If it weren’t for the modern nylon bridle, this photo could be mistaken for one taken decades ago.  It has a timeless quality to it which is hard to achieve nowadays.  Is this a reenacted scene from Huckleberry Finn or at a petting zoo at the mall?  It seems as though a horse will always look like a horse, and a kid will always look like a kid.

Of course there are other telltale signs that this is a modern photo.  For starters, this photo belongs to the Pentax K20D Flickr group which is pretty much a dead giveaway.  Also the horse’s hair is a bit on the over sharpened side, something you won’t find in any old timey photos.  Lastly, the exposure and contrast are a bit too crisp and clean to pull off that worn-in, soft look of an old photograph.

Regardless, I’ve really enjoyed seeing work by pablo.raw pop up in our pool, and really enjoyed writing for We Love DC.  Happy shooting fellow photogs.  Keep up the good work.

While it may not have the historical significance and impeccable timing of Cartier-Bresson’s “Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare“, this image captures a beautiful moment in time.  I love it when a photo causes your eye to dance around the frame, first from the obvious action of the puddle, next to the exiting body, then to the broken reflection of the tree, with an unfortunate ending at the ugly bike tire.  The use of black and white here adds to the gloomy, rainy day mood and forces the viewer’s eyes to concentrate on composition and subject matter, two ingredients that can sometimes be clouded by color.  This photo also serves as a reminder that not everything is happening directly in front of you.  Look up, look behind you, look down — you never know what you might be missing while you’re on a date with your camera.

While most photographers tend to focus on the prettier aspects of DC such as the monuments, the cherry blossoms, or the wildlife, others like to explore the underbelly of our city with their cameras.  Urban exploration, sometimes known as “urban spelunking” or “urban caving”, involves going to forgotten places that are relics from past eras.  Many times it’s difficult (and illegal) to reach these hidden gems, but the reward is often worth it (unless you get arrested).

We Love DC does not condone trespassing, however we love to see the haunting images of decay that you discover in the darkness, whether they’re of the Dupont Underground, Forrest Haven, the Metro tunnels, or the Washington Coliseum.  Just be sure you’ve had a recent tetanus shot before you shimmy down a rusty tunnel and bring backup in case you run into some C.H.U.D.

A few weeks ago I encouraged those of you who are interested in photography to hone your skills by shooting a series on a subject that strikes your fancy, thereby building a solid body of work.  It’s OK if you like to wander around town on the weekends to photograph things that catch your eye, but by focusing your efforts on one idea you will find that it can take your game to the next level. Think of your favorite photographers. Did Robert Frank take pictures of cupcakes, fire hydrants, and kitty cats?  Perhaps, but they would have never made it past the darkroom.

One local photographer who has caught my eye with a particular series is Steve Goldenberg. While he wasn’t able to reply to my e-mails to explain the work in his own words, he did mention in his Flickr comment that he has “shot them (cheerleaders) three times so far” and is “trying to decide what direction to take the project in.”  If you click through his set you will see some incredible shots that would make for a great slideshow or even a book.  While it may not turn out to be on the same level as The Americans, his series does an excellent job of capturing the passion and emotion of these girls for everyone to see.

In response to the removal of the David Wojnarowicz video from the National Portrait Gallery’s “Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture” exhibit, protesters gathered today in front of the Smithsonian Castle demanding the removal (or resignation) of Secretary Wayne Clough.  While the media to protester ratio was nearly one to one, the group’s collective voice was no doubt heard by the ears of the Smithsonian.  Organized by the New York based art action group “Art Positive“, the protesters marched and chanted in hopes that Clough be removed from his position and the video, “A Fire in My Belly”, be returned to the exhibit.  While it’s unlikely that Clough will step down from his position, it’s clear that this controversy is far from over.

If I were to win a warehouse full of money and suddenly lose the pressure of planning for retirement, there are some peculiar jobs in this world that I would love to try my hand at. How about a toll booth operator on the Dulles Toll Road, a gas station attendant, or a high school janitor?  Or maybe one of those guys who rides on the back of a trash truck, listens to his headphones and jumps from curb to curb at five in the morning?  A movie projectionist has always been a dream job of mine, especially at a theater like E Street where I could watch amazing flicks all day long.  Or how about a crane operator, swinging tons of steel around in my own little game of SimCity?

If you look carefully at the jobs that I mentioned, you’ll notice a common theme: to be by myself with just a small dash of human interaction.  There are those who thrive on being around others and shrivel when they are alone, and those who are built for a life of solitude.  While you’re enjoying your power lunches and chattering nonstop into your bluetooth earpiece, I’ll be eating at my desk and making sure your corporate machine keeps humming like a German car.  We can chalk our differences up to genetic evolution, or perhaps correlate them directly to how many hours we spent playing video games as kids.  Regardless, it’s no wonder that I love photography, another lonely profession.

It took me a while to realize what I love about today’s photo.  While I was first drawn to its cinematic quality and the capture of an every day city scene, it soon dawned on me that this is the work of a lonely photographer, shooting a lonely cab driver who is reading a newspaper full of photographs taken by other lonely photographers.  I see that I’m not alone in this world of loneliness.

A new year is upon us, DC, and some of us couldn’t be more relieved that 2010 is dead and buried.  Whether you believe in making New Year’s resolutions or not, this is a good time to reflect on the past year, take stock of your life as it exists today, and figure out how the next chapter unfolds.  Will you maintain the status quo or will you take your life in a completely different direction?  If you love everything about your life then I commend you (and think that you might need psychiatric help), but if you feel like you’re simply going through the motions and need a little spark in your life, now, and any other day, is the perfect time for change.

We here at We Love DC look forward to seeing our city through your lenses, from your point of view, with your eyes.  We love seeing what you were up to over the weekend, what you did for the holidays, and your coverage of events here in DC.  But I challenge you to step up your game this year and start pushing the boundaries of your photography.

Buy a point and shoot or rangefinder camera and take it with you everywhere you go so you never miss ‘that shot’.  Buy a new prime lens and see how it changes your shooting style.  Stop someone on the street, ask them if you can take their picture, and tell their story.  Take a photography class, or even a painting, drawing, or dance class to get out of your comfort zone and get your creative juices flowing.  Instead of shooting anything and everything that you find interesting, focus your efforts on just a handful of subjects to hone your skills and to create a solid body of work.

This world has so much to offer so make sure you get every last drop.  You won’t regret it, and neither will we.

Now is the winter of our discontent.  While we may have just narrowly escaped a blizzard, it’s still colder than a polar bear’s pajamas on the shady side of an iceberg.  So while you could go outside with your camera gear, brave this miserable weather, and take blurry photos of Christmas lights, I recommend staying indoors and experimenting with your immediate surroundings.

One of my favorite old photography tricks is to shoot something that is completely out of its element, like a fish out of water if you will.  For example, this shark should be eating baby seals off the coast of South Africa, not tickling the ivories with his coffee stained teeth.  He should be terrorizing other fish in the ocean, not playing “Happy Birthday” on a Yamaha.  I blame this odd behavior on global warming, or in our case, global cooling.

So wrap yourself up in a Snuggie, grab your camera gear, and show that shark who’s boss.  Before you know it the cherry blossoms will be blooming.

Thanks to the cruelty of genetics, my head has less and less hair on it as time goes on, and I wonder why I keep paying someone to cut it.  I could use the clippers that I have and save twenty bucks by switching to a DIY cut, but my love for nostalgia keeps bringing me back to Diego’s.  It reminds me of when my dad and I used to go to the barber shop together when I was a kid, and is a tradition that I’ll pass on to my unborn sons.  In today’s world of grimy lawyers and social media consultants, professions that specialize in manipulating words and air, it’s nice to see someone still using their hands, creating a sense of community, and being a bright spot in peoples’ day.  One day Diego will be gone, but thanks to this photo his life and the lives that he’s touched are frozen in time forever.

I recently traveled to Miami to experience what is probably the most important contemporary art fair in North America.  As the sister event to Art Basel in Switzerland, Art Basel Miami Beach is held annually in early December, a time when many of us here in DC are ready to escape the chill of winter.  Sometimes called “the Olympics of the art world”, it brings together a vast quantity of art from all over the globe, more than you could ever hope to fully appreciate in four days.  The main fair in the convention center alone consists of thousands of works of art, or at least what galleries are hoping to sell to you as art.  And by “you” I mean you the celebrity, the oil tycoon, or the granddaughter of the guy who built a railroad back in the 1800′s.  Many of these buyers are looking to decorate their houses with art — that costs as much as our houses.

Some of the artists who have work on display may seem familiar, especially if you’ve been to recent exhibits at such places as the Hirshhorn Museum, the Tate Modern, or the Museum of Modern Art in New York.  If you’ve had your heart set on buying work by Damien Hirst or Louise Bourgeois, you could have found the perfect piece at Art Basel to go right next to the Lamborghini under your Christmas tree.  If a C-Class Mercedes is more indicative of your budget, the main fair is more of a “look but don’t touch” affair, much like a museum.  Luckily there are several incredible satellite fairs selling more affordable art, such as PULSE, SCOPE, and Aqua, and it was here that you could find several DC galleries selling their work.

Jayme McLellan of Civilian Art Projects at SCOPE with work by Trevor Young

It’s a bit of a gamble for any commercial art gallery to set up shop at one of these art fairs.  The hope is that the cost of planning, transporting artwork to the fair, and paying for a booth (> $20K in total), is outweighed by sales.  A few DC galleries cut costs by sharing a moving truck, and I’m happy to say that every gallerist that I spoke to reported extremely good sales making the trip to Miami worthwhile. “It was the fourth time I’ve done the fair and the first sell-out, ” said Jayme McLellan of Civilian Art Projects.  “The work (by Trevor Young) was very strong.”  The artwork at these side fairs was mind blowing, and it was exciting to see the work by some of my artist friends hanging in such a prestigious setting.

Leigh Conner of Conner Contemporary at PULSE with work by Leo Villareal

Work by Jason Horowitz at the Curator’s Office booth at PULSE

“Mostly I see art fairs as a big 3-D advertisement for the gallery,” says Andrea Pollan who owns Curator’s Office on 14th Street NW.  “I feel it is important to do the big annual Miami PULSE fair because it is an opportunity to have more people see some of the artists that I work with in one week than will come through my gallery in DC all year.”

Work by Jessica van Brakle at the Hamiltonian booth at SCOPE

Not only is it an opportunity for local galleries to show and sell their artists’ work, but to learn about new artists and to meet potential collectors as well.  “I also meet a lot of DC and Baltimore collectors who rarely go to DC galleries but go to the art fairs in NYC, Miami, Chicago, and in Basel.  So it’s a way of extending my contacts even with the very local base.  It’s a bit ironic that one needs to go to Miami or NYC to connect with DC collectors, but it’s a reality, too.”

If you ask anyone who has been to Art Basel, whether they are a gallerist, a collector, or simply someone who appreciates art, they will undoubtedly say, “It was so much fun!”  Fun?  What’s that you say?  How can someone say that they had fun looking at art with so much enthusiasm?  The answer of course is the other reason (and in some cases the main reason) people travel to Miami: the parties.

Like the art on display, the caliber and exclusivity of the parties at Art Basel varies greatly.  Much of your experience there will depend on who you know, and who they know.  It’s best not to have a rigid itinerary while you’re there because you never know who you’ll run into or where you will end up at the end of the night.

Within hours of landing in Miami I ran into Tony Curanaj, a realism painter from New York who was showing work there.  After exchanging numbers we made a pact to keep each other informed of the parties we were going to.  It sounded like a great plan on day one, but by the end of my stay in Miami, chaos overruled reason, and I never did meet up with Tony.

A typical day at Art Basel consisted of the following.  Wake up at 9AM, grab coffee and breakfast at the 11th Street Diner, spend the next six or so hours soaking up as much art as my brain could withstand, eat sushi at some point, and then hit the best parties I could find, which in most cases were nothing short of epic.  Throughout the day I would receive texts from friends either saying, “What’s going on tonight?” or “NADA party at 8PM – the place to be tonight.”  Luckily my press pass got me into places that I would have had trouble getting into otherwise, but there were some events that I had no chance getting invited to such as a day of fishing on Kehinde Wiley’s boat (luckily I have several VIP friends who I can live vicariously through).

This being my first trip to Art Basel, I knew to expect an overload of art much like I’ve experienced at other art fairs such as Frieze in London.  However what I couldn’t predict was how much fun I would have zipping all over town each day, running into great friends who had made the trip from DC, making new friends from around the country, and soaking up the Miami experience.  I hope the photos to follow give you a sense of being there and I will end on this: December 2011 won’t come soon enough.

The Art

The Parties

Miami Life

Last night I had a dream about a series of iPhone apps that would manage all of my day to day duties, organize my thoughts into coherent text messages and e-mails, add events to my calendar as soon as my eyes saw them online, and create to-do lists on the fly: do laundry, breathe deeply, blink.  In the dream my brain stem had an iPhone dock surgically attached to it, allowing me to become one with my beloved device and freeing my mind from doing anything useful whatsoever.  My phone knew exactly what I was thinking, suggested alternative thoughts related to my own, and maintained a database of my activity in its flash memory.  As time went on, the app learned what I liked and disliked, what my daily schedule consisted of, what kind of food I generally ate, and eventually took over all brain function.  Thanks to the newly added multitasking feature of the operating system my phone could do many things at once, like set my DVR to record Dancing With the Stars, Twitter about how much of an idiot Sarah Palin is, and order ice cream from Peapod.   It was all encompassing, essentially living my life for me.  Of course the competition was working around the clock to introduce the same surgical procedure and an identical app for the Droid, and it was likely that in a few years Microsoft would introduce something very similar with a clever marketing campaign.

As I awoke from my dream I laughed at how silly it was, as if a device could completely rule my world.  I reached across the bed and found a warm empty space where my wife normally was.  That’s strange, where could she be?  I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and sent her a text: “where r u?”  She replied, “need buzz – latte?”  Just then the calendar on my phone chirped: “9:00 AM – morning w/ wife @ sbux.”  I texted back, “o rite.  b rite there.”  We both grabbed our iPads and headed out the door, checking our e-mail and TweetDeck as we walked down the street.  My wife mumbled, “Did you see @ABC_DWTS’s tweet about Bristol Palin?”  ”I know, she totally should have won, unlike her stupid mom in ’08,” I said.  We grabbed our pumpkin lattes and sat down across from each other.  ”Did you remember to buy ice cream?”

As you prepare for your  journey home for the Thanksgiving holiday, we’d like to offer you some travel safety tips.

• Don’t refer to Reagan National Airport as “Reagan Airport”.  You’ll be hogtied and sprayed with patchouli by any liberal who overhears you.  Repeat after me: “National Airport”.
• Don’t drink before you make your way through security or you may mistake that TSA pat down as a sexual advance.  First, it’s not, and second, have you ever seen an attractive TSA security guard?  Wait until you’re at your gate or on the plane before you break out that flask of Wild Turkey (disguised as a 3 ounce shampoo bottle*), and don’t forget to share with your fellow passengers.
• If Grandma picks you up from the airport in her ’73 Chevy Impala, grab the keys from her and insist on driving*.  She’s old and could be a danger to other drivers on the road, plus the car has a V8 in it and hauls some serious ass.  Crank that AM radio and be the gangster you’ve always wanted to be.
• If you happen to spot a moose on the Metro either on your way out of town or on your way home, don’t panic.  According to the Internet, “Moose are most likely to attack during the spring (when the females have new calves) and fall (when the bull moose are trying to mate). They weigh up to 1500 pounds and could easily crush a human if aggravated. Most moose attacks are brought on by foolishness – common sense is the key.”  Common sense.  Is the key.  Wise words.

Safe travels, DC, and say hi to Grandma for me — I’ll be here holding down the fort, enjoying the entire city to myself.  If I missed any travel safety tips, feel free to leave them in the comments.

* In no way do we at We Love DC condone messing with TSA rules or drinking and driving.

There are parts of me that will forever be trapped in the past.  Even though I’m technically an adult, I’ll always feel like a kid in one way or another and rarely take life too seriously.  As long as I can pay my bills and stay out of prison, I might as well have some fun right?  We’re only on this big blue marble for a short amount of time, which is why I like to move to different cities, meet new people, learn about different cultures, and photograph what I find interesting.

I often think back to when I was young to try to remember how I viewed the world.  When I was in elementary school all I cared about was what they were serving for lunch at school (Salisbury steak and buttered noodles were always a favorite).  In junior high I realized that I’d probably better start learning something and was baffled by the concept of negative numbers.  In high school and college I studied way too hard to get to where I am today, not even using my degree.  I thought people who were forty were so old and couldn’t fathom being that age, and I still can’t imagine what fifty will feel like.

Sadly, I have only a handful of photos to document what the world looked like through my eyes during those years.  I didn’t have a camera back then, let alone a Leica like this girl.  The color of this diptych really adds a nostalgic feel, as if these photos could have been taken thirty years ago.  The candid aspect of these photos truly captures her innocence and curiosity, something many of us lost long ago.  Will she look back on these exposures when she’s an adult and remember her time at the National Gallery of Art?  Will she carry her passion for photography into adulthood?  Will her curiosity continue to make her look at the world in different ways?  For the sake of everyone, let’s hope so.

Sunday was a perfect fall day for another perfect Tweed Ride.  Five hundred lovers of vintage clothing and bicycles gathered for the second annual ride that was magical to say the least.  Organized by Dandies and Quantrelles, the pre-ride festivities began in the morning at The Fridge where people were treated to music by Maureen Andary as they mingled and admired each other’s clothing and rides.  At noon the entire group gathered at the starting line in Lincoln Park where the ride commenced in packs of twenty five.  It was a true delight to ride along the golden tree-lined streets of Capital Hill, past the Supreme Court, the Capitol, and the White House, ending in Adams Morgan.  The post-ride social at Stroga featured bottomless Hendrick’s gin drinks, food by Coppi’s, a tweed fashion show, dance performances, and lots of love between riders. As easy as it would have been to leave my camera at home, it’s basically impossible for me not to document days like these.

If you love photography and street art as much as I do, you’re not going to want to miss the show that opens tonight at Honfleur Gallery.  Likeness, an idea developed by local photographer Josh Yospyn of Worn Magazine, pairs work from ten photographers and ten street artists.  Each portrait from the photographers has been interpreted by their corresponding street artist, contrasting images created by a camera with work created by hand.  I love the idea of juxtaposing something as concrete as a photograph with something as fluid as a painting, and can’t wait to see what each creative duo has produced.

Photo by David Holloway

Opening Reception
Thursday, November 11 · 6:00pm – 9:00pm

If you hadn’t noticed by now, we’re smack dab in the middle of FotoWeek.  While the number of photography shows, lectures, portfolio reviews, night projections and parties is rather daunting, it’s a no-brainer to check out an exhibit that is full of great work and is raising money for a good cause.

Tonight, the Women Photojournalists of Washington (WPOW) are hosting Women By Women, a juried exhibit and silent auction.  From their blog:

“The proceeds will benefit WPOW in continuing our mission to educate the public about the work of women photojournalists.  All 16×20 prints will be signed by the photographer.  Please bring cash or check if you would like to bid. The show will additionally be on view from November 5-13th at the gallery.  The gallery hours are from 3-8pm daily.”

The show is free to attend but by buying an amazing photograph in the auction tonight, well, it’s is a win-win for everyone.

When:
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Where:
Women Photojournalists of Washington
AYN Studio
923 F Street NW #201
Washington, DC 20004

It’s common for people to move to DC, make their mark, then ride off into the sunset.  For many people this town is merely a stepping stone for their education or their career, a place to put a notch on their belt.  If you’ve lived here for less than a decade then you may not be hip to DC’s rich history, what made it the city that it is today.

As one would expect, the local art world looks nothing today as it did ten years ago, which looked nothing like it did twenty years ago.  Art galleries have moved from Georgetown to Dupont Circle to 14th Street to H Street, while others have disappeared from the map completely.  Artists of yesterday have moved to New York, stopped producing art, or passed on to artist’s heaven.  However one entity has been a common thread throughout, the Washington Project for the Arts, which is celebrating its 35th birthday with Catalyst.

The Reverend Jesse Jackson in front of David Hammons’s How Ya Like Me Now?, from the exhibition The Blues Aesthetic: Black Culture and Modernism, 1989.

Colby Caldwell, “rounds”, 2006, 5 channel video, Dimensions variable, Courtesy of Hemphill Fine Art

Curated by artist, writer, and art professor J. W. Mahoney, Catalyst will be a “dynamic, narrative recollection of the Washington area’s multidisciplinary arts scene and WPA’s legacy, showcasing selected artists, exhibitions, programs, and events from its 35-year history.”  Mahoney says, “Catalyst is intended to demonstrate the uniqueness, the resilience and the authentically catalytic power of a truly successful alternative arts organization that has survived for more than three decades.”  With over three floors of new and historic work on display, this is a show not to be missed.

Location:
American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW DC
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 11am – 4pm

VIP Opening Reception:
Tuesday, November 9, 6:30-9pm
(purchase tickets here)

Opening Reception:
Saturday, November 13, 6-9pm

Curator’s Talk:
Saturday, November 20, 4-6pm

Tonight the Phillips Collection (along with ReadysetDC, Worn Magazine, and Dandies and Quaintrelles) is throwing a pre-party and a post-party as a prelude to FotoWeek DC.  Did that make any sense?  Regardless, there’s a whole lot going on at Phillips After 5 tonight (5-8:30PM) that we encourage you to check out:

• View projections of photo entries for the InstaVintage contest (think faux blurry/grainy iPhone shots) as well as the announcement of the winner
• Get your vintage-like Polaroid picture taken
• Check out vintage bicycles on display
• Listen to gallery talks about the current TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845–1945 and Coburn and the Photographic Portfolio exhibits (6 and 7PM)
• Listen to a lecture by Alvin Langdon Coburn expert Pamela Roberts (6:30PM)

It’s common for tickets for these events to sell out, so advanced reservations are encouraged ($12 for adults, $10 for visitors 62 and over and students, free for members and visitors 18 and under).  There is also an after party about a hundred feet away at the Hillyer Art Space (in the alley behind the Phillips).  Turn of the 20th century attire is encouraged, so put on your corset or your bowler hat and get thee to the Phillips Collection tonight!

Nope, it’s the 11th Biennial Book Arts Fair and Conference, and it’s going on this weekend (November 5-7) in Silver Spring at the Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center.  Rather than try to explain this unique event myself, I’ll let their website do the talking:

“Now in its third decade, the fair will showcase a dynamic array of innovative book art, limited edition prints, fine papers, and specialty tools along with a rich program of notable speakers, demonstrations, and special exhibitions. This three day event will connect international artists, scholars, collectors, publishers, and art lovers. Serving to inform and inspire, the Book Arts Fair and Conference is a celebration of the printed form and the book as art.”

So if you’re into books, art, or both, this is just the ticket for you.  Be sure to check out their events page for a schedule of all of the cool activities going on this weekend.

With FotoWeek quickly approaching, photography lovers should be bracing themselves for an inundation of gallery shows, slideshows, artist talks, and all-around geekery (not to mention plenty of spam in your inbox).  When you look at hundreds of photos in a short period of time it’s easy to overload your brain.  Before you know it, all photos will begin to either look “good” or you just won’t know what you’re looking at anymore.  When you reach that point, try to keep in mind some of the basic rules that make up a “good” photograph: composition, content, and lighting.

This photo has them all, but the lighting is what makes the shot.  The sunlight streaming in from the top corner naturally leads the viewer’s eye to the subject at the center of the frame.  The contrast between the lion’s glowing face and his bleak surroundings lead you to believe that he has found a ray of hope from above.  Is he simply looking for some warmth from the sun or has he found respite from his existence as a caged zoo animal?