In this episode of PhotoWork, Sasha and photographer, Mark Steinmetz discuss the early influences on his work, including the cinematic influences. Mark talks about his relationship to Garry Winogrand, who he spent time with in Los Angeles, and talks in detail about the ways in which his different projects have evolved and taken shape.
In this episode of PhotoWork, Sasha and photographer, curator, and writer, Jon Feinstein discuss the evolution of Humble Arts Foundation, the organization he co founded with Amani Olu, and how Humble represents Jon’s strong desire to democratize the art world and create opportunities for more people. Jon and Sasha also talk about some of the recent events in Jon’s personal life that has made his own work more urgent and emotional. They also reminisce about the first time they met and mutual affection abounds.
In this episode of PhotoWork, Sasha and photographer, Zora J Murff have a conversation about the myriad of discriminatory practices embedded in the art world that have worked to exclude artists of color and how the current push for inclusion leads one to wonder if newly created opportunities are really here to stay. Zora discusses how the pandemic has lead to new ways of engaging students and looking at their work and how we should hold on to much of what we have learned during this time.
In this episode of PhotoWork, Sasha and photographer, Kristine Potter discuss the various choices Kristine made that lead to her studying with and working for Mark Steinmetz and Philip-Lorca diCorcia, both significant relationships to her artistic practice, and the ways in which her eventual move to Nashville, Tennessee afforded her room to breath, leading to increased creativity. Kristine discusses her Dark Waters project and its connection to the Murder Ballads of the region and her penchant for subverting gender expectations in her work.
In this episode of PhotoWork, Sasha and photographer, Doug DuBois talk about the influence photographers Larry Sultan and Jim Goldberg had on Doug’s artistic development while he was in grad school in San Francisco. Doug discusses his long term project, My Last Day at Seventeen and the complex, always evolving, responsibility he feels for how the teenage subjects, now adults, were represented. Doug’s openness, honestly and good humor bring warmth and breadth to this conversation.
In this episode of PhotoWork, Sasha and photographer / filmmaker, Gillian Laub, talk about the patience needed to let a certain type of project take shape. Gillian discusses her HBO Documentary, Southern Rites, and explains why still photography alone was not enough to tell that story, and she reveals the importance of trusting her editor in the book making process and making hard cuts to beloved images. This is an incredibly warm and cozy talk between two old friends who share lots of thoughts and feelings with one another and, of course, the listeners.
In this episode of PhotoWork, Sasha and photographer, Alejandro Cartagena, talk about finding motivation from within and not counting on the art world at large to propel or inspire your creative output. Alejandro talks about how his early work as an archivist has come back around to be a key part of his current practice and how he juggles multiple bodies of work at once. Alejandro’s incredible passion for his craft, his good humor and high spirits keep this conversation moving at warp speed.
In this episode of PhotoWork, Sasha and artist, Dannielle Bowman, talk about Dannielle’s amazing trajectory, from almost giving up on making photographs, to being invited to work on the New York Times 1619 Project. Dannielle, who was awarded the Aperture Portfolio Prize this year, speaks at length about her work, and explains why and how she looks to create real ambiguity in her pictures. Dannielle discusses how shooting for the 1619 Project has had a lasting impact on her personally and on her work. The episode ends with a brief discussion of Dannielle’s experience at Yale in the MFA program and the strong bonds she formed there with her fellow students and professors.
In this episode of PhotoWork, Sasha talks with the Creative Director of Aperture, Lesley Martin. Sasha and Lesley take a deep dive into the world of photo book publishing, discuss the long process of getting a book made, from start to finish, and how up-and-coming photographers might approach publishers. Lesley talks about how she wound up at Aperture, the highs and lows of working collaboratively and about her extensive work on the publication, Stephen Shore’s Selected Works, among other. They also talk about the joys of book details such as vertical gatefolds and what’s better to show editor—a PDF or a maquette. They end with some deep talk about legacy and express their mutual admiration.
In this episode of PhotoWork, Sasha and photographer, Todd Hido, have a wide-ranging conversation about Todd’s roles as an artist and an educator. Todd shares his ideas about how students should follow the John Cage rule and “ Find a place you trust and try trusting it for a while”, and how, as a student himself, he had to push back against a critique to make his work less subjective! Todd and Sasha find common ground through cinematic influences and the desire for hope as a motivator to keep working. There is much to love and learn from in this episode as Hido is extremely generous with his hard won wisdom.