Rain rain go away

So its a bit damp here in NYC today and I am just about to head out and get my festival groove on. Be sure to scroll down we have been a busy beaver this morning there are 6 fine posts below. Hope we haven't completely blown our load and your all bored to distraction and over it already.

Foto 8 are having technical difficulties and have yet to post my daily report. I had that thing in the bag around 10.00 am in case you were wondering. Yes we are a little hung over but are determined to bring you the juice. Big sorry to anyone who's ear I chewed off last night and anyone I left off the sightings list.

Roger Ballen: Rock Star

With all the fluff its time to get a little meaty here on WTJ. We took in a number of the seminars yesterday. Aperture Presents: In Conversation Martin Parr and Erik Kessels was a treat with Kessels and his Dutch sense of humor stealing the show for me. Smart, funny, creative and the format allowed the boys to play out a well choreographed double act. We also saw Jan Banning who introduced his presentation of 'Bureucrats' by announcing that the subject matter was well boring and that his presentation was well boring too. Of course it wasn't boring at all. Well played sir ! Man its that dry Dutch humor again. One of Parrs big announcements was that like it or not the Dutch are coming. Expect to see a huge Dutch presence on the photo art scene. Don't forget where you read it first.

Jan Kempenears on the other hand is Belgian. The work is solid and he seems like a very cool bloke but man the presentation was actually boring. None of that extra dry Dutch humor here. Note to Jan we didn't really need to see pictures of how his exhibitions were hung in galleries. I know I know its all part of the big picture but still I had to walk out before the end.

So that leaves us with the surprise hit of the festival for me so far. And yes what as a surprise seeing it was the opening act and maybe 11.00am on a beautiful Spring morning is not when you want to be going to see a show and tell with the prince of darkness himself Roger Ballen but what the fuck I have been an avid fan and what with these media credentials I am access all areas.

I first saw Rogers work a few years ago when work from his Outland series was on display at the Gallery of Photography in Dublin. Probably 2002 or so. I was of course initially struck by the content but also by his framing; square, use of hard flash and the exquisite black and white tones.

These show and tells can be a bit painful after all we are photographers not performers per-se. Thankfully I have never had the opportunity to bore an audience to death with poor stage craft. No fear with Roger though, fuck me after a cursory round of thank you's to Kathy Ryan, the festival committee etc etc he unleashed the beast.

Ballen dropped his head, grabbed a microphone, changed the tone of his voice and started to stalk the stage as he embarked on a journey into the Shadow Chamber. Man was he good, rock star good. A monologue ala Spalding Grey. This wasn't a talk this was a fuckin performance

"Something perked up in side me and when something perks up inside me I got to do something about it" he said referring to the time he first spotted the structure in which the Shadow Chamber project takes place.

It was epic, one for the grand kids, it will be like where were you the day Roger Ballen took the stage at NYPH 08 ? Fuck man I was there. Wow what was it like fuckin magic like when I saw the Smiths back in 83 or 84. So if you missed it sorry the festival might just be all down hill after this.

Roger Ballen

And then the talks over and Roger is all back to normal; a nice middle aged man with a stripey jumper (sweater). Slightly schizo perhaps; might explain the work.

You know its a really good photo festival: 2

When there is a real live European fashion catalogue shoot going on in the hood and they got the mighty 300mm out. Yeah baby fashtacular ! Kicking it old school. Click on image to enlarge and see that badboy in all its glory. The photog had to walkie talkie in instructions to the models she was so fuckin far away.

© Peter Lindbergh, Linda Evangelista for Italian Vogue, Dumbo 1990

You know the festival organizers should have an installation or at the very least big upped the Dumbo originator himself. Yeah man where's the love for Peter Lindbergh. Mind you though the festival mantra is the future of contemporary photography and poor old Peter gets a bit of a wrap for being a one trick pony, but still. I was half thinking I was going to stumble in on one of his epic productions full of supermodels, HMI's, smoke machines, aliens, salt flats, tumble weeds. But then I found this:

And this up the street:

Where's all the glamor gone ?

You know it's a really good photo festival: 1

When they have their own golf carts.

Lets get the party started

Well if you have been living under a rock you might be unaware of the photo fest happening in New York City next week. Yes the big one is finally here the inaugural New York Photo Festival: The Future of Contemporary Photography aka NYPH 08 and it kicks off in Dumbo on Wednesday the 14th and runs through Sunday the 18th.

What can we expect ? Who knows as this is the events first outing but it seems the essential ingredients are all in the pot. I won't bore you with all the details but go here for the schedule. Its not exactly free either so go here for the pricing structure and here to purchase tickets. It looks like $45 should get you into just about everything including the opening party on the 14th so that's not so bad over the 5 days although be sure to check the fine print as some of the events are limited by capacity.

The evenings are going to pretty jammed with happenings, some of which haven't made it on to the main calender. 'Various Photographs' the exhibit curated by Tim Barber of Tiny Vices is also holding an opening reception on the 14th from 7.00pm to 10.00pm at 70 Front Street. Good news is this event is free and open to the public. Expect this to be a mob scene, you have been warned.


I am pleased to say I will have one picture in the festival as part of Portraiture: An Exhibition by Getty Images one of the many satellite shows that will circumvent the main pavilions, full list here. There will be an artists reception on Thursday the 15th at 81 Front Street from 6.00pm - 8.00pm.

Also that evening there will be a giant book signing extravaganza over at the powerHouse arena from 9.00pm - 10.00pm. An hour seems like a ludicrously short amount of time considering the line up: Lili Almog, Roger Ballen, Juliana Beasley, Harry Benson, Kevin Bubriski, Julia Calfee, Vivian Cherry, Livia Corona, Valdir Cruz, Lalla Essaydi, Larry Fink, Brian Finke, Ron Galella, Stephen Gill, Arlene Gottfried, Christopher Griffith, John Gruen, Alice Harris, David Alan Harvey, Henry Horenstein, Ellen Jong, Leora Kahn, Seth Kushner & Anthony LaSala, Christopher LaMarca, Wassink Lundgren, Jeff Mermelstein, Slava Mogutin, Rachel Papo, Martin Parr, Nigel Parry, Mark Peterson, Thomas Roma, Steve Schapiro, Joachim Schmid, Jamel Shabazz, The Snorri Bros., Michael Spano, Peter Sutherland, Linda Troeller, Victor Vazquez, Veronique Vial, Nathaniel Welch, and David Yellen.

If you entered the festivals New York Photo Awards and haven't heard anything from the organizers yet you will have to try again next year. Looks like they have gone ahead and whittled down all the entrants into manageable groups. Full list of those nominees in the running here. And a ticket to the awards show on the Friday night gets you access to yet another party at the powerHouse arena right after.

Speaking of competitions/parties PDN are getting in on the weeks acivities as they will be hosting their annual Photo Annual party on Tuesday the 13th. Yeah sorry there too if you hadn't heard from them by now you didn't make the grade here either. This event is by invitation only and there is always a pretty strict door policy so if you didn't get the heads up you might want to save yourself any velvet rope embarrassment. In case you were wondering though its at the same venue as last year.


Dumbo residents VII Photo Agency have stretched their involvement and added another on site event to the offerings with a 3 day seminar 16th thru 18th including keynote speakers, show and tells with all the main players incl. Greenfield, Kratochvil, Ladefoged, Morris & Nachtwey, book signings, portfolio reviews etc etc. The price of this event is separate to the cost of admission to the main festival. Full details here.

Fuck I am worn out already just try to get my head around all the possibilities and permutations. I think my liver is just as concerned considering all the opportunities for liquid refreshment. Fingers crossed for some fine Spring weather especially with the organizers expecting 100,000 over the four days. Have a feeling most of the gatherings will be pretty chock a block so the streets might be the best bet for a little extra curricular mingling. Hopefully the event lives up to its potential and wont turn in to too much of a circle jerk. The Jackanory will be in situ throughout to keep an eye on proceedings, more to come on that Monday.