CONTENTS PHIL PANTANO
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ANGELA BACONKIDWELL
MARIUSZ JANISZEWSKI
68
21
FRANG DUSHAJ
77
GORAN BASARIC
41
35
SCOTT IRVINE
50
JULIE GREEN & ROBERT JOHNSON
SANDRA DJAK KOVACS
65
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Creativity and Business— An Oxymoron That Is The Future?
A Last Meal Examined
BACKSTAGE CHRIS KOVACS Editor
Publisher: Chris Kovacs, Floze Press Online: adorenoir.com
SANDRA DJAK KOVACS Editor at Large
Email: chriskovacs@adorenoir.com
TIM ANDERSON Editor at Large
Adore Noir Magazine 1202 West Pender Street PO Box 17514 Vancouver, BC V6E 2S8
LESLIE HILTS Editor at Large KATHLEEN HAY Contributor
Adore Noir online magazine is published bimonthly. All images are © copyright of their respective artists and may not be copied or distributed. All rights reserved.
ISSN 1925-5160
Editor’s Notes We work hard to inspire you by delivering an eclectic mix of artists from around the world. This issue of Adore Noir delivers stunning images by amazing artists. The portfolios range from classic portraiture to magnificent panoramas to surreal creations and everything in between. We are honoured to feature Professor Robert Johnson and photographer Julie Green with their piece A Last Meal Examined.
Sandra Djak Kovacs delivers a true-to-life article focusing on creativity in the business world and the struggles artists deal with while trying to make ends meet. Thanks to our readers for supporting this magazine and the arts. So... Dim the lights, go to your favourite place, sit back, relax and enjoy. Chris Kovacs
Photograph by Goran Basarić
ON THE COVER
PHIL PANTANO
FEATURED
PHIL PANTANO
"I found a story about how Americans work more than anyone in the industrialized world. I wanted to create a series to honor these workers, to bring them to the forefront." 7
THE AMERICAN WORKER AN: Please tell us about yourself. Where do you live?
AN: Please tell us about the American Worker series. How did you come up with this idea?
PP: I live in Tonawanda, New York, a suburb of Buffalo. I am married with 2 boys who are both older, 23 and 28. I do spend a lot of time on photography; however, my full time job is as a computer analyst for a large steel manufacturing firm. My photography business is called Photography by GreatLook.
PP: I come in contact with a lot of hard working people because of working at the steel mill. “The Steelworker� in the series is Elvis, he came into my office one day after working a double shift. He was talking about work and I could see in his eyes the passion he had for the job. As I looked at him, with his face all grimy from mill dust and
AN: How did you get into photography? PP: In 1968 when I was 12 my mom got a nice 35mm Mamiya\Sekor camera (I don't remember the model). She didn't use it but let me use it every now and again. I took many photos with that camera and learned how to develop from a neighbor who had a full darkroom. My mom recently found a bunch of the prints from back then and in looking at some of them I can see that I already had a good grasp of lighting and composition. I didn't shoot as much in my teens because of other "interests" that occupy the minds of teenage boys. In 1976 I joined the Air Force and I renewed my interest in photography. In the late '70's I bought a Canon AE-1 35mm film camera. This would be the camera I came to love and I still have it. Fast forward to today and I still shoot with Canon, a 5D Mark II and a T3I. Through classes and reading, I am continually learning new techniques. 8
Interview with Phil Pantano
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sweat, what I saw could have been from back in the 1930’s. It was later, after we did the photo shoot that I started looking up statistics and information about American workers. I found a story about how Americans work more than anyone in the industrialized world. I thought about that a while and found that every day we work harder and harder. Eight hours, ten hours, one job, two jobs— whatever it takes. At the end of the day, this is what we are left with. I wanted
to create a series to honor these workers, to bring them to the forefront. It didn’t necessarily mean that you worked a laborious job, but that you gave everything to your job. The series was going to be the story of the hard work and service that goes into The American Dream. I wanted people to look at these photos, these workers, and think about it. These are workers from all walks of life. As I was putting this together, I also found that some of these workers had a story that led them to where they are now. “The Steelworker” is a third generation steelworker, “The Paramedic” was working three jobs a year and a half ago and went to work for a defense contractor in Kabul, Afghanistan as a medic for the US Embassy Security Force, “The Artist” was a counselor with children and adolescents until a conservative group of parents felt his art was inappropriate and placed him on administrative leave, and so on. AN: How did you capture and develop the images for this series? PP: For this series I wanted a dark somber feel. I used a black backdrop and one light to create a lonely, solitary look. I tried to concentrate on the eyes and face. That is what tells the story here. But also, each one of the “Workers” had to have a prop or something that would easily associate them with their jobs. That was a challenge at times but I think it all came 9
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together. I used Photoshop to bring out detail in their faces and clothing which added drama to the black and white photos. AN: What were some of your subject’s reactions to this body of work? PP: Essentially these are all portraits. And in the lighting and processing, some of the subjects are portrayed in an unflattering way. I didn’t have
many problems with the men, but a few of the women did not like their “look.” I explained that this was not a glamour shoot, but a portrait of a worker after a long hard day and that they had to look natural, like when they do their jobs all day. As I started to do more and more “Workers,” the others were starting to see the whole picture and how they related to the series. AN: What do you hope to accomplish with this series? PP: What I would like out of this is for people to see workers for what they are, each of us working for “The American Dream." For some, the “dream” may be about money. For others, it may be about providing. After seeing this series, I hope that people will look at others differently. When you go to the supermarket and see the older cashier checking you out, think about what she is doing. The greeter at Walmart, the Priest, they all work hard. Many get no recognition but do their jobs to the best of their abilities anyway. AN: Who are your inflences? PP: I can’t say that I really follow any one photographer that may have influenced me but I love history and old black and white movies. Many of my other photographs are on the dark and gloomy side. I like to photograph abandoned industrial locations but only those that have not been vandalized and
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have no graffiti. I prefer that the photo looks like I opened a door to the past. When I do art shows, people will tell me that my photos are somewhat depressing. I respond with “I don’t do happy.” So I think my greatest influences are in old TV shows and movies. I really look at the detail in a lot of those old films and then try and incorporate it in some of my photos, Alfred Hitchcock comes to mind. I shot some lighthouses in Maine and the day had become very overcast and dreary. When others were putting their cameras away, I was getting set up to take some dramatic and gloomy shots. I think it also shows in The American Worker series.
American Worker is set to show from June 1419 at a nice gallery here in Buffalo, New York – Main (St)udios. I’m looking forward to showing that and telling the story behind it. Many of “The Workers” will also be on hand for the artist reception on June 14th. After that I have many Art Festivals lined up for this summer. When I am selling photos at a show or event, after someone has bought a photo I ask if they
AN: What is your final say? PP: I was lucky to have made friends with the owner of iprintfromhome.com, where I have my prints made. He asked me one day why I wasn’t doing shows. I told him that I didn’t think I was good enough for that, but he saw it differently. Then I met another photographer and he said that I “needed to find my style,“ so that when someone saw one of my photos they would know it was a Phil Pantano. That was confusing. But as I kept at it I started to see what he meant. So my “style” is dark, dramatic and moody photography. I enjoy doing that and it seems to set me apart from others in this area. My gallery show for The 11 9 8
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would like to know the story behind the shot. It sounds cliché but I do feel that every picture tells a story. And I feel the purchaser should know all the details of the photo they will be hanging on their wall. On my website I put as much of the history behind the photos also. In this area there are so many talented photographers and artists and it’s very tough to break out or be noticed. I had asked the advice of a local gallery owner and he had me bring in my work to review. He liked what he saw and asked me to bring in the photos, matted and ready to sell. When I did this he then didn’t like my work. He did this a few times. It turns out that gallery has its own little group of artists that he promotes and whatever I would bring him, he wouldn’t like. So I went in other directions and found different ways to show and sell my work. I also found Facebook to be a fantastic marketing tool. Much of my website traffic comes via Facebook. So my advice is to never give up and keep working at it. If one door is closed, open another. I keep reading and watching training videos to get better and better. I take classes and keep trying new techniques. There is always something to learn! ♥ See more at: greatlook.com
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