Jeff Curto's Camera Position

I continue my conversation with Mary Virginia Swanson, covering the importance of photographic craft, the world of print-on-demand publishing and how folios of photographs fit into the mix. Galleries mentioned in the podcast: * Clampart * Yossi Milo Gallery * Yancey Richardson Gallery * Fraenkel Gallery * The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (repository of the Hallmark Photographic Collection) Mary Virginia Swanson and Darius Himes Publish Your Photography Book MagCloud – print-on-demand magazines LensWork Folios Jeff’s LensWork Folio  

In part 2 of my conversation with Mary Virginia Swanson, we talk about the rise of the small group Salon, various online presences in the photo world and the importance of books. For some context for this part of the conversation, see Part 1 of this interview. See below for a large number of links to some great online resources.   Links mentioned in the podcast: * Mary Virginia Swanson and Darius Himes Publish Your Photography Book * Book Arts Listserv * Photo Book Blogs * Self-Publish, Be Happy * A Photo Editor Photo Book Reviews * Photo-Eye Blog * The Independent Photobook * Indie Photobook Library * The PhotoBook * FlakPhoto.com: * Flak Photo Website * Flak Photo Network (Facebook Group) * Flak Photo Books (Facebook Group) * LensCulture * New York Times Lens Blog * NPR Picture Show * MediaStorm * Fraction Magazine * F-Stop Magazine  

I recently had the good fortune to interview my longtime friend Mary Virginia Swanson, one of the most important photography consultants working today. This episode is the first in a series of posts that will cover that interview. * Mary Virginia Swanson’s website: www.mvswanson.com & her blog * Paul Strand’s White Fence (mentioned in the podcast)    

“Always stay ready so you never have to get ready.” So said the great modern artist Constantin Brancusi, whose statement seems to be about both being ready with our equipment and materials and also about being ready emotionally for the creative act. * Constantin Brancusi in the Guggenheim’s collection * Ed McCullough, sculptor and my great teacher * Italy Photography Workshops – Still a space or two left in both the Venice and the Tuscany workshops – Call me at 630.202.3635 if you’re interested!

Learning to do photography well isn’t about checking a series of checkboxes about “how to do” the medium. Instead, it’s more about figuring out what to do with those basic principles of photography and then go out and make photographs using those basic ideas. It’s the “why” not the “how.” There are still some spots left in my Italy Photography Workshops for this summer: * Tuscany June 2 to June 9, 2012 * Venice June 9 to June

How important is exploration to the creative process? The great author John Steinbeck thought it was supremely important: “This I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world.” Exploration of the world around us is an important part of photography. Steinbeck was talking about going out into the world and exploring, of course, but I think he was also talking about the freeing up of our minds to be open to new experiences. Both photographs: Venice, 2011, by Jeff Curto  

The creative process can be broken down into four distinct processes, most of which we can foster in ourselves. We look at preparation, incubation, illumination and implementation and see where our world of image making intersects with these stages. Intriguingly, the things that we think of as “creative” are really bookended by more pragmatic aspects of creativity.

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” that’s what Socrates said. By looking at our past and both remembering and forgetting its lessons, we can begin to answer those questions about who we are, where we want our photography to take us and how we want to get there. * Socrates * Camera Position App * Jeff’s Italy Photography Workshops

When we make a picture of something, we elevate the importance of that subject merely by the act of paying attention to it with our camera. This basic idea is one my most closely held photographic beliefs. It doesn’t matter how insignificant the subject may appear to be; the camera’s lens and our point of view give it importance. With this 100th episode of Camera Position, I return to my roots as a photographer and also introduce the theme for the 2013 Society for Photographic Education conference, which I’m chairing. “Conferring Significance: Celebrating Photography’s Continuum” will be the theme of the SPE conference next year as the organization meets at the famed Palmer House hotel in Chicago for our 50th anniversary. Mark your calendar for March 7, 8 & 9 of 2013; I hope to see many of you there. * Camera Position Episode #1 * SPE website * Jeff’s Italy Photography Workshops

Photographer Robert Frank said, “It is always an instantaneous reaction to oneself that produces a photograph.” Reading that quote in a wonderful essay by noted photographer and art historian Gretchen Garner, I also noted her idea that photographers respond to the world with gestures that are different from those that painters use. As Garner puts it, “Indeed, my belief is that in many ways, fine photography is more purely intellectual, purely visual, because the gestures involved are less connected to hand gestures but much more connected to intense observation, to harder seeing.” * Gretchen Garner’s website and her essay The Photographic Gesture * Robert Frank * Edward Weston    

Passion for the medium is, in the end, the thing that keeps us going. This episode of Camera Position discusses passion and its strange bedfellow, direction. Thanks to photographer and friend Al DaValle for providing some inspiration for this podcast in the form of an email. * Al DaValle’s website * Al DaValle in LensWork Extended * Jeff’s Italy Photography Workshops

The Gallery Photographica Exhibition, which opened March 3 at the Michelle O’Connor Gallery in San Francisco is showing some really excellent photographs. While I can’t highlight all the great photographs that are in the show, I wanted to comment on a few of the photographs that really impacted me as I selected the work. I will be at the gallery the evening of Saturday, March 24, 2012 for a reception that is planned as a part of the Society for Photographic Education conference in San Francisco. Photographers profiled in this podcast include: * Barbara Beltramello * Charles Corda * Miri Davidovitz * Patricia Eichert * Marco Ferraris * Sandra Chen Weinstein  

This episode examines the three “prizewinner” photographs for the Gallery Photographica exhibition and competition. Photographs by Micah Garen, Diane Fox & Edie Fogel are highlighted and examined. * Gallery Photographica * Micah Garen website * Diane Fox website * Edie Fogel website * Jeff’s Italy Photography Workshops – photograph & learn in Tuscany and Venice this summer!

This episode introduces a small set of podcasts about my recent experience of being the juror for the 2012 San Francisco International Photography Competition and Exhibition. I discuss the process a juror goes through when evaluating images for a competition. * Gallery Photographica – website for the 2012 San Francisco International Photography Competition and Exhibition. Find them on Facebook, too. * The Art List – a great source for information about arts competitions and exhibitions    

There is a difference between knowing “how” to do something vs. knowing “what” to do. In this episode we  talk about the difference between mechanics and inspiration and how to know the difference. * Masters of Photography – a great resource for seeing excellent photography * Lenswork Online – now available in an online subscription model * Camera Position app for iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone – coming for Android soon * Stitcher app for iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, Andoid * Follow me on Twitter and friend me on Facebook