David Bailey documentaries

On BBC 4 last week there were two fantastic programmes on cockney photographer David Bailey. David Bailey is a cultural icon who has been at the cutting edge of contemporary art for 50 years. From Vogue magazine fashion photographer to filmmaker, painter and sculptor, these documentaries show how he befriended the stars, married his muses and still captures the spirit and elegance of his times with his refreshing simple approach. The first, We'll Take Manhatten is a drama about the love affair between Bailey and an unknown model Jean Shrimpton. They were sent to New York for a prestigious Vogue photo shoot and this drama tells the story of a wild love affair, terrible fights with their fashion editor - and how two young people with no such intention happened to change the world of fashion forever. The second: Four Beats to the Bar and No Cheating is a documentary on Bailey who shows no sign of slowing up in his 73rd year. In his London studio and country home in Devon, he continues to create one of the most varied collections of any modern artist. The documentary features interviews with art critic Martin Harrison, former wife Catherine Deneuve, current wife Catherine Dyer and close friend Jerry Hall. It is a portrait of a private man who bared the soul of the sixties and seventies with his photographs and films.

Watch them! They are both fabulous and shed a light into this creative individuals life.

The Press Photographer's Year 2011 Awards

Those of you who are studying documentary here's a new exhibition that you could attend for your Summer Assignment.. It might be more worthwhile than some of the others for you!

The Press Photographer's Year is an annual competition for press photographers based in Britain or working for a British publication. Nearly 8,000 pictures were submitted this year, and the judges have now awarded 15 prizes in various categories. The exhibition opened 2 days ago at the National Theatre in London and is on until the 4th September 2011. 

Days of our lives

What started as fun, quickly became an obsession for New York photographer Jamie Livingston. Livingston took one polaroid picture every day for 18 years until his death from cancer at the age of 41. Jamie took his first snap of then girlfriend Mindy Goldstein and a friend on March 31 1979. Six thousand shots later the series ended tragically on 25 October 1997. The collection of images charts his life from the age of 23, the relationships that came and went and the friends that stayed with him from college, to work, to his wedding and finally to his last days as he lost his life.
What's brilliant is how he portrayed the change of New York over the years, from a grotty dangerous city to a young and beautiful, thriving cleaner place to live.

To see the full collection please click here.

Nue York: Self-Portraits of a Bare Urban Citizen

New york and Paris-based commercial and fine art photographer, Erica Simone, exhibits her collection "Nue York: Self-Portraits of a Bare Urban Citizen" during a solo show at the Dash Gallery, New York City.

The art gallery will exhibit approximately 20 photographs of Simone literally exposing herself all over New York City. From the streets to the subway, and from Bowery to the Bronx, Simone publicly bares all, raising the philosophy behind "just being", as well as playing with the idea of 'counter-fashion' - that without clothing, people could not possibly socially interpret each other.

Each image tells a story and each story conveys a unique experience for the artist. Erica Simone's free-spirited philosophy, lack of inhibition and drive to express herself has made way for a provocative photographic project which raises controversy and questioning.

Aside from her Nue York collection, the Franco-American photographer has won various awards for her photography, including from National Geographic and PHOTO magazines and her work has been published in countless print and online magazines. Her passion for travel and humankind has brought her all over the world with her camera. Additional photographic works of Erica Simone may be seen here.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

Irina Werning has re-created moments from the past by using the same faces and places, just completely re-created 20, 30 or 40 years later. The attention to detail is impressive. The images are charismatic and dynamic in their stillness. Not just with the wardrobe and set, but with film, stock, blur, image damage etc. The self-described "obsessive" Argentinian says:

"I love old photos. I admit being a nosey photographer. As soon as I step into someone else's house, I start sniffing for them. Most of us are fascinated by their retro look but to me, it's imagining how people would feel and look like if they were to reenact them today.. A few months ago, I decided to actually do this. So, with my camera, I started inviting people to go back to their future."

To see the rest of this series from Irina's work, please visit her site here.

An Englishman in New York

An Englishman in New York: Photographs by Jason Bell

14 August 2010 - 17 April 2011

Room 38a - FREE @ the National Portrait Gallery

Chernobyl 25 Years Later

Photographer David Schindler recently visited the site of the nuclear tragedy, and documented what the surrounding area looks like 25 years later. For those who don't know the Chernobyl disaster is one of the largest nuclear disasters in Human history.

While some might call his work "disaster porn", it's the closest most of us will ever get to witnessing the devastation firsthand. It also puts into perspective how there is still a long way to go before the region can return to anything approaching normal life. Click here to go through the gallery of Schindler's work.

The Weird Adventures of Eadweard Muybridge

If you like photography watch this on BBC iPlayer - The Weird Adventures of Eadweard Muybridge

Pioneer photographer, forefather of cinema, showman, murderer - Eadweard Muybridge was a Victorian enigma. He was born and died in Kingston upon Thames, but did his most famous work in California - freezing time and starting it up again, so that for the first time people could see how a racing horse's legs moved. He went on to animate the movements of naked ladies, wrestlers, athletes, elephants, cockatoos and his own naked body, projecting his images publicly with a machine he invented and astounding audiences worldwide with the first flickerings of cinema. Alan Yentob follows in Muybridge's footspets as he makes - and often changes - his name, and sets off to kill his young wife's lover. With Andy Serkis as Muybridge.

Related links: 

Tate Britain: Muybridge at Tate Britain
Kingston Museum: Muybridge
Wikipedia: Eadweard Muybridge
Kingston Museum and Heritage Service: Muybridge in Kingston

SMASH HIS CAMERA

Widely considered to be the world's first paparazzi photographer, the controversial American photojournalist Ron Galella was sued by Jackie Kennedy and had his jaw broken by Marlon Brando. Throughout a career spanning more than 40 years, Galella's stalking tactics have attracted criticism, hostility and lawsuits. But his relentless pursuit of the famous has enabled him to amass an archive of 3 million photographs that represent a unique record of modern American celebrity culture.

In this film, the award-winning programme-maker Leon Gast follows Galella as he revisits some of his old haunts and recalls his encounters with the stars who have tried - and usually failed - to evade his lens.

WORTH WATCHING!!

FREE EVENT - WORLD PRESS PHOTO 2010

Since 1955, World Press Photo has invited press photographers of the world to participate in the premier annual international competition in press photography. The exhibition provides a platform for creative developments in photojournalism and provides a unique eyewitness record of world events. This year’s exhibition showcases 167 winning photographs, selected from over 100,000 entries, submitted by photojournalists, picture agencies, newspapers and magazines throughout the world.

The winning photographs encompass the horrors of war, natural disasters, sporting endeavours and the beauty of the natural world.

Click here to find out more.

New Work: Closer by Roald Sundal

Roald Sundal's photography explores everyday notions of childhood. He is interested in the juxtaposition of child-like dreams to children's realities. This particular series, entitled Closer, developed out of a four year period of observing and documenting the lives of his two sons, while simultaneously discovering that his interaction with them had evoked memories and emotions of his own forgotten childhood.

To see more click here!