BLUR 35

BLUR magazine | ISSUE 35 | February 2014

The organizer of the Equinox contest is BLUR magazine, as published by the Photography Association CREATUS, Zagreb, Croatia.

March Equinox in Zagreb, Croatia is on Thursday, 20. March 2014 September Equinox in Zagreb, Croatia is on Tuesday, 23. September 2014

photo: Alex Timmermans

(March 20 – September 23, 2014)

2014 - WET PLATE year

Equinox is an International Photography Award aimed to promote the collodion wet plate process as par of BLUR magazines 2014 WET PLATE year.

BLUR magazine | ISSUE 35 | February 2014

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international WET PLATE contest

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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

photo: Borut Peterlin

BLUR magazine has decided to make 2014 the WET PLATE year. Apart from my personal interest in Wet Plate, there is another particular reason for this decision. I have been following the wet plate scene for a few years now, and I have done about 20 interviews so far with the wet plate photographers (thanks to Denis and Goga for their help), some of the most famous and most interesting in the world. During that time, I have been gradually collecting the equipment (an ongoing process) in order to join that magical practice—but I have also faced many problems, which in turn influenced my desire to do my best to promote the wet plate scene.

Therefore, besides several special BLUR issues being prepared, I am proud to officially announce EQUINOX, the first international Wet Plate contest and quite possibly the first wet plate contest since the process was invented in 1851. The contest will begin on the first day of spring and will last until the first day of autumn, a period in which the wet plate scene will be the focus of our interest.

On the cover of our first issue in 2014 is the work of a very interesting, creative, and honored artist, Mark Osterman, who is probably a household name for the majority of wetplaters. The reasons for this, and the reason I chose Mark to be a juror in our wet plate contest, will be clear in the series of very interesting interviews to be presented in the Wet Plate section of BLUR this year.

Robert Gojević, founder and editor in chief

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impressum Robert Gojević

founder | chief editor | design | art director | desktop publishing

Michael McAllister

proofreading

e-mail: robert.gojevic@blur-magazine.com

Ivan Pekarik

acting executive editor | PR

Dario Devčić

programmer | web developer

e-mail: ivan.pekarik@blur-magazine.com

Denis Pleić

columnist | translator

Želimir Koščević

expert associate

e-mail: denis.pleic@blur-magazine.com

Maurício Sapata

editor of Pinhole & Playstick

Zsolt Scheffer

Blur collaborator and Japanese translator

e-mail: mauricio.sapata@blur-magazine.com

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February | April | June | August | October | 149

PINHOLE PAUL MITCHELL

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PROEYECT ERAN GILAT

WET PLATE MARK OSTERMAN

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TETRA MICHAEL SALMELA

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SHOOT THE FACE

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INSTANTION CAMILLE ANDREA RUBIANI

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WIDE ANTONIO CORREIA

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PLAYSTICK LAURA BURLTON

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OPEN JAMES WIGGER

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COVER PAGE

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IMPRESSUM

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PROJECT HANA PESUT

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INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS

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CONTENTS

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BLUR INFO

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GALLERY 36

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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

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CLOSE UP DASHA & MARI

CONTENTS

December | 2014

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LAURA BURLTON

PLAYSTICK

CAMILLE ANDREA RUBIANI

INSTANTION

MARK OSTERMAN

WET PLATE

HANA PESUT

PROJECT

DASHA & MARI

CLOSE UP

YANA BARDADIM

GALLERY 36

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MÁRIO MACILAU

STF

ERAN GILAT

PROEYECT

JAMES WIGGER

OPEN

ANTONIO CORREIA

WIDE

MICHAEL SALMELA

TETRA

PAUL MITCHELL

PINHOLE

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JOIN THE BEST! GALLERY 24

by Robert Gojević

Submit up to two of your best photos through our form below to enter our editorial review process that selects a total of 24 photos for publication in the upcoming issue of BLUR. If the magic number of 24 is already full, don’t despair—your photos will also enter a BLUR community voting round, where our readers will select an additional 12 photos that will complement our editorial selection and constitute the final 36 photos that will be showcased in the Gallery 36 section of the next issue of BLUR magazine.

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Gia Yana Bardadim USA www.yanabardadim.com

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See Through Maja Topčagić www.facebook.com/angelicaphotographs Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Indian summer Tibor Arva Serbia and Montenegro

VOTING Every day photos from all over the wold end up in our mailbox. The most interesting ones go the the folder “Editor’s Choice”, and the other photos which we like, but which didn’t make it into the 24 best go into the folder “People’s Voice”, where our readers vote for the 12 best. The most voted photo becomes “Photo of the Month: People’s Voice”, and gets published together with the remaining 11 in the next issue of BLUR magazine.

GALLERY 12

by BLUR readers

These 12 photos are the result of readers’ votes on our web site in the period from November to January 2014.

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Steamfun Sander van Laar www.pixellaar.nl Netherlands

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Duo Nicolas Poizot http://www.nicolaspoizot.com France

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Self Portrait Jordyn Karpinski jordynkarpinski.tumblr.com USA

Close-up | brings readers closer to a photographer by providing extensive insight into his work. The photographer is presented through a wide selection of photographs, a detailed interview, and by highlighting important biographical information. Imagine talking with a photographer whom you admire over a cup of coffee. This is exactly what BLUR’s editor-in-chief does in this section—virtually, of course.

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by Robert Gojević

DASHA & MARI Attracted by beauty

http://dashamari.foliodrop.com/ Ukraine

“Since our childhood, we have been attracted by beauty... the beauty of fabric and colorful buttons that our grandmother used to have for sewing and knitting dresses.

Delicate chiffon ... lustrous silk … soft velvet—in a variety of shades, tints. A palette of sensations.”

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1.Successful cooperation between two sisters in the world of photography is rare. But certainly there are lots of advantages. To start, tell us something about yourself.

Dasha & Mari: Since our childhood, we have been attracted by beauty... the beauty of fabric and colorful buttons that our grandmother used to have for sewing and knitting dresses. Delicate chiffon ... lustrous silk ‌ soft velvet—in a variety of shades, tints. A palette of sensations.

Our room always reminded of an art space where we used to create.

Watercolors and wet glass to receive an abstract pattern and then transform them into various visual scenes, artworks. We put black ink on paper with tiny lines revealing graceful silhouettes of women.

Sometimes we were working together on one drawing using a single piece of paper to let one of us start it and the other one to continue and complete.

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Project | is a section that presents a photographer through a series of photos united by a particular theme that works as a cohesive whole and is elaborated on by an artist statement.

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by Robert Gojević

HANA PESUT Switcheroo

http://sincerelyhana.com/ Canada

“Switcheroo is a dual portrait series by Canadian photographer Hana Pesut in which accomplices are photographed twice—once in their own outfits and again wearing each other’s against the same background.”

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WET PLATE is a section dedicated to an antique photographic process discovered in the mid 19th century, which was also a primary photographic method used until the 1880s. It refers to a process of pouring a solution collodion onto a plate of thin iron or glass, then placing the plate into a camera and exposing it to the light and, at the end, developing that plate while it is still wet, which is the reason of naming the process (and our section) “wet plate�. The images resulting from this process can be ambrotypes, glass negatives or tintypes. Although quite a demanding, expensive and lengthy process, wet plate collodion technique is gaining back its popularity among many contemporary photographers.

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by Robert Gojević

MARK OSTERMAN The Adam of that revival

http://www.collodion.org/ USA

“It’s funny, I do love ambrotypes for certain images of mine but not for all of them. In some

cases a paper print fits the subject better than a “hard image.” I think it’s a big mistake when people force a process into their art just because the technique is rare or interesting to describe. For many of my Confidence series images I also made back up collodion negatives to be used for salted paper prints. I also did a series called Amnesia Curiosa, a collaborative with some other performers, that features salt prints.”

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Your names are very much respected among the many fans of (as some call it) “alternative photography.” Having in mind modern photography techniques, many photography lovers— younger people in particular—have experience only with digital photography and don’t even know that there was any photography processes before negative film. And precisely to that point, where the average photography knowledge ends, your passion begins.

For starters, what do you think about the name “alternative photography”? Is this an adequate term, or is there, perhaps, a better term?

MARK & FRANCE: Thank you. Yes, in some circles, particularly in the context of the collodion variants we have gained a reputation as the Adam and Eve of that revival. Regarding the term “alternative photography,” it originally implied an alternative to commercial silver gelatin and was appropriate in that context. Then as digital photography became mainstream, silver gelatin slowly became an “alternative process.”

We have always felt that “19th century” or “historic process” were probably more accurate, but we also like the term “hand-crafted” process. But just as the word “tintype” was a popular 19th century term for direct positive collodion images on metal plates, it is not technically correct because the plate contains no tin (“ferrotype” is more accurate).

We’re amused to see people call these “alumitypes” now, a reference to the current use of black painted aluminum plates. Maybe, in the long run, it’s not really important what word we use - as long as we all agree what we are talking about.

Identity Retired | ambrotype

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Mark, you are the Photographic Process Historian at the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film.

In your job, you researched and then recreated the evolution of photographic processes based on original writings and examples from the museum, and later taught these processes to the general public. How were you introduced to photography, and how did you finally end up at the museum?

MARK: Actually, my job at the museum was initially to teach photograph conservators how to identify early photographic processes.

This also included how to determine the difference between a wellmade photographic image in poor condition compared to a poorly made image in good condition.

My father originally introduced me to conventional silver based photography when I was a boy. He helped me put together a little darkroom in the dirt floor basement of our eighteenth century farm house in Pennsylvania. By the time I was in high school, I already owned several antique ambrotypes, but had no idea how they were made until I started my own research in the mid-1980s while I was teaching photography in a private high school.

By the time I met France in 1990, I was making collodion plates, mainly positives. Shortly after, France and I established Scully & Osterman and we were exploring what we could do with the process. I was also teaching my high school students wet collodion and several other processes at this time. In early 1995 a representative from George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film in Rochester, New York, asked to come down and watch us make some images. Shortly thereafter we were asked to come to the museum to teach what turned out to be the first public workshop of the current collodion revival. We also wrote a complete basic manual for workshop participants, which is still a popular resource for people learning the process.

For a complete listing of all the workshops Mark Osterman teaches at George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film as well as those outside the United States go to: http://eastmanhouse.org/events/Photo_Workshops.php

Scully & Osterman: http://www.collodion.org

Tilt Gallery: http://www.tiltgallery.com/

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Static BLUR Eradicator magazine | ambrotype | ISSUE 35 | February 2014

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FRIEND OF INSTANTION section

INSTANTION is a section dedicated to instant analog photography. The name of this section combines the words instant and station, or as we call it, a place for instant photography. Instant photography refers to any photographic process that allows photo development without the darkroom. Instant photography was developed in the 1930s by Edwin Land, founder of the Polaroid Corporation. Because of its popularity, most of the photographers in this section use Polaroid film, but artists using Impossible or Fuji instant film are certainly welcome.

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by Robert Gojević

CAMILLE ANDREA RUBIANI The Living Room Sessions

http://www.rubiani.com Switzerland Short bio: a former psychology student and graphic designer, now I’m a freelance photographer, mainly interested in portraiture and photojournalism.

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INSTANTION

by Robert Gojević Copy editor: Michael McAllister

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FRIEND OF PLAYSTICK section

PLAYSTICK is a section dedicated to “toy camera� photography. The name Playstick comes from a well known simplified male figure illustration called Play Stick. The name also contains the word plastic as an association to plastic (or toy) cameras like Diana, Holga, Lomo LC-A, Lubitel, and others.

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by Maurício Sapata

LAURA BURLTON Fairytales and Nightmares

http://lauraburlton.com/ USA “My daughters (and occasionally friends) find themselves the subject of my fairytale world, and I make them up to suit my inner vision’s needs. One minute we may be interpreting a rather Grimm story, while the next we are trying to see the inner eye of a passing white rabbit.”

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Biography:

Wedding, portrait, and fine art photographer Laura Burlton mines her immediate family for many of her photographic musings; in fact, her daughters are the subjects of most of her personal work.

A native Texan, her life-long love of photography is evident in the enthusiasm and commitment she brings to her craft. For much of her fine art work, Laura uses toy cameras to bring her ethereal and otherworldly images to life, though she still uses the occasional large format camera for some of her work. Her photography has been showcased in galleries and museums as close as Houston and as far away as Canada, Austria, and Spain. Her work is also part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and many private collections worldwide.

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PINHOLE | is a section, as its name says, dedicated to pinhole photography. This type of photography is created with a pinhole camera, a camera that uses a small aperture, usually the size of a pinhole, instead of a lens. Basically, the smaller the hole, the sharper the resulting image. Because of their simplicity, pinhole cameras are often handmade.

The concept behind the pinhole camera—the camera obscura—dates back to the time of the ancient Greeks and Chinese. It was even mentioned by great thinkers like Aristotle, Euclid, and Mo Jing. However, the first photograph created with a pinhole camera was by a Scottish scientist, Sir David Brewster in the 1850s.

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by Maurício Sapata

PAUL MITCHELL My Lensless Journey

http://www.paulmitchellphotography.co.uk UK

“I am sure that many photographers aspire to have their work recognized and perhaps even profit from it. I have no such preconceptions with my pinhole work—they’re quirky, not everyone’s cup of tea and don’t do very well in a commercial environment. So why do I still take them? It’s fun, unpredictable, and initiates more conversations with people than my digital camera ever does..”

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My Lensless Journey To quote one of Issac Newton’s Laws: “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.”

Having spent many years using a digital camera, both professionally and for pleasure, I felt something was lacking in my total enjoyment of photography. I think it was because I could, consistently, produce incredibly sharp and precise images that perhaps thrust me back in the opposite direction.

How does one go about trying to explain the appeal of pinhole photography? Well, it’s a technique that relies more on instinct and creative vision than technology. One of the unique features is the incredible depth of field— everything in front of the camera is equally in focus. I have taken images using black & white, color negative and positive film—the variety of images which can be produced is enormous.

They all have one thing in common though, a beautifully soft ethereal look and, at the same time, can be dark and foreboding. Due to the long exposures, the passage of time is also evident, turning water into mist and clouds into a glorious blur.

I am sure that many photographers aspire to have their work recognized and perhaps even profit from it. I have no such preconceptions with my pinhole work—they’re quirky, not everyone’s cup of tea and don’t do very well in a commercial environment. So why do I still take them? It’s fun, unpredictable, and initiates more conversations with people than my digital camera ever does.

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PINHOLE

by MaurĂ­cio Sapata Copy editor: Michael McAllister

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TETRA | is a section dedicated to a specific type of photography: black and white, square-format images that are recognizable for their minimalism and high aesthetic value, often making use of long exposures. The section name comes from the Greek word for the number four, which symbolizes the four equal sides of the format.

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by Robert Gojević

MICHAEL SALMELA Between tranquil and dramatic

http://www.michaelsalmelaphotography.com/ USA

“This series of images were taken on the various shorelines, lakes, and coasts of Washington and Oregon

in the U.S. I primarily work in monochrome while utilizing long exposure techniques with minimalistic compositions. This allows me to create images of otherworldly atmospheres that act as a place to stop and breathe, to take a break from our busy and hectic lives, even if only for a moment.“

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A self-taught photographer born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve lived around water my entire life, and this is the subject that I seek to photograph the most. This series of images were taken on the various shorelines, lakes, and coasts of Washington and Oregon in the U.S. I primarily work in monochrome while utilizing long exposure techniques with minimalistic compositions.

This allows me to create images of otherworldly atmospheres that act as a place to stop and breathe, to take a break from our busy and hectic lives, even if only for a moment. I often shoot in the early morning, at first light, for its soft and unique qualities while providing me with solitude before the rest of the world wakes. With my images I strive to walk the line between tranquil and dramatic to evoke an emotional response and sense of wonder with the viewer.

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TETRA

by Robert Gojević Copy editor: Michael McAllister

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WIDE | section devoted to promoting landscape photography. This section strives to expand our presentation of these kind of photos, which have been somewhat underrepresented in BLUR magazine in their classical form. Sometimes it seems that landscape photography isn’t very creative because it relies mostly on Nature’s beauty and is, therefore, more technical than artistic. In this section we want to prove that human creativity, indeed, plays a major role in capturing the beauty of Nature in its full glory. Since “landscape photography” is a rather general term, we will try to present various approaches to this genre in this section, regardless of techniques used.

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by Robert Gojević

ANTONIO CORREIA Distant Mountains

http://www.antoniocorreia.com Portugal

“His love of photography was cut short when he was called up for compulsory military service and sent off to the former Portuguese colony of Timor, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste today. On his return, he obtained a degree in Architecture and worked as a professional for more than 31 years and had little time for photography. However, some years ago, before his retirement, he returned to his passion for photography..”

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OPEN | section in which we try to widen our horizons by crossing the boundaries of themes we’ve emphasized in BLUR during the past few years. This section will host street, documentary, concert, experimental, and other types of photography, and even photo manipulation. The creative approach is still the most important aspect in choosing photographers, but we will show preference for those who could be described as “different.”

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by Robert Gojević

JAMES WIGGER Perfection is not the goal

http://www.jameswigger.com USA “Perfection is not the goal. I have found that what I am looking for is chaos. Maybe it isn’t really chaos, but the introduction of elements that I have little control over. Mood, emotion, and texture tend to be my main goals. I’ve always wanted my photos to appear to have been lost, beaten and worn relics from an earlier age. My photographic work tends to dwell in either the realms of dark or light. I’m not usually interested in pretty poses, or making anyone look beautiful. It is more about implied emotion or a feeling. Mystery to me, as in all things, is the preferred method of telling a story. Letting people use their imagination to fill in the gaps appeals to me so much more than telling a complete story.“

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PROEYECT | is a little brother to the PROJECT section. Its purpose is to present mini projects, i.e. sets of photos, which are too few to included under PROJECT, but by their quality, unified theme, and story, deserve collective publication.

Photographers often tell a kind of story through several photos, and this is the place for such stories. The number of photos is not a primary concern, so in this section, we may publish several unrelated stories.

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by Robert Gojević

ERAN GILAT Life Science

http://www.erangilat.com/ Israel “My “Life Science” project is forcing the biological tissue into a relatively pleasant, sometimes artificial, scenarios contemplating issues of materialism, erotica and mortality, corresponding with the complicated and intriguing category of “animal reminder” in the visual arts.”

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www.blur-magazine.com

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