April 2012
2 posts
In Memorium: Lauren E. Simonutti
Last week we lost a truly great artist and soul, Lauren E Simonutti. When I heard the news I couldn’t take a breath for what seemed to be an entire day. My heart is still in knots… I had just seen Lauren two weeks before and I couldn’t get my head around the fact that this amazing woman was no longer with us.
Lauren was an inspiration. She was one of the most courageous...
In Focus: Tim Hyde
I’ve known Tim Hyde for a number of years and am quite fond of him as a person and as an artist. It’s been wonderful to watch his recent rise to success and I look forward to seeing all that he achieves in the future.
Recently, I had a chat with Tim about his work. Here’s an excerpt from that recent conversation.
SUSAN BURNSTINE: What were your beginnings as a photographer and when did...
March 2012
3 posts
In Focus: Brad Temkin
While attending Fotofest reviews a few years ago, my friend Dave Anderson suggested I meet his longtime friend Brad Temkin. He was certain we’d become pals and as usual, Dave was right. I was instantly taken by Brad’s work the first time I viewed it. Since then, we’ve been talking about working on an article or interview.
Last week, Brad was kind enough to chat with me about his photography....
In Focus: Sara Macel
Weeks ago, I happened upon Sara Macel’s work via the amazing website collect.give of which I am a huge fan of. I was instantly taken by the image she’s offering (above) to help raise funds for Camp Discovery, so I contacted her for an interview.
Here’s an excerpt from a chat we had last week.
SUSAN BURNSTINE: What were your beginnings as a photographer and when did you...
On The Walls: Josh Sanseri @ Santa Monica College
Last weekend my good pal Polly Chandler visited Los Angeles and introduced me to her longtime friend, Josh Sanseri. Josh is an accomplished commercial and portrait photographer, teacher and he has also created a number of wonderful personal projects.
This Saturday March 10, Josh’s exhibition “Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Not Dead, It Just Smells Funny” opens at the Santa Monica College...
February 2012
3 posts
On The Walls: Andrea Galluzzo @ Camera Work
Last spring, I met Andrea Galluzzo at Photolucida and have kept in touch since. Andrea’s solo exhibition “Know Myself in All My Parts” opens this Saturday at Camera Work Gallery in Portland, Oregon. The opening reception is this Thursday, February 23 from 6:30 to 8:30pm The continues until March 23rd and there will be a closing reception on March 22nd from 6:30 to...
In Focus: Walker Pickering
About a year ago, my friend Polly Chandler introduced me to the work of her good friend Walker Pickering. I was instantly taken by his imagery and continued to keep track of his work. Two weeks ago, I was thrilled to meet Walker in person when he and his students attended my talk at TWU. And when I returned home from Texas and opened my mail, I was ecstatic to see Walker’s gorgeous image...
In Focus: TWU/UNT MFA Reviews
Last week, I was invited to Texas Women’s University for a whirlwind one day event, which included participating in a panel talk with Mary Virginia Swanson and Kelli Connell, a book signing and a reception for my exhibition. During the morning, Kelli, Swan and I reviewed portfolios for MFA students attending TWU and neighboring University of North Texas. The event was organized by the...
January 2012
5 posts
In Focus: Fritz Liedtke
Last Spring at Photolucida in Portland, Oregon I viewed Fritz Liedtke’s stunning series Astra Velum and was instantly taken by the imagery and artistry. Subsequently, I featured Fritz in my September 2011 column for Black and White Photography (UK).
Fritz and I chatted about his work. Here’s an excerpt from a chat that Fritz and I had last Summer about his work.
SUSAN BURNSTINE:...
In Focus: Bill Vaccaro
Chicago based photographer Bill Vaccaro and I became friends via online forums around eight or so years ago and we’ve kept in touch ever since. Bill has worked with toy and conventional cameras over the years and he has a deep passion for a variety of alternative processes.
Most recently, Bill released a color documentary series about firework venues entitled Boomtown. Here’s an...
In Focus: Gina Kelly
I first saw Gina Kelly’s enchanting imagery in Shots Magazine years back and instantly loved her work. Gina’s whimsical and frequently humorous approach seamlessly combines a delightful sense of childlike wonder with an acute perspective.
Recently, I saw an exceptional image of Gina’s online so I contacted her and she generously agreed to an interview. Here’s an excerpt...
On The Walls: Doug Ethridge @ Lightbox Gallery
Doug Ethridge is a photographer who refuses to get pigeonholed into one style, process or approach. He’s constantly reinventing his visions and has most recently created a body of work entitled 27 Mornings In Winter which is on view from January 14- February 7 at Lightbox Gallery in Astoria, Oregon.
Doug first gained notice with a series that he shot with a Hasselblad Xpan entitled...
In Focus: Traer Scott
Traer Scott is a wonder. Not only is she a talented photographer, she’s also an active animal activist who donates portions of her book proceeds to the ASPCA… A woman after my own heart.
Her series Natural History was a favorite of mine in Photolucida’s 2010 Critical Mass competition. That series inspired me to feature her black and white work in my column for Black and White...
December 2011
7 posts
Highlights: 2011
Less than six months ago, I hatched an idea to begin a blog that showcased talented photographers discussing their work in their own words. Rather than rewriting source material or interpreting what has been said in the past, it was my hope to dig a bit deeper and create a compelling conversation with some remarkable visionaries. And so it was, Underexposed was born.
This blog would not exist...
In Focus: Brad Moore
Over the years, I’ve found that often I admire work by artists that I later meet and personally adore. And that’s precisely what happened with my pal Brad Moore.
Brad’s images always lighten my day, make me smile and help me see the world through his wonderful, off-beat perspective. And with the news of the world mostly sounding grim, Brad’s images are a welcome...
In Focus: Heidi Kirkpatrick
Last April I had the good fortune of meeting Heidi Kirkpatrick at Photolucida. I was enchanted by her one of a kind creations and featured her in my column American Connection for Black and White Photography Magazine this past October.
Here’s an excerpt from a chat we had months back.
SUSAN BURNSTINE: What were your beginnings as a photographer and when did you realize it would become...
On The Walls: Michael Levin @ Photo Eye
I first met Michael Levin in 2008 while attending my first Fotofest. Michael was visiting Houston to attend the opening of his solo exhibition at Watermark Gallery, which represented both of us at the time. After getting to know Michael, I wrote a feature about him for Black & White Photography Magazine (UK) which also earned him the cover.
I thought it would be great to have a chat on...
In Focus: Lauren Henkin
Last September, I featured Lauren Henkin in my column American Connection for Black and White Photography (UK). At the time, we chatted mostly about her newest handmade book release at the time, Silence Is An Orchard. Since then, Lauren has been extremely busy with her newest releases, Deck of Chords and The Lookbook Series: Volume I: Growth.
Our conversation below primarily took place last...
In Focus: John Cyr
John Cyr’s Developer Trays is a fascinating series that makes me long for those glorious days in the darkroom. When reviewing John’s portfolio in this year’s Critical Mass, I found myself returning to view it several times. What I found particularly compelling was that each tray symbolized a fingerprint as such, offering clues into the psyche of the artist that used it prior.
A...
In Focus: Lydia Panas
Late last night, I returned from teaching a weekend workshop at Luz Gallery in Victoria BC and was thrilled the new book by Lydia Panas, The Mark of Abel, arrived in my mailbox while I was away.
I’ve known Lydia for many years and I adore her as a person and artist. Her exceptional portraiture is compelling, honest. timeless and powerful. And her first book delivers on every level.
In...
November 2011
11 posts
In Focus: Evgenia Arbugaeva
When reviewing portfolios for this year’s Critical Mass, I was instantly taken by Evgenia Arbugaeva’s series, Tiksi. Despite being photographed in a land completely foreign to me, these enchanting images are seemingly envisioned through the eyes of a child, thus creating a universal world filled with possibility, wonder and awe.
A bit about the series: Tiksi is a small village...
In Focus: Brian Kosoff
When viewing Brian Kosoff’s striking landscapes, one might think he’s been shooting for ages. Yet surprisingly, his quest to create personal work began less than ten years ago.
Last Spring, I interviewed Brian about his memorable journey from being a successful commercial photographer to transitioning into fine art photography and featured him in my June 2011 column, American...
In Focus: Tom M. Johnson
I first met Tom Johnson a few years back when he attended an opening for one of my exhibitions. Soon after, I started to see Tom everywhere. Openings, reviews, events… I didn’t actually see any of Tom’s work for a few years. But when I saw his Lakewood Project for the first time, I was enchanted by his ability to capture past and present simultaneously in this wonderful place he...
In Focus: Jonathan Blaustein
I first met Jonathan Blaustein when attending Review Santa Fe a few years back and I was instantly intrigued by his thought provoking work. Since then, we’ve kept in touch and I’m always thrilled to hear about one of his well deserved achievements.
A bit about Jonathan: Jonathan is a photographer, writer, and educator based in Taos, NM. His work focuses on the intersection of...
In Focus: Jane Fulton Alt
Jane Fulton Alt’s The Burn was one of the bodies of work I viewed in Photolucida’s Critical Mass that resonated on a profound level for me. After viewing the work, I contacted Jane who graciously agreed to an interview.
Here’s an excerpt from a recent chat we had.
SUSAN BURNSTINE: What were your beginnings as a photographer and when did you realize it would become your chosen...
In Focus: Antone Dolezal
Antone Dolezal is a New Mexico based photographer and writer. His photographs have been exhibited and published regionally and are held in several private and public collections. His writing contributions have appeared regularly in various photographic publications, including Finite Foto, photo-eye Blog and photo-eye Magazine. Antone studied photography, art history and writing at the College...
In Focus: Brigitte Carnochan
I first met Brigitte Carnochan when she accompanied her close friend Beth Moon to a three-person exhibition at Verve Gallery of Photography in Santa Fe in 2009, which featured Susan Kae Grant, Beth Moon and myself. Since then, we’ve kept in touch.
Brigitte is one of the rare artists that I’ve written about twice in my column for Black and White Photography (UK). Most recently, I featured her...
In Focus: Cara Barer
Houston based photographer Cara Barer transforms abandoned and discarded books into unique pieces of art which merge the line between objects, sculpture and photography. Her images emerge into commentaries about the current state of printed matter and how the “use” for books decreases as the computer age changes the landscape of the written word.
Here’s an excerpt from a...
In Focus: Kenneth O Halloran
It’s rare that a series will stay with me for days. But Kenneth O Halloran’s Fair Trade made a lasting impression upon viewing for the first time in Photolucida’s Critical Mass 2011. Immediately after seeing the series, I dashed over to his website and was endlessly impressed by the depth of his work. So I quickly emailed him, requested an interview and he graciously...
Critical Mass 2011
Jane Fulton Alt
This was my third year as a juror in Photolucida’s Critical Mass, which is an wonderful venue for photographers to get new work to a wider audience. It’s always fascinating for me to see what trend emerges yearly — and this year had several. But the images I gravitated toward didn’t fit a trend per se, they were merely compelling, well executed bodies of...
On The Walls: Lori Waselchuk @Umbrage Gallery
I’ve followed Lori Waselchuk’s career for years and have written about her numerous times. Most notably, I’ve featured her work in my November 2010 column of American Connection in Black & White Photography (UK) and also for F-Stop Magazine.
Lori’s series Grace Before Dying was recently published by Umbrage Ediitons. An exhibition of the images from the book opens This...
October 2011
7 posts
In Focus: Damion Rice
Damion Rice and I met via an online forum around eight years ago. Truthfully, I can’t really recall how long I’ve known him…But I do remember meeting him in person for the first time in 2005. He’s tall. Very tall. And one of the funniest people I know.
Damion’s humor is palpable in nearly every image he makes. Whether shooting polaroid, toy cameras or...
In Focus: Elizabeth Opalenik
It’s rare that one can say they redefined a process to make it their your own. But that’s exactly what Elizabeth Opalenik achieved by creating what is now known as the “draping effect” in the mordancage process.
In July 2010 I had the honor to write about Elizabeth in my column American Connection for Black & White Photography Magazine (UK). Here’s an excerpt...
On The Walls: Me at John Cleary, Houston & Gallery...
Busy couple week ahead of me. First stop, Houston. I’m thrilled to have a selection of my images from Absence of Being and a few from Within Shadows at my solo exhibition for John Cleary Gallery in Houston.
If you’re in Houston or passing by, hope you can join me for the opening this Saturday October 22 from 6-8pm at: John Cleary Gallery: 2635 Colquitt. Houston, Texas 713-524-5070
...
In Focus: Gordon Stettinius about Gita Lenz
Gordon Stettinius is an unforgettable original with a generous spirit and a unique brand of humor which is apparent in every frame he shoots. His ongoing body of work Mangini Studio Series is one of the funniest portrait collections I’ve seen. If you’ve not yet viewed his work yet, race over to his website and check it out.
But Gordon’s creative talents don’t stop with photography. He’s also the...
On The Walls: Ken Rosenthal @ Wall Space Gallery
Ken Rosenthal is a true visionary and one of the nicest guys in the world of fine art photography. I first met Ken at a weekend symposium seven or eight years back and he made a lasting impression as one of the most supportive and kind artists I’ve met to date.
After an impressive ten years in the world of fine art photography, Ken will be honored with an exhibition at Wall Space Gallery in...
In Focus: Susan A. Barnett
Susan Barnett’s series Not In Your Face is a fascinating investigation into self-identity and validation of the individual persona. She explains that the photographs are not about t-shirts per se and that they reveal elements about individuals hopes, ideals, likes, dislikes, political views and personal mantras.
I first discovered about Susan’s series at Fotofest 2010 when she asked if she could...
On The Walls: Loli Kantor at B. Hollyman Gallery
Loli Kantor’s solo exhibition And a Voice Was Heard opens today and continues until November 12 at B. Hollyman Gallery in Austin, Texas.
In honor of the exhibition, Loli and I chatted about her career and the work in the show.
SUSAN BURNSTINE: What were your beginnings as a photographer and when did you realize it would become your chosen form of expression?
LOLI KANTOR: I started about...
September 2011
9 posts
In Focus: Leon Taylor
Leon Taylor and I have been friends for near eight years. We first met via an online forum, where Leon, Ed Wenn, Damion Rice and Mark Skorji and I became pals. As a result of this friendship, the five of us began a site devoted to the use of film called Filmwasters in 2005.
Leon is an extremely talented photographer, an ace of a guy, a genius in the darkroom and he’s my go-to guy when it...
In Focus: Douglas Stockdale
Douglas Stockdale seemingly has boundless amounts of energy. In addition to a thriving photographic career, he regularly writes reviews for Photo Eye Magazine and he also has a wonderful blog that focuses on photobook reviews, The Photobook.
Doug and I recently discussed his new book release Ciociaria. Here’s an excerpt from our chat.
SUSAN BURNSTINE: What were your beginnings as a...
In Focus: Peter Liepke
Peter Liepke’s images evoke quiet memories from the past and seem to exist somewhere between a fairy tale and reality. His masterful use of alternative printing processes accentuates the mood in his images, and thus, proves to be a perfect match for his romantic vision.
In February 2011 I featured Peter’s work in my column American Connection for Black & White Photography Magazine...
In Focus: Stella Johnson
One of the highlights of Photolucida 2011 for me was having a chance to hang out with and get to know documentary photographer Stella Johnson. Not only did her incredible imagery strike a deep chord, but she is one of the nicest people I’ve had the pleasure to meet.
Here’s an excerpt from a recent chat I had with Stella.
SUSAN BURNSTINE: What were your beginnings as a photographer...
In Focus: Jennifer Shaw
New Orleans based photographer Jennifer Shaw is one of those brave artists who has found a way to transform painful, tragic memories into art. In Hurricane Story Shaw reinterpreted experiences she endured during Hurricane Katrina, including evacuating, giving birth to her first born child the day Katrina made landfall, living on the road for months and her family’s return to New...
In Focus: Beth Dow
I first met Minneapolis based photographer Beth Dow at Fotofest in 2009 and knew I had to write about her work the minute I saw her stunning prints in person.
Months later, I featured Beth in my column for Black and White Photography Magazine in December 2010. Here’s an excerpt from a chat we had last year.
SUSAN BURNSTINE: Can you discuss your beginnings as a photographer? At what age did you...
In Focus: Michael Kirchoff
Los Angeles based photographer Michael Kirchoff is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. It seems I bump into him a few times a year at different exhibitions, reviews or fairs and his infectious excitement about photography always brightens the event.
Here’s an excerpt from a recent chat I had with Michael about his ongoing series An Enduring Grace.
SUSAN BURNSTINE: What were...
In Focus: S. Gayle Stevens
I first met S. Gayle Stevens while reviewing her portfolio during Photonola 2009. I was immediately impressed by her inventive spirit, dedication and of course her imagery. Since then, she’s been winning awards and exhibiting regularly. Matter of fact, I recently awarded her image Absinthe Of Self (above) first place in the Plastic Fantastic II exhibition at Lightbox Gallery in Astoria,...
In Focus: Rania Matar
I adore Rania Matar as a person and as a photographer. Her positive nature is infectious and her incredible imagery never ceases to amaze.
Rania lives in the Boston area with her husband and four kids, she works as a full time photographer and she has garnered endless accolades and awards for her first body of work Ordinary Lives and her most recent series A Girl In Her Room. (soon to be...
Me, Myself & I: AD Galerie, Genolier
This weekend my solo exhibition Within Shadows opens at AD GALERIE in Genolier, Switzerland.
I had hoped to attend, but sadly it wasn’t in the cards for me. If anyone out there makes it to the opening, please take some snaps of the show and email them to me. Thanks! Details for the show can be found here.
Since this is a rare me, myself and I post… Here’s a preview of some...
August 2011
10 posts
In Progress: Michael Sebastian
I first met Michael Sebastian in 2009 when I reviewed his portfolio at Photonola. We had a wonderful discussion and I very much enjoyed out time together… brief as it was. Since then, Michael has been making a mark for himself in the photo world and has recently started a series of thoughtful columns for Fraction Magazine.
A few days back, Michael contacted me to discuss his current work in...
In Focus: Jennifer Schlesinger
New Mexico based photographer Jennifer Schlesinger is not only a talented fine art photographer, she’s also the Gallery Director of Verve Gallery of Photography and a regular contributor to Finite Foto.
In October 2010 I featured Jennifer’s series Object Diaspora in my column for Black And White Photography Magazine. Here’s an excerpt from a recent chat we had.
SUSAN BURNSTINE: How long...
