May Review
Hello! It’s been months since I’ve posted a Skip Town review. But lately we’ve had some new visitors by way of Fathom and Kate Spade (thanks!) so I thought I’d do a little flash-back.
Through Their Eyes is one of my favourite features, and I’m always so very happy that such fantastic photographers agree to take part. Over the past few months we’ve seen the brilliant Alexi Hobbs’ take on Arizona (love this one), Andrew Richey who somehow made bustling Hong Kong seem dreamy and quiet, Lauren Bamford’s adventures in rural Australia, Lynton Crabb in Tokyo and most recently Sharyn Cairns’ series from the beautifully dilapidated streets of Cuba.
In other news, we took ‘An American Road Trip’ Google-map-style with Kyle Ford, and, if you love typography like I do you’ve got to check out the 50 and 50 series of illustrated State Mottos, curated by Dan Cassaro of Young Jerks. Also got a couple of sweet Time Travel posts – think Hawaii and Alaska in the 1950′s.
Along with the rest of the world I’ve discovered Pinterest in a big way, and I must admit I’ve gone a little berserk over the past few months – so if you’re looking for some cool travel gear, chances are I’ve pinned it!
Have a fantastic weekend
- Jess
Through Their Eyes: Sharyn Cairns
It’s possible that you’ve never heard of Sharyn Cairns, but if you live in Australia you’ve definitely seen her work. She’s probably the busiest and most in-demand editorial photographer in the country - just pick up a copy of Gourmet Traveller, Inside Out, Vogue Living, Country Style or Elle Decoration for proof. Her work is defined by defined by lusciously dark shadows and moody tones and is being replicated all over the place by other photographers. But we reckon Sharyn was doing it first, and still does it the best.
Today Sharyn has generously shared some personal shots from a trip to Cuba. She travels often for work, creating some incredible series. One look at her website reveals Mexico, Spain, Tanzania, The Maldives … enough, you say! I get it, she’s living the dream!
Enjoy this warm, textural series and scroll down for a fantastic Q and A.
Cuba
What was your last travel destination?
At the moment I’m travelling quite a lot within Australia. Last week I was in the Alpine regions of Mt Hotham shooting a travel piece for a magazine. Stunningly beautiful mountain ranges with some challenging but interesting weather conditions.
Name a place or experience that you really loved.
I generally love any travel assignment, good or bad experiences, it always makes for a fun adventure! But a trip to Cuba last year probably had the most profound impact on me. It’s an amazing place to be with all it’s history, music, people, beautiful old buildings and textured walls that we could only dream of here. But the other side of this beauty was real poverty and that made me think about everything I shot and question what really makes a good image.
How do you decide what gear to bring (bodies, lenses, flash, tripod, bags)? Do you try to pack light? What’s your minimum must-have gear?
After years of travelling with many hard cases, film bags, Polariods, light meters, colour meters, tripods, etc etc it’s nice to be travelling light! These days I have a compact kit with two camera bodies and maybe 4-5 lenses that I predominantly use. You want a system that is flexible enough to cover all subjects without limiting the shot quality. I also really love the Iphone and Apps as a nice way of enjoying photography without the pressure of technicalities and file handling.
As a professional travel photographer, do you ever take personal shots while on assignment (or during private travel) for your own pleasure? If so, how do they differ from your commercial style?
Most of the time on travel assignments, whether business or pleasure, I shoot the same way as it’s my inherent style. Having said that, I think my general aesthetic is dark and moody of which I can push a little further in my own work.
What would be your ultimate travel photography destination?
Anywhere I haven’t been to. I’m fascinated by unique cultures and love remote and unique destinations. People and that connection you have with them when you shoot them is the ultimate reward.
Lately on Pinterest…
This *amazing* view of Aaelsund in Norway by Patricia Hamilton got me thinking about upcoming winter photo expeditions. From top: Pentax K-01 Yellow, ALL Knitwear scarf and Loeffler Randall rain booties.
Through Their Eyes: Lynton Crabb
Lynton Crabb’s photography studio is just down the street from my apartment, but he travels all over the world for work. The copy for today’s interview was actually sent from a flight en route to Papua New Guinea! Lucky guy.
Although specialising in advertising and corporate photography, he also enjoys taking pictures during his time off, and sent me these fantastic street-shots from a recent jaunt to Tokyo. What I like about them is his focus on moments between people – I could build a whole narrative around that first image. After complimenting Lynton on the shot of the girl with the amazingly impractical nails, Lynton offered this advice about street photography – “I watch for a while first without holding up my camera then I just shoot quickly and try not to act too full on. Sometimes I just ask if I can take a pic too…..and then shoot before they can think about it too much.”
It can sometimes be hard to create insightful street photography without intruding and feeling like a menace, but I think Lynton has walked that line very well!
What was your last travel destination?
I have just returned from the Northern Territory in Australia where I was shooting their new tourism campaign. We were so lucky to have good weather for most of it. It had been raining heavily for the two weeks before we went and as the last shot finished a huge storm rolled in that apparently lasted for five days.
Name a place or experience that you really loved.
I recently completed a series of portraits of miners 1.6 kilometres underground. In the hot, humid and dark conditions my lens totally fogged up. I shot anyway, using the miners light on my helmet as well as positioning the people with me in various places to light the subjects. The fog produced a really unique effect. It was a bit out of control but I loved it.
How do you decide what gear to bring (bodies, lenses, flash, tripod, bags)? Do you try to pack light? What’s your minimum must-have gear?
Each project I am working on is unique so I try and have a clear understanding of what I am trying to achieve and then pack my gear to suit. For travelling it is definitely light, although I do take lighting and equipment options to the place I am travelling just in case. If I am shooting a candid series such as the Tokyo set, when heading out for the day, I choose a lens and then use it for the whole day. Then I may retrace my steps the next day with a completely different lens. I don’t take all my equipment with me, just the camera and one lens. This takes the technical decisions and choices out of the equation at shoot time and allows me to just observe and click. It also helps the individual body of work gel together as a series.
Have you ever planned a series before you left, or do you just wait and see what happens?
I always research before I travel and try to imagine what I might be shooting but still keep an open mind. I try to decide a few technical things in advance, such as; Will I be working in colour or B/W? Will I be most likely shooting people or landscapes? Will I be shooting at night and require a tripod for long exposure, etc.
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 regard all of my photography as part of my body of work so I happily present my commercial and personal projects on the same web site and in my folio. Lots of my commercial projects have arisen through my personal work. Personal projects allow you to express yourself without any commercial restriction. The results of a personal projects can inspire a style for a commercial project and also give the perspective client a visual reference, hence confidence as to what his finished project can actually look like.
What would be your ultimate travel photography destination?
At the moment I keep thinking of taking a ship to the Arctic, shooting the journey, people and lifestyles of this region along the way. I suppose the landscapes on their own would be amazing, but its people and their interaction with the environment that excites me the most, with the landscape as a backdrop.
The Fine Art of Travel: An American Road Trip
How many times have you heard a recently returned traveller describe having “done” a certain destination or fifteen? As if, been there, done that – next!
But as photographer Kyle Ford explores in An American Road Trip, it’s really difficult for anyone to avoid this checklist mentality when we see so many similar images of iconic destinations secondhand, through advertising and social media. Sometimes even a particular view can become the established “right” way of seeing a place.
Kyle takes this idea a step further by photographing familiar road-side scenes from the classic American road trip route, with a catch – they’re all seen through Google Earth. Almost as good as the real thing, right?
Fifty and Fifty – The State Mottos
It’s always interesting, I think, to see how various destinations view themselves and how they project that identity to the outside world. The idea of having a State Motto for example, seems a bit quaint these days, too ‘one-size-fits-all’ for our times. But this sense of nostalgia fits perfectly with the vintage inspired style of designer Dan Cassaro, the curator of 50 and 50: The State Mottos. For this rather epic project, Dan has carefully selected a band of illustrators from around the country, each of whom have taken on the task of representing their home state by illustrating its State Motto.
Here’s a small selection of my personal favourites, but you can see the rest on the website and even buy a print if you’re feeling patriotic.
From top: New York by Dan Cassaro, Vermont by Always with Honor, Montana by Travis Cain, Louisiana by A Micah Smith, New Hampshire by Jarrod Baretto, Washington by Annemieke Beemster Leverenz.
Link Love
1. This limited edition photo book, ‘Postcards from America’, is the result of six Magnum photographers taking a road-trip together. Only it’s not really a book, more a multifaceted package of amazing-ness.
2. Field Candy have turned the humble tent into a canvas for designers from around the world. This one is by Australian designer, Jonathan Zawada.
3. Illustrator James Gulliver Hancock has several fantastic map commissions in his folio, but this one of Venice is a stand-out simply due to the crazy detail!
4. For their first edition, online publication Edits Quarterly share nostalgic snaps of home and away.
5. Jiro is the reigning king of Sushi, with his kingdom a tiny restaurant in a Tokyo train station. Jiro Dreams of Sushi documents his passion. ᔥ Wallpaper magazine
6. My latest travel-bag fixation is this bright green number from Clare Vivier.
7. Quite possibly an unnecessary luxury, but these Calabrese flight slippers are so grown-up, plus I love the drawstring bag.
8. Speaking of unnecessary (but aren’t the best things?) I’ll leave you with these Hello Kitty branded jets from EVA Air in Taiwan. ᔥ Apartment Therapy
*By the way, I’m trying out attribution symbols for the first time in this post. ᔥ means ‘via’ and links back to the Curator’s Code website where there is more information.
Secret City
I bought Port magazine for the first time the other day, and was really impressed by the travel illustrations by Dan Williams. They feature in the regular Secret City feature, where interesting people from around the world recommend a favourite local spot. There is just something old-fashioned and almost anti-trend about them that appeals.
Goodbye Summer
Where Do You Run To – Vivian GirlsThis summer we went all over but we didn’t leave home.
*Photography by Sean
