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We all need a vacation every now and then, right? Instead of heading to Colonial Williamsburg this year, perhaps you might want to check out one of these surreal places, all located on our very own planet. With spots ranging from Argentina to Turkmenistan, you’re sure to find something unforgettable nearby.
To see more, check out this thread on Quora.
Similar to Claire Felicie’s series of monochromatic triptychs, Snow captures the innocent expressions of these men transformed into gaunt, sullen faces in less than a year.
The three-panel juxtaposition allows the viewer to observe the physical changes a stationed soldier in a war zone goes through. Time is sped up for these men under the beating sun, amidst combat. Regardless of age, the boys that went in came back as men with experiences beyond their years. As weathered and worn as their skin or sunken in faces may appear, it’s their dilated eyes that are the most telling.
Additionally, Snow’s series accompanies each triptych with quotes from each of the servicemen that gives a great deal of insight into their mental and emotional state at each given time. Sergeant Alexander McBroom’s first portrait, before deployment, features him bravely saying, “I am not worried about going out – it is my job after all.” Three months later, he is quoted as saying, “It has been an eye opener.” And, finally, another four months after, he says, “It is always that fear, that apprehension, what is going to happen if I get blown up?” Having gone through life-altering trials and warfare, it is no surprise that fear is no longer a foreignfeeling to these courageous men.
Snow’s intention with the series is to not only honor their bravery by featuring them, but to also draw attention to every soldiers’ psychological transformation. She says, “It was a very personal project and stemmed from having embedded with the military on and off for 4 years in Iraq and Afghanistan and bearing witness to how many young men return as shadows of their former selves and, in many cases, with deep, psychological scars. As the body count of British servicemen killed or wounded rose and the political ramifications of the British army’s presence in Afghanistan became increasingly convoluted, more and more soldiers felt like they didn’t have a voice, or at least, weren’t being listened to. We Are The Not Dead is an attempt at giving the brave young men and women the chance to explain how it really is.”
via MyModernMet
simianAmber’s work can be found here. Learn more about the artist on Unknown Editors.
People Vs. Places is a photographic collaboration between photographers Timothy Burkhart and Stephanie Bassos. The two photographers use the technique of double exposure to achieve these remarkable images, such as the girl above who literally disappears into her surroundings. Stephanie exposes a full roll of 35mm film of only “people,” and Timothy reloads the film again into the same camera, to imprint only “places” and locations to the same roll. Or sometimes Timothy takes the location photos first and then gives the film to Stephanie for the people. And they alternate who brings the film to be developed. Artistic collaboration at its finest.
Don’t be fooled by the glamorous exterior: at heart, the New York City ballet is dark and merciless. The ethereal ballerinas dancing faultlessly in stunning surroundings are only mirages created by the onstage lighting, while behind the thick velvet curtain things are entirely different.
Backstage, the tutus lie on trays like pizzas, waiting for someone to wear them in order to get their life and movement back. The shoes covered in pink satin look pretty on stage but they are ruthless on the ballerina’s feet. The perfect pose of the dancers crumbles when away from the spotlight.
Swiss born photographer Henry Leutwyler spent a whole season behind the scenes at the New York City Ballet’s rehearsal studios to get to know, and show the world, this amazing underworld. Being a fan of Ballet himself, Leutwyler’s research result in a book that reflects his thirty years of career condensed in thirty days of photography using nothing more than his 35mm Leica. Leutwyler defines himself as a visual archaeologist. His work drills deep, allowing the objects to reveal their real essence.
In his book “Ballet”, released on October 25th, Leutwyler reveals that the secret to take such profound photos is “to become invisible, to completely blend in with the surroundings”.
This seems to be the only way to capture the obscure and dark magic that makes possible the world of ballet as we know it.
Ruud van Empel‘s photo-realistic images are irresistibly alluring, rich, fantastic and unique. Based in Amsterdam, he creates digital montages by combining hundreds of his own images. His theatrically distinct work is full of a mysterious and captivating beauty.
Starting with one image, he gradually merges and collages the original with hundreds of others from a diverse database he has amassed over time. The result creates fabricated realities that are colorful, elaborate reinterpretations of the original shot.
The high resolution of each digitally enhanced shot enables him to produce large-format prints of strikingly rich quality and detail. Their sharp focus immediately draws the viewer’s gaze, while their layered realities capture our attention for even longer.
His work is currently on display at The Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego. The exhibit, Strange Beauty, features over 40 of van Empel’s digitally enhanced pieces.
*By Phil Toledano
I’m interested in what we define as beauty, when we choose to create it ourselves. Beauty has always been a currency, and now that we finally have the technological means to mint our own, what choices do we make? Is beauty informed by contemporary culture? By history? Or is it defined by the surgeon’s hand?
Can we identify physical trends that vary from decade to decade, or is beauty timeless? When we re-make ourselves, are we revealing our true character, or are we stripping away our very identity? Perhaps we are creating a new kind of beauty. An amalgam of surgery, art, and popular culture? And if so, are the results the vanguard of human induced evolution?
This article was originally posted on Bulkka.com, a JuicyCanvas partner.
For photographer Sandy Kim, no subject is taboo. Her work focuses on the raw, uncensored, and potentially vulgar, world of partying youths and the chaos they incite. At times her work is grimy, capturing bodily fluids on exposed bodies, but the feelings she captures through expertly framed and lit shots display her unique talent as a photographer. Many of her photographs are self-portraits, exposing her own sexual interactions with her boyfriend. Others simply capture idyllic, reckless partying youth as they carelessly revel on dirty couches, atop concrete rooftops and over grimy toilets. Together, the collection majestically documents a culture; albeit, one that may require a few photographs the next day to trigger its memory in those involved.
I was born in Marin County, California in 1979 and grew up watching Star Wars. Now I live in Santa Barbara.
I wanted to play with the idea of vacation and of course the absurdity of Darth Vader taking one. Dictators, Presidents, they all take them…why not Vader?. So the series Dark Holiday was born.
It’s great to see how universal the appeal of the Dark Holiday series has been. I’ve seen blog and Twitter posts about the series from all over the world, including some from Egypt. I’ve never used Google Translate so much in my life!
Sometimes creatives in any field get bogged down with assignments and commercial work and forget how fun and beneficial personal work can be.
This article was originally posted on Bulkka.com, a JuicyCanvas partner.
Seemingly ordinary moments on the streets of Chicago are transformed into works of art through the lens of photographer, Oak Thitayarak. His thirty six page book of strikingly beautiful portraits and snapshots capture the vitality, diversity, and force of the city. Unposed, and quintessentially raw, each shot reveals the inherent beauty in each character, and the truth behind each of their unique stories. The daily lifeblood of the city serves as nutritive fodder for a thriving narrative that unfolds before your eyes. Wander through the streets of Chicago all year round, immune to the windy city’s biting breeze, and download the digital booklet for free here.
