Archive for March 2008
China
Updated 24 July
Boston.com – the big picture |Beijing preparations
Fotofestiwal Lodz 2008 | MADE IN CHINA – Chinese photography
When I met my uncle JJ at a yearly family gathering (March), we talked about China. He showed me a Dutch magazine special on China. In the special edition was a short article about my uncle and my uncle’s book : Een jaar Peking – op de fiets door de culturele revolutie (a year Beijing – on the bike through the cultural revolution). He told me that reporters of the magazine traveled to China with books, including his, in order to read old reports and stories and thus trying to experience/compare the old and the new China. As my uncle is still passionate about China, he made me curious. With a focus on photography and art, here’s what I’m discovering and learning…
Wikipedia | Chinese photography
new festival : TOPS
FOTOFEST2008 – dedicated to the theme of CHINA and the ancillary theme Transformations
Prospect, Mark Leonard | China’s new intelligentsia
“Despite the global interest in the rise of China, no one is paying much attention to its ideas and who produces them. Yet China has a surprisingly lively intellectual class whose ideas may prove a serious challenge to western liberal hegemony“.
Sign and sight | From the Feuilletons
Zwart Shanxi (Vervuiling in China) | Teun Voeten
Nordic light | Truth, Kristiansund : 1 – 7 May
Kanske näste år? Skulle vara kul…
Impact of a photo project
I read this article some time ago. I Almost forgot to post it and share it with you, which would have been a shame as this is interesting reading…
The New York Times : A Patchwork Land Confronts a Lie of Whole Cloth
“Attila Durak, a New-York-trained photographer born in Turkey, compiled the book, traveling around Turkey for seven consecutive summers, living with families and taking their portraits.
His intent was to show that Turkey is a constantly changing kaleidoscope of different cultures, not a hard piece of marble monoculture as the Turkish state says, and that acknowledging those differences is an important step toward a healthier society”.
Looking back to focus forward
Today was about photography and the truth.
A photo shoot with two colleagues and two models had been asked for today. Before setting up gear, we discussed old times at our academy of fine arts, photography trends, progress in our photography and the possibilities to do a photo project (documentary) together.
Then we started working. The men with analog equipment : Mamiya 6×7 and an impressive Linhof camera.
It was then and there that I realised and admitted that I’m no good working with a tripod and heavy “technical/elaborate” equipment. I’m clumsy when it comes to the technical part of photography and handling technical stuff. Surely I worked with a large camera and I sometimes use my tripod. But, I’m only at ease when I can move around and work with camera in hand. The only medium format camera that I can handle without tripod is my old 6×6 (compact) Rolleiflex TLR.
It also hit me that, unlike my two colleagues, I am now engaged in digital photography and less comfortable with analog workflow. I have two exposed B/W films that are in need for developping since seven months.
Despite the fact that I think large format photo work is awesome and that I enjoy working with film, as it is a pleasant experience/awareness, I’m getting out of touch with the “old” ways. Yet when it comes to the “new” ways and “new prints” : I’m still searching. I miss my baryte prints!
But, it’s time to focus, to part from my analog cameras -except Leicaflex and Rolleiflex for special (personal) projects-, set up a digital workflow and go serious with my photography. (I’ve finally figured out my portrait package formula).
Technical paper – Making the Transition from Film to Digital
I enjoyed working together, it’s inspiring. I’m keen to meet up again, touch base and do a project. Synergies are great. Thanks guys. And girls.
.
N and J – 20080322, © 2008 judith den hollander
Copyright and metadata
Updated 12 June 2008
PDN | Photo advocates divided over orphan works
21 March 2008
Ah progress… timely…
“Metadata are critical to photo business by providing important information about the image and by describing it properly. The maximum added value will only be achieved if the metadata are precise and reliable. But how can we apply metadata to avoid ambiguity and misunderstandings among our customers?”
“Identifying photos. Every photographer and photo librarian wants to clearly indicate: “This is my photo”. In the interests of copyright protection, copyright owners want unique identifiers in the image helping to locate it on the world wide web. At what stage should these be produced, and what are the options for protecting this information?”
Read the BJP article : Conference call for metadata to include copyright
