Sounds and Smells and More
You might have seen Sochi Singers by Rob Hornstra and Arnold van den Bruggen when it first came out. It's portraits of these Russian restaurant singers. Obviously, photographs don't come with sounds or smells. But it's intriguing to imagine those, isn't it? Well, Rob just shared the picture of a singer named Marina Bayur on his Instagram (if you click on the image above it will take you to the post).
But he also shared Bayur's Instagram account. So obviously, I had to click on that to see... And sure enough, the singer is sharing some of her work, a sample of which you can enjoy by clicking on this picture. Whether or not it warrants three flames, let alone five, I'll leave up to you to decide.
Now, you'll never look at Sochi Singers just the same way again.
Btw, I might have overpromised in my subject line. Re: smells, I got nothing to offer here.
The other day, I came across a fantastic essay by Mattilda Bernstein about Writing on Your Own Terms. You want to read the piece, regardless of whether you're a writer or not. If you're a writer (good for you!), there's a plethora of insight into how to go about it. If you're no writer (well, there still is hope: you can become one), you want to read the piece because with just a few changes here and there, it's applicable to photoland.
There's the publishing aspect, which plays out in just the same fashion; but there also is the creative aspect, the "how to go about being a photographer" or, if you will, "what to actually photograph". There's much to unpack and deal with in the essay.
Here's just one example:
Often writers ask me about how to write about people they know, what to keep in and what to keep out. And my first answer is always: write everything. Write it all. Especially the parts you are most worried about. You can decide later what to keep, but don’t hold yourself back, because then you’re censoring your work before it even has a chance to exist on the page. Before it has a chance to grow.
Allow me to adapt this to photoland:
Often photographers ask me about how to photograph people or things they know, what to keep in and what to keep out. And my first answer is always: photograph everything. Photograph it all. Especially the parts you are most worried about. You can decide later what to keep, but don’t hold yourself back, because then you’re censoring your work before it even has a chance to exist in a picture. Before it has a chance to grow.
The worst editing always is the one that comes before the pictures: when you don't take certain pictures because you're worried they reveal too much, or they might not work, or you don't know how they fit in, or you feel uncomfortable taking them, or... The picture not taken is the real problem. Don't be your own censor before you have a chance to face what you're facing when you see the pictures. After all, if there's a real problem you can (should) still edit something problematic out.
But there's problematic in terms of abusive, peddling stereotypes, violating other people's rights (all bad -- edit out), and there's problematic in terms of making you vulnerable. The latter is actually not problematic. It's where your own honesty lives; it's where you can grow.
You edit that out before you even take the picture: you won't grow. Is that what you want?
I mentioned this earlier, but now it's official: I'm offering a set of 5 Risograph prints from my book Vaterland. You can find all the relevant details here. Maybe you want these pictures on a wall in your home; or maybe you know someone who might enjoy this.
Bonus: If you buy a set, you're not only getting some gorgeous prints in the mail, you can also support my work financially.
Feel free to be in touch with questions.
As always thank you for reading!
-- Jörg