09/11/2010

Last September, I went out to shoot for the ‘Northside Ladies Bicycle Calendar’ project. The past 2 years I’ve been involved with this project, I used my own camera to shoot. For a change, we shared a Rolleicord III Type 2 Medium format camera (75 mm lens) among 12 photographers. I’ve never used one before this particular project which made me a bit nervous. I wasn’t able to find a lightmeter for the day of the shoot, so I had to rely on my judgement. I was told it was necessary to get the correct exposure when using slide film. The thing was that I only had 2 rolls of slide film and I needed 2 good shots for the calendar. So the pressure was on to get it right.      

 I sketched out my idea on paper and organised the outfit, the model and her bicycle for the shoot. I even sewed an obi belt to match the model’s kimono. My shoot was planned to be conducted during the early stages of sunset. I had in mind ‘eccentric’, ‘bold’, ‘colourful’, & ‘stylish’. I imagined a dark-skinned model wearing a kimono against a colourful background. I ended up shooting without really knowing how it would turn out and handed the exposed rolls, fingers crossed. I was so excited when I saw that some shots turned out OK. I was also amazed at how rich the colours came out on the slide film. I was very impressed with the outcome and have decided I will definitely use a medium format camera again. The 2011 Northside Ladies Bicycle Calendar can be pre-ordered here.     

08/10/2010

For the past few weeks, I’ve been planning and conducting photo shoots for a group exhibit I’m part of, ‘Inside is Out, Outside is In’ that is ongoing at the Colour Factory. Lia Steele and Rhiannon King are the other two Melbourne-based photographers part of the show. For this exhibition, we each approached the common theme of ‘skin’ by using portraits and stills. I’m presenting a series of portraits of coloured women as my subjects where a particular trait of their personality is explored.

In preparation of this series, I spent a lot of time sifting through photo books to sketch out the sets. I had never photographed dark-skinned models before this project. I knew that not only did I have to carefully choose prop colours to enhance the skin of my models, but I also would need to work on my lighting skills. 

In terms of set designing, I realised the moment you introduce objects or props in a portrait, it creates a shift in the composition, which can easily negatively affect the overall result. ‘How did they do it?’ was the main question I had about composition. I looked at several painted portraits in order to get some ideas. ‘Simple but strong’ was my motto throughout the planning. 

Shooting Beyond was the only done under the natural light of a skylight. The effect was acceptable but diffused light may have improved the shot. I ended up softening the image and lightened the hair. The minimalism of the shot enabled to achieve the intended ethereal effect.         

Elements was done in the studio where everything was set up. I built my own flash diffuser for this shoot, which I ended up using the rest of the project. It was probably one of the highlights of the project, as it dramatically changed the overall result of my final images: the light was nicely wrapping the subject without creating some hot spots. Also the fall off was less harsh.In this shoot, I wanted to introduce each of the 4 elements of Nature. The most difficult one was ‘air’. I thought of showing some movement with a ribbon blowing in the wind. The flying ribbon on the left bottom edge was deliberately blurry. Could I have done this differently? Maybe. The speed of the shutter wasn’t fast enough but then again, it was a matter of syncing flash and shutter speed. The alternative would have been to shoot the ribbon on its own and paste it on the final image. I’m not if the effect of movement would be the same if the ribbon was still.  

I did run into a hurdle when I couldn’t locate in town a stuffed bird I needed for the 3rd image,All seeing. I phoned all the prop stores without any luck and was just about decided to make my own bird. Perseverance led me to a lovely shop owner who generously agreed to lend me the stuffed bird as long as I shot on location. The actual location was a low ceiling basement where a space was cleared for my shoot. I went down to measure the size of the space and concluded I needed a wide-angle lens to fit the final composition. I rented a 14-24mm lens which I couldn’t have imagined working without in the end. I had brought my own backdrop, some white paper as reflectors and my regular gear. The shoot went well and I chose one of the last ones of the day. Shooting in a confined space that wasn’t mine made me appreciate doing shoots in a studio where you have your own space and where you don’t have to carry your equipment. However, challenges create opportunities to improvise and to try out new equipment! 

Shooting Do the damn thing! for the project was the biggest in terms of production. My model, Maxime Banks who is also an artist, painted a canvas on site while I filmed her. The use of video added another dimension to this project and I was able to put together a short film from the footage I’ve taken. You can watch the video here. I didn’t rent a HD camera for the project, but it will definitely be something I will look into in the future. We were both pleased with the final production and I did post on the web the short film I made from this art performance and collaboration. The show ‘Inside is Out, Outside is In’ is on at the Colour Factory from 8 October to 30 October.

01/09/2010

‘Timelines: Photography and Times’ at the NGV

If anyone had the chance to see these photographs, one would have certainly appreciated this selection of photographs exploring ‘time’ from various photographers from Australia and around the world . From ‘now and then’ types of portraits to beautifully hand-coloured photographs like Kusakabe Kimbei’s ‘Ritual washing for a funeral’ (c.1880) where a man’s deceased body is getting prepared for its burial following Japanese tradition. These were only a couple of examples showing the passage of time. 

---

Pat Brassington was showing at Arc One Gallery a few weeks ago. Her large scale images were an ensemble of what appeared to be straightforward photography with a mixture of collages. Her creations are highly abstract and surreal which may not suit all tastes. Some of the images are dreamlike and I liked how she arranges her images in an almost playful yet sometimes disturbing manner. As one of Australian few surreal artist photographer, she is definitely one to follow.

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.