16/08/2010

I went to see the annual exhibit ‘Unsensored10’ presented by the Melbourne Silver Mine Inc. at the Collingwood Gallery.  All of the works were done using analogue photography to which the Melbourne Silver Inc. dedicate their passion. With the ever developing world of digital photography, it is always refreshing to see some artists going through the effort of using film as their medium. Since I started to use a digital SLR, I find myself easily distracted by the spontaneity which technology brings. In other words, you take more digital shots for fewer done on film and you spend more time reviewing your shots. In a way, it is advantageous for immediately correcting settings such as lighting, exposure, or even composition, etc. On the other hand, I find I spend less time getting the settings right from the beginning instead of working your way towards perfection. Perhaps if I used a light meter, I would save time on adjustments. Also, it’s very tempting to take several shots of the same set up for fear of missing out on the perfect shot. I’ve done this on numerous occasions and upon reviewing a shoot, I realise I could have omitted taking 1/3 of the shots! Alternatively, working with digital photography is a little more environmental friendly, cost-effective, and easier in terms of processing as all is done on a computer. I’m not in favour of one over the other as I sometimes shoot on film, but I have been producing more works shot with a digital camera. ’Unsensored10’ is a good exhibit of those you appreciate the art of film photography. There are beautiful prints done using darkroom processes I have yet to experiment. There’s a bit of everything in terms of style. The show runs until August 25th 2010. 

07/08/2010

This is the second time Theresa Harrison curates a group exhibit in a house. This time, the house was going to be demolished. I thought it was such a clever idea to have the freedom (and the permission) to turn a vacant house into a gallery where walls, floors, and furniture are partly destructed and/or modified to be part of a final project. There were several artists who each used a room or a section of hallway to display their art. There were drawings, sculptures, video, paintings, and photography. Anything that could be possibly be done to the house was explored! I liked the idea of reconstructing space to create. It is an original way of recycling a building. It is easy to get distracted by the idea of creating something new where you can easily modify an already existing idea or object by adding to it something more personal. Unfortunately, the exhibit was on for only 1 day. 

06/08/2010

 I was invited to attend Michelle Tran’s first solo exhibit, Sky High, at the Lindberg Galleries. I must say I was amazed at the quality of the prints and the way they were well lit: they stood out from the dark grey walls as if they were lit from behind.  I also thought that the simple composition of her works reminded me of those of Loan Nguyen whose crisp simple composition never cease to amaze me. Michelle Tran is Vietnamese and gleaned from her personal cultural experience while growing up to develop this series. Being half-Vietnamese, I felt I could relate with some of her ideas portrayed in her works. I thought this exhibit was a perfect example of how the personal can enable one to create unique ideas. I’ve been interested in how female artist photographers incorporate their cultural background in their work. Mari Hirata is one artist photographer, based on the Gold Coast, whose work deals with her mixed heritage. Mari combines installation and self-portraiture in her works. 

22/07/2010

 I picked up the prints yesterday for my latest project, Clocissus, for CCP Kodak Salon 2010 . I had 2 copies printed, one as a digital print and the other on rag paper. It was unanimous, the digital print was better than the one on art paper. The blacks were much darker and this detail was crucial in the end since half of the image is true black. Also, the face of the subject was brighter on the digital print and there was more detail around the eyes than on the other print. The projection image on the left of the photo looked more authentic on the digital print, as the lines were more obvious. So, I chose the digital print as my entry for the Kodak Salon. Note to self, test prints would have been a better and cheaper way to compare the photos when time is not an issue. Overall, the photo on the rag paper would have been more appropriate if there wasn’t as much blacks and fine details, otherwise the rich pastel-like finish is beautiful. Not only do I now know a little more about the printing process, this project taught me a few things. One being the importance of having an assistant. This shoot was complicated because lights had to be set up strategically around and on the model. There was no way I could have coordinated all this by myself. Plus, positioning the subject’s body definitely required someone else for the ajustements. Since this project was a collaboration, my assistant was the collaborator. Consequently, I learned to relinquish my artistic direction. Not so easy when I usually work alone.  In terms of the camera settings for the shoot, I used a 50mm lens, a slow shutter speed, a low ISO, and a fairly big aperture. In retrospect, I could have done more shots with various ISO settings to compare. Post-processing was a bit challenging with my MacBook screen being too small. Size does matter when you open your file at the print shop and realise a major flaw on your image that you couldn’t have possibly picked up on a small screen! Besides the fact my screen isn’t calibrated, it didn’t help that my final image was very dark. Another major thing when working with files to be printed, is making sure the files are set up properly with the right extension, the right colour space profile, and the right size. 

Clocissus, 2010

16/07/2010

 After much planning, I got down to business and orchestrated a shoot specifically for the upcoming photo competition and exhibition, 2010 Kodak Salon at the Centre for Contemporary Photography. The project is inspired from Carravaggio’sNarcissus andinvolved LED lighting, a projection, and some post-processing. This project wouldn’t have come to fruition without some assistance. The downside of self-portraiture is having to run back and fro the camera to check if everything is in order. Sometimes, it is impossible to coordinate a perfect positioning of the body when you are both the model and the photographer. The final prints  will be ready sometimes next week. I look forward to seeing the results with great anticipation since I decided  for the first time to try a copy printed on Hahnemuhle paper. 

15/07/2010

Here was my last portrait series, Interviewees:

11/07/2010

In order to keep the momentum going, I’ve been doing a few self-portraits in the past couple of weeks. There are a few photo competitions deadlines approaching and the interest to submit is there but deciding what to submit hasn’t been so easy. Should I create something completely new? I have the weekend to sort this out.

26/06/2010

Got an email today from the team of the ‘Head On Festival’ to confirm which of my photos had been shortlisted for the slideshow. ‘I want to be like Yoko Ono’ was the one. I’m not quite sure if the Festival will be traveling to Melbourne, but will definitely make an announcement once I found out.

I want to be like Yoko Ono, 2009

25/06/2010

Last weekend, I was at a lighting workshop with Matthew Stanton held at the Center for Contemporary Photography. Given that I have attended a similar workshop a few years ago, I quite enjoyed this one for the small group size and the ability to visualize instantly the different kinds of lighting. It truly made a difference to be able to see the various test shots with a model on a giant screen. We basically explored lighting with one source and modified the effects with various props. I tried to put into practice the ‘basics’ a few days later with a friend, Theresa, who had access to a lighting studio. Upon reviewing the shots, I concluded there were a few things I would improve such as the focus, the background and adding a touch of light on the face. Here are some of the shots:

Photos by Claudia Phares

23/06/2010

 I attended the last performance of ‘CONNECTIONS:NOTHING EXISTS IN ISOLATION’ last night. Having been to a few rehearsals, it was great to finally see it fit all together, especially with costumes. The performers were pleased with the portraits I shot which were displayed in the theatre foyer. I really enjoyed this collaborative project with Lis Viggers; it opened my eyes to the world of performance, music, technology, and the complicated nature of a  stage production like this. Here are the portraits:

Lina Andonovska    Nina Sofo                 Paul Bongiorno       Merri Davies                 

20/06/2010

The last photos featured in the ‘STREET’ portfolio:

18/06/2010

I’ve been back from Paris for a little more than 2 weeks now. While I was still refreshed and rejuvenated, I took advantage of my post-holiday high to sort out my closets, my “just in case” pile of horded objects and my photos. I also had all my rolls of film from my trip developped and since then, have been cherishing the joys of holding a physical photo while reliving the feeling of the moment the shot was taken. I’m currently putting together a new ‘street’ portfolio which will include some of my holiday shots. In retrospect, it was well worth the extra luggage for the 2 film cameras I brought with me. The one I mostly used was a Holga and the other was my dad’s Nikon F3. I thrive on the element of surprise when shooting film. As opposed to a digital SLR, you can’t check what you’ve just shot: you’re left at the mercy of your intuition, skills and chance. Last week, I got together with my friend Lis Viggers who had been working on her production ‘CONNECTIONS: NOTHING EXISTS IN ISOLATION’ to discuss photography. Basically, I offered to take portraits of the performers and have the photos enlarged to be displayed in the foyer of the Grant St Theatre where the production will be held. Being new to shooting in a theatre setting, I researched for the best type of lens to use and contacted my friend Tristan who is a pro in the field. I attended a couple of rehearsals and used 2 lenses (50 mm/f1.4 & 18-200mm f/3.5 VR) to do some test shots. Since I was after close-ups, I opted for the 50 mm in the end. Given I had to get the shoot done early enough to have the prints done before the show and when all the cast was going to be present at the one time, the earliest day was last Sunday. I was allocated specific time slots to do the shots and was able to work with the light technician. After a few hours, I managed to get at least one good one for each performer. I had in mind to print in black and white to accentuate the “being in character’ in each of the performers. I got the prints done on time and I hung them today. The cast were pleased with the results and so was Lis. ’CONNECTIONS: NOTHING EXISTS IN ISOLATION’, Grant St Theatre (Southbank) - Free admissionSUNDAY 20th June @ 2pm
MONDAY 21st June @ 4pmTUESDAY 22nd June @ 7pm

13/05/2010

Today, being a public holiday in Paris, I was happy to discover that museums were still open as well as some bakeries. We strolled to la rive gauche and found le Musée Maillol to check out an ongoing exhibit ‘C’est la vie! De Caravage à Damien Hirst’. The exhibit was on various interpretations of death by artists from antiquity to contemporary times. Photography, sculptures, drawings, paintings, jewelry, and video were displayed from artists such as Basquiat, Damien Hirst and Cindy Sherman to name a few. I enjoyed the exhibit immensely as I find the concept of death fascinating. This kind of symbolism in art has always been present and this show compiled an excellent collection worth seeing. On our way back, we swung by the Musée d’Orsay, one of the many attractions in Paris. I had a look at the pernament collections: the highlight was seeing the originals of the many reproductions I’ve seen of Van Gogh, Manet, or Monet. I discovered a few artists who were known for their pastel drawings, such as Lévy-Dhurmer, and Rippl-Ronai. Some other discoveries included Gustave Moreau, Franz Von Stuck, Felix Valloton, and Karel Masek.There was an ongoing exhibition,’Crime and Punishment’, which covered the period from 1791 to 1981. It suited the theme of death from earlier today. To finish off this entry, I visited the Père Lachaise cemetery which I thought would be a better experience to see at night. Notheless, I enjoyed the walk through the meandering paths of this massive resting place, searching for the well-known who were buried there. Here are a few shots taken on the day.   

Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris (2010)                                                                               Photos by Claudia Phares

11/05/2010

Last weekend I went to see a couple of exhibits. One of them was of Lisette Model at Jeu de Paume who was an Austrian-born American photographer. She became known for photographing subjects from both ends of the spectrum of society. Her famous series was “Promenade des Anglais” conducted in Nice in 1934. In the late 30s, she moved to New York and became prolific with her series done in popular bars and nightclubs in the Lower East Side and in the Bowery. She definitely developed a style in street photography where her cropped portraits devoid of superfluity can generate a wide range of emotions. Her photos were not staged or with an artistic composition in mind; the social aspect behind her subjects was what mattered. The fact the entire exhibit was in black and white reinforced her style. Lisette influenced a few through her teachings, such as Diane Arbus, who was one ofher pupils in 1957. In the same vein of photography with a humanistic style, I saw Willy Ronis’ exhibit 'Poetic of Engagement' at the Monnaie de Paris. This exhibit displayed about 150 black and white prints. His works varied from straight street shots of post-war life in Paris to travels, work, family, and friends. A portrait of his wife Marie-Anne Lansiaux ‘Provençal Nude (1949)’, turned out quite unexpectedly, as one of his most successful. Willy truly composed his images beautifully including backgrounds which added shape and form to the final image. I loved how he took several photographs peering through windows, for which I admired his acute sense of observation.

07/05/2010

I’ve been in Paris for a few days now and have been enjoying its tasty pains au chocolat, its architecture, its art and fashion. I went to the Centre Pompidou a couple of days ago to check out Lucian Freud’s exhibit, L’atelier. His nude portraits are worth seeing. Also showing at the centre Pompidou is elles@pompidoucentre which features works from 200 international women artists in the collection of the national museums. The exhibit includes sculptures, drawings, paintings, installations, videos, and photography. You’ll find works from Sophie Calle, Louise Bourgeois, Frida Khalo, Barbara Kruger, Tacita Dean, ORLAN, to name a few. It is an excellent overview on the feminism movement and its influences in modern and contemporary art. It was a privilege to see works in the flesh of women artists whose works I admired and to discover works from completely unknown artists.  

One discovery was Katherina Bosse, a Finnish photographer whose series “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Mother" was shown. I connected with her instantly as the series featured self-portraits. I love the boldness in her portraits and the use of natural light in an outdoor setting. I like this particular shot (see left), because its mythological referencing makes it very strong and powerful. Speaking of female artists, I fortuitously found out earlier in the day about the opening in Paris of Between Worlds (see image on right) of Polixeni Papapetrou which took place last evening at the Galerie L MD. I was familiar with Polixeni’s latest series, Between Worlds, as the Center for Contemporary Photography where I volunteer had been selling copies of her book of the same name. I arrived at the gallery right on time for the talk on the exhibit. I enjoy finding out about the  inspirations and influcences behind a body of work. I found out that Diane Arbus was the photographer who inspired her to take up photography. Interestingly, I am reading Diane Arbus’ biography by Patricia Bosworth. I had the chance to introduce myself to Polixeni and we chatted a bit. I really liked this series because of its simplicity yet well orchestrated compositions. The colourful photos were also beautifully printed. I found some similarities with her current series as there was use of masks, costumes, and props which make the shots very theatrical and humorous. The show runs until 26 June 2010.

25/04/2010

The last photos featured in the ‘PORTRAIT’ portfolio:

20/04/2010

I tried a roll of  35mm colour film in my Holga and walked around my neighbourhood, snapping away. The outcome: washed-out look with a dreamy feel to it. I love the element of surprise whenever I use this camera. These were shot along Gertrude Street.

10/04/2010

A couple of weeks ago, I attended the opening of Lizzie Hollins 200 million & Counting at the Colour Factory Gallery. This exhibit consisted of one video projection and series of large square prints which were taken during her travels in Europe, from a bird’s eye view.  Lizzie explored “the dynamic of the mass crowd, tourism, consumption, global attraction and narrative there within”. In spite of the distance at which the photos were taken, we could still see the details in the people’s clothing and see what they were doing at the time. As the ground where the people stood was quite homogenous, the viewer could imagine patterns in each image.  The show runs until 30 April 2010. 
On the same vein as documentary photography, I saw at the Monash Gallery of Art, Jon Lewis’ Kiribati: putting a face to climate change. There were 46 black and white prints in this series which were taken over the past 2 years at the Republic of Kiribati, situated in the Equatorial Pacific. Jon portrayed the people living on some of the 33 atolls engaging in various daily activities. It is said that the Republic of Kiribati will remain for another 30-40 years at the most, as it will eventually be submersed under water as a result of climate change. I was overwhelmed with the fact that these portraits showing the Kiribati people living their lives while practicing their traditions were probably not prepared for what will be irreversible.

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On a less gloomy note, I had initially gone to the MGA to see Lyra's Status Anxiety exhibit. The glossy large and colourful prints were depicting a Stepford wife-like model in  what seems like upside down domestic settings. The series was exploring the anxieties women may experienced when faced with society’s expectations. I enjoyed the humour in the project and the theatrical settings.

30/03/2010

Last Thursday, I’ve attended in Carlton North a one-night-only site-specific exhibition, Holes in the Wall, curated by Theresa Harrison. The concept was interesting as they emptied a home of its inhabitants and 12 artists were invited to exhibit their works using the domestic space. The viewers were then able to look at the installations and displays of various art forms through the house windows.  This project was original as it explored the notion of voyeurism in an artistic manner. There were still a lot people there when I arrived; standing all around the house itself and onto the sidewalk. I had the chance to see Shay Minster’s Slow Dance installation for a second time, which I saw when it was first shown at theWest Space gallery. I also discovered Linsey Gosper, a photographic artist, who displayed a wall-size print, entitled Gothic Mime, a self-portrait from her collection of role-play femmes fatales.   

A friend of mine who is a collector of graphic novels, lent me the 3 volumes of the series Le photographe. This graphic novel documents the journey of French photojournalist Didier Lefèbre, co-author, during his travels with Médecins Sans Frontières in Afghanistan in 1986. There are illustrations from Emmanuel Guibert, as well as black and white photographs all taken by Didier. I quite enjoyed reading the series as it gave me a glimpse of the hardship involved in setting up a clinic in a war torn country, a journey well photographed by Didier. Some of the images are not for the faint at heart.  After reading the series, I rekindled with my appreciation of black-and-white photography and photojournalism. As for Didier, he had travelled around the world, where he followed MSF. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2007.

21/03/2010

My talk on Thursday evening at the Guildford Lane Gallery went well, and the experience was less frightful than I had anticipated it. There were 3 other artists who also gave talks. We were a small group which made it easier to feel comfortable. I was impressed with the talk of Jillian Allan on her Japanese paper débutante dresses and their representation of fragility. One can appreciate good art when there is coherence and depth between the idea and the final project. I felt the same way when I went to the Center for Contemporary Photography yesterday to  listen to the artists talks. David van Royen’s talk on his self-portait series, Not moving,  was truly the most inspiring one of all. Firstly because it dealt with self-portraiture and identity, a topic I’ve been exploring. Secondly, the images were well composed, and the original idea of identity was well depicted thoughout the series. The show runs until May 16th.