylvia de Swaan

For years now the photography of Sylvia de Swaan has touched me deeply.  There is European history, feelings and emotions, and a personal interest of peoples slaughtered and displaced just for being different, powerless.  In some of her projects, Sylvia de Swaan is an intimate part of the subjects of her compositions as can be seen with her hands reaching and connecting.

It is a privilege and an honor to present Sylvia de Swaan --

Eaton:  Please introduce yourself.

Sylvia:  I’m an artist/photographer who was born in Romania and has lived and worked in Mexico, Europe, and the U.S.A. I’m a traveler, explorer and seeker. Though I adapt easily to new people and places, on some level I often feel like the odd person out, the one who can’t give a short one line answer about who I am or where I’m from, the one whose lineage was truncated before I was even born and whose early history is a blur of trauma, change and movement.

Eaton:  What do you do?  Most importantly to me, why do you do what you do?

Sylvia:  I have a long track record in the arts dating back to my teens at the High School of Music and Art, one of NYCs public schools for specially gifted students - where we already were treated as serious artists. In my early twenties I went on a six-month visa to Mexico City to make art and have an adventure, and ended up living there for eleven years – got married, had a son and became an active member of the arts community. My works on paper, paintings, light boxes, and others were exhibited in numerous one person and group exhibitions. Eventually at a lull in my work, I became interested in photography and had an informal apprenticeship with Rodrigo Moya, a Mexican photographer who took me under his wing and taught me the rudiments of the medium. I only meant it as a temporary digression from my “real work,” but much to my surprise photography little by little won me over.

I’m one of those fortunate people who wake up in the morning and mostly do what I love to do, i.e., my own work - whether that consists of being involved in a long term project; sometimes traveling, other times being home – shooting film, processing, editing, designing a book, preparing for exhibitions, or writing about the work. Or on the other side, to earn money or part of the overall creative process, I teach photography, give slide lectures, curate exhibitions, and for sixteen years was Executive Director of a studio arts organization.

Waiting - © Sylvia de Swaan

Eaton:  Your resume is remarkable. In my opinion, it is a statement about your work ethic and the quality of your artwork. What did you do to become recognized in the art/photography world? How do you sustain your incredible reputation and the flow of your work?

Sylvia:  Thank you for considering me more successful than I think of myself – but it is a fact, to paraphrase some famous person, that nobody thinks that they are thin enough, rich enough or famous enough. I’m a Leo with a Virgo rising – which means that I’m both outgoing and introverted. My underlying belief is that if one makes meaningful work wherever one is located, somebody will take notice. That was my philosophy when in 1979 I was invited to be the director of a fledgling residency program for sculptors located in Utica NY, which under my watch gained an international reputation among artists, was awarded a New York State Governor’s Art Award, a Mac Arthur Award – and it’s also my philosophy regarding my own work. I’m not particularly good at standing around at openings with a glass of wine in hand making scintillating conversation – but I do think it’s necessary to do professional outreach on some level, so that ones work doesn’t languish in the closet with no one to look at it.

The internet and social media are very useful for disseminating ones art to a broader audience, without having to be in that awkward position of banging on a gallery door with a heavy portfolio in ones hand. I post images on Facebook, in part to look at them myself in an open arena, using it as an editing space – but at the same time my worldwide community of “friends,” among them artists, photographers, critics, writer, can see them and react or not…so of course a much broader international public now know my work than before.

Eaton:  Who and/or what influences and/or motivates you?

Sylvia:  My influences are cross-disciplinary. Since I didn’t start out as a photographer from the very beginning, I don’t share in some of the holy canons of photography that seem to preoccupy others. In some ways my work relates more to film and literature – because of my interest in narrative and time and memory. Nevertheless my early inspirations were painters: Kandinsky, German Expressionists, Surrealists, Picasso, Goya, Redon and many others. As to photography Bill Brandt, Duane Michals, Kenneth Josephson, Roger Ballen, Lorna Simpson, Duane Michaels, Nan Goldin, Eikoh Hosoe, James Nachtway and many, many others.

 

 Portal CZ - © Sylvia de Swaan

Eaton:  Your photographs, “War Game” and “The Tunnel,” command my attention, as do many other of your images. What are you trying to communicate to those who view your art?

Sylvia:  The two images that you mention are part of a long-term project titled, “Return,” that I began in the immediate aftermath of the fall of the communism – in order to explore the terrain of my early childhood, and retrace routes my family traversed as Holocaust survivors and refugees at the end of the Second World War. These images are part of a symbolic language that I developed over time to depict the invisible, the bygone and the intangible. In my journal I’d written, “how does one photograph and absence?”

By the way, none of my photos are photoshopped. They’re all taken real time and space. So for example “The War Game” is a picture of my hand holding a model P38 bomber (that for a nano second is meant to look real) overlooking a railroad yard in Poland to depict a recurring nightmare from my childhood years.

So as not to repeat myself excessively with things I’ve said elsewhere, I copy and paste a post from Fototazo that tells about this project and my intent to work on a sequel this coming summer:

The Image: Sylvia de Swaan - The War Game.

Eaton:  You have an extensive background speaking to the subjects of being published, exhibiting your artwork, and receiving grants. What advice can you share with an artist or photographer who wants to broaden his or her own horizon?

Sylvia:  There are no formulas, but I think for starters you have to love your work and be sufficiently engaged in it to push to ever further and to be willing to edit out your favorites, because they may not contribute to the narrative as a whole – but also you have to share it, send it out and apply for stuff. While it does happen sometime that artists have been “discovered” without any effort on their parts, it is pretty rare and unlikely.

There are two sides to being an artist – one is the inspirational, visionary, who shouldn’t be overly concerned with audience or money during the process of creation – the other is the more practical, professional. And of course because there are many more artists than opportunities available every application is a long shot. But it’s definitely worth trying - first because one gets better at it with practice - better at editing, better at presentation – and second because respected professionals get to see the work, and even if one isn’t chosen as numero uno, somebody might remember and recommend one's work at a later date. 

When I apply for a fellowship or grant, I put a lot of work into it, doing the best I can at that particular moment. When I send it off I usually don’t think of it again until just before the scheduled announcement dates.

Below is a link to the American Society for Media Photographers that offers some very useful advice about competitions and how to apply:

American Society of Media Photographers: Photography Competitions.

Eaton:  To date, what accomplishment has created the most satisfaction for you?

Sylvia:  Like any artist who has worked for a long time I’ve had my share of successes and disappointments. What gives me the greatest satisfaction is my trajectory as a whole, for the fact that I’ve consistently developed and grown as an artist, have never had to compromise my aesthetic or beliefs – and though I haven’t gotten rich I do support myself and have been honored to be awarded prizes and fellowships for my works.

But my formative milestones were being accepted to attend the H.S. of Music and Art; venturing to Mexico in the 1960s and creating a rich, interesting new life there; having a son; living in New Orleans in the mid 1970s; coming to upstate New York; my sixteen-year job as director of Sculpture Space, which I left to devote myself again to my personal work. I feel grateful and privileged for all the fellowships and awards that have facilitated the creation of new work and hope to continue making meaningful and relevant work that will garner me support in the future.

Eaton:  Please share any links to any sites so that readers can see more of your work.

Sylvia:  Though I’ve only mentioned one here by name, but I work on several long-term projects concurrently: 

View Return at the Empty Kingdom site here.

Sylvia de Swaan's website can be accessed here.

Her photo blog is found here.

For those readers who use Facebook, some of Sylvia de Swaan's work can be seen here.

Eaton's Note:  Read Sylvia de Swaan's resume at her website here.  Please also note that I received an updated version of the resume from Sylvia de Swaan.  Rather than repost the entire resume here, I shall share some current information:

-Ongoing -- Reviewer, Photography Reviewer, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts
-2013 -- Guest Curator; "Contemporary Drawing:  Recent Trends" -- Kirkland Art Center, Clinton, NY
-2012 -- Instructor, Intermediate B&W Photo, Pratt Institute

Mithcell Kanashkevich is a Travel Photographer

Mitchell Kanashkevich -- He is a travel photographer.  View his chronicles, as well as his photography and post-processing e-books, at his blog here.

Mr. Kanashkevich has some remarkable stories and photographs on his website and photo blog.

Poppy Silver -- An Artist to the Core

I am very honored to feature Poppy Silver.  She is from the United Kingdom, and she is an artist to the core of her being.  To name but only a few of her creative talents:  Writer, poet, composer, musician, vocalist, photographer, and tireless promoter of the arts and artists.

Much of her art raises awareness about social issues and human relations.  Poppy's art resonates well.  I present Poppy Silver:

Please note that all images in this article are © Poppy Silver.

Eaton:  What do you do?

Poppy:  I am foremost a writer and also a musician and a lover of taking photography. I began to write around twelve years by starting a novel which then progressed to poetry. I write and create music to exorcise demons and let a moment of beauty or bane breathe or seethe. Taking photographs is a challenge that fulfills me. I am always trying to capture the essence of nature or life in order to allow it speak through art.

Eaton:  What matters most to you?

Poppy:  I think this is a vast topic and one which has a lot of answers. One of the most important things to me would be to remain humble, remain the person I have always been. Not lose sight of the fact that I am human and there are so many other artists out there just as deserving of attention. Supporting other artists is incredibly important to me. Then you have the usual factors - family, maintaining health and so forth.

I guess to continue being an open minded, good-hearted person is what matters most to me. Seeking truth amidst the control we are all under everyday of our lives is a strong side to me as well. Also, nature is important to me, a mentor of sorts, helps me connect to what is important.

Eaton:  What is your vision or dream?  How has your view changed due to life experiences? 

Poppy:  I think as soon as we start to place dreams into order, we can become disappointed. I have no specific goal except to maintain the vision of art as one from the heart. Just to share art is to share the self. Each time I write a poem or lyrics or sing, I sacrifice a small part of myself, as many artists do. I think ultimately, if there is a vision or dream, it would be to understand life more, a dream most of us have.

I have changed a lot since beginning my artistic journey. Things no longer seem black or white. I address the shades of grey in-between as well. Losing my father changed me in a big way. Current health issues have also changed my perception of life and my work.

I have learned to ride the wave more, so to speak. If fate laughs at you, you have to learn to laugh back. This is my motto of late.

To me, these changes are inevitable, a growing process. It reflects in an artist’s work when they go through life changes. It shows in the way they deliver poetry or the way their voice is directed in songs. So, yes, a lot of changes are happening to my life right now and sometimes we have stand back and observe these changes from an outsider’s point of view and learn to take each day as it comes, cliche but true.

Eaton:  What is your motivation?  Who or what is your inspiration?

My motivation would be to expel emotions. My writing is mainly a quest, as I see it, to banish and yet revive. I write because it is my natural desire to do so.

My inspiration would be life itself, the journey of inner thoughts. The ultimate questions we hold about life and death, the offering of sanity through purge.

There are times when I have a specific thing in mind to vent about and there are times when I am influenced by the state of the world. My writing and my band’s songs can be emotive or politically driven. Both sides are to be explored within my mind. We all too often take so called facts at face value without questioning them and what better way to do so than through the vein of release – art.

So inspiration, to me, is taken from all facets of life and beyond. I sometimes write with no intention but to channel thoughts from the ether. As artists, I believe we open gate ways sometimes that lead us to write about what others are feeling too.

Eaton:  I perceive that your creativity is multifaceted:  You are a vocalist, a musician, a poet, a writer, a photographer.  Please share about each genre or media.  How do all of these tie together for you, or are they separate and distinct venues that allow you a creative escape from another form?  As I write this to you, I’m listening to Orbitally Re-Arranged Monatomic Elements; each song has a message.  Each song shows powerful a video that I, as a student of history, enjoy viewing.  Who composes the songs?  What is the intent of the music?  What is the future of the band?

Poppy:  I think all are equal sides to myself, they go hand in hand. As a writer, I use the skills poetically to influence lyrics and how I feel when I sing the song. Music to me adds the wave forms that move the words. Both poetry and music are like brother and sister to me. I actually find writing poetry easier than lyrics. Lyrics are always crafted in a different manner, condensed to have more impact.

It is hard to divide these elements. I class myself more a writer than poet as I write myriad formats of writing.

Photography is a sheer pleasure for me. It enhances the powerful side of life that can be captured and remain forever. Photography is a huge influence to my art. I also manipulate photography to add words to or write about, distorting reality, so to speak.

As for the videos my band creates. I feel it makes a change to have footage to a video that does not include the artists themselves. No way is the better way. There are so many bands out there that use only footage of themselves and this is more than fine. I do feel though, if you have a song that lyrically represents something, you can take that further by imagery. That is what we attempt to do through our videos.

The intent of the music is open the mind, to carry people through an emotional journey or to shed some light on political issues. To find some balance in all the deceit around us. Our music is a release of chaotic thoughts and feelings to a purge of seeking insight in the darkness.

We both compose the music. We both have an equal say in what the lyrics are and what goes into the music so it is pretty much a joint thing although, as in many bands, sometimes, one person runs with it more than the other, as in, sometimes ideas come to one and they may have a different way of executing them to the other people. On the whole, our music is usually equally composed.

For the future of the band, I simply want to reach an audience in the way that they resonate with what they read and hear. Ultimately, that is all an artist can hope for and remain real in the process.

Eaton:  Is there is a poem, or spoken word you want to share in this article?  What details can you provide about this work?

  

Poppy:  I shall include a link to my spoken word poem, “Welcome to Dajjal.”

“Welcome to Dajjal” is a political poem. It was written after I had just read about the war in Iraq. The poem speaks for itself. The devastation caused through things such as HAARP, FEMA camps and vaccinations to name a few. It all accumulates into a poem that alerts people to these things.

We are definitely cattle in this life to the elite.

This poem is telling humanity to gain their power back, through love and not violence.

“There is no division. We are all equal.”

Eaton's note:  "Welcome to Dajjal" is on Youtube.  Please click on the link to see and to listen:  Welcome to Dajjal.

Eaton:  What future plans and/or goals do you want to share publicly? 

Poppy:  We are currently working with a band called Controlled Disorder on four songs. This is taking precedence at this time. It is a great honour for us to collaborate with them.

Eaton:  Have you any upcoming performances, readings, exhibitions, or publications? 

Poppy:  We are also working on a new spoken word album for my poetry. This album will be a mixture of genres with a soundscape like my last album. I am also putting together a book of poetry and thinking about a photography book along with Haiku as well.

Music wise, we have five new tracks to complete and shall hopefully be releasing an Acoustic EP in the near future.

...

Poppy's artwork, her collaborative work with other artists, and her promotion of the arts and artists can be found at the following websites:

Poppy Silver:  Poppy Silver Official Website.

Listen to the music by Orbitally Re-Arranged Monatomic Elements:  O.R.M.E.

Poppy is also partner to a website called Apollo Blessed.  It is a platform to share all forms of art, and all artists are welcome there.  I am a member of Apollo Blessed, and it is a very nice place to share and to get to see what other artists are doing.

Take a look at the Apollo Blessed site:  Apollo Blessed.

The Photographer Anzor Bukharsky of Uzbekistan

Anzor Bukharsky, from Uzbekistan, was given the 1st Place Outstanding Achievement award from Photography Masters Cup this past February.  He earned the honor during PMC's 6th annual photography competition with the results announced during a live broadcast on 2013/2/16.

He photographs people in real life situations, and some of those real life situations have a lot of emotional content.  This is evident by his photograph that earned his 1st place achievement at the PMC event mentioned above that can be viewed here.

More of Mr. Bukharsky's photography is found here.

Words of Wisdom and Advice by Arno Rafael Minkkinen

Arno Rafael Minkkinen has written an amazing article at PetaPixel about perseverance, longevity, consistency, and determination.  Some might think it is only about photography; however, his wise words can be applied to the grandest of all scales. 

Read Mr. Minkkinen's article here.

See Mr. Minkkinen's photography and read more of his writings on his website here.

The Tracks of Time -- Photo for the Day

What existence have I except for that which I have dreamt?  What reality have I except for that which I have hoped?  What time have I except for that which I have conceptualized? 

Mankind claims time is merely an illusion, because it was created by mankind itself.  As if man intimately knows the bounds of the universe...

Time is measured?  No, it is experienced.  One after the other.  One on top of another.  Not to be understood, but to be experienced.

The Tracks of Time

© 2013 Mark Eaton

Endings and Beginnings

Endings and Beginnings is more about the work of photographing the subjects in the moment rather than about the work in the dry darkroom. Specifically, this project begins the use of manipulated glass, filters, and materials during photo sessions. It is a transitional process that marks the end of the photographic status quo.

The following two photographs are included in the project:

 Living Proof

© 2013 Mark Eaton

Dormant for the Time Being

© 2013 Mark Eaton

An International Auction by Martyn Thompson

In November 2012, I posted an article about Martyn Thompson and his wonderful and creative art.  To read the article and to see some of his art, please click here.

Martyn has run out of space to create more art.  To make room for his new creations he is auctioning off several previously made pieces.  Please note that I learned about the auction on Facebook; I approached him and asked his permission to publicize his auction on this blog.

The starting bids for his artwork will range from 10% to 20% of the gallery listing prices depending upon the piece.  I asked Martyn if he will ship internationally if a buyer pays for the shipping fees, and he replied that he will ship certain pieces internationally.  In other words, this is an international auction.

Available are some of his photographs, including figure nude images and also some of his panoramic landscape images, and various sculptures.

There are some pieces he will not ship due to weight restrictions.  Those pieces that will not be shipped are as follows:

1)  Any cat sculpture cannot be shipped internationally.
2)  "Halfway Up Mani San" cannot be shipped internationally.

I am posting a couple of images to show what is available at this auction:

Lake Park #1
Photography

© Martyn Thompson

 

Sitting

Sculpture

© Martyn Thompson

Bids are being received at this time.  The auction concludes March 7, 2013.  To repeat, the auction ends 2013/3/7.

For more details about the auction and to view more of Martyn's artwork that is available, please visit his Facebook auction page here.

For those who don't have a Facebook account, contact Martyn at his website here.

Tey-Marie Astudillo -- Freelance Journalist

A brief discussion about how I feature artists on this blog:  A short time after a person agrees to be interviewed by me, I will send that person a series of questions I believe are pertinent to the subject at hand.  So, too, with Tey-Marie Astudillo, who is a freelance journalist living in South Korea.  Not everyone who has been featured speaks English as a first language, so I assure them that I am able to work through the language differences.  I paraphrase, restructure, rephrase.  I believe it has worked out well thus far.

It became quite evident to me, however, that how I write this article about Tey-Marie and her work must be different.  Save for correcting some of those auto-correct features that now plague the modern world, I will present the interview in the question and answer format as I received it from her.  To do anything else would be akin to that poor woman who tried to restore that old painting; it just wouldn't produce the best results.  It should be noted that Tey-Marie requested that I choose the photographs to accompany this article.



I am very fortunate and honored to present Tey-Marie Astudillo:

Eaton:  Please introduce yourself.

Tey:  Ok, so how to do this without sounding like Wikipedia or going off in complete memoir type tangent. Well, my name is Tey and I’m a 25 year-old freelance journalist currently living and working in Seoul, South Korea. I moved here after completing grad school, where I had just finished a three-month residency at APTV (Associated Press Television) in Brussels, Belgium, helping to cover news concerning the European Union, NATO and Belgian politics. Before that I was a freelance national security correspondent for a bit in DC and an urban affairs reporter in Chicago.

Eaton:  What do you do?

Tey:  Technically I ‘do’ two things out here in Korea. During the week I’m a full-time English instructor, which I enjoy and get a great deal of satisfaction from on most days, but it isn’t what I would call my passion in life.

What I really enjoy doing, where my real fervor lies and ultimate intrinsic satisfaction, is from writing and documenting my experiences and the world around me. I started writing around the age of ten or so, mostly poems and prose, for just the sake of writing and as a way of making sense of the world around me.

My enjoyment of reading and writing really flourished during my first year in college - the exposure to so many philosophical ideas, complex theories and interesting information was a strong ignition for me and also set this insatiable craving inside my soul to see the world and all the places I was reading about, to learn about as many cultures as I could and to document the things I found interesting or unique along the way.

Being a journalist, to me at least, is the never ending opportunity to continue learning about anything and everything, and to share what you learn from your journeys and experiences with people around the world.

Eaton:  Who and/or what motivates and influences you?

Tey:  I find motivation and inspiration from a variety of sources. My motivation is mainly intrinsic, from my personal need and want to see the world and/or document the things and ideas I encounter. It would be something I’d do anyway, even if it wasn’t my job. But that fact that I can make a living off it and get paid doesn’t hurt either.

My inspiration comes from just life itself and all the interesting complexities that are part of it.  I might get an idea for a story by reading another article that just touches on something that I would like to know more about.  I might just be walking the street and see something and get an idea.  Often times the best inspirational sources are spontaneous and come out of nowhere all of a sudden.  I’ve learned the hard to way to keep a paper and pen next to my bed since ideas also tend to spring to mind just laying in bed at night as well.

Eaton:  Your educational background is in journalism, and communication and multimedia. According to your CV, you have been involved with a lot of journalistic work and assignments. Please share your experiences. How did you earn an assignment? What type of competition is there in the field?

Tey:  All of my reporting experiences prior to Korea were based on college work. Journalism is one of those things you can only learn so much about in an academic setting. To really learn the trade and skills required to be a journalist, you have to get out there and actually do it.

So in college I wrote a bit for my university newspaper and also freelanced for a local city newspaper as well. In grad school, our university was partnered up with various media outlets so we would choose a beat and pitch story ideas to our affiliates, and if they liked them, they would publish them. That’s basically how freelance journalism works, you come up with a story idea, strategize the best way to execute it, which medium you will use, who you will interview, what the focus of the story will be – and then you pitch it to an appropriate outlet based on the topic.

There’s definitely way more competition in corporate journalism than in freelance. Every media company wants to be ‘the first’ to break or write a story, so there’s a lot of pressure from management to get your story finished sometimes rather than having something more substantial.

But that really only exists on the corporate level. Through my experiences I’ve found journalists to be the best of comrades, even when working for different publications or companies. A great example of this was when I was interning at APTV. We covered all the EU summits and Heads of State meetings and stuff like that. As a wire service, our main objective was to get footage of the Prime Ministers and Presidents arriving and leaving, to cover their press conferences after their meetings and get the footage out right away to our clients.

Basically, it was always a slew of the same journalists at all the events, staged around the same areas, most of the time waiting hours just to get three minutes (if even) of footage of the politicians arriving and leaving. So the majority of the time we just hung around together, shared cigarettes, made jokes and talked with each other. You become friends with one another because your always seeing the same people, and even though you’re technically competition who are reporting for different outlets, you still help each other out and let each other know if something has changed like, ‘Oh hey, by the way, I don’t know if you heard or not but the press conference for Angel Merkel got moved to room 201 instead of 402,’ stuff like that.

At the same time if our agency got ‘a scoop’ on something that we didn’t think the others had, we wouldn’t go running and telling them about. Business is business after all.

Eaton:  You are currently a freelance journalist; how do you gain assignments and projects here in Korea?

Tey:  Freelancing in Korea is the same as freelancing anywhere else. The process can be broken down to a simple formula:

story idea - pitch - reporting - writing/production - submission

My personal strategy for coming up with story ideas is I just write about or pursue topics that I find interesting myself. Odds are if it’s something I‘d want to read or know about then others would too. Also, if it’s something I’m interested in then it’s something I look forward to doing, which will result in a higher quality product because it will have that much more energy and genuine care for the project.

On rare occasions publications will reach out to me to do a story instead of me contacting them. Either because they’re payroll reporters are swamped covering other things and they need to hire some extra freelancers to help out or because my particular location is important for their story and it’s much cheaper for them to pay me to write an article than to pay to fly out one of there people and put them up in the hotel for an article.

Eaton:  Congratulations on being one of the bloggers at Worldwide Korea Bloggers. What did you do to earn this position? I surmise there is a lot of research involved in writing a post about all things Korean. What are your best experiences while writing for this organization? Who have you met while doing this?  What do you want to take away from these experiences?

Tey:  It’s actually a bit of a funny story because I had just recently gotten to Korea and was randomly browsing sites researching about the country and culture, etc. I came across the Korea.net website with a final submission deadline for the opportunity, which was only two hours away! So I emailed them my resume, answered some application questions and sent some previous work clips. A couple weeks later I was notified that I was selected to be one of the Worldwide Korea Bloggers, which basically means whatever articles I write and post to my blog about Korea they will republish on their website as well.

I think I benefited both personally and professionally from this opportunity.  It encouraged to me to get out, see, experience and research a lot more about Korean culture than I otherwise probably would have.  It also brought a good deal of traffic to my website, resulting in more exposure for my work and what I do.

Eaton:  (A note to readers - I viewed some videos produced by Tey to prepare for this article.  The paragliding video I mention in this section is located here.  Her website has several other videos to view)  Your video of your paragliding is fantastic. “Fly Away” by Lenny Kravitz happens to be one of my favorite songs. What preparations do you make when working on a video assignment? What does a client usually want to show or share with video? Please share any details that are important regarding videography.

Tey:  Videography and writing are like apple and oranges. Both are fruits of journalism, but they’re quite different in terms of reporting style and execution. In my undergrad journalism courses we read a lot of Marshall McLuhan, particularly from his work ‘The Medium is The Message.” It struck me then that with the highly evolving communication technology mediums, to be the most well rounded and best journalist that I could be, I would need to be able to tell stories via all mediums, so that’s when I started taking classes and learning about videography.

Most of the time, like with the paragliding video you mentioned, I just record and produce videos on my own for no client. However, I do offer professional videography services for hire as well. So far, I’ve been contacted by an author to do video chapters for her book and some non-profit organizations looking to showcase videos of their work on their websites. Each client wants something different, and just like reporting, content and style vary depending on the aim of the video and what the client wants.

Videography is actually quite similar to photography. It’s all about subject, composition, framing, lighting, etc. The main difference is rather than taking a single captured shot, you’re recording one shot as a clip, usually between 10-15 seconds long.

Eaton:  Your photography has a beautiful artistic look and feel. What do you look for when you photograph a subject? What do clients often want with photographs?

 Zen Buddhist Temple - Skokie, IL, USA

© Tey-Marie Astudillo

Ethnic Festival - Evanston, IL, USA

© Tey-Marie Astudillo

Nightscape - Amsterdam

© Tey-Marie Astudillo

Inside Fukuoka Tower - Fukuoka, Japan

© Tey-Marie Astudillo

Rain Dance - Chicago

© Tey-Marie Astudillo

Tey:  Thanks for the compliments on my photography, that means a lot coming from a professional photographer like yourself. When photographing I keep in mind the same things as I mentioned earlier with the video (subject, composition, framing, lighting, etc.) I’ll probably take between 10-20 photos of the same exact thing from different angles and using lighting hoping that in post-production I’ll come across at least one that perfectly encapsulates the moment and mood I was trying to capture. That’s always easier said than done though.

Eaton:  What are your goals? What do you want for the future?

Tey:  Right now the bulk of my journalism work consists of feature and travel articles. I currently contribute to a wide range of publications and am always busy with one project or another, which I love.

I want to get into covering more social and humanitarian issues regarding Asia and Korea. I’ve got a couple of projects and ideas in mind (documentaries/photo essays, etc), which I hope to execute by the end of this year.

I’m also in the works of writing some materials that I will try to get publish, or if not, self-publish myself. It will mainly be a collection of essays regarding various topics and examinations of expat life in regards to Korea – the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful – things that people would want to know if they are considering living and working in Korea for some time and also just a documentation of my experiences here.

At some point within the next 5 years or so I’d also like to go back to school to get my Ph.D. I find mass communication theory very intriguing - the impact that media (and now especially social media) has on news, information, perceptions and people’s lives, as well as the overall direction of how communication technology is developing and changing the world, either for better and worse. That still won’t be for some time though, as I’m really enjoying doing the fieldwork aspect of journalism right now.

My dream job would be to one day immerse myself in and cover a ‘conflict’ zone. This doesn’t necasscarily mean a war zone, but any place that is highly troubled due to a particular reason – to expose that, how it affects the peoples lives there, how they are coping and ultimately to bring enough attention to it around that world that brings a change for the area.

Eaton:  Please let the readers know of any websites they can visit in order for them to view your work.

Tey:  All my work can be found on my website: http://teymarieastudillo.com/. 

I also love meeting new people and making new connections whether professional or personal, so everyone should feel free to add me on Facebook here, or follow me on Twitter at @TeyMarie

Photographer Neil Leifer Interviewed by The Huffington Post

It isn't too often, unfortunately, that The Huffington Post publishes an article whose length equals its quality.  Chris Greenberg completed a great interview with the photographer Neil Leifer about Mr. Leifer's remarkable career as a sports photographer.  This well done piece is found on The Huffington Post here.

Tomas Eriksson - Fine Art Photographer From Sweden

Tomas Eriksson is a fine art photographer from the town of Gävle, which is in Sweden.  He is very enthusiastic about his wife and children, and I know that his focus is on his family above all.  He is a marketing coordinator for a leading industrial welding and piping company in Sweden.

For him, photography is a cure for the stresses of life.  Being in the field with the camera makes him forget those everyday problems we all face.  I must say that his cure is most excellent.

Everyday life provides plenty of inspiration and motivation.  Without question, life's many experiences, both the positive and the negative, have affected Tomas as a person and as a photographer.

As I mentioned by way of introduction, Tomas is from Gävle.  In fact, he has lived there his entire life.  It is an industrial city by the Baltic Sea and near the River Dalälven.  As can be seen in so many of his photographs, this region provides a lot of inspiration and photographic opportunities.

He is fascinated by industrial buildings as well as old buildings.

I asked Tomas about his vision and dream.  This is what he told me:

"My vision and dream when it comes to photography is to develop my photography style.  I have started the walk, but this path contains a lot of slippery rocks...hopefully I will get to the end without losing my grip too many times.  I know this sounds cryptic, but I come from a country where fine art photography is rather unknown."

Sweden, according to Tomas, has a long and strong tradition of nature and documentary style photography.  It is expected that a photographer should do very little post processing work.  That type of conservative thinking is not a principle followed by Tomas, fortunately.  I will quote him directly as he speaks to this subject; his comments about the photographer Nick Brandt is insightful:

"Personally, I want to see a finished photographic work where it is obvious that the photographer has put his or her soul into the whole process.  I want to feel something, I want the photo to speak to me and I want the photo to give me the opportunity to get carried away in my own thoughts and fantasies. Nick Brandt's photos give me all this as do so many other great photographers out there. I do not care if Nick lives his life in Photoshop; it is the outcome, the final photo that matters to me."

There came a point in the maturation process of life that Tomas realized that he needed to be his own master.  Fine art photography lets him be in charge of the entire photographic process from dreaming and conceiving to printing the finished product.  The maturation of Tomas was not without pain, however, it was important for him to not be constrained by the given rules or the status quo.

If the dodging and burning the sky will produce the desired results in a composition, then he will dodge and burn the sky.  If adding texture completes the image, then texture will be added.  On the other hand, it is important for him to for the original scenery to be honest and not brought in from another image or created from scratch.

Tomas shoots in RAW mode.  In Camera RAW he makes adjustments to the white balance, and occasionally will make black and white conversions.  In addition to the techniques mentioned previously, he will also work with HDR.

Being so close to water, he spends much time photographing water using long exposures.  The exposure time can be from 30 seconds to three minutes.  He uses a tripod during long exposures.  Additionally, he will select from ND400, ND64, ND8 and gradual ND filters that he always carries.

In the not too distant past, Tomas worked with a number of other photographers in a fund-raising event in Bari, Italy to raise funds for children suffering from cystic fibrosis.  I have a lot of respect for this man.

To see more of his fantastic fine art photography, please visit Tomas Eriksson Photography.

All photographs posted in this article:  © Tomas Eriksson.