Believable: Traveling With My Ancestors by Lola Flash
Lola Flash's "Believable: Traveling With My Ancestors" captures profound moments over four decades, blending visual storytelling with thematic depth. Her 'Cross Color' series jolts the senses, reversing colors to craft a new perspective on queer Black life during the AIDS crisis. The 'LEGENDS' series showcases portraits of LGBTQ+ individuals who defied societal norms, their faces emitting resilience.
'Salt' zooms in on women over 70 who continue to inspire societal change. Flash presents these accomplished women with reverence, honoring their legacies. As a seasoned observer, Flash's lens captures histories, dynamics, and time's passage. Her ongoing 'Syzygy, the Vision' series features an avatar confronting oppressions while exploring identity.
Each page becomes a portal, opening doors to personal and universal tales. Flash's storytelling carries weight, purpose, and insistence on recognition.
In This Brief Life by Eugene Richards
Eugene Richards' "In This Brief Life" is an evocative journey through five decades of social documentary photography, a carefully curated archive serving as both a time capsule and a soul-stirring chronicle of human existence. The images pulse with raw emotion, capturing fleeting moments that transcend the confines of the frame. Richards dives into intimate scenes—hospital rooms where life and death are negotiated, glimpses of newborns, patients battling illness, and families held together by hope.
Richards' work meanders through diverse geographies, finding beauty and significance in disparate environments. His lens transforms into a time machine, allowing viewers to feel the resonance of lives lived in joy, sorrow, struggle, and triumph. The emotional gravitas is underscored by Richards' Instagram revelation, where he engaged with an audience intimately curious about the stories behind the pictures, reaffirming the universality of shared experiences.
Richards' photographs are not mere visual documents but a potent reminder of the brevity and preciousness of existence. Each shot invites the viewer to pause, reflect, and honor the myriad experiences that make up the human condition. "In This Brief Life" stands as an artistic and emotional landmark, capturing the ephemeral yet enduring essence of what it means to be human.
Remember Me by Preston Gannaway
Preston Gannaway's "Remember Me" immerses readers in an intimate exploration of love, loss, memory, and time's passage, offering a poignant narrative spanning 17 years. At its core is the St. Pierre family, marking a significant chapter in Gannaway's career and a deeply emotional photojournalistic endeavor.
Initially intrigued by Carolynne St. Pierre's story, a mother with liver cancer, Gannaway forged a profound bond with the family, capturing moments imbued with impending loss. These images were eventually honored with a Pulitzer Prize. Gannaway continued her visual narration after Carolynne's passing, documenting her son EJ's growth and how memories shaped his identity.
"Remember Me" invites viewers to reflect on relationships and traces left by those who've passed. Each image serves as a conduit for emotions permeating the St. Pierre household, capturing the delicate balance between remembering and moving forward. Gannaway's empathetic portrayal of enduring love and resilience champions the quieter moments, offering a sincere look at navigating memory and loss.
The work doesn't just memorialize Carolynne; it immortalizes the family's enduring spirit against time's march. Through Gannaway's eyes, viewers witness a narrative rich with personal history's quiet power, a tribute to the moments and memories that define us.
Wires Crossed by Ed Templeton
Ed Templeton's "Wires Crossed" pulls readers into the skateboarding subculture, offering an authentic insider perspective. Templeton, a former professional skateboarder and artist, blends personal memoir with a documentary approach, capturing the DIY, punk-infused spirit from the 1990s through the early 2000s. His work is about the lifestyle, ethos, and raw energy defining this subculture.
Templeton's photography imbues an unvarnished honesty, capturing not only gravity-defying tricks but also subtler scenes behind the scenes. Intimate snapshots reveal the personal side of a life often depicted as brash and rebellious. Templeton's ability to document the raw, unfiltered essence of skateboarding culture stems from his deep understanding and participation.
The juxtaposition of high-adrenaline action shots with moments of stillness and introspection creates a balanced portrayal, offering a comprehensive look at the complexities of the skateboarding world. Templeton's depiction encompasses the community, sense of belonging, and makeshift family that often forms, embodying the punk-influenced DIY ethos central to skateboarding's identity.
Throughout, Templeton invites readers to experience the emotional highs and lows—the thrill of nailing a trick, camaraderie during late-night sessions, and inevitable injuries. His photography is not only a celebration of the sport but a testament to its transformative power, speaking to youthful defiance, self-expression, and the unyielding pursuit of passion.
Shark: Portraits by Mike Coots
Mike Coots' "Shark: Portraits" is an extraordinary photographic odyssey that aims to reshape public perception of sharks. At the age of 18, Coots survived a shark attack, losing his lower right leg. Yet, rather than harboring animosity, he emerged with a newfound respect and passion for these creatures, captured in this striking book.
Coots' intimate, up-close portraits showcase the majesty and power of various shark species, including tiger sharks, great whites, and oceanic whitetips. His images present sharks in their natural habitat, underscoring their critical role in marine ecosystems and challenging the narrative of fear and danger.
The photographs exude reverence for their subjects, inviting viewers to appreciate the grace and importance of sharks. Coots' ability to humanize these creatures through his lens is disarming and enlightening, urging a re-evaluation of our relationship with one of the ocean's most enigmatic inhabitants.
The book also explores Coots' advocacy work, highlighting his instrumental role in passing Hawaii's 2010 ban on shark fins – a significant move towards shark conservation. His passion and dedication resonate through his advocacy, illuminating the need for sustained conservation efforts.
By focusing on the individual personalities and unique characteristics of each shark, Coots dismantles the monolithic image of sharks and presents them as complex and intelligent beings worthy of protection. His philosophy emphasizes that conservation stems from understanding and appreciation, and his images serve as a powerful visual advocacy for the preservation of these vital creatures.
Painting Photographs by Alice Wong
Alice Wong's "Painting Photographs" breathes fresh life into forgotten moments through the brilliance of acrylic markers. Wong transforms an eclectic mix of found images – from vintage portraits to magazine cutouts – into new visual stories with vivid colors and bold strokes.
Her overpaintings create a dialog between the original and the modern, blending nostalgia with contemporary whimsy. Wong's pieces captivate not just for their aesthetic vibrancy but for the narrative depth she adds, constructing micro-universes within each frame.
Wong's mastery is evident in her ability to create a cohesive narrative across disparate subjects, reflecting on how identity and memory persist and mutate over time. Her acrylic overlays complement and elevate the original photographs, creating a harmonious dance between past and present.
As readers turn the pages, they are invited to share in Wong's vision – a vision where history is dynamic and capable of continuous reinterpretation and revitalization. Through her eyes, objects and scenes from the past are reimagined, celebrating the beauty of life in all its colorful, multifaceted forms.
Sneaker Freaker: World's Greatest Sneaker Collectors
"Sneaker Freaker: World's Greatest Sneaker Collectors" immerses you in the vibrant culture of sneaker collecting, where footwear transcends utility and becomes an expression of passion and artistry. This captivating anthology weighs in at a hefty seven pounds and 752 pages, a testament to the meticulous craft and fervor of sneaker enthusiasts.
The book opens with an indispensable glossary, deciphering the jargon and terminology for newcomers. It also outlines best practices for collectors, from photographing to cleaning and preserving their prized possessions, offering invaluable insights.
Among the fascinating characters featured are collectors whose devotion borders on the extraordinary:
- Elliot Tebele's astonishing array of game-worn Air Jordans stands as a shrine to basketball history
- Lee Deville's quest to amass every Asics collaboration speaks volumes of his dedication
What binds these collectors is not just an obsession with quantity but an appreciation for the quality and history embedded within each pair. As Simon "Woody" Wood notes, "the drive isn't solely toward amassing numbers but the pursuit of stories and legacies etched into every sole and stitched into every upper."
Through detailed narratives and stunning visuals, the book offers readers a sensory journey into the lives and passions of those who elevate footwear to an art form. With its blend of practical guidance and personal stories, "Sneaker Freaker" ensures that every page resonates with the heartbeat of sneaker culture, celebrating creativity and dedication while inviting readers to appreciate the vibrant tapestry of community and history these sneakers represent.
Ghostlight by Keith Carter
Keith Carter's "Ghostlight" unveils a breathtaking collection of over 100 black and white photographs that evoke a hauntingly poetic atmosphere within Southern wetlands. Carter's lens penetrates the shadows of swamps, marshes, and bayous, drawing viewers into a world where the boundary between the living and the spectral seems eternally blurred.
In "Ghostlight," Carter skillfully employs stark contrasts to craft scenes brimming with mystery. The monochromatic palette accentuates the interplay of light and shadow, giving each photograph a timeless, almost otherworldly quality. This technique allows Carter to create an immersive experience, where the viewer inhabits the eerie beauty of the Southern landscapes he chronicles.
Among the atmospheric landscapes, Carter's portraits stand out with an aura of mystery. His subjects, both human and animal, seem to emerge from the depths of an ancient folklore. The evocative gazes and expressions captured in the portraits invite viewers to ponder their untold stories.
The animal portraits further deepen the sense of macabre beauty that permeates Carter's work.
- Alligators blend seamlessly into the dark waters
- Deceased woodpeckers and other wildlife depicted in stark close-ups evoke the cyclic nature of life and death
These images, suffused with a quiet elegance, uncover the brutal yet fascinating reality of survival in these environments.
Carter's ability to capture the nuanced details of these environments elevates the mundane to the sublime. The swamps he photographs are sentient beings, brimming with secrets and specters. The hanging moss, the rippled surfaces of water, and the twisted roots all become characters in Carter's visual tale, each contributing to the overarching theme of the wilderness as a realm of hidden depths and ancient echoes.
In "Ghostlight," Keith Carter encapsulates the timeless and the ephemeral, the beautiful and the macabre, crafting a visual symphony that resonates with the pulse of nature's enigmatic heart. His photographs are a testament to the enduring allure of the mysterious, drawing viewers into a world where light meets shadow, life meets death, and reality gently fades into reverie.
The Horses by Gareth McConnell
Gareth McConnell's "The Horses" delivers a visual feast that straddles the boundary between reality and fantasy, invoking a dreamscape of Icelandic horses painted in iridescent hues. McConnell subverts the conventional norms of equine photography, transforming each image into a vibrant tableau where the familiar meets the fantastical—a departure from documentary to surrealism.
McConnell employs flashlights, colored gels, and analogue film to reimagine his subjects, imbuing the Icelandic horses with an ethereal presence. Each photograph is a symphony of color and light, bathing the ordinary in an otherworldly glow. The spectral qualities echo Edwin Muir's poetic imagery—a fitting homage to the enigmatic allure of these steeds.
This photobook takes the viewer on an acid-tinged journey, where flashlights produce radiant bursts of illumination that carve out fantastical silhouettes against the stark Icelandic backdrop. The use of colored gels accentuates the dimensions, adding layers of visual intrigue. Analog film intensifies these effects, blending the raw and the unreal, allowing the horses to emerge as figures within a vivid, hallucinatory nocturne.
McConnell's choice to avoid direct commentary allows the images to speak volumes. The absence of extensive notes invites viewers to derive their own interpretations, deepening the enigmatic quality. His approach is impressionistic—enveloping the viewer in a narrative dream state.
His subjects often appear etched from the elements—ephemeral beings molded from light and shadow. The image of a horse, bathed in a surreal glow, invites a dynamic interaction, urging the observer to see beyond the surface into unseen dimensions.
McConnell's use of psychedelic colors and lighting transforms the Icelandic horses into mythical creatures existing in a reality that bends and refracts through his visionary eye. The horses become co-conspirators in his quest to redefine their visual representation, offering a transcendental experience that's part documentary, part psychedelic canvas.
Through McConnell's lens, the horses navigate realms both real and imagined, leaving an indelible imprint on the collective consciousness of those who dare to look beyond the superficial.
Still Life by Doan Ly
In "Still Life," Doan Ly embarks on a vivid voyage through color, light, and nature, showcasing her skills as a florist, artist, and photographer. Her work emanates an appreciation for the timeless elegance of Old Masters' still life paintings while infusing each piece with a contemporary vibrancy distinctly her own.
Ly's mastery lies in orchestrating an intricate dance of hues and illumination, breathing life into floral arrangements with an almost palpable dynamism. Her compositions exhibit a harmonious blend of classical influences and modern interpretations, radiating a sense of renewal and timeless beauty.
Drawing from the rich tradition of still life painting, Ly incorporates elements that harken back to the meticulous detail and profound symbolism of Old Masters like Caravaggio and Vermeer. However, her work stands as a reinvention of classic themes, where each bloom reflects a careful study in form, shadow, and light.
The true brilliance lies in Ly's innovative use of lighting. She employs it to transform, draping her subjects in a luminous glow that highlights their inherent beauty while creating layers of visual depth. This strategic illumination imparts a sculptural quality, making the arrangements leap off the page with a three-dimensional presence.
Ly's work transcends the static nature traditionally associated with still life; instead, it pulses with life and motion. Each photograph captures a fleeting moment of perfection, a bloom at its most glorious, bathed in light that seems almost divine. Her use of vibrant, bold colors transforms ordinary stems and petals into remarkable narratives, inviting viewers to engage with nature's fleeting beauty and the delicate balance of life.
This synthesis of the traditional and contemporary is heightened by Ly's playful inclusion of human elements. In several pieces, she seamlessly incorporates people into her floral narratives, allowing them to interact with the arrangements in whimsical and profound ways. These interactions echo the deeply human connection to nature and the perennial cycle of life and rebirth.
Ly invites viewers to pause, to experience the joy and wonder embedded in the simplicity of a solitary bloom or the grandeur of a full bouquet. Her photography is about capturing the ephemeral beauty of life itself, reminding us of the extraordinary within the everyday.
"Still Life" becomes a kaleidoscope of visual poetry where each color and shade of light tells its story. Her work is a testament to the transformative power of art, showing how, through a unique combination of floral artistry and photography, one can breathe life into the inanimate, infuse the transient with permanence, and bring whimsy and joy into the hearts of its audience.
Turning the pages of "Still Life," one feels an undeniable connection to the vibrancy and serenity that Ly instills in her work. It is an invitation to see and feel the harmony and beauty that she captures. Her artistry resonates deeply with the viewers' emotions, encouraging them to rediscover the simple, profound beauty of the world around them.
Photo by luisabrimble on Unsplash
Life's Fragile Moments by Julian Lennon
Julian Lennon's "Life's Fragile Moments" is a compelling exploration into the multidimensional aspects of photography, presenting a rich array of themes that reflect his profound appreciation for life's ephemeral beauty. This coffee table book, a milestone in Lennon's career as a photographer, is not just a collection of visually striking images but also a testament to his versatile artistic journey and philanthropic endeavors.
Lennon's photography spans over two decades, capturing a diverse array of subjects that range from:
- The raw vibrancy of street art
- The serene magnificence of landscapes
- The intimate nuances of personal portraits
Each photograph encapsulates a moment in time, immortalizing the fragility and transient beauty of life.
The book opens with a series of street art photographs that pulse with energy and life. These images are not just depictions of urban art; they are living, breathing records of cultural expression and social commentary. Lennon's lens captures the raw, unpolished beauty of the streets, contrasting vibrant graffiti with the often mundane backdrop of city life.
Transitioning from the dynamic streets to the tranquil embrace of nature, Lennon's photography offers a breathtaking array of landscapes that evoke a profound sense of wonder and serenity. Whether it's the rolling hills kissed by the early morning light or the haunting stillness of a twilight forest, each landscape is composed to highlight the intrinsic and often overlooked beauty of our natural world.
Additionally, Lennon's intimate portraits delve into the depths of human emotion and connection. The portraits, whether candid or composed, reveal the essence of their subjects, capturing unguarded moments of genuine expression. Faces of different ages, backgrounds, and walks of life fill the pages, each telling its own unique story.
What sets "Life's Fragile Moments" apart is the deeply personal reflections and insights that accompany many of the photographs. Written in Lennon's own script, these entries offer readers a rare glimpse into his thoughts and the inspirations behind his work. His reflections range from poignant musings on the fleeting nature of time to candid anecdotes that reveal his creative process and personal encounters.
Lennon's philanthropic efforts also feature prominently in the book, underscoring his commitment to using art as a means of raising awareness and fostering change. Photographs from his travels to Uruguay and a tribute concert for Leonard Cohen exemplify this mission, documenting the beauty of these events but also the underlying causes and efforts they support.
As viewers turn the pages of "Life's Fragile Moments," they are invited to share in Lennon's artistic exploration, experiencing the world through his unique perspective. His ability to find beauty in the mundane and capture the essence of fleeting moments makes this book a significant contribution to the field of photography.
