documentographer » life photographer

My next stop in the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival exploration of why photography is important to photographers, was at the Pikto Gallery in the Distillery District.  I went to chat with Tony Fouhse about his provocative show, ‘User’.

These photos taken of crack addicts were taken over a three-year period on a 20-metre strip of sidewalk, one kilometre and a half from Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

These are portraits of the people and their feelings, not the drug. Tony says it’s important to look into their eyes, as we usually pass addicts and avert their eyes. People react — sometimes positively, sometimes negatively.  But they react, which he considers to be a good thing.

This collection is a collaborative effort — All these photos are what they are because of what the subjects brought to the table.  He doesn’t show a photo without their approval.  But it’s more than that, it’s a cyclical process.  He’s using them, they’re using him, and we (the viewers) are using both of them.

Tony likes taking the photos, but hates the drudgery of presenting the work.  This is his hobby — he does commercial and editorial work for a living. But he decided to take this work out of his portfolio and share the images.  ”People keep making me do it!”, he says.

Thank goodness for that, is what I say.

As many people know, May is the month for the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival. The photo festival of all photo festivals, with hundreds of exhibits all over Toronto.  This gets the blood of most of us photographers flowing with excitement.

This year, I have been thinking about the sheer variety of shows at the festival.  Documentary, Fashion, Fine Art, Political, Travel, you name it.  So many artists sharing their work — I’m curious what the motivation behind it is for participants, and what it means to them. As I have been pondering my own reasons for choosing photography as not just my livelihood, but also as my main form of self-expression, creativity and connecting, I have decided use this festival as a way to explore these questions for myself by seeing what other artists have to say.

I’ve started with talking to the artists of The Untold Stories Exhibit at the University of Toronto’s New College.  (45 Willcocks)  On display until June 6.  This is a collaborative show by World Vision photographers Alyssa Bistonath, Paul Bettings and Andrew Goodwin.

ANDREW GOODWIN

ALYSSA BISTONATH

PAUL BETTINGS

Question: How did you know this was the kind of work you wanted to do?

Andrew: Has always dreamt of being a photographer working for World Vision.  He and his wife have been supporters for many years.  He just never believed it would really happen.

Alyssa: She didn’t really have a choice.  It chose her. She always knew she wanted to go to Africa and work for World Vision, she just didn’t know in what capacity.  They called her one day, it was an amazing miracle.

Paul : Technically, he didn’t know. In fact, the first offer he had, he turned down, thinking he didn’t want to go. The next year, he had another offer, this one he took.

Question: Why is this kind of photography important?

Andrew: He does think that people in North America care, but he believes there is a distance, and it’s not always on their radar. This kind of photography makes the distance traversable.  It brings the reality of life in the developing world into their homes and periphery.

Alyssa: The photos of the three photographers are very different.  Alyssa likes to get very close to her subjects.  To really look at someone face to face, you can get a sense of who they are.  When you see a portrait larger than life, you can feel how intimate it is.  All four people in her photos let her into their lives and told her secrets.

Paul: It’s important because it gives these people a bit of a voice. They are struck silent because there is no way to reach people to tell them their story.  In fact, they might not even know that their situation is different than anyone in Canada’s situation.  This kind of photography gives them an opportunity to come out of their silence.

Question: Why is it important to YOU?

Andrew: He finds it grounding.  He gets to go abroad with World Vision a couple of times a year, and it keeps bringing him back to the reality of what life means on a more global perspective.

Alyssa: Her story is the most valuable thing she has as an individual.  She has all these ways to tell her story — and some people don’t.  It’s important to her to share that privilege.

Paul : It’s important to him because it’s about people. People who deserve better. It’s important for him to remember that people have ‘nothing’, often actually have everything.

Question: What does it mean to exhibit this work?

Andrew: He is very proud to attach his name to a big company like World Vision. At the same time, this is a chance to showcase photos that wouldn’t otherwise be seen.  Some of the photos never even got handed into World Vision.

Alyssa: It’s a relief!  When you shoot for an organization, you don’t always know what happens to the photos, and who sees them.  When you take them, the stories become part of your story, and you want to share them.

Paul: He feels it’s good enough for people to see what and how they see. World Vision has an image, and sometimes the images the photographers shoot don’t fit that mould.  For this reason, it’s nice to show their own work.

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I will continue to seek answers from artists and cover more exhibits over the month.  For more info on the festival, or to see posts by other bloggers covering the festival, go to http://scotiabankcontactphoto.com/blog

I don’t have a newsletter.  I feel like this is currently the best way I have to share my news. So, here it is!  My update!

- Documentographer is going paperless!  It’s true.  No more need to mail in a contract or cheque — all can be done online.
It’s “slick”, as my client said yesterday.  Oh, and green.  It is definitely green.  And convenient.  And all great adjectives you can think of.

- New sample albums have arrived.  They are soooooo pretty.  SOOOOO pretty.  Come by and see them!

-  2010 is almost fully booked for weddings.  There are some secret spots left if you are really nice, but, you have to be really nice.

- I will be in Mexico from March 5-29.  It’s a beautiful mix of holiday and work (as every trip should be in my opinion).  Please be patient if you write to me — I will respond, it might just be slightly delayed.

- My new website will be launching next week.  I will send word here.  Thanks to those who sent notes of support and anticipation — they’ve made me excited to share it with you!!

- I have been listening to the same artist for exactly a month now.  I feel like it A) warrants adding my obsession confession to the newsletter, and B) warrants sharing with you.  Here is one of the many songs I am obsessed with, after seeing Basia Bulat in concert in Jan.

-Yes this is a photography blog.  Regular programming will resume imminently.

The day before yesterday, I walked around Stanley Park for five hours, and then climbed Grouse Mountain in Vancouver.  Why would I do such a thing, you may ask.  (Trust me, that night I was asking the same question!)

The reason is, I am training.  Or trying to, at least.  In in 3 weeks I am climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. And I have to get ready!!

I am incredibly fortunate and excited to be documenting a trip at the end of September being taken by a Girl Impact team of 12 16-year-old girls from 5 Scarborough High Schools.  Through this mentorship program, they have raised almost $50,000 to send 10 Kenyan girls through highschool.  As the fitness component of their program, they will be climbing Mt. Kili.  Isn’t that cool?  Have a look at the lil trailer:

They are *almost* at the $50,000 mark.  So, until we leave, we are fundraising like crazy.  On Sunday Sept 13, we are having a Spin-a-thon.  I have promised to bring a Documentographer Team.  Will you be on it with me?

Don’t worry if you are fit or not.  I have only done Spinning once, and fell off my bike. However, we will have fun!!!  

It’s $40 each or $100 for a team of 4, and you sign up here: http://www.girlimpact.org/gi_spin It’s from 2-6pm at the Goodlife at Davisville.   Just sign up, and shoot me an e-mail to let me know how awesome you are.

If you are inspired by this story or this mission at all, your time on Sunday would help us get another $4,000!!   

Please come and be on the Documentographer team!  

ps — Here are a couple pics from my journey in the park. 

You’ve waited long enough.

For anyone interested in seeing the documentary, “Prom Night in Mississippi“, if you live in the USA, now is your chance.

Catch it, tape it, tivo it, Monday July 20, at 9PM/8C on HBO.

For anyone out of the loop, a quick synopsis is that I flew to Mississippi last year to photograph the first interracial prom in Charleston Mississippi. It was made possible by the generosity of Academy Award Winner Morgan  Freeman, who was tired of having to explain why there was a White Prom and a Black Prom in his home town.  The photos are featured in the documentary, Prom Night in Mississippi, and have been published in numerous locations. (Have a browse around this blog, or check out the Media link above for more information on this).

Anyway, it has all been very exciting and very fun.  And now, people can finally see the much awaited film.  Next Monday. Don’t miss it.  And if you do, don’t ask me how you can see the film, anymore. This is your chance!!!

If you live in Canada, you still have to wait.  Sorry!

I’m off to NYC on Thurs to view the premiere at HBO, and meet Morgan Freeman.  How terribly exciting!

Thank goodness, no.  But the magazine?  My goodness, thank goodness, yes!

I’m happy to say there is one of my images from Prom Night in Mississippi in the current issue of Seventeen Magazine.

I’m a woman, now!

By the way, when I had my exhibit of the prom photos, people in Toronto were asking when they could see the documentary.  Well, the time is approaching, my friends.  You can see the film during Hot Docs, next month.   Click here for ticket and show details.  See you there!

There is a great documentary coming to Hot Docs, straight from Regent Park.  It’s a beautiful portrait of two mothers and sons coping with life, and the challenges that come with manhood, as the boys go through their last two years of high school.  

I’m very happy to now know about Invisible City, this great documentary, and am extremely honoured to have been hired to shoot the promo stills.  Here are some portraits from my brief time with these families.

Yesterday was Day 2 for my blogging at the News Photographers Association of Canada blog.

I wrote about the experiencing of working as a stills photographer for the Prom Night in Mississippi documentary. What it was like working on a ‘filmset’, the challenges I faced getting all the images in one day, and how I got the job.  

If you are interested in hearing about this, have a look at the post!  Here’s the link: http://npac.ca/?p=2723

It's time to live in the moment.  Get to it today, if not this week. Why is that so necessary now? This is the final week to see Prom Night in Mississippi at the Lens Factory (1040 Queen West). If you want to know if it's something you're interested in, check out this week's NOW magazine art review at this link here.  

Everyone's been asking when they can see Prom Night in Mississippi in Toronto.  Although I don't have answers for that yet, it did just show for the first time in Mississippi this week!!