esther stocker

stolen from but does it float

Paolo Roversi in W

2:30+ is really beautiful on a nice autumn evening.

More Goldblatt ... i am so into this photo. saw it at the MoMA about a month ago; saw it again tonight. just something about it ...

Very glad that I got over to see David Goldblatt's pictures at The New Museum in New York. I am still trying to work through them -- the photos are hard to understand unless you know a lot about the historical and cultural framework -- I will write a longer post later with more comments after I do more reading and thinking. But here's a little intro to his work ...

"In Goldblatt’s images we can see a universal sense of people’s aspirations, making do with their abnormal situation in as normal a way as possible. People go about their daily lives, trying to preserve a sense of decency amid terrible hardship. Goldblatt points out a connection between people (including himself) and the environment, and how the environment reflects the ideologies that built it. His photographs convey a sense of vulnerability as well as dignity."

--Joseph Gergel, Curatorial Fellow

The Human Stain

These are from photographer Will Steacy's project "The Human Stain" -- they are captures of found photos transformed by the flood waters in New Orleans. You can't really say Steacy is the author of these images, but instead, he is more of the collector. See the whole project on his website :: here ::

What interests me most about the project is how many people try to emulate this kind of warn aesthetic in post -- in the darkroom or with layering in photoshop -- but here, the manipulative process is natural, without any human hands interfering. It's so serendipitous and wonderful.

I found out about Steacy in this book from 2008 :: 25 Under 25: Up-and-coming American Photographers ::

Weegee and Love -- I Love Weegee

Willy Ronis

French photographer Willy Ronis died yesterday. I did not know much about him, but I just checked out some archives. Here is a taste below. He definitely follows in the tradition of the old french masters but with a more contemporary humor. I like his work.

The French culture minister made a statement saying, "this immense narrator gave us a gift that will last forever"

He also has this cool series on skiing ... see them all :: here

London 2007

Opening the high school photo vault

In high school, I had a semi-awkward obsession with taking pictures of my home city of Cleveland, Ohio. Those were the glory days when I spent my lunch breaks in the darkroom. One my friends was telling me recently how she thinks she learns about herself through photography, and I think that's what I was going through at that time all day long.

Anyway, I am actually impressed by these photos -- they really capture the dirty but also heroic tone that I love so much about the city.

J.Bae

Found this on my desktop. Sort of beautiful picture I had forgotten I took. Clothing designed by my dear friend, Jenny Bae.