The influence of James Nachtwey

Fig. 1: Nachtwey 1971. Twin Towers.

James Nachtwey wouldn't have typically been in New York the morning of 9/11 but that is where he happened to be when just after coffee he found himself looking at the World Trade Center, north tower, in flames (Strauss 2011).

Nachtwey was a war photographer and he recognized war when he saw it. He grabbed his cameras and all the film he had and ran toward the flames (Strauss 2011).

His story from ground zero is both moving and emotional.  He watched firefighters and policemen doing their jobs and looked at his camera- that was his job and he focused on that.  

His images captured history.

"People need to know and they need to understand in a human way. Photography is a language, with its own limitations and strengths, but these are my tools, so I have to try and use them well" (Nachtwey in Strauss 2011). 

James Nachtwey is just one example of many photographers that witnessed history and turned their camera to capture it.  It is not always planned, and usually unexpected, but photography is a 'language' just as Nachtwey says, and it is a universal language of imagery.  

Figure 1. David STRAUSS. 1971. Twin Towers. Available at: https://time.com/3528699/revisiting-911-unpublished-photos-by-james-nachtwey/ [accessed 31 March 2020].

STRAUSS, David L. 2011. Revisiting 9/11: 'Unpublished Photos by James Nachtwey'. Time. September [online]. Available at: https://time.com/3528699/revisiting-911-unpublished-photos-by-james-nachtwey/ [accessed 31 March 2020].

Analysis

Taking images of bears sounds like a breeze but there are some challenges.

Obstacles like screens and dirty windows can interfere, block or detract from the subject in the window.

Unpredictable weather, like sudden sunshine, can battle your camera settings, as well as paraphernalia around the window that can be a distraction.

Even on a cloudy day reflections can be difficult to work around and a distraction in the image.  I found reflections can work with or against your image to either take away from, OR add interest to, and also represent the barrier between the inside and the outside world. I think the reflections in the following images are more successful in this nature and add to the picture instead of detracting.  

 I love the window-like-bars effect, also the reflection of the chain in this image. Also in the reflection of the chain-link fence in the image below. These subtle reflections add an extra dimension to the images.   
  

 While the reflections in this last window are strongly visible the bear is still easily identified as the main subject.  As the reflections represent the outside world, it is almost like he is trying to reach through but is prevented.  


All images ©Bren Slade 2020

News

Here are some mentions of the "Bear Hunts" happing around the world.





"A lesson in coming together even while staying 6 feet apart"
(NBC 2020)

NBC Link HERE

New Zealand Herald HERE

USA Today link HERE

TIME Kids link HERE

Canada News Link HERE

THESE as well as dozens of local town newspapers and live reports all over the nation (and world!)

The Importance of Staying Connected

Fig. 1: The Teddy Bear Project, Nibley, Utah.

"Loneliness during the COVID-19 outbreak has become a major concern as more and more people are hunkering down in their homes in isolation," (Pugle 2020)

Licensed psychologist and PhD Deborah Roth Ledley emphasizes how important 'connectedness' is to all humans- and this is a particularly vulnerable time for loneliness. (Pugle 2020) 

The leading psychologist for St. Lukes Magic Valley, Dr. Christopher Edwards, says using the technology and electronics we have can help us "Stay connected- from a distance," (Kramer 2020).

He goes on to say that even thought the advice is usually less screen time, the current situation is the opposite for healthy mental health.  He adds the exception being looking at coronavirus information- that's when it's time to "Put the phone down," (Kramer 2020). 


Kramer, Haley. 2020. 'Idaho Psychologist Explains the Importance of Staying Connected From a Distance'. CBS2IdahoNews. March [online]. Available at:
https://idahonews.com/news/local/idaho-psychologist-explains-the-importance-of-staying-connected-from-a-distance [accessed 28 March 2020].

PUGLE, Michelle. 2020. 'How a Chat App Can Help Relieve Loneliness During the COVID-19 Outbreak.' Healthline. March [online]. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/quarantine-chat-app-may-help-relieve-loneliness-during-covid-19-outbreak [accessed 28 March 2020].

'Bear' Hunting

Scrambling around getting images before our lockdown tightens.  

Also participated in the Peer to Peer chat on Thursday.  Group approved - Richard Hamilton thought they were well done, and also 'looked like a horror movie' 😂 Glad they can have multiple dimensions.  

©Bren Slade 2020

The IDEA

As I am trying to wrap my mind around this 'new normal' of COVID-19 and all the disruptions that have resulted (husband working from home, kids homeschooling, bye bye face-to-face photography).

I have been keeping and eye out for inspiration on some way I could adjust my project to represent this crazy worldwide coronavirus life and keep true to my research of kids and play...

I started seeing these social media posts- simultaneously in our own neighborhood and then everywhere on friends posts from Washington to Australia. 

At first I thought it was a fun idea.. Our town started doing one of their own.  Then I kept seeing them...

See what I mean? (check out the number of shares!)

What an interesting phenomenon of people trying to stay connected...

  

I went out and started shooting.... and the images.... well, here are some...

Right??? I can't image a better way to represent this strange life of isolation these kids are suddenly leading, and the way humans need humans.  

Can't wait to see this project unfold.  

Images  ©BrenSlade 2020

Bam. Idea

I know what to do for my project!!!!!!

ADAPT

Rethinking your projects in a rapidly changing world.

Presentation by FMP Leader Wendy McMurdo Wednesday March 25th.

ADAPT

Wendy was very helpful with resources and recommendations that may help with our COVID-19 disrupted, ever evolving projects.  

Here are the ones I found most useful to my person:


Clare Gallagher - The Second Shift.  Shoots around the home.  Anonymity is important to her so here children are slightly off camera or masked.  Focusing on the untold story of mothers coming home from work, working then in their own homes.

Fig. 1: Gallagher.

Sian Davey- began shooting her daughter, Alice, who was born with Down Syndrome.  She uses available light.  Great example of shooting in confined and limited spaces.  She represents Alice like any child, with needs the same, and family dynamics as similar and varied as any other family.

Fig. 2: Davey.

Hayley Morris Caffiero- self portraiture.  Although she does shoot in public (like with her project Weight Watchers) her self portraitures could be transferred to home locations.


Trish Morrissey is another example of shooting at home- like this image where she allowed her child to paint on her face:

Fig. 3: Morrissey.

Sian Bonnell- performative photography using still life items, often items you might find around the house. 

Fig. 4: Bonnell.

Guy Ben-ner- I am familiar with already (see previous post). Utilizing home in performative art usually featuring his own children.  

Gem Toes Crichton who has both the experience of previously being stuck in her home as her kidney was removed during part of her Falmouth MA and then now as she is in a residency during this COVID-19.  She has a developed a great way to keep people connected in making cyanotype prints and sending them back to her.  


The key ideas of this broadcast was the recommendation of taking the central themes of my project and relocating them into some other objects or a different way to go about it.  Time to think out of the 'box' (sorry for the pun Bonnell).  





Figure 1: Clare GALLAGHER. The Second Shift. [online] Available at: https://www.claregallagher.co.uk/about [accessed March 25 2020].

Figure 2: Sian DAVEY. Looking for Alice. [online] Available at: http://www.siandavey.com/humannature [accessed 25 March 2020].

Figure 3: Trish MORRISSEY. The Failed Realist. [online] Available at: https://www.trishmorrissey.com/works_pages/work-tfr/workpg-04.html [accessed 25 March 2020].

Figure 4: Sian BONNELL. Box. [online] Available at: https://www.sianbonnell.com/box [accessed 25 March 2020].

Emergency Meeting With Jesse and Wendy

Tip 1: Don't Panic
Look around you and see what other organizations are doing- what other people are doing.

Jesse reminded us that Falmouth is not assessing our work- just the learning outcomes. And our ability to meet them.

Note to self: Pay close attention to the Learning Outcomes

This is a time to re-think things.

Think out of the box.  Use the technology available to you. 

Even though the FMP is usually a selfish time, when it's all about you and your project, thats not really appropriate at this time- but we are all in this position together. 

Use peer- to-peer meetings.


Still feeling a bit unsettled about things at this time.  Should be meeting with Wendy soon so hopefully I'll get some direction/ inspiration.  

QUARANTINE Continues- This time, COVID-19.

QUARANTINE

This time it's a bit more serious.  

COVID-19 is disrupting global life as we know it.  Falmouth Photography MA and its students are no exception.

Our family is in complete lockdown currently.  We were potentially exposed by an extended family member (recently returned from travel) who is now exhibiting pretty clear symptoms, including major respiratory issues.  

We are a pretty healthy lot, and gratefully this is not a childhood virus, so we are not too concerned about getting the virus itself, but transmitting it to someone for whom it would be a much more serious event.  We pulled our children out of school but shortly thereafter all the schools closed anyway.

What this means for my project.  With all the halt in face-to-face contact recommended I'm going to have to re-look at my current methodologies and explorations.  (I've had to cancel shoots lined up with children indefinitely).  My state currently has limited tested cases- but that is because tests are near impossible to obtain.  Idaho to-date has tested less than 200 people (5 positive).  The number of caseloads that actually exists is predicted to be much higher.  

Before lockdown I had been experimenting with RAW imagination- kids in action.  Here are some of the moments I captured:

I enjoyed exploring this new style but with this new epidemic I know it won't be possible to continue. 

With the spread of the coronavirus and the global turn of events, including staying at home, no travel, limited interactions, it looks like I'll have to re-think my project.  

Speed BUMP

OK

Just when we get rolling in a new direction of course there has to be HURDLES!  Gah.  

This hurdle came in the form of the worst kind- the STOMACH  flu.  

Image curtesy of Pixelsquid through Envato

The culprits: My kids.  But, not all-at-once-and-get-it-over.  No, one at a time, so we can enjoy this horrible journey for as long as possible (thank you incubation).   

The problem- for my project I am photographing OTHER kids (think carrier monkey).  So unfortunately I am in self-quarantine until this is over.


Meanwhile I already had THIS (see below) shoot in process.  Even though I am experimenting with RAW imagination I still love CONSTRUCTED photography as this is my specialty and passion. So I am continuing to experiment with constructed images as well.  




Tying the idea of flowing and twirling back to nature I wanted this one to have a very nautical feel.  I constructed the idea out, obtained my model, went all out with hair and makeup and set it all up.

A very tiny sneak peak of the finished product:

can't wait to do another!

See more at: www.BrenSlade.com