Monthly Archives: June 2011
Ladies (and gents) of the sky
Glamorous, ridiculous and mundane – photographer Brian Finke captures it all in trade-mark ethnographic style for his series ‘Flight Attendant’.
Finke spent two years travelling the world documenting the on and off duty lives of those who provide service in the sky. The shots offer a fascinating glimpse behind the carefully maintained public image that is all most of us ever see.
The series is so full of fantastic characters that I had serious trouble choosing the images to feature in this post, so I highly recommend visiting his site to see the full set.
Everyday Escapades: Thoughts of Denmark
I’ve led a pretty frugal existence lately, as I study and freelance and adjust to life in a new(ish) city. But in the past week I’ve acquired not one, but two very special treats – both with a decidedly Danish flavour.
One, I finally got a bike. It’s black and shiny and I’m almost afraid to ride it lest I crash (very possible) and scratch it. I took it for its first outing yesterday, to the Community Cup charity football match, featuring teams made up of radio announcers and musicians. There was a lot of falling over, pizza on the field, and five (I think) streakers. Just for the record, the musicians won.
Two, I got a very warm, sturdy, beautiful knitted Ilse Jacobsen cardigan. Is it wrong to be excited over knit-wear? It’s just that when I wear it I can imagine my name is Gjerta and I’m on my way to pick berries or some other stereotypical (mostly imaginary) nordic-type hobby.
Anyway, self-congratulations concluded, these two new acquisitions got me thinking about all things Danish and how I really must go back there soon (I had a short visit a few years ago). An internet image-search spree followed, and if you care to scroll down, perhaps you too will catch the must-go-to-Denmark-now bug.
By the way, I’m guest-blogging about travel photography over at The Design Files all this week. So if you’ve come from there, welcome, and if not, check it out.
Through Their Eyes: Ben Mostyn
Ben Mostyn is a London-based freelance photographer specialising in portrait and documentary work. Several years ago, during a stint in the USA (where he began his freelance career and met his wife) he rode the rails down to Georgia, photographing a variety of local characters along the way. Ben also runs an online journal called Superimpose Magazine that documents creative individuals living in south east London.
These pictures were taken in and around Athens, Georgia – while I was there I tried to document the more traditional aspects, as well as the slightly more eccentric characters that called it home. I met so many interesting people – I think it’s best to build a rapport with someone before you fly in and start shooting their picture; it puts people at ease, and you’ll get a better shot if you make that effort. The fella on the unicycle was a chef at a neighbourhood restaurant that was kind of a secret among the locals – I was only able to find out about it from talking with him, and as a result, had more material to shoot for a job I was doing for a newspaper at the time. The picture of the lady holding the US flag over her face was taken at a political rally to protest Obama’s healthcare reform plans. I think learning about people’s political views can tell you a lot about a place – in this case it was a pretty big culture shock – there was a huge amount of anger over something intended to help. Coming from England where there is a free healthcare system, I couldn’t quite wrap my head around it. But this is why travel can be so enriching; if nothing else, it may help you to find a new appreciation for your home turf!
What was your last travel destination?
I travelled around Georgia in the US for a while; I had previously moved from my native England to New York, and then developed a strange curiosity for the southern states. I decided to give in to it, and took a hellish 24-hour train ride to Atlanta, from where I set off. I eventually based myself in Athens, which is an amazing little town that is home to bands such as REM, The B52’s, Deerhunter, and so on. There was literally nothing around it – Athens is a creative oasis in a desert of highways and shopping malls.
Name a place or experience that you really loved.
I found this incredible spot in the countryside between Athens and Greenville where a covered bridge crossed a tumbling river. It was hidden in an overgrown valley, and had all this weird caveman-style graffiti on the giant boulders that lined the water. It was like something out of a film, with creepy looking trees hanging over the waterfalls and pools, and it was the perfect place to cool off in the deadly summer heat.
How do you decide what gear to bring (bodies, lenses, flash, tripod, bags)? Do you try to pack light? or What’s your minimum must-have gear?
I always travel with a minimum of gear – when I first travelled to the States, my digital camera gear was held up in customs, so all I had was a lomo lc-a, and some cheap colour film. But generally every single picture I shot there was taken with a Canon 5D, and a Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens. I rarely use flash; it tends to kill the atmosphere. I’ve seen other photographers weighed down with kit, but in the time you’ve spent fiddling with buttons, you’ll miss the shot. I also use an old messenger bag to keep my gear in – it looks less threatening than if you’re hiking around a huge photo dedicated rucksack.
Have you ever planned a series before you left, or do you just wait and see what happens?
I usually do research about the area I’m visiting, just so that I know where I might want to check out, but I don’t really have any kind of itinerary as such. The best thing is to avoid the touristy places, talk to locals, and just do a lot of walking.
What do you do with your photos when you get home? Would you ever use them in your portfolio? Have you ever landed any commercial work because of your travel shots?
I tend to jump on them as soon as I can, but then I will sleep on the edited images, and come back to them a while later. I think if you have a good photo it should hit you between the eyes, but it’s also easy to miss something that you might not have given enough attention the first time round. But I never shoot a massive amount of images – I think digital has given us bad habits in that we can just hold down the shutter and it won’t cost anything, but I’ve been trying to pretend I’m shooting with film, and be more selective that way. I have received assignments from my travel shots, mainly as a result of interest in environmental portraits that I’ve done. However I’m still waiting for that elusive commission where I’m sent to a tropical island in the name of photography!
What would be your ultimate travel photography destination?
It might be a cliché, but India does seem like a photographer’s dream in terms of colour, and the richness of the culture there. Parts of Europe that are only a few hours from me by rail are fantastic spots for photography – when I was a kid I travelled from London to Venice on a sleeper train, passing through the French Alps – I would love to repeat that someday.
Souvenir still lifes
While unpacking boxes upon boxes of stuff at the new place, I came across my battered and beloved shoebox full of travel paraphernalia. Flyers and fabric, booklets and bank notes, trinkets, coins, packaging, tickets… in short, junk. But special junk… to me anyway.
I spread it out over the lounge room floor and picked out certain things to share with you. Seeing it collated and photographed like this, I suddenly remember why I keep it. What do you collect on your travels?
United States of America
Japan
Europe (various countries including France, Ireland, Sweden and Turkey)
Illustrated America
There is a great selection of vintage travel posters for view over at the Library of Congress website. Here are a few that caught my eye, all promoting the United States in the 1930′s. Such beautiful artwork… you certainly don’t see tourism promotions like this anymore. I suppose the rise of photography made most travel illustrations redundant. Does anyone know of any modern day illustrated tourism campaigns? I think I’ll investigate!
Through Their Eyes: Elizabeth Weinberg
Elizabeth Weinberg is a young photographer with a rapidly rising reputation. Since making the PDN 30 last year her client list has expanded and she’s recently been traveling across the States shooting for some big names.
She’s been kind enough to share with us her beautifully understated travel pics from a trip to Israel. Scroll down for her thoughts on travel photography – She’s never owned a tripod and and avoids flash at all costs. Our kind of photographer!
Israel by Elizabeth Weinberg
What was your last travel destination?
I took the Amtrak Coast Starlight from LA to Portland a couple weeks ago. I recommend it to EVERYBODY! 29 hours on a train doesn’t sound like much fun, but it was incredible. You travel through some of the most diverse terrain in America, get to sleep in a little private room, get three included meals a day, and if you’re lucky you get the conductor who tells jokes and gives you a guided tour of your surroundings. I then took the Amtrak Cascades line up to Seattle for a shoot. It was beautiful and sunny most of my time in the Northwest, which was great.
Name a place or experience that you really loved.
There are a lot! I had a great time walking around Tel Aviv last year with no particular plan in mind. I don’t mind walking around for the entire day; it’s my preferred mode of transportation in a new city. I also love camping in Big Sur. There’s nothing like that place, with the light in the trees and hikes to the ocean and waking up under a canopy of redwoods. Photographer’s dream.
How do you decide what gear to bring (bodies, lenses, flash, tripod, bags)? Do you try to pack light? or What’s your minimum must-have gear?
I have to pack light. I’m small! I also shoot as unobtrusively as possible and that means no lights or crazy gear. Just me and one or two cameras. Mostly just one. My bare minimum gear is my Olympus Stylus Epic 35mm point-and-shoot, but I generally shoot on the Canon 5D Mk II. I’ve never owned a working tripod in my ilfe. I don’t like flash photography and use it minimally. I also am not precious with my cameras and just use regular little backpacks or tote bags to carry them around in. They’re meant to withstand much worse treatment!
Have you ever planned a series before you left, or do you just wait and see what happens?
I don’t really ever plan anything in advance. There’s no point in that, as nothing ever works out how you plan it, especially while traveling. It also minimizes a lot of stress and lets you just enjoy your trip.
What do you do with your photos when you get home? Have you ever landed any commercial work because of your travel shots?
Sometimes I’ll sit on the photos and not look through them for days or weeks. Sometimes I’ll go back look back at them a year later. I find that if I do an edit I’ll miss something the first time around and when I go back through later I’ll find stuff I didn’t know I liked. As for commercial work…it’s not just travel stuff, but everything I’ve ever shot has led to that in some way, as it’s all part of my portfolio and now I’m getting more and more travel-related work. Always a good thing!
What would be your ultimate travel photography destination?
On an airplane once I read an article about the Stockholm Archipelago and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. I’d love to spend a few weeks traveling from island to island exploring by boat, camping along the way.
The search continues…
If you haven’t already noticed, the search for the perfect camera bag is a slight preoccupation here at Skip Town. That elusive mix of style, practicality and discretion is something we’re always keeping an eye out for. This Mt. Rainer Designs camera bag, spied over at Inventory, may not check all of the boxes (I want one that I can fit other, regular, stuff into while travelling) yet it’s nineties-style charm is still working for me.
The Fine Art of Travel: Welcome to Pyongyang
It took British photographer Charlie Crane over a year to get permission to shoot this once-in-a-lifetime series of images in North Korea. And even when he was eventually allowed into the highly secretive country with his camera, the locations made available to him were tightly controlled. Believe it or not, all the below images were shot at tourist sites in the capital city of Pyongyang.
From his artist statement:
I was not allowed to take my mobile phone past customs and was met by two guides who were to accompany me at all times throughout my trip. At first they appeared robotic in conversation as if reading from a script, telling of their country’s great achievements. After a few days and many polaroids the guides became more relaxed and personable.
Working with such tight restrictions in a country once described as a ‘Stalinist Disneyland’ was a real challenge but the result is the strongest body of work I’ve produced to date.
My first book ‘Welcome to Pyongyang’ was produced in conjunction with Nicholas Bonner of Koryo Tours and was published in the spring of 2007 by Chris Boot.
New Kids on the Block
Hooray! We’ve settled into the new place and as of a few hours ago the internet is on! To commemorate the
occasion (the move, not the internet connection) here’s a photo of four bathing beauties taken on St Kilda beach
(the new neighbourhood) in 1910. Hopefully I will be following their example at some point in the future when it is
not the middle of winter. My! It was so cold today.
Anyway, I just wanted to check in and say hi. Back to regular posting shortly.
*Image courtesy Museum Victoria archives
