take care,
a

after the first few months into the project, i started noticing patterns in the color and visual style, that i found suited the story… once i saw those, i guess it all started to evolve in that way. obviously there also custom raw processing, specifically for this project.

even though this project is very much the “picture by appointment” type, i never know what is actually going to happen, so i always set out with a completely open mind… so nothing in my mind…

the subject/situation dictates what i shoot, and in a later stage my vision dictates how/what i edit

obviously my vision will “seep into” the times that i am shooting, but i try to steer clear of consciously “only shooting what fits my vision” because i fear that would limit my growth and experience as a photographer… there is so much to learn

so yes… i think i try to make my mind empty as much as possible so i can react as purely as possible to the subject…

hope that answers your question, ‘t was a hard one :-)

cheers,
anton

A very compelling series and one I can’t wait to see in a completed form.

Was curious about the visual style you have brought to this piece- a dark,moody,vignetted, and desaturated recipe (seems there is no blue in Japanese outdoors ) that
just seems to nail it.
Did you actively set out with a visual style in mind or did it just evolve ?

I look at another series of yours, ” Sugar”, which is one that has stayed with me since you released it and note that the color palette is quite saturated and
the compositions/subject benefit from an appropriate splash of color.

Again, are you actively setting out with something in mind or are you reacting to a subject and letting that ‘dictate’ the visual language you adopt
for a given project.

Best,
Mark

yes i am aware that the gutter has an influence on the center part of the image: i edit accordingly… so i make my edit specifically knowing that my images will lose detail in the centre, and might get minimally cut off at the edges.

I hold Luc Delahaye’s book “Winterreise” as an example, there you also have to “open” the book very far sometimes and “bend the binding” and such, but i like the feel and the “character” of a worn out book a lot more than a book that tries to “stay new” (you know what i mean). so i guess i’ll try to find a way to ecourage people to not be afraid and wear out the book :-)))

i’ll still be looking for good binding nonetheless of course… japan of course has a wealth of expertise in paper & binding, i’ll first go look there i think

cheers,
anton

my aim is surely to keep documenting my journey…. you will defintely be kept informed…

cheers,a

thanks for your reply…. i don’t know if i am influenced by japanese photographers… simply because i have not seen or studied very many. but on several occasions i have been told that i have a japanese “eye” (whatever that means) by japanese and non-japanese people… so in some way, the culture must be rubbing off into my vision as a whole… and i hope that will be a good thing in the long run :-)

cheers
a

ps i use digital only at this point (used to use an old contaxt + tri-X + agfa developer and ilford papers)

Some saddle stitched books work with full bleed where every spread opens like a centerfold but not many publishers bind this way, unfortunately.

Cheers,
Paul Treacy
http://paultreacy.com

Do you find yourself influenced by Japanese photography? Your style is quite loose, almost dream-like: are you using digi or film? O.k. I’m a gearhead.

Mike.

thanks… from my side, i’m seriously hoping you’ll at one time document all the travels you’ve done… ‘cos the stories you write about them are incredible!

cheers,
a

you’ll definitely be one of “the three others” if you want!

:-D

cheers mate, thanks for the reply
a

i’ll also thoroughly document my search for a publisher for this story… so you will all be kept in the loop.

but because i’m laying out an approach to publish in multiple channels simultaneously, it’s going to be a bit harder to talk to a “traditional” book publisher…. we’ll see. i hope it’ll work out.

cheers and thanks for the comments,

a

i’m proud to know you too, dear….

when do we meet again? i am in belgium till end of march, so we have a month to pick a day :-)

x

beautiful and inspiring words as well. thanks!

Jordan

happy and proud to know you :-)

anxiously awaiting the book.

oh yes my dear… i’m always a turmoil of feelings… but that’s what keeps me sane!

:-)

hugs
a

the book is just in a test stage… i will be looking for a publisher soon… i’ll keep you informed!

cheers
a

thanks for the words… yes, i feel that the stylistic “continuality” (or however one may call it) is one of the harder things to do… it’s like an extra layer that sits in my head and sometimes i have to consciously block it so that i don’t fall in the trap of not making an image because it wouldn’t fit stylistically within the story… because however good it is to have found a recognizable style for this project, i am always also in fear to be dictated or dominated by it…

but the fact that i am aware of this, is hopefully enough to not fall into that trap :-)

cheers,

anton

Like to see more.

Cheers. Peter.

Nice. Very nice.

Thank you.

“i see a ghost” is slowly evolving into “dislocate”, a larger body of work that i am attempting…

“i was a dog” is in there somewhere as well, though not published yet on my site here… but i might do so soon!

i think you can see the essay right now at davidalanharveyworkshops.com…

cheers and thanks for stopping by!

a

Great series and interesting to see you now work on a project on the other side of the planet. I saw your presentation with David Alan Harvey at the photographic center in Oaxaca last fall. Where’s the series “I was a dog”. Made a great impression!
Anyway. Discovered your (again) through DAH’s burn. Great finally to see your imagery again.
Keep up the good work.
Best,
Frederik.

crista

New pictures…..looking good….everything ok with you, Taka & the rest?
Hope so……very curious about the new stuff….you know me:-)

See ya soon….when back in town?

Cheers,

Jean-Pierre

several years ago my brother walked into his bar by accident and ordered a beer…. and the rest, as we say, is history :-)

sure! in Brussels on the 21st, remember?

hugs

Good he is ok. I imagine how stressfull it was. Take care of yourselves!

My best and a big hug,
Lassal

good man.
d

regarding finding ourselves :o) i think that’s a literal thing these days.. you know.. the more we travel the more people we meet.. eventually we meet someone just like ourselves and we ‘find ourselves’..

which is great unless it’s a toothless hippie tripping on a palm fringed beach, jabbering-on about blowing up the moon.
:o)

“Dès que j’ai commencé à photographier, mes images se sont imposées à moi comme un journal intime. Ma pratique photographique est indissociablement liée à mes expériences. Je ne peux pas imaginer faire autrement. Je ne peux photographier si je ne suis pas acteur à part entière des situations dans lesquelles je m’immisce ou que je provoque. Cet engagement est à mes yeux la seule légitimité acceptable de l’acte photographique. Tout autre pratique tient du commentaire photo-journalistique ou du voyeurisme. La photographie rend possible le développement simultané d’un regard sur le monde et son expérimentation.

(…)

J’éprouve le besoin de photographier mes expériences de la nuit, mais je sens que je m’épuise physiquement, mentalement et affectivement. Il me faut désormais en terminer avec cette approche. Je veux parfois en finir mais la nuit reste mon seul territoire. Je dois, pour survivre, prendre mes distances avec ces pratiques extrêmes, même si je n’ai pas la moindre idée de la manière dont je vais y parvenir. Mais aussi longtemps que j’en aurai la force, je continuerai à m’engloutir dans ces mondes perdus qui sont mon refuge. L’expérience que j’ai de ce type d’immersion prolongée me permet aujourd’hui de me défaire de tout romantisme. Je vais à l’essentiel. Je n’ai plus besoin de prétexte, ni de justification. J’ai entrevu peu à peu l’obscénité même d’une construction intellectuelle et poétique qui servirait d’alibi à ma faim insatiable de chair et de substances anesthésiantes. Je ne photographie plus aujourd’hui que l’extase, l’hystérie, l’agonie. Les contextes n’ont plus d’importance. Mais si le réalisme est un échec, l’abstraction est une fuite et la seule issue pour moi est de saisir la chair à bras le corps et d’en extraire l’horreur.” Antoine d’Agata.

… and cheers to your first cover!

Skill-set crossover is interesting. The more I specialize (in user experience design) the more I find opportunities for transference. Perhaps its just the focus on psychology, context and behavior, but it’s interesting.

thank you for your kind words… and yes, these images are for the most part like i remember my own childhood: visual fragments, little focus, more a palette of colors, smells and sounds than actual context…

good luck with your daughter…

cheers,

So happy to have discovered you via burn!

What a touching project. I’ve had a daughter for almost two years now, and it’s taught me so much. A deeper lesson that’s beginning to come to the surface now is just how short these years are going to be – how soon she’ll be in Birgit’s world, and then beyond.

I particularly love the way your focus brings out the environment. Foam on the water, the wooden floor, stray hair, the fabric of clothes. Because they’re the physical context for all these moments – the things that laughter echoes off of and that somehow stick in your childhood mind when you recall in later years…

will write you soon!
a

Hope you get the required funding for this, I’m looking forward to any updates/books

Daniel

d

xo

PS: It’s going to be one year this week, we met and as your guest, slept in the pinkest room ever! :-)))

hugs
Patricia

Congratulations!

Ana

now there is BURN of course, so no time over here…. but the somewhat “slow” posting here is kinda nice too :-)

love to beate and the TOP CAT!

we’re all buzzing about this over here.. tor capa needs a nappy change..

well deserved my friend.. the amount of passion and hard work you seem to bring to all you do.. suger.. burn.. japan.. mexico.. is inspiring and it’s brilliant to see it pay off..
sugar is a beautiful piece of work.. the real thing.. carried out with love and the natural talent you display with all your work.. keep pushing my friend..

again – we’re so happy over here that things are moving along ..
i’ll be unable to make the opening unfortunately – enjoy the moments.

love from all
david, beate and tor capa.
x