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Documentary Matters

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Presented by Social Documentary Network and Digital Silver Imaging

Featured presenters: Karen Davis, Janet Jarman & Nicholas Pfosi

Karen Davis

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: A Family Portrait by Karen Davis, is a long-form, visual and textual portrait of a family moving forward in the face of a devastating childhood illness—childhood onset schizophrenia. Combining Davis’s photographs with the family’s contemporaneous words, the book provides an intimate window into a world turned upside down then righted by two shaken but determined parents.

Twenty-five years ago, this family became a subject of Davis’s photographic exploration. As a new photographer and related through marriage, she was grateful for their accessibility, openness and patience. When the son’s condition worsened and the family found itself in the throes of fear and the unknown, they wrote and she photographed, which now makes it possible for Davis to tell their story.

Davis’s talk will present an overview of the book and the steps she has taken to reach this point: a completed book draft seeking a publisher. She will share the process of conceiving (and reconceiving) the project, photo editing, discovering the “book proposal” and the research which that entails.

Dedicated website for this project

Artist Bio

As a photographer, Karen Davis works in the space between documentary and fine art photography, chronicling family and their social milieu. Her prints and artist books are in collections of the Samuel Dorsky Museum/Center for Photography Woodstock (CPW) Collection; Lishui Museum of Photography, Lishui, China; Artist Book Collection, Houghton Rare Books Library, Harvard University; and featured in a permanent installation at MASS MoCA. She is the 2009 recipient of CPW’s Artist Fellowship Award and a 2018 Critical Mass Finalist. Solo and featured shows include: Homegrown,CPW; Unframed, NOBO Gallery, Hudson NY and The McCann Family, Griffin Museum of Photography. Work from her series, Strangely Attracted was selected for inclusion in Exposure 2018, the Photographic Resource Center, Cambridge MA.

Davis is Curator/Co-Founder of Davis Orton Gallery, Hudson NY, now in its tenth year, specializing in photography, mixed media, and artist-published photobooks. She was a long-time teacher of a unique course for established and emerging photographers, Photography Atelier, which she taught at Radcliffe Seminars, Lesley University and the Griffin Museum of Photography. She currently teaches online courses in portfolio development and marketing for the Griffin Museum.

Janet Jarman

Photo by Janet Jarman

Over the past six years, Janet Jarman has immersed herself in covering topics related to human rights and healthcare in Mexico. She is currently producing a book and a feature length documentary about this topic with the assistance of a MacArthur Foundation grant.

Through deeply personal stories, “Birth Wars” explores conflicting visions between midwives and medical professionals about how to provide a safe and dignified childbirth experience to women. Many claim that midwives can play a central role in achieving these goals, if only their work could be formally recognized by Mexico’s medical establishment. For the book and film, Jarman follows the experiences of traditional and professional midwives who are trying to make a difference, and of some innovative health officials who are trying to reduce the antagonism between doctors and midwives.

Artist Bio

Janet Jarman is a photojournalist and documentary filmmaker. Since 2003, she has been based in Mexico where she focuses on topics such as the country’s ongoing security issues, immigration, access to healthcare, and water resource challenges.

Jarman has worked for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, GEO, Smithsonian Magazine, nationalgeographic.com, Stern, Der Spiegel, amongst others. She has also worked for numerous international foundations and NGOs. Her photographs have been featured at Visa Pour l’Image, Perpignan and have received awards in Pictures of the Year International, American Photography, PDN Photography Annual, POY Latam, Latin American Fotografia, Communication Arts, and Best of Photojournalism.

In addition to working on editorial assignments, Jarman has produced various long-term photo and multimedia projects, including Marisol and the American Dream, a two-decade story that chronicles the life of one Mexican immigrant girl; Aguas Negras, which analyzes Mexico’s many water related challenges; and Chaos and Corruption, which focuses on the burgeoning movements throughout Mexican society to force authorities to become more transparent. Jarman began her career in South Florida after graduating from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She worked as a staff photographer at The Miami Herald, and later obtained a master’s degree in environmental issues at the University of London.

Nicholas Pfosi

Nicholas Pfosi will present an ongoing project addressing dating culture in the queer community on the east coast of the United States and Northern Europe. The work has three chapters: looking, cruising, and high and horny.

looking is a series of interviews and portraits with queer men focused on their experiences dating today, presented as an imitation Grindr app. 2019 is the 10 year anniversary of the infamous gay dating app which has had a profound impact on our community.

cruising is a series of landscapes of locations used either historically or contemporaneously for (public) sex. Historically imperative for people of marginalized sexual identities, cruising is fading from the minds of a generation of younger queers as its necessity is subverted by shifts in social attitudes and technology like Grindr, Scruff, Jack’d etc. These images, intentionally relying on the banality of these inconspicuous places, were photographed using medium format film both for its detail as well as an homage to the technology of the time when cruising was more popular. They are accompanied by captions which describe experiences which occurred at these sites. The series is a reflection on this vanishing aspect of queer sexual culture.

high and horny is an ongoing documentary project looking at the world of chemsex from about half a dozen individual perspectives. Chemsex is when gay men use, and often become dependent on using, crystal meth and sometimes GhB, during sexual encounters, often lasting hours or days. While the limited media representation of this experience portrays it as a hedonistic health crisis, the reality is considerably more nuanced than that, which this work aims to address.

Artist Bio

Nicholas Pfosi is a documentary photographer, web designer and filmmaker whose work reflects on modern queer identity. He completed a bachelor’s degree in Child Studies and Human Development with course work towards a double-major in Clinical Psychology and minor in Multimedia Arts from Tufts University in Boston before studying photography at the Danish School of Media and Journalism (DMJX) in Aarhus, Denmark.

Having interned for the Boston Globe, the Hartford Courant, and the Mail & Guardian (South Africa) Nicholas’s training and approach is grounded in a ‘hold-truth-to-power’ journalism yet grows colored by his view of storytelling as essential to the human social experience.

While working under the mentorship of the Bombay Flying Club, Nicholas, along with collaborator Capucine Chardon, produced a short film Take Me As I Am about CJ, an American expat living in Denmark. Immigrating to Europe after having resigned himself to his family’s impenetrable homophobia, CJ pursues performance art, drag and companionship. The film was recognized by the Picture of the Year International (POYi) competition in 2018.

Documentary Matters

Documentary Matters is an initiative of the Social Documentary Network and Digital Silver Imaging to provide a place for photographers to meet with others involved with or interested in documentary photography and discuss ongoing or completed project. This is a free and open meeting for anyone interested in presenting, viewing, or discussing documentary photography.
You don’t need to be a professional, expert, or established–you just need to be committed to the documentary form and committed to learning from feedback from others. And you don’t need to be a photographer or presenting your work to attend. Everyone is invited to join us, look, listen, and comment. Still photography, multimedia, and video encouraged. Documentary required.

Documentary Matters Registration

Click here to sign up to attend.

 

Subscribe to ZEKE magazine

Click here for more information on ZEKE magazine and to subscribe.

 

DSI Portfolio Awards – 2017

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©Dylan Everett 2018
©Dylan Everett 2018

The DSI Portfolio Awards is a shared platform providing three recent graduates of photography with financial assistance in printing a professional portfolio. This year’s awardees share a strikingly sophisticated and nuanced eye with a keen awareness of their concept and its context. Collectively each crystalizes their unique finds of specific investigations. Their discerning and original choice of final output formats complement and underscore their work’s intent. My appreciation to my fellow jurors, Debra Clomp Ching and Stephen Marc for their thoughtful and engaged contributions to the selection process.

Dylan Everett recently graduated from Brown University and is now completing an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design. Structural Photography, is his series of aerial topographies. Seductively these engaging abstractions are at first a pleasing amalgam of color, form and texture. With time the viewer comprehends the actual residential housing mazes, agricultural industries and strip-mines within the capture. Everett concretizes our complicity in the development of this humanly altered landscape. Stephen reflects on this compelling work; “A strong and unique concept, containing a mystery, consistent vision, and bold use of white space.”

©Michelle Rogers Pritzl 2018
©Michelle Rogers Pritzl 2018

Michelle Rogers Prtizl has studied photography and earned three art degrees, most recently as a MFA graduate of Lesley University College of Art and Design. She is widely exhibited and known for her use of alternate and historical processes. In Not Waving But Drowning, whose title references Stevie Smith’s poem of the same name, Pritzl explores Fundamentalist Christianity’s tenets that serve to control and manipulate women. Her image titles reference Kate Chopin’sThe Awakening, and are a tribute to the artist’s autobiographical freedom from this restrictive belief system. The combination of the collodion process and an oval frame in collaboration with contemporary digital media practices mirrors her conscious choice to evolve, taking some aspects of the past while exercising her self-determination and embrace of the modern.

It was an insightful honor being one of the jurors for the DSI competition, and congratulations to the three award recipients. The process was challenging and rewarding due to the range and depth of the images submitted. I wish all the best to each of the entrants, and I hope that our paths cross again. – Stephen Marc

©Emily Schiffer 2018
©Emily Schiffer 2018

Emily Schiffer is a mixed media artist and photographer interested in art’s ability to initiate community engagement and foster social change. Kin is an intimate portrayal of family life. These unposed portraits capture moments in her interracial and cross-culturally blended family. Her images hold a space between documentary narrative and documenting feeling. Stephen’s comments: “Each could stand alone but tie in an intimate narrative. I was impressed with these documentary style portraits because of the alternating interactions, environmental details, and dynamic lighting that project a mood of domestic warmth.”

J. Sybylla Smith

 

Postscript

Award winners will receive $1250 in printing services from Digital Silver Imaging. The Jurors and Digital Silver Imaging would like to thank everyone who submitted work. Although we had our lowest number of entries for the 2017 award, we feel that the quality of the work was exceptional. In this slideshow, we’d like to recognize a few of the photographers who made excellent work, but unfortunately, did not win

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DSI Portfolio Award Winners Announced

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Recognizing an outstanding image series from a field of excellent options is a jurors task – sharing this responsibility with Becky Senf and Laura Bidwell was my privilege and pleasure. The inaugural DSI Portfolio Award drew an engaging mix of content and subject matter from a wide geographic audience of recently graduated photographers.

Amiko Li congratulations on receiving our First Place Award! All three jurors responded to your evocative body of work featuring innovative perspectives, use of color and a wide reach of content. As Laura Bidwell stated, “There is a lot of good here.” We felt your technical ability matched your perceptual blend of serendipity and mystery. Becky Senf noted how your work transcends aspects of street photography into portraiture. Your series left us content to sit with each image alone – yet eager to see more of your story.

Elaine Bezold congratulations on receiving an Honorable Mention Award. Your black and white portfolio brought to mind the work of Ralph Gibson as noted by Becky Senf. We all three were intrigued by your ability to conflate domesticity with an ominous overtone. Your sequencing was bold and brave reflecting your strong sense of narration and firm grasp of an individual style. Each sharply graphic image conveyed a world of possibilities with a lingering sense of wonder and curiosity.

Nicholas Mehedin congratulations on receiving an Honorable Mention Award. Your series seamlessly combines place and person. Intrigue was deftly conveyed by your defiant use of light and shadow. Simultaneously your pleasing color palette was sparse yet purposeful. The unexpected sequencing led us to be inquisitive – curious where we were being transported to next and asking why.
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New IR Workshop a Success

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Infrared Workshop with Laurie J. Klein
Infrared Workshop with Laurie J. Klein

A clear, late Spring day in Massachusetts was a perfect setting for a digital infrared workshop with instructors Laurie J. Klein and Kyle Perler. The workshop, Digital Infrared Photography 101, was taught to a sold-out crowd of 15 photographers. The biggest surprise of the day was that over half of the participants fell in love with the magic and mystery of infrared  during the film days of Kodak HIE High Speed Infrared Film! These intrepid photographers used changing bags, red filters, and the quirky film to capture IR. Now they are embracing digital infrared and a much simpler production process.

This workshop was scheduled to coincide with an exhibit of infrared photography titled, Beyond the Visible Spectrum. The exhibition featured the work of 4 artists that use infrared photography to create images of ethereal beauty. The work of Laurie J. Klein, Ron Rosenstock, Tony Sweet and Carl Stoveland provided inspiration and a teaching vehicle to workshop participants. Laurie utilized the prints on display as her introduction to the art of IR photography.

As Laurie stated, “One of the most challenging aspects of infrared capture is being able to pre-visualize in a non-visible spectrum. Learning how to interpret in IR.  Foliage comes out white yet the bark of the tree branches come out dark so composing is different then with color or B&W capture.  Some black fabrics come out white, some black. Red roses come out white, purple flowers come out darker. “

Many participants admitted that one of the reasons they love IR is there is often a gift that happens, something they didn’t see in the viewfinder or expect. Because the photographer is not working with a light source she can see, not all outcomes are predictable, that is the “magic” of IR.

Laurie and class during hands-on portion of workshop
Laurie and class during hands-on portion of workshop

Laurie and Kyle also brought in a model for a few hours and went out shooting at a pond near Digital Silver Imaging. Laurie also brought a Cam Ranger, which she tethered to her camera and laptop so the students could instantly see what the images being produced looked like. This allowed Laurie to discuss composition, what a good IR histogram looks like, exposure, ISO and custom white balance.

After a group photograph, it was back to the classroom and Kyle worked with the group on after capture. Using a variety of methods from Photoshop, Lightroom and Nik Pluggins: Color Effects Pro and Silver Effects Pro.  Kyle stepped the class through several images from raw to final, spending a good deal of time on retouching eyes, as eyes can go very dark and have an extremely haunting quality to them when photographed with IR.

Participants responded to Laurie and Kyle’s instruction with overwhelmingly praise and we hope to have the team back soon for another workshop and perhaps even an advanced session.

Join Laurie J. Klein 7/13-7/18/14 in beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico for her workshop : Creative Infrared Photography

Laurie’s new book: Photographing the Female Form with Digital Infrared

 

Gallery talk with Photographer Jonathan Spath

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Gallery Talk

February 11
5:30 – 7 PM
Photographer Jonathan Spath discusses : Romancing  ∑tone 
Griffin Museum @ Digital Silver Imaging 11 Brighton Street Belmont, MA 617-489-0035
info@digitalsilverimaging.com 

A high school Math teacher Jonathan blends two areas of deep personal interest – Math and Photography in highly detailed abstract configurations of sea and granite from Cape Ann.

Where we may see aspects of nature, he sees underlying mathematical theory. His interest is the unifying perspective between everyday objects and the surrounding space.