22.11.11 '99 Faces of Occupy Wall St.

"99 Faces of Occupy Wall St." reveals a cross-section of people behind the national occupy movement at the home of its origin. Created by photographer and filmmaker August Bradley. This portrait series focuses on faces -- no environment, no signs; each person with an honest look into the lens without any trappings other than what they were wearing at the time. Bradley wanted it to be personal, these portraits are a look into the eyes.

All the subjects were asked the question: "Why are you here?". Alongside the portraits is a spontaneous explanation as to the motivations of the people in the photographs. 

The majority of the sample is comprised of activists who are camped out or are actively participating at the Wall St. occupation, but also a few visitors, curious and drawn to the event -- often to see for themselves with a distrust of media reports, or to photograph what was happening in an effort to spread the word. Others were there to work: medics, food service staff, and visitors trying to make a contribution.

I'd really love to make beautiful portraits like this, a series which is not just aesthetically beautiful but says something, makes a statement and is cleverly teamed with text and quotes which intensify the meaning of each portrait giving them an individual voice. Each portrait has a sense of its subject and successfully represents them visually.

21.11.11 Clarke Tolton

I found the New York based photographer Clarke Tolton after viewing the new look book for the fashion/clothing label, Saturdays. The very fashionable style which Tolton adopts for the shoot is teamed with the casual traveller style which stylist Kristi Matamoros uses on Juan Heredia, the groomed yet messy model. I think the photographs which work best are the more posed images which have an element of the portrait from a documentary series and that the ones which show action/movement aren't as striking.

After viewing this look book I went on his website and viewed his portfolio, which is full of beautiful portraits and fashion images which I find very inspiring.

10.11.11 Laurence Von Thomas: If You Leave

Photographer and Curator Laurence Von Thomas runs his blog ‘If You Leave’ as a place for contemporary photographers to submit their work. With photographs of a wide variety of subjects and landscapes, the focus is more on the impact of a single image rather than a body of work from those submitting. This Selection of beautiful single snapshots explore peace, solitude, and loneliness, with little information given about the specific image, a sense of ambiguity is also created, providing further intrigue.